The Baltic Sea, near the port of Memel.1940-41(Sea trial)A Sperrbrecher (informally translated as "pathfinder" but literally meaning "mine barrage breaker")), was a German auxiliary ship / The Sperrbrecher 163 (1029 grt/585 nrt) was originally the British SS Wellpark, launched on Nov. 9th, 1904 by George Brown & Co., Greenock, yard number 24, for the Wellpark Company (J. & J. Denholm), Greenock. Driven by a 3-cyl. III-exp. steam engine, service speed 9 kn. In 1910 she was purchased by The Denholm Line Steamers and in 1915 the Wellpark was sold to Limerick Steamship Co. and renamed Cratloe. In 1917 sold to T. C. Stephen & Co., Edinburgh and renamed Avessac.
In 1924 the vessel was purchased by the Norwegian company N. A. Staubo, Christiania (Oslo) and renamed Slothol. In 1929 she was bought by the German ship owner A. Schwedersky Nachf., Memel (Ostpreußen) and renamed Friesland.
On Nov. 1st, 1940 the Friesland was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine and converted for naval use, and commissioned already on Nov. 7th as Sperrbrecher 63. On Sept. 25th, 1941 assigned to the 1st Sperrbrecher Flotilla and redesignated Sperrbrecher 163. During her naval service she detonated 39 mines and with her comparatively strong armament (1-8.8 cm, 1-4 cm, 1-3.7 cm and 4-2 cm guns) she acted also as convoy escort against British MTB and MGB.
On March 19th, 1944 the Sperrbrecher 163 struck an air-laid mine on 2005 h in position 54°0'N 8°3'E, north of the Weser Estuary, and foundered 4½ hours later in position 53°59'N 8°8'30''E. 44 of her crew were lost. https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?13779