The four-master TORMILIND was built under the direction A & P Sepp from Saaremaa at Hara on the north Estonian coast for R.Pahlberg, G. Kristenbrunn and A. Hank from Kaspervik.
Tonnage 495.46 gross tons, dim. 45.71 x 10.3m.
Crew 10.
Barkentine rigged.
Built to conform Bureau Veritas requirement.
1922 Completed and managed by the local shipping company Käsmu Laevaomanikind at Hara, Estonia.
After she was completed it was considered by many to be the most beautiful Estonian sailing ship of all times.
Her maiden voyage was from Loksa via Kotka and Swansea to the Mediterranean.
1924 Was she owned only by Rudolf Pahlberg.
Between 1926-1927 she called at African and Latin America ports.
1927 Homeport Käsmu, and managed by O. Tiedemann.
1930 Transferred to Käsmu Laeva Omanikud (G. Kristenbrunn, R.Phalberg and A. Tiedemann).
December 1937 she suffered damage off Hiiumaa Island, as a result three crewmembers lost their lives.
During the repair she was fitted out with a 300hp diesel engine.
27 February 1939 again in service after the repair.
1940 After Estonia was annexed by the Soviet Union transferred to Estonian State Shipping Company at Reval (Tallinn).
Between June and July 1941 used by the Soviets as transport and tug to tow transports from Hangö, Finland to Harikuri and Triigi, Estonia.
01 September seized by the Russian Navy in Hiiumaa, Estonia
11 September 1941 with on board 300 Russian troops escaped to a Baltic port, which already was occupied on 29 August by German troops. On arrival at the road she was captured and declared a prize by the Germans.
20 September moved to Reval and used by the German Wirtschaftskommando Reval.
25 November 1941 transferred to KMD Reval and in service for Sea-transport East, managed by the Estonian State Shipping Company.
23 June 1942 taken over by the KMD Hamburg as a guard-ship in the Baltic. Managed by Reederei Leth & Co. at Hamburg.
24 June a crew was arranged for the TORMILIND in Hamburg which travelled to Rival to take over the ship.
This crew sailed the ship to the Hamburg yard of Buschmann for a refit in a guard ship.
13 August moved to Afrika-Werkstätten in Hamburg.
24 November 1942 in service after a trial as Radio-observation and anti aircraft vessel by the 19th patrol flotilla in the Great Belt.
10 December renamed in VP 1916.
11 December 1942 sailed from Hamburg to Kiel, took on board in the Under Elbe her armament.
1943 Taken over by the 16th patrol flotilla, renamed in VP 1614.
15 September 1943 used as air-plain observation vessel in the Baltic, fitted out with a radar installation, as TORMILIND VP1614.
1944 Transferred to the 9th Security Flotilla, as Vs 909
19 October 1944 in the Aalborg bight was running on a mine and sunk, crew rescued.
Estonia 1997 5k50 sg305, scott328.
Source: http://www.post.ee/?id=1946&prod_id=311 http://warsailors.com/forum/read.php?1,4779,5147