U-51 Kapitänleutnant Hans Felix Hartmann [Archive]

CPTLTJASON

11-20-20, 02:04 PM

6/25/1940 AM 1581 North Atlantic 10th day at sea

U-48 have has been on a role, 24 hrs after leaving port U-48 arrived off the British East Coast and began her work, a small 2 ship convoy was sighted in the and with artillery she sent the vessels to the bottom. They were the British freighter ALLISON 4,921 grt loaded with general cargo from Karachi-London and the small tanker BRITISH HUNT 3,502 grt loaded with 3,500 tons of fuel from Aden-London 2 days later she sank 2 small fishing boats. FISHING BOAT. No.4 91 grt and COASTAL BOAT No.21 92 grt.

Kplt.z.S Hartmann decided to move towards Blackness Bay and Firth of Forth here in a spectacular raid she sank with torpedoes and artillery 3 destroyers, 1 motor torpedo boat, 3 fishing vessels, and 3 small freighters for 8,497 grt while escaping she was attacked by 8-10 aircraft one a Hurricane Mk.I Fighter was downed and her pilot taken prisoner the amount of tonnage sunk isn’t spectacular what was is the amount of warships the British had to converge on the area leaving other areas devoid of harbor defense. She headed off towards the Norwegian Sea and broke through the Atlantic via the Iceland-Faroes Passage and on the 23rd she sank the British merchant ship AGUSTUS 2,428 grt.

On the 25th B.d.U. Ordered Hartmann to make for Ferrol, Spain to resupply from Ship No.42.

CPTLTJASON

11-20-20, 03:13 PM

U-48 resupplies from Ship No.42 she took on torpedoes, fuel, and ammunition as well as 3 months worth of provisions she will now head to the convoy lanes to operate in her ordered area, AL 5472.

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CPTLTJASON

11-20-20, 04:12 PM

7/14/1940 North Atlantic 29th day at sea

U-48 searched her ordered area and found no contacts, B.d.U. Instructed us to patrol in AK 6587 and AL 7484 searching for 6 days however no shipping was found. Hartmann informed B.d.U. and they gave Hartmann freedom of movement or return to base, Hartmann choose to continue the patrol further south and she is now working south toward the Azores. For this the crew repainted her camouflage and her emblem was painted over.
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CPTLTJASON

11-20-20, 10:35 PM

8/23/1940 Central Atlantic CG 5138 69th day at sea

It seems U-48’s luck stayed behind on the English Coast no shipping has been sighted since 6/18 only on 7/27 did a two stack liner come into view a spread of 3 torpedoes (Atos) missed no further pursuit was possible, we went as far as Freetown and only sighted Neutral shipping. Hartmann now decided to back track and attempt a resupply from the MV THALIA however on 8/3 U-48 ran into a strong depression and her torpedo tubes were damaged effectively ending her patrol. We are making for Lorient.

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CPTLTJASON

11-20-20, 11:06 PM

8/26/1940 Lorient Naval Base 72nd day at sea

U-48 arrived at Lorient with a barrel and half in her tanks, Adm. Dönitz came aboard and awarded the Kommandant and crew the Iron Cross II Class U-48 will go into an extended refit.

Total: 16 ships for 20,712 grt.

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CPTLTJASON

11-22-20, 01:07 PM

8/19/1940 Lorient, France 1st day at sea

After an extended refit which included the addition of a rear gun platform for another 2cm Flak, U-48 departs on her 2nd war patrol still under the command of Kplt.z.S Hartmann (EK II) once again we will make for the North Atlantic in search of British convoys we have been assigned Naval Square AL 4878
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CPTLTJASON

11-22-20, 02:14 PM

10/7/1940 North Atlantic 18th day at sea

U-48 arrived at her patrol area and again nothing was sighted 2 days later BDU ordered us to BD 3426 again 2 days were spent searching nothing was sighted, BDU ordered us to one final position, naval square AL 7823. On October 1st on the first day of searching lookouts sighted a vessel the neutral Swedish liner HELLEN 8,000 grt she was hit with artillery but a British warship responded to distress signals and we sank her with a torpedo. We headed SE at full speed.

On October 5th U-48 sighted a convoy, dived ahead, and fired a spread of 4 torpedoes (Atos) at the convoy 2 detonations were heard. We dived to A+20m and were depth charged for 50 minutes about 22 depth charges were fired after 2 hours we surfaced and on the 500m wavelength we heard that the British tanker BRITISH WAY 2,780 grt and the British freighter MATHIAS 3,605 grt were torpedoed in the North Atlantic we assume them to be the ships we hit

BDU gave us freedom of movement and we are headed towards the Gulf of Cadiz we will resupply from a tanker.

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CPTLTJASON

11-22-20, 04:23 PM

11/22/1940 Central Atlantic ES 3629 64th day at sea

U-48 has has been on a rampage she’s sunk in the Central Atlantic an additional 12 ships from the Gulf of Cadiz to the Equator mostly with her deck gun south of Cape Verde a freighter retuned fire and damaged U-48 no major damage but Kplt.z.S Hartmann broke off the attack the freighter was the British SALMON 3,000 grt she was damaged by U-48’s deck gun.
all ships are British

Tanker ALVIN 3,427 grt
Freighter CLEMENTINE 1,938 grt
Freighter ARTURO 3,682 grt
Freighter CAROLINA 1,968 grt
Freighter TROPIC SAND 4,222 grt
Freighter SEA BASS 8,048 grt
Freighter SEA WAVE 8,157 grt
Freighter BELLINGTON 1,704 grt
Tanker BRITISH WAY 4,500 grt
Freighter ALLISON 3,683 grt
Freighter EDWARD 4,251 grt
Tanker BRITISH WEST 3,420 grt

We will now make for another resupply and operations in the Celtic Sea.

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CPTLTJASON

11-23-20, 10:12 PM

1/7/1941 Central Atlantic EP 9518 110th day at sea

BDU ordered Hartmann to halt the return transit, resupply from the MV Thalia, and proceed to a new operations area, Pernambuco.

Hartmann arrived in mid December and began operations on the 28th the British freighter DALTON 5,084 grt in ballast from Aruba to Karachi on January 2, 1941 the South African freighter FRENCH 8,172 grt in ballast from Port of Spain to Calcutta on January 5, 1941 the Panamanian freighter MAPCO 7,901 grt loaded with 8,000 tons of freight from Fremantle to Coloń.

Hartmann will patrol naval squares FB, FC, and FK U-48 will be resupplied from the tanker Nordmark.

On her second patrol U-48 has sunk 104,784 grt in total she has sunk 125,496 grt of shipping. BDU awarded the Iron Cross I Class and the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross to Kplt Hartmann.

CPTLTJASON

11-25-20, 09:30 PM

1/29/1941 Lorient, France 132nd day at sea

U-48 arrived at night to Lorient while cruising into the lock she crashed and sank a neutral freighter after a 3 hour delay she finally tied up at Pier 4, Kapitänleutnant Hartmann was awarded the Iron Cross first class and the U-boat War Badge. All the crew were awarded the U-boat War Badge and 24 were awarded the Iron Cross first class.

On this patrol she sank 117,637 grt of shipping she went as far as the Equator. Refitting for a third patrol U-48’s flak platform will be removed her bow will have to be repaired she will sail in about one month.

CPTLTJASON

11-26-20, 11:56 AM

U-48 departed on her third and final cruise she sank 9 freighters and fishing boats for 10,000 grt after 19 days at sea she returned to France, while making her final approach she struck a mine and was beached off the coast she was later towed out and scuttled.

On three patrols U-48 sank 42 ships for 130,000 grt.

