Marineartillerieleichter

During the advance through the Soviet Union the german army lacked transport and fire support capabilities on the Caspian Sea and the Sea of Azov.
So it was requested, that the Kriegsmarine should supply a shallow draft self propelled artillery barge. The main task for these ships was to prevent oil transports in the caspian sea, but they should also be able to transport troops. The MFP and AFP could not be transported by train or road, so a new type of ship was needed.

The following requests would have to be met:
– transportable by train or truck
– assembly without the need of shipyards
– shallow draught
– useable in slight swell (WMO sea state code 3)
– 2 x 8.8 cm guns and AA
– speed of at least 8 kts

The first 12 of these boats, then called “Artilleriemotorleichter” (AML), were ordered on the 30.09.1942. During 1943 the name was changed to “Marineartillerieleichter” (MAL, navy artillery lighter).
Every MAL I consisted of 10 segments, which weighed 18t at max and had an average length of 10m. These segments were connected with bolt couplings and joints and buldwark were filled with concrete (the bulwark then offered additional protection). The assembly including armament took about 2 days. The armament consisted of two 8.8cm guns and two 2cm AA guns.
If the 8.8cm guns were removed, the barge could transport 60t of cargo.
The Caspian Sea never came under german control, so 4 barges were used in the Mediterranian Sea and the other ships
formed the “3. Artillerieträgerflottille” in the Black Sea.

MAL Typ I (MAL 1-12)
displacement max (t): 140
length (m): 34.20
width (m): 7.72
draught empty (m): 0.60
draught loaded (m): 0.87
side height (m): 1.8/2.2
total engine power (hp): 260
speed empty (kts): 8.5
range (nm/kts): 790/8.5
officers/NCOs, crew: 2/19 – 2/27

The second series of another 24 barges was ordered during 01.1943 – 04.1943 and included some improvements. The frontal bulwark was raised to improve sea worthiness, the bridge was now armored and crew accommodations were added. Twelve ships formed the “3. Artillerieträgerflottille” on Lake Peipus, 2 were used by “Artillerie- und Flakkompanie Harderwijk” in the Netherlands, 4 were given to Finnland and 4 were converted to Danube river gunboats.
The AA armament was increased to 1 x quad 2cm gun and 1 x 3.7cm gun.

MAL Typ Ia (MAL 13-36)
displacement max (t): 146
length (m): 34.30
width (m): 7.72
draught loaded (m): 0,83
side height (m): 1.8/2.2
total engine power (hp): 260
speed empty (kts): 8.0
officers/NCOs, crew: 2/26

The final version was the MAL Typ II, which was a cooperation by the Heer and the Kriegsmarine. Like with the previous types the MAL II was build in 10 segments, with segment 1-9 forming the hull and segment 10 beeing the bridgemthe weight was increased to up to 20.3 t/segment though.
Several other barges and bridges could by build out of those segments, ranging from small ferries with 4 to bridges with 21 segments.
Major differences would be the raised and increased size of the bridge and crew compartment and the further raised bulwark, which was extended to the sides.
The armament was changed to 2 x 10.5cm guns and the AA guns were changed to 1 x quad 2cm and 2 x single 2 cm.
(I can’t say for sure if all ships, that were finished with guns, used 10.5cm guns and if there were any Typ I or Ia that had 10.5cm guns.)
There were orders for this ship up to MAL 120, but only a few were finished unitl the end of the war, others were finished als Pionierlandungsboote 43 (Landing Craft).
Regarding the chaos during the end of the war i can’t make out exact numbers, alot ships were intended to be used in the adriatic sea, but the never were used there and the baltic sea.
Some of the MAL Typ II were transferred to the baltic sea 8. Artillerieträgerflottille, others were transferred to the 3. Transportflottille, which operated on the North Sea (Netherlands) and later on the Rhine (at least that what the chronicles of the ships seem to tell), a few otheres seem to have been used as ferries (without transferring them) or completed after the war.
There were other plans to build more versions of the MAL II, like a Minelayer and a Sperrbrecher (Minesweeper).

MAL Typ II
displacement max (t): 277
length (m): 35.50
width (m): 8.60
draught loaded (m): 1.19
side height (m): 1,8/2,2
total engine power (hp): 260
speed empty (kts): 8,0
range (nm/kts): 790/8.0
officers/NCOs, crew: 2/26

Sorces:
Historisches Marinearchiv
https://historisches-marinearchiv.de/projekte/landungsfahrzeuge/marineartillerieleichter/beschreibung.php

The pictures were included with permission of the HMA