CPTLTJASON

11-26-20, 12:02 PM

9/15/1942 Toulon, France 1st day at sea

U-597 (VIIC) is appointed a new Kommandant Oblt.z.S Hartmann they have been ordered to break out of the Mediterranean and head for the South American Coast.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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CPTLTJASON

12-02-20, 12:35 AM

1/10/1937, Kiel Harbor, DDG Hansa Dock No.3

The DDG HANSA freighter HAMFELS 10,000 grt arrived from a run to Singapore and Hong Kong loaded with 11,000 tons of tin and rubber, she arrived at Wilhelmshaven on December 30, 1936 and transited the Kiel Canal to Kiel. On 1/2/1937 at 12:00 hrs. 2 officers and 25 petty officers and ratings of the Kriegsmarine arrived to take over the ship at 12:30 the Hansa’s house flag was lowered and the Kriegsmarine ensign flew on her mast, they will set sail today for Bremen via the Kiel Canal for a “refit” at A.G. Weser shipyard this “refit” will last for at least 9 months.
She’s under the temporary command of Oblt.z.S Ernst Hoffmann

She has also been given a new name.........
“Barracks Ship 35”

As “Barracks Ship 35” made her way to the Canal a photograph snapped a picture of the freighter.

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CPTLTJASON

12-02-20, 05:55 PM

10/31/1937 Bremen, Deschimag A.G. Weser Shipyard

“Barracks Ship 35” arrived safely at Bremen on 1/15/1937 and her refit began for 9 months and 16 days she was a mess of pipes, steel plates, and timbers this is just some of the work done on Barracks Ship 35

-Boat deck lengthened
-Flat bridge face was extended forward and curved
-Superstructure was extended fore and aft adding an additional 10 cabins for fleet staff
-two searchlights added aft of the bearing deck, which was also extended.
-On her main deck 6x21” torpedo tubes (3 on each side) were installed they are covered by retractable flaps. Her main armament consists of 8x15 cm SK L/45s 4 were fitted on each side these will be hidden by retractable flaps on her hull on her poop deck and her forecastle another 2 were installed. Also on the main deck 2x3.7cm SK C/30s, 2x75mm, and 2x2cm Quads were installed fore and aft.
- 4 lifeboats were added aft, the two most aft will be used by boarding parties.
-On D deck (Mine deck) 2 sets of rails were installed for mine laying she will carry on her operation 375 mines however fully loaded she can carry a maximum of 450 mines.
-the funnel is retractable, as well as her main and fore masts are also retractable the cross trees can also be lowered
-Bow and stern were strengthened for operations in ice fields
-Her fuel bunkers were enlarged she at 13 knots she has a range of 150,000 km,
-She also received 4xMAN 6- Cylinder Diesel engines this gave her a top speed of 25 knots.
-Her endurance was about 100 days this was boosted to 220
-3xArado Ar 196 A-3 aircraft will be carried aboard, 2 assembled and one crated, these will be stored as follows:
-Arado Ar 196 A-3 7R+GK will be housed in Hold No.4
-Arado Ar 196 A-3 X3+ZY will be housed in Hold No.7
-Arado Ar 196 A-3 M2+AA will be stored crated in Hold No.3
-In Hold No.6 a new motorboat called LS2 will be carried she will be fitted out as a minelayer.
-Accommodations for 500 officers and ratings were fitted along 3 decks
-Pair of derricks removed, located between the Bridge and funnel.

During these 9 months, the Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine assigned Kplt.z.S Hans Felix Hartmann to command the ship (4/4/1937) Hartmann joined the Reichsmarine in 1919 and rose swiftly through the ranks to Kapitänleutnant taking command of the destroyer Z.20, on 3/30/1937 he was summoned to Berlin and given instructions personally by GAdm Reader to take command of the now designated “Schiff 35”. For this to be possible he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän

Hartmann handpicked his 500 officers and men rejecting all the men he had been sent by the personnel office. Of the 500 men aboard 20 belong to the Luftwaffe (pilots and technicians) The commissioning ceremony will take place in Kiel in mid November.
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CPTLTJASON

12-03-20, 12:04 AM

11/15/1937 Kiel Harbor Basin IV

Schiff 35 arrived at Kiel on November 12 and preparations were made for commissioning, today on November 15, 1937 at 12:00 Schiff 35 is commissioned into the Kriegsmarine. On the 25th of November final adjustments are made and Schiff 35 proceeds to the Baltic for 4 months of intensive training, after this we will return to Kiel for any final adjustments to her engines or artillery.

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CPTLTJASON

12-04-20, 10:09 PM

5/1/1938 Kiel Harbor Basin V 1st day at sea

After nearly 5 months of training, testing, and adjusting Schiff 35 departs for Spanish Waters on a nonintervention cruise, she is to join the Pocket Battleships Admiral Graf Spee and the Deutschland, Our first disguise will be that of a supply ship for this our sister ship, the freighter Reichfels of the DDG Hansa Line will do. She is currently at sea serving as a supply ship for German troops in Spain she is under the cover name RUTH, We will proceed as the Riechfels using the Antwerp-Calcutta route which will take us into the Mediterranean. To assist in our disguise we took aboard 170 tons of cargo, Installed 8 single swinging derricks, repainted the DDG Hansa colors on the funnel and removed searchlights and exterior artillery all of which are stored aboard in Hold No.8

Schiff 35 departed at 08:00 we will proceed through the Great Belt/Skagerrak/Kattegat. Then via the English Channel stopping at Amsterdam to top off fuel and provisions. We are expected to meet the fleet in naval square CH 5656

With the Merchant flag flying on the mainmast the 510 man crew enjoy the final views of the Fatherland little do they know that it will be years before they see it again...........................

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CPTLTJASON

12-04-20, 11:26 PM

5/10/1938 Amsterdam Harbor 9th day at sea

Schiff 35 arrived at Amsterdam on the 4th and docked at the DDG Hansa pier, in six days we took on fuel, food, and provisions, once the clearance papers were ready we cast off today at 10:45 for the English Channel and the Atlantic.

Here we see Schiff 35 picking up speed after dropping off the Pilot at Buoy-7A she was photographed by the Pilot.

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CPTLTJASON

12-05-20, 01:53 AM

These last few posts have been trial runs for what hopefully will be a surface raider series, since one can’t take command of a surface ship in SH5 a uboat will be doing the traveling, sinking, etc. with the raider showing up in pictures now some of the pictures will be photoshopped albeit sparingly

Camouflages will be based on what’s available in game I can try and color the funnel, hull, etc. in paint or gimp 2 (still experimenting with both) for this patrol I will be keeping a Kriegstagebuch but before I can get going I have to study the KTB of a surface ship I’ve found one belonging to the Hilfskreuzer Kormoran which will be a big help in keeping mine as accurate as possible so in a couple weeks Schiff 35 will depart once again.

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CPTLTJASON

12-15-20, 08:33 PM

12/30/1938 Deschimag AG Weser, Bremen Commissioning Pier 1 08:00 hrs.

“Schiff 35” was commissioned today at 08:00 hrs under the command of Fregattenkapitän Hans Felix Hartmann. Her Kommandant named her “Afrika” .this is her story,

On 3/24/1937 the newly constructed freighter of the DDG Hansa Line unloads her cargo of raw materials which include tin, rubber, jute, ground nuts, oil nuts, and oil cakes. She is the Hamfels 9,000 grt.

At 12:00 hrs 3 officers, 9 petty officers, and 30 ratings come aboard and informed her master Kapitän Klingemann that she is being requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine to serve as a barracks ship. Her 50 man crew were disembarked at Hamburg and she departed on 3/25 bound for Deschimag AG Weser, Bremen. The newly formed Seekriegslietung has given her the designation of “Barracks Ship 35”. Slowly making her way through the Elbe she passed Cuxhaven on the 26th and rounded into the German Bight. On the 27th she entered the Weser and slowly made her way to Bremen, she arrived at Deschimag AG Weser in the early hours of the 27th. At 05:00 hrs work commenced, she was turned inside out stripped of everything her hull cut and lengthened fore and aft to accommodate new holds, her boat deck lengthened and her bridge structure was raised and another deck was added. At the Hauptdeck she was strengthened and mounts for 8 x 5.9 in SK L/45s were installed. 2 more 5.9s would be installed on the poop deck and forecastle. She was originally fitted with 2 x 6 Cylinder Diesel engines with the new length of the ship another pair of diesels will be added and according to MAN she could make a top speed of 25 knots. More fuel tanks were added as well however some will carry fuel for the aircraft, drinking water, and wash water. Other work Included transforming her spaces into quarters for her large crew.

On 8/1/1937 Fregattenkapitän Hans Felix Hartmann took command of the now designated “Schiff 35” . for the next 4 months he rejected 3/4 of all the crew sent by the personnel department. Half of the men had fought in the Great War and at least 10 of the petty officer and ratings had served aboard the Möwe and Wolf II. On 8/18/1938 the conversion work was completed final Installation and adjusting of her guns and 6 torpedo tubes was complete by late November. Her full complement was assembled by Christmas and was finally commissioned today. Now we will make for Kiel for loading of supplies, food, ammunition, torpedoes, mines, and everything in between.
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CPTLTJASON

12-15-20, 09:03 PM

7/1/1939 Baltic, Kiel Basin V 1st day at sea 17:30 hrs.

Schiff 35 arrived at Kiel via the Kiel Canal and spent 2 weeks taking on provisions, fuel, ammunition, mines, and torpedoes she then headed off for 4 months of training in the Baltic Sea. She successfully completed her training, decamouflage, gunnery, and torpedo were conducted during the first 3 months she spent the final month on mine laying exercises. Before returning to Kiel, Schiff 35 took on her first disguise, she returned to her old self DDG Hansa colors went up exterior artillery hidden and camouflage party dressed as sailors of DDG Hansa they returned to Kiel on 6/20/1939

On 6/21 Hartmann departed for Berlin and he received his orders make for Jan Mayern and await further instructions, he was given sealed orders to be opened when given the order. Hartmann returned on 6/28 and final preparations were completed today at 08:00 hrs. At 13:00 hrs. she was shifted to Basin V and took on 2 crated Arado Ar 196 A-1 aircraft and 2 Leichte Schnellboote (LS 15 Werft No. 15-6A3 & LS 20 Werft No. 20-36Z), 4 prize crews, and 30 torpedoes.

On Saturday July 1, 1939 at 17:30 hrs she raised anchor, cast off from Basin V and steamed quietly out of Kiel Harbor. Her cover was herself the Hamfels 9,000 grt loaded with Locomotive parts and misc. cargo bound for Calcutta.

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CPTLTJASON

12-16-20, 09:02 PM

7/7/1939 North Sea 7th day at sea 12:00 hrs./AF 7618

Schiff 35 passed trough the Great Belt/Kattegat/Skagerrak without incident, once in the North Sea she sighted Portuguese and Norwegian freighters and tankers, today FregKpt.z.S Hartmann ordered the ships camouflage changed in roughly 4 hours she became the Soviet freighter KOSTROMA 10,000 grt out of Murmansk.

She is expected to arrive to Jan Mayern on 7/10. The meteorologist Kplt.z.S Dr. Wurst predicts good weather with some light fog and the occasional storm.
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CPTLTJASON

12-16-20, 10:02 PM

7/10/1939 North Greenland Sea, Jan Mayern Island

Schiff 35 arrived at 03:07 she sighted the tanker in the darkness and closed to 1000m, or so she thought in reality she was close to 400m, engine telegraphs rang full astern and her Helmsman put the wheel hard to port, after a strongly worded exchange Hartmann and Kapitän Stein proceed SSW and dropped anchor at 06:00 hrs.

Hartmann’s orders state “remain at Jan Mayern/North Greenland Sea area until further notice”
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CPTLTJASON

12-17-20, 08:48 PM

Something always has to go wrong when I start so I had to restart apparently something damaged the sub, hull integrity was at 29%.

8/1/1939 Baltic, Kiel Basin V 1st day at sea 17:30 hrs.

Schiff 35 departs for Jan Mayern Island and the North Greenland Sea.

Final preparations were completed today at 08:00 hrs. At 13:00 hrs. she was shifted to Basin V and took on 2 crated Arado Ar 196 A-1 aircraft and 2 Leichte Schnellboote (LS 15 Werft No. 15-6A3 & LS 20 Werft No. 20-36Z), 4 prize crews, and 30 torpedoes.

Tuesday August 1, 1939 at 17:30 hrs she raised anchor, cast off from Basin V and steamed quietly out of Kiel Harbor. She is leaving harbor disguised as the DDG Hansa freighter then she will turn for the Baltic for her second conversion.

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CPTLTJASON

12-19-20, 10:50 PM

8/5/1939 Kattegat 5th day at sea

Schiff 35 steamed east into the Baltic at 17 knots during this period her funnel was painted black with a red band and a hammer/sickle added the following day she stopped to paint her hull black. FregKapitan.z.S Hartmann exited the Baltic and is now making for Jan Mayern Island to meet a tanker. In the meantime there is nothing for the ship and her 445 man crew to do but maintain a low profile.

She now sails as the Soviet freighter KOSTROMA 10,300 grt in ballast from from Murmansk to Iceland
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CPTLTJASON

12-20-20, 09:03 PM

8/22/1939 Jan Mayern Island 22nd day at sea

Schiff 35 arrived on the 14th of August and began a resupply. During the transit to Jan Mayern Derrick No.3’s span tackle snapped and caused the Derrick to crash on the deck, so Mtr.O.Gfr H Schümer (37561) and Mtr II F Reich (17000) were repairing it when the tackle snapped once again and Schümer and Reich fell to the deck both suffered broken bones and injuries but the Ob.Ass.Artz Dr. Schultz says they will survive and recommends they be transferred to the Ermland the derrick was repaired later that day. On arriving to Jan Mayern Schiff 35 tied alongside and began the transfer of the wounded. lowering boats 2,3,&6 they began bringing aboard food, supplies, 300 5.9in shells, and 130 additional EMC mines. During this transfer the red band on the funnel was painted blue. We are now the Soviet research ship KEMEROVO from Arkhangelsk. On 8/20/1939 the Kybfels arrived under the command of Korvkpt.z.S Hans Müller. The Seekriegslietung assigned her to us and we can use her as we see fit. The following day the Seekriegslietung informed us the Graf Spee departed Kiel on August 21, and we will meet up with her at Point Red 4.

At 08:00 hrs today, raised anchor and set course for Point Red 4. By 13:00 we were encountering clearing weather and heavy seas.

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CPTLTJASON

12-20-20, 09:51 PM

8/25/1939 Norwegian Sea, Point Red 4, 25th day at sea

Schiff 35 Made her way south during the passage she sighted 2 British uboats which passed without incident. She arrived at Point Red 4 and at 06:40 Admiral Graf Spee came into view and after exchanging recognition signals the transfer of 2 officers, 5 Feldwebels, and 10 ratings as well as some supplies, charts, and equipment not available at the time of our departure. By 10:45 the transfer was complete and the crew of Schiff 35 wished the Graf Spee, who set course for the South Atlantic, a safe voyage. We will linger in the Norwegian Sea until further notice.

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CPTLTJASON

12-21-20, 06:14 PM

9/6/1939 North Sea 37th day at sea

On September 3, 1939 England declared war on Germany. Hartmann opened his sealed orders and Schiff 35 made for her first operational area off Scapa Flow she laid 136 mines during a heavy Storm. Heavy seas, fog, and blinding sleet showers covered her first operation. She made it through the Faroe Islands Channel and is now in the North Sea when she will mine further ports. After the mine laying is complete she will commence Handelskrieg.

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CPTLTJASON

12-30-20, 11:03 AM

8/20/1939 Kiel, Basin IV, 1st day at sea

FregKpt.z.S Hartmann travelled to Berlin on 8/11 to be briefed on Schiff 35’s patrol. She willl depart Kiel on the 20th and make for Jan Mayern Island where she was to await further instructions. Schiff 35 will be stocked to the brim with fresh food, supplies, fuel, water, coal, ammunition, 28 torpedoes, and 445 mines. In Holds 3, 5, and 8 tons of paint and structural materials were stored to effect disguises. Hartmann returned with sealed orders on August 13th. During the next few days 5 Arado Ar 196 A-1 Aircraft were taken aboard 2 ready for use and 3 crated and stored away below decks.

Luftwaffe personnel arrived on August 18th led by Hauptmann Werner Klink they consist of 3 officers, 5 petty officers, and 15 ratings. On August 24th 2 Leichte Schnellboote were embarked LS 15 under L.z.S Ulrich Hauser and LS 20 under L.z.S Wilhelm Schultz. In addition 3 prize crews were embarked.

Loading was completed late on the 19th. Today at 05:00 hrs. the port watch was called at 08:00 hrs. and Schiff 35 cast off from Basin V and slowly made her way through Kiel our next report will be when she reaches her ordered position.

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CPTLTJASON

12-30-20, 10:30 PM

9/2/1939 Jan Mayern Island 13th day at sea

Schiff 35 arrived on the 27th of August and met the tanker Ermland. The Kommandant went aboard for a conference with Kapitän Dahlman in the meantime Schiff 35 took on fuel and water. She was disguised as a Soviet research ship KOSTROMA the following modifications were made,
-Hull painted black
-Blue band with a hammer and sickle on each side
These modifications were complete within 7 hours
At 17:33 smoke was sighted and an hour later they were joined by the Kybfels under Korvettenkapitän Ulrich Kraus this freighter will have a variety or roles from scout ship to prison ship. On September 1st While securing the recently loaded mines a radio message came over the radio announcing that the Wehrmacht invaded Poland at 04:45 am. Hartmann decided to depart the following morning at 08:00.

The Kybfels and the Ermland will accompany Schiff 35 to capture a whaling fleet that is known to be operating in the vicinity of naval squares ÄH 60 and ÄH 90. The intelligence officer Oblt.z.S Kruger determined the fleet consists of 1 factory ship, 1 freighter, and 10 whalers. Hartmann plans to shadow the fleet for roughly 3 weeks.

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CPTLTJASON

12-31-20, 03:42 PM

9/4/1939 North Greenland Sea 14th day at sea

Schiff 35 detached the Ermland and Kybfels at naval square ÄH 9475 with instructions to proceed towards the whaling grounds 72 hours later. Today while forging ahead through heavy seas and sleet showers the radio room picked up signals from the fleet. They were progress reports, At 04:36 3 whalers arrived at the factory which is captained by a man named Rutherford 13 whales reported captured. 04:41 another radio message this one from L-9 under a man named Karlson reports that he is returning to the factory with 5 whales captured. According to radio direction they’re roughly to the NNW range 182 km the navigator L.z.S Schneider estimates that the fleet is in the vicinity of 82°N, 7°W. Schiff 35 will patrol a radius of 100 km from the coordinates given. The radio messages have given us some details on the fleet, whalers are designated with the letter L followed by a number so far whalers L-36, L-19, L-10, and L-9 have been identified. It’s possible that this is a United Whalers Ltd. fleet.

For the next 2 weeks we will continue to shadow the movements of the fleet.

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CPTLTJASON

12-31-20, 11:17 PM

Decided to restart the patrol again. I'll do some more planning. take more in game pictures and ready more disguises. Also i need to get familiarized with a surface ships' Kriegstagebuch and hopefully next week Schiff 35 will sail.:Kaleun_Cheers::Kaleun_Cheers:

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CPTLTJASON

01-08-21, 06:24 PM

10/25/1938, Deschimag, AG Weser Bremen, Commissioning Pier, Kriegstagebuch Nr.1 (1st day)
Early history of “Schiff 35”
The DDG Hansa freighter HAMFELS 9.000 grt was launched from Deshimag AG Weser, Bremen on January 25, 1937. She was assigned the Hamburg-Calcutta route. Under Kapitan Rudolf Karphorn the Hamfels would make 6 voyages to Calcutta, on her last voyage she returned fully loaded with tin, rubber oil nuts, and oil cakes. She docked at Hamburg on April 2, 1938 and began unloading her cargo. Early in the morning of April 14th 2 officers, 10 petty officers, and 45 ratings of the Kriegsmarine boarded the freighter and informed the captain that the Hamfels was being requisitioned for naval service. she was now under the command of Kplt.z.S Wolfgang Arnhart (N.4454.33V).By the 30th All civilian crew were disembarked, and the empty freighter departed during the night. At 07:00 hrs. she arrived at Deschimag, AG Weser Werft and work began. For 6 months she remained there where she was lengthened by some 200 feet (100 fore and aft), at the Oberdeck she was strengthened to take on 8x5.9 in guns from the old battleship Hessen (4 port and 4 starboard). 2 additional 5.9s were installed on the Poop deck and on the forecastle. On September 5 Barracks Ship 35 was assigned a new Kommandant KKpt.z.S Hans Felix Hartmann (N.1829.19A). Work on Schiff 35 was completed on October 1st, 1938 and she was commissioned today on October 25, 1938 at 12:00 hrs.
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CPTLTJASON

01-08-21, 06:59 PM

11/1/1938 Baltic, Kiel Basin V, Kriegstagebuch Nr.1 (17th day)

After commissioning Schiff 35 began taking on fuel, coal, and water and she departed Bremen on night of October 27th and worked her way up to Bremerhaven where she took on part of her crew. Remaining there during the night the mystery ship departed at 01:00 hrs. on the 28th making for Brunsbüttel passing Cuxhaven late in the evening she arrived at Brunsbüttel at 22:50 hrs. entered the lock and dropped anchor to make the passage in the morning. Weighing anchor at 05:00 hrs. Schiff 35 cast off and proceeded at 8 knots towards Rendsburg she passed the harbor at 13:11 hrs. Schiff 35 finally arrived at the Holtenau Lock at 00:15 hrs. on the 29th and proceeded to dock at Basin V where she currently remains.
For the next 5 days she will take on fuel, coal, water, mines, torpedoes, ammunition, 110 officers and crew bringing the total to 400 officers, petty officers, and ratings. KKpt.z.S Hartmann received Schiff 35’s orders, she will depart for her training cruise on November 10th at 04:00 hrs.
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CPTLTJASON

01-08-21, 11:37 PM

6/30/1939 Baltic, Kiel, Kriegstagebuch Nr.1 (248th day)

Schiff 35 completed her training cruise successfully during that time she carried out artillery and torpedo exercises followed by minelaying and boarding exercises she returned to Kiel on March 5, 1939 after 115 days at sea. She dropped anchor in her designated area and that is where she has been. For months there has been nothing to do but maintain the ship and for the Kommandant and officers to receive, acknowledge, read, and comment on dispatches from Berlin Schiff 35 has become a floating office. On June 1, 1939 FKpt.z.S Hartmann travelled to Berlin to receive the briefing from the Seekriegslietung. Hartmann was briefed by Kapitan.z.S Hans Voss (I. Asto), Schiff 35 will depart Kiel on July 1, 1939 and make for the North Greenland Sea and remain there until further notice after that he would be on his own to operate independently. The tanker Ermland will depart on the 31st and make for Jan Mayern Island. Hartmann returned on the 9th of June and Schiff 35 shifted to Basin V and began taking on fuel, water, and coal. The following day she took on her ammunition, 28 torpedoes, and 445 EMC mines. 3 trains arrived early on the 13th and delivered all kinds of equipment and supplies from tropical uniforms to cigarettes . The tanker Ermland came alongside on the 22nd and began loading crates, these contained 3 Arado Ar 196 A-1. “Kindly” provided by Hauptmann Vollrath Wibel, (Kommandant of Bordfliegergruppe 5/196) were another 2 fully assembled aircraft, these were loaded aboard one went into Hold No.3 and the other to Hold No.2. The catapult had been moved to Hold No.1. On the 28th 2 Leichte Schnellboote arrived and were taken aboard. These were acquired with great difficulty along with 20 torpedoes, and the 50 mines provided by the Kommandant of the Kiel Naval Arsenal (Kapitan.z.S Ulrich von Gross) these are commanded by L.z.S Erich Fredrich von Toltz and L.z.S Sepp Gruenwald. Each boat has a crew of 7 aside from these there are an additional crew of 5 (mechanics). Final loading was completed on June 30th with one last train bringing in the fresh produce, live pigs, and poultry. Schiff 35 cast off from Basin V and as the sun set on the 30th she returned to her anchorage in the harbor.

The last entry in the Kriegstagebuch read,

Schiff 35 ready for departure.
Signed
Hartmann
FKpt.z.S und Kmdt
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CPTLTJASON

01-09-21, 11:28 PM

7/1/1939 Baltic, Kiel, 00:00 hrs. Kriegstagebuch Nr.2 (1st day at sea)

At 00:00 hrs. the starboard watch was called, anchor raised, and Schiff 35 steamed quietly out of Kiel Harbor. Hartmann has been ordered to steam into the Baltic and to change the ship’s disguise. She departs as “Naval Transport 10”. In the Baltic Hartmann will have the ship disguised as a Soviet freighter from Arkhangelsk after that Schiff 35 will turn around and begin to work her way up to the North Greenland Sea.
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CPTLTJASON

01-10-21, 03:53 PM

7/4/1939 Baltic Sea, Kriegstagebuch Nr.2, 3rd day at sea

On leaving Kiel Schiff 35 encountered heavy seas and high winds. Hartmann needed calm weather to carry out the conversion so he proceed further East and finally on the evening of July 3rd calm seas were found and no time was wasted in getting out the scaffolding and paint brushes the funnel remained black only a red band and 2 hammer and sickles were added and a thick black band was painted around the bridge. Signs in Russian and English were made up for the propellers they read “Ware of our propellers” these were mounted astern one on each side. At 21:36 the Soviet flag was hoisted on the mainmast and Schiff 35 now the KOSTROMA out of Murmansk headed East in hopes of meeting a real Soviet ship to test his disguise, Today at 09:28 in naval square AO 6113 lookouts sighted a Soviet tanker closing to 1.700m it is the VLAD MOLOTOV 4,800 grt from Leningrad to Aberdeen both ships exchanged friendly greetings and soon parted ways. Satisfied that the disguise will hold Hartmann steers west and Schiff 35 will make for the Great Belt.

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CPTLTJASON

01-13-21, 03:55 PM

7/19/1939 North Greenland Sea, Kriegstagebuch Nr.2 18th day at sea

Schiff 35 continued her passage through the Baltic, on July 7th lookouts sighted a Dutch tanker she passed to starboard at a range of 2.300m. During the next 3 days she transited the Great Belt/Kattegat/Skagerrak without incident, soon she made out into the North Sea, Course 347°. While transiting north the crew settled down to their routine. On July 11th Schiff 35 entered the Norwegian Sea and the Kommandant ordered daily Decamouflage and Artillery exercises. On the 14th one of the aircraft was ready for its first flight which was to be a training and reconnaissance flight. at 07:00 hrs. the Arado Ar 196 A-1 (TW+6N) was brought up the lift to deck level. The port derrick on the bridge was hoisted up, derrick no 4 on the foremast was used to lift the Arado and at 07:17 the aircraft was put in the water, engine started, and took off. At 10:45 the Arado returned and the pilot Oblt Fritz Anderson reported to the Kommandant. Schiff 35 continued her passage north, the radio room reported several ships nearby (4 British, 1 Soviet, 6 Norwegian, and 1 Greek) on July 18th Schiff 35 arrived at her ordered position Naval Square AB 1323 and will remain here until further notice.
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CPTLTJASON

01-13-21, 11:18 PM

8/31/1939 North Greenland Sea, Kriegstagebuch Nr.2 61st day at sea

Since the last report, the radio room has picked up numerous radio messages indicating war might be imminent so the Kommandant has stepped up training. For 42 days the crew carried out Artillery, Minelaying, torpedo firing, ship boarding, aircraft launching, and ship boarding exercises. The Kommandant is now satisfied that the crew is ready for action. Today at 03:36 Lookouts sighted smoke bearing 177°T range 7.750 m the ship closed to 1.300m and exchanged recognition signals its is the freighter Kybfels under the command of KKpt Karl Miller (EK I) the ships tied alongside and began loading fuel, fresh food, 3 prize crews (2 officers, 5 petty officers, and 15 ratings each), parts for the Leichte Schnellboote and the Aircraft (4 spare floats, 2 wings, and 3 engines), and some maps , sailing instructions, and pilot books not available at the time of Schiff 35’s departure. By 19:42 loading was complete while the Kommandant of Schiff 35 and the Kybfels held a conference the radio room picked up a radio message for Schiff 35. here is part of the radio message “Open sealed orders and proceed as directed.” Schiff 35 is ordered to make for the Barents Sea and await further instructions. She is to sail along with the Kybfels as soon as possible. Hartmann will weigh anchor early tomorrow morning and make for the ordered position “Schiff 35 and the Kybfels are to patrol the area between 30° E and 100° E” these would be naval squares Ä G, Ä F, XA, and YB. The Camouflage of the ship was altered the funnel’s red band was made wider and the hammer and sickle larger. Schiff 35 and the Kybfels will depart tomorrow at 00:00 hrs.
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CPTLTJASON

01-14-21, 03:04 PM

9/5/1939 Barents Sea, Kriegstagebuch Nr.2 66th day at sea

On September 1, 1939 at 05:30 hrs. the radio room Wehrmacht marched into Poland on September 1, 1939 at 05:00 hrs. the crew was mustered at 12:00 hrs. and given the news, it was received in silence. After a lecture by their respective division officers on security the crew went on with their duties.. Schiff 35 entered the Barents Sea late on the 2nd. The following day at 13:30 the radio room messenger came tearing into the Kommandants cabin with a hot message from Berlin , “Commence hostilities against England Forthwith” The following day a one word message was sent to the Kybfels, (Kaperfahrt) with this both.
ships began Handelskrieg . FKpt.z.S Hartmann ordered the Kybfels to scout 10 km ahead of Schiff 35 and report immediately any developments. Later that day Australia declared war. September 5th at 07:12 Kybfels reported, “Smoke on the horizon bearing 336°T range 9.300m” at 07:15 the engine room telegraphs rang out full ahead and soon Schiff 35 was making 19 knots. 07:30 over the loudspeakers came the order “Crew to battle stations standby to decamouflage”. Schiff 35 sped past Kybfels which had slowed to 7 knots. By 09:00 hrs. Schiff 35 had closed the range to 1.800m and was covered by a fogbank . At 09:10 came the order “Hoist battle ensign, decamouflage, and fire a warning shot over the bow” in less than 2 seconds Schiff 35 was ready for action, the foremost 5.9 fired a warning shot, the now identified.
British freighter turned on a searchlight and began to transmit. Hartmann signaled to the ship “Cease transmissions and abandon ship” the vessel did not comply, Hartmann ordered Schiff 35 to open fire. The Artillery Officer Kplt.z.S.V Byer had no trouble finding the range and 24 HE 5.9 in shells sent the small freighter to the bottom there was no change of boarding the ship as she quickly caught fire. The Kybfels soon arrived and began picking up the 15 survivors. The captain of the British came aboard Schiff 35 (Master G.D. Ridley) and was promptly interrogated by the Kommandant he hardly gave any information the captain was sent to the prisoner’s quarters.
British freighter MAYBURRY 4.686 grt from London she belonged to the Bibby Line and was leased by the whaling company Whalers United Ltd.
The second mate (A.L. Jones) of the Mayburry was brought aboard for interrogation the following information was obtained “Special whaling fleet under charter of the British Admiralty is operating between 90°E and 110°E. The fleet consists of 2 whaling factories (former White Star Line liners) 10 whalers, and one depot ship. A transport ship and tanker will arrive at the beginning of October to take on whale meat, oil, and the mail.” When pressed for more information the officer went silent. We will take this information with a grain of salt and will proceed to the ordered coordinates from the Seekriegslietung. The radio room successfully jammed the distress calls of the Mayburry as no station or ship has acknowledged or asked for a repeat. Course East 090°.
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CPTLTJASON

01-14-21, 11:05 PM

9/13/1939 Barents Sea Kriegstagebuch Nr.2 74th day at sea

Schiff 35 has been hunting the elusive whaling fleet , 2 days earlier the catapult was put to use and launched 2 Arados without much difficulty. The second Arado reported faint signals near position 81°E, 49°W Schiff 35 closed on this position and arrived yesterday Hartmann stopped the ship and radio room went to work, 3 radio messages were picked up which confirmed the presence of the fleet. Kybfels was summoned to our position, however early today the operation fell apart when a group of destroyers were heard approaching the fleet. Hartmann decides it’s not worth the risk and will meet Kybfels for a mining operation off England after that both will make for operations in the Atlantic.

Alterations to ship’s camouflage bridge face painted white with black line. Remaining camouflage will remain until we reach the Atlantic.

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CPTLTJASON

01-15-21, 08:11 PM

10/15/1939, Spitzbergen 106thday at sea.

Proceeding SSW at 19 knots Schiff 35 struck an iceberg north of Spitzbergen the damage was patched up and lasted for several hours before water again began leaking, this time into the holds and fuel tanks with no chance of making it back to Germany Hartmann took Schiff 35 into “Ice Fjord”. Kybfels arrived the following night and the crew and secret material taken aboard. at 00:00 Schiff 35 was scuttled with her own mines and torpedoes in 106 days she sank the British freighter Mulberry 4,868 grt. The Kybfels arrived at Wilhelmshaven after 113 days at sea.
Schiff 35 will sail again this time ill ditch all the Arctic whaling fleets and the first mining operations and instead move directly into the Atlantic.

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CPTLTJASON

01-18-21, 10:22 PM

Here we go again ��

2/1/1939 Kiel Naval Base 1st day at sea

The DDG Hansa freighter HAMFELS 9.000 grt was launched from Deshimag AG Weser, Bremen on January 25, 1937. She was assigned the Hamburg-Calcutta route. Under Kapitan Rudolf Karphorn the Hamfels would make 2 voyages to Calcutta, on her last voyage she returned fully loaded with tin, rubber oil nuts, and oil cakes. She docked at Hamburg on January 2, 1938 and began unloading her cargo. Early in the morning of January 14th 2 officers, 10 petty officers, and 45 ratings of the Kriegsmarine boarded the freighter and informed the captain that the Hamfels was being requisitioned for naval service. she was now under the command of Kplt.z.S Wolfgang Arnhart (N.4454.33V).By the 30th All civilian crew were disembarked, and the empty freighter departed during the night. At 07:00 hrs. she arrived at Deschimag, AG Weser Werft and work began. For 6 months she remained there where she was lengthened by some 200 feet (100 fore and aft), at the Oberdeck she was strengthened to take on 8x5.9 in guns from the old battleship Hessen (4 port and 4 starboard). 2 additional 5.9s were installed on the Poop deck and on the forecastle. On September 5 Barracks Ship 35 was assigned a new Kommandant KKpt.z.S Hans Felix Hartmann (N.1829.19A). Work on Schiff 35 was completed on April 30th, 1938 and she was commissioned today on May1, 1938 at 12:00 hrs. After commissioning Schiff 35 began taking on fuel, coal, and water and she departed Bremen on night of May 7th and worked her way up to Bremerhaven where she took on part of her crew. Remaining there during the night the mystery ship departed at 01:00 hrs. on the 8th making for Brunsbüttel passing Cuxhaven late in the evening she arrived at Brunsbüttel at 22:50 hrs. entered the lock and dropped anchor to make the passage in the morning. Weighing anchor at 05:00 hrs. Schiff 35 cast off and proceeded at 8 knots towards Rendsburg she passed the harbor at 13:11 hrs. Schiff 35 finally arrived at the Holtenau Lock at 00:15 hrs. on the 9th and proceeded to dock at Basin V where she currently remains. For the next 5 days she will take on fuel, coal, water, mines, torpedoes, ammunition, 110 officers and crew bringing the total to 400 officers, petty officers, and ratings. Before departure KKpt.z.S Hartmann was promoted to FKpt.z.S and the following day received Schiff 35’s orders, the ship will depart for an extended training cruise on May 10th at 04:00 hrs. Schiff 35’s training cruise completed her training cruise successfully during that time she carried out artillery and torpedo exercises followed by minelaying and boarding exercises she began her return voyage to Kiel. During the passage, the crew painted on the funnel the colors of the DDG Hansa Line. Schiff 35 arrived at Kiel on July 1, 1938 disguised as her old self the Hamfels 9.000 grt. She spent 52 days at sea. She dropped anchor in her designated area and that is where she has been. For months, the crew has not had anything to do but maintain the ship and for the Kommandant, adjutant, and officers to receive, acknowledge, read, and comment on dispatches from Berlin, Schiff 35 has basically become a floating office. Most of the crew had to remain below decks and those that were given leave had to depart at night and in small groups. Every effort was made to keep the purpose of the ship a secret. On July 12, 1938 FKpt.z.S Hartmann travelled to Berlin to receive the briefing from the Seekriegslietung. Hartmann was briefed by Kapitan.z.S Hans Voss (I. Asto), Schiff 35 will depart Kiel on September 1, 1938 she has orders to patrol Spanish waters and to inspect cargo ships. Any that were suspected of carrying contraband to the republicans were to be sunk. The tanker Ermland will depart on the 31st of January and make for “Point Blue I” 200 km NNW of the Azores. Hartmann returned on the 9th of August and Schiff 35 shifted to Basin V and began taking on fuel, water, and coal. The following day she took on her ammunition, 28 torpedoes, and 445 EMC mines. 3 trains arrived early on the 13th and delivered all kinds of equipment and supplies from tropical uniforms to cigarettes . The tanker Ermland came alongside on the 22nd and began loading crates, these contained 3 Arado Ar 196 A-1. After another request Hauptmann Vollrath Wibel, (Kommandant of Bordfliegergruppe 5/196) gave us another 2 fully assembled aircraft, these were loaded aboard one went into Hold No.3 and the other to Hold No.2. The catapult had been moved to Hold No.1. On the 28th 2 Leichte Schnellboote arrived and were taken aboard. These were acquired with great difficulty along with 20 torpedoes, and the 50 mines provided by the Kommandant of the Kiel Naval Arsenal (Kapitan.z.S Ulrich von Gross) these are commanded by L.z.S Erich Fredrich von Toltz and L.z.S Sepp Gruenwald. Each boat has a crew of 7 aside from these there are an additional crew of 5 (mechanics). Some items requested by the Kommandant and LI were not available at Kiel and had to be brought from Wilhelmshaven and the AG Weser shipyard. Due to these delays Seekriegslietung had Schiff 35’s orders amended, and she was to depart on November 1. 1938 then November 30th, and finally the date was moved up to January 5th, however, further delays by the personnel department caused the departure date to be moved up to February 1st. Eventually the last crew were taken aboard, and final loading was completed on January 30th with 2 final trains bringing in the fresh produce, live pigs, and poultry. Schiff 35 cast off from Basin V and as the sun set on the 30th she returned to her anchorage in the harbor. On January 31st at 10:00 hrs. a motor launch came alongside with GAdm Raeder and his staff. The Admiral inspected the ship from top to bottom afterwards there was lunch below decks and at 15:00 hrs. GAdm Raeder departed Schiff 35. Soon she will put to sea unbeknownst to Hartmann and his crew it would be years instead of a weeks before they were to see Germany again.

CPTLTJASON

01-20-21, 12:19 PM

2/20/1939 Mediterranean Sea 19th day at sea

Schiff 35 entered the North Sea and 3 days later made for the Straits of Dover, transited the English Channel, and finally entered the North Atlantic. Schiff 35 retained her disguise as the Hamfels and on February 11th she crossed the Strait of Gibraltar. Schiff 35 was ordered to patrol the Gulf of Valencia. Her orders were most clear, she was to stop a ship and announce that she will be boarded. The boarding party commander is to present the ship as “Boarding ship 30” if the vessel is carrying contraband for the enemy she is to be scuttled. The following day Schiff 35’s crew got out the scaffolding and paint brushes and removed all DDG Hansa colors from the funnel and was painted black. On February 13th a liner came into view closing to 1700m this vessel was flying no flag so by lamp Hartmann signaled “stop ship and prepare to be boarded”. The boarding party under L.z.S Schmidt went aboard and discovered that the mystery ship was a Spanish Republican ship and she was carrying supplies provided by the Soviets. The 60 man crew was ordered to abandon ship and the demolition officer Oblt.z.S Wolff set charges in the engine room, boiler room, and in the holds at 07:20 the ship goes up and 6 minutes later sinks over the stern. She was the Campillo 8,002 grt. Hartmann moved on to the Gulf of Valencia and on the morning of the 15th Hartman and his officers had a conference. He planned to mine the Port of Valencia with 30 mines. With a map captured from the Campillo they were to lay the mines in 2 separate areas. This was carried out successfully the same night. On the 16th again at night another vessel flying no flag was again boarded and sunk it was the freighter Vicente 4,883 grt. From Odessa to Barcelona 40 were taken prisoner. The following day the radio room reported 4 ships had struck mines 3 confirmed sunk. In the evening a further 6 were sunk totaling 40,237 grt. The total tonnage sunk is now 62,018 grt. Hartmann plans to head further south for a while and make a sudden reappearance in a location yet to the determined.

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CPTLTJASON

01-20-21, 05:55 PM

2/22/1939 La Spezia Harbor, Kriegsmarine Pier A 21st day at sea

Since the last report things aboard Schiff 35 have gone from good to disaster. On the morning of the 21st a severe fire damaged on of her electrical panels and severely wounded 2 ratings. The firefighters swiftly brought the fire under control. The L.I. Korvkpt(Dipl-ing) Miller began sifting through the damaged panel to find the cause . The doctor Ob.Mar.Arzt Dr. Jensen treated them with what means he had aboard but informed the Kommandant that they would need to be landed soon. Hartmann radioed the Seekriegslietung to informed them on the situation and during this time Port Diesel No.4 failed. Hartmann got a quick response and was ordered to put into La Spezia Harbor and dock at Pier “A”. Schiff 35 arrived at the port early in the morning and both men were immediately disembarked. Schiff 35 cannot continue her war patrol and will have to make the return voyage to Bremen. In the meantime, a full investigation is underway as well as the onboard investigation one will be conducted by the Seekriegslietung, engineering department, and shipyard department.

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CPTLTJASON

01-20-21, 07:59 PM

7/1/1939 Deschimag AG Weser Werft 1st day at sea

On March 23, 1939 Schiff 35 arrived to a roaring fanfare at Bremen . During her deployment to Spanish waters she sank with scuttling charges and mines 64,525 grt of shipping. The Spanish Civil war ended on April 1st with Germany on the side of the victors for their efforts the crew were awarded the following:
-445 (All) awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class and the Spanish Cross in Bronze without swords
-38 Iron Cross 1st class
-2 Wound Badges in Gold ( 1 posthumously)
-Kommandant was awarded the Iron Cross 1st & 2nd class and was later awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with swords for his successful operations and the mining of Valencia.

Schiff 35 was decommissioned on April 5, 1939 and placed in the hands of the shipyard. For 4 months the entire electrical system was rewired, Port engine No 4 was taken apart and rebuilt, and a other adjustments made to the decks, holds and deck fittings. Work was completed on June 4, 1939 and on June 6, 1939 Schiff 35 was once again commissioned into the Kriegsmarine under her old Kommandant Fregattenkapitän Hans Felix Hartmann (EK I). Schiff 35 left Bremen for a 3 week training cruise and arrived at Bremen on June 27th final adjustments were made and now she was clear for sea. Final loading took place at Bremen any items missing were shipped in by train. Again Hartmann went to Berlin to be briefed on Schiff 35’s next deployment, he was to make for the via the Denmark Strait and remain there until further notice.

I know it’s getting repetitive and boring but please bear with me. Never had this much trouble getting a patrol underway

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=3978&stc=1&d=1611190740

CPTLTJASON

01-22-21, 11:55 AM

9/20/1939 Central Atlantic DE 6825 81st day at sea

Schiff 35 spent 50 days off Jan Mayern awaiting her orders which finally came on 8/31. Schiff 35 was to leave her anchorage and proceed to the North Atlantic and await further instructions. On September 1st 1939 the bridge messenger came tearing into the chart room located below the bridge and made a report to the Kommandant, “the Wermacht invaded Poland”. By this time Ship 35 was making for the Denmark Strait. At full speed (25 knots) she made the crossing within hours. While in the strait she got the radio message the Kommandant and crew had waited for. “Ship 35 commence commerce warfare immediately.” Her disguise will be the Norwegian freighter Tariffa. A white line was painted around the hull. For 16 days she has gone up and down the Atlantic shipping lanes and not even a cloud in sight. On September 13 she sent away one of her aircraft for a reconnaissance flight and after a 3 1/2 hr flight returned empty handed. Hartmann began working his way south and today at 12:37 the lookouts on the bridge sighted a smoke cloud bearing 332°T range 4.000m. The alarm was sounded and the crew rushed to battle stations closing to 1.600m the ship was identified as a British freighter at 12:44 came the order, hoist battle ensign, de camouflage, and open fire! 56x5.9 in shells rained down on the ship and at 12:51 the battered ship was abandoned and went down by the stern. 21 of the crew were picked up and however 10 including the master went down with the ship. The second mate informed us that the freighter was the KINGTON 4,886 grt loaded with 5,000 tons of grain from Buenos Aires to London. Hartmann will now make for the Port of Hamilton for a mining operation before making for Pernambuco!

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=3981&stc=1&d=1611334479
https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=3982&stc=1&d=1611334523

CPTLTJASON

01-22-21, 10:04 PM

10/6/1939 EJ 9472 Central Atlantic 97th day at sea

On September 30th, the Admiral Graf Spee sank the British freighter Clement off Pernambuco with this new development Schiff 35 began her trek east towards Freetown. enroute she sank a 2 ship convoy consisting of the liner PACIFIC STAR 9.889 grt and the freighter SILVER 3.672 grt both were sunk by artillery afterwards 2 hours were spent picking up 137 survivors. The Silver did send one radio message that was acknowledged by Freetown. In light of this Hartmann has no choice but to ditch yet again his minelaying plans and instead make for Central Atlantic as the Graf Spee has the entire South Atlantic to himself.

https://subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=3984&stc=1&d=1611370993
https://subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=3985&stc=1&d=1611371038

iambecomelife

01-23-21, 01:58 AM

2/20/1939 Mediterranean Sea 19th day at sea

Schiff 35 entered the North Sea and 3 days later made for the Straits of Dover, transited the English Channel, and finally entered the North Atlantic. Schiff 35 retained her disguise as the Hamfels and on February 11th she crossed the Strait of Gibraltar. Schiff 35 was ordered to patrol the Gulf of Valencia. Her orders were most clear, she was to stop a ship and announce that she will be boarded. The boarding party commander is to present the ship as “Boarding ship 30” if the vessel is carrying contraband for the enemy she is to be scuttled. The following day Schiff 35’s crew got out the scaffolding and paint brushes and removed all DDG Hansa colors from the funnel and was painted black. On February 13th a liner came into view closing to 1700m this vessel was flying no flag so by lamp Hartmann signaled “stop ship and prepare to be boarded”. The boarding party under L.z.S Schmidt went aboard and discovered that the mystery ship was a Spanish Republican ship and she was carrying supplies provided by the Soviets. The 60 man crew was ordered to abandon ship and the demolition officer Oblt.z.S Wolff set charges in the engine room, boiler room, and in the holds at 07:20 the ship goes up and 6 minutes later sinks over the stern. She was the Campillo 8,002 grt. Hartmann moved on to the Gulf of Valencia and on the morning of the 15th Hartman and his officers had a conference. He planned to mine the Port of Valencia with 30 mines. With a map captured from the Campillo they were to lay the mines in 2 separate areas. This was carried out successfully the same night. On the 16th again at night another vessel flying no flag was again boarded and sunk it was the freighter Vicente 4,883 grt. From Odessa to Barcelona 40 were taken prisoner. The following day the radio room reported 4 ships had struck mines 3 confirmed sunk. In the evening a further 6 were sunk totaling 40,237 grt. The total tonnage sunk is now 62,018 grt. Hartmann plans to head further south for a while and make a sudden reappearance in a location yet to the determined.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=3973&stc=1&d=1611162639
https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=3974&stc=1&d=1611162732
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https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=3976&stc=1&d=1611163119

Hmmm...:hmmm: I think that ocean liner has seen better days. :har: Great screenshots. Always loved the explosion/fire effects or Silent Hunter 5. And I like your choice to roleplay as an auxiliary cruiser. The amount of work that went into maintaining secrecy, disguising the ships, repainting in fake neutral colors, putting up artificial funnels etc is really fascinating.

CPTLTJASON

01-24-21, 08:58 PM

Hmmm...:hmmm: I think that ocean liner has seen better days. :har: Great screenshots. Always loved the explosion/fire effects or Silent Hunter 5. And I like your choice to roleplay as an auxiliary cruiser. The amount of work that went into maintaining secrecy, disguising the ships, repainting in fake neutral colors, putting up artificial funnels etc is really fascinating.

Thank you sir! glad you're enjoying the series :Kaleun_Salute: Yes it was a lot of work. :Kaleun_Salute::Kaleun_Cheers::Kaleun_Cheers:

CPTLTJASON

01-24-21, 09:06 PM

10/9/1939 EH 2427 Central Atlantic 101st day at sea

Ship 35 has been proceeding slowly along the shipping routes in search of more targets. Hartmann plans to remain in the Central Atlantic until November 1st. The tanker Ermland is expected to depart Kiel on October 11th and we will meet her at Point Andalusia in December. On October 7th , several changes have been made to Ship 35 Hartmann decided to change the disguise to a Greek freighter for this the following changes were made,
-4 Single post derricks taken down (2 between the funnel and bridge and 2 deck house aft)
-Peeling paint was not touched up as Greek freighters are not maintained well. the white line will remain, and since Greece is neutral, 6 Greek flags were painted on the hull, 3 on each side.
-The word “Greece” was painted 4 times on the hull 2 on each side
Ship 35 is now the Greek freighter ZEUS 8,800 grt (AMMZ). If we are Questioned when going from S to N we will be loaded with Misc. cargo from Karachi to Piraeus when going from N to S we will be in ballast from Piraeus to Durban. Today at 23:38 the port lookout on the Bridge OStrm Witterhold spotted a smoke column bearing 039T range 11.400m this was confirmed by the lookouts on the crosstrees who should have sighted it earlier nevertheless battle stations were called and soon Ship 35 closed the range at 23:56 the ship decamouflaged and opened fire on the ships which turned out to be a two stack liner, tanker, and small cargo ship. 181 HE 5.9 inch shells sent all three ships to the bottom. Hartmann ordered the motor launch and 4 lifeboats to rescue the survivors. A total of 204 were picked up from the 3 ships only the master of the tanker survived. All prisoners were searched and then sent to the prisoner hold and Hold No.6 the wounded were treated in the ship’s hospital. We now have a total of 536. Ship 35 is now seriously overcrowded so the next ship that is sighted will have to be taken intact. Proceeding NNW speed 12 knots.
All ships departed in convoy from Southampton, England to Singapore All ships were British,
-CRUSADER 17,957 grt loaded with stores for the army and misc. cargo. Ship belonged to the Ellerman Line
-ULISES 10,028 grt loaded with 11,900 tons of gasoline. Tanker belonged to the British Tanker Co.
-WACOSTA 2,192 grt loaded with aircraft engines and propellers. Freighter belonged to the Smith Shipping Co.
So far Ship 35 has sunk 7 ships for 51,847 grt

https://subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=3986&stc=1&d=1611540147
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[IMG]

CPTLTJASON

01-25-21, 06:47 PM

10/12/1939 DR 2814 Central Atlantic 103rd day at sea.

Ship 35’s search for a suitable ship to take prize came to an end. At 22:25 Lookouts on the bridge sighted navigation lights bearing 257°T range 3300m Hartmann turned Ship 35 around, decamouflaged, and fired a warning shot with the 3.7 cm the liner, a Portuguese, stopped and switched on its mast lights. A boarding party under L.z.S Schmidt boarded the ship and discovered that she had in fact been sold to the Hugh Shipping Co. Ltd, Southampton and that the transfer of ownership had taken place in Rio and was now sailing under control of the British company. The liner was travelling in Ballast from Rio to Clydebank for conversion into a troopship. Hartmann took the liner prize putting Oblt.z.S.d.R Burkhard von Muller in command he was given a crew of 2 officers, 8 petty officers, and 30 ratings. During the next 5 hours the prisoners except Captains, engineering officers, and radio personnel were transferred to the Meridian 9,988 grt (DMNL). The liner was renamed Marsburg and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine as a supply ship. She has room for about 800. Food and supplies were later transferred. The Marsburg is instructed to proceed to DF 70 via the Green Route and wait there until Ship 35 returns. Both ships parted ways at dawn.

https://subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=3992&stc=1&d=1611618247

CPTLTJASON

03-04-21, 02:13 PM

Preview:
3/13/1938 38th day at sea Baltic Sea Training Square A

Schiff 35 underway during trials. I’ve been planning a very detailed and complex operation for Schiff 35 it’s a mishmash of the cruises of the Wolf, Möwe, Atlantis, and Pinguin. I’ll go into more detail in the next post.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4117&stc=1&d=1614885165

CPTLTJASON

03-25-21, 12:18 PM

https://www.facebook.com/HKSchiff35

Started a facebook page dedicated to Schiff 35 here I will post behind the scenes content as well as the logbook, charts, plans for minelaying, etc. Of course I will be posting here as well :)

CPTLTJASON

03-25-21, 12:22 PM

Working on Schiff 35's departure. she will depart Kiel via the Great Belt, Kattegat, and Skagerrak but before all this Schiff 35 will proceed into the Baltic to be disguised as a soviet freighter and only then begin the trek northward.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4217&stc=1&d=1616692938

CPTLTJASON

03-25-21, 12:24 PM

For this patrol I will use the 2 versions of the Ehrenfels Class freighters that are available in the game, one being the Pinguin for battle scenes and the other for the static shots during the cruise.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4218&stc=1&d=1616693054

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4219&stc=1&d=1616693054

CPTLTJASON

04-01-21, 04:30 PM

April 16, 1939 08:00 hrs. Bremerhaven, Germany 1st day at sea

After successfully completing 4 months of training Schiff 35 arrived at Bremerhaven on March 31, 1939 here she will take on 4000 cm3 of fuel, 1300 t of coal, 1450 t of water, and several tons of provisions. Fregattenkapitän Hartmann plans to make for the North Sea, camouflage the ship as a Soviet, then proceed to Kiel via the Skagerrak to take on the remaining supplies.

Schiff 35 will depart today on the 16th at noon.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4239&stc=1&d=1617312614

CPTLTJASON

04-04-21, 05:52 PM

July 19, 1939 Baltic, Kiel, Germany
During the night of the 10th of May a large Soviet freighter arrived at Kiel her master was instructed to dock at Pier N-21. She maneuvered into the dock and was tied down by midnight the following day a 50 car train arrived and the loading began, The freighter took on crate after crate aboard. The following day 2 coalers and 1 tanker came alongside and began to replenish the ship. In the afternoon of the 15th 3 Kriegsmarine officers boarded the Soviet ship. On the bridge they were greeted by the master of the mysterious ship, Fregattenkapitan Hans Felix Hartmann.
The camouflage has worked nobody suspects the freighter to be "Schiff 35". Here are the events leading up to the arrival. Schiff 35 departed Bremerhaven in late April then proceeded to Point Yellow to carry out "Operation Chamäleon" (The transformation of Schiff 35 into the Soviet KOSTROMA 8,284 grt (FVNU) Murmansk) this was completed in 4 days time and soon Schiff 35 sailed for Kiel via the Skagerrak, Great Belt route.
The crates the ship is taking on are everything from ammunition to tropical uniforms, cigars, flour, chocolate, and paper just to name a few of the hundreds of items she's taking aboard Hartmann has been informed by the Seekriegslietung that the ship will have to remain in port until at least July 20. This was unprecedented by Hartmann and now arrangements must be made to change temporarily the disguise of the ship so on the night of June 1 the crew painted the funnel black and removed all soviet emblems and names now Ship 35 is officially "Barracks Ship 13" On the 18th Hartmann gave the final briefing to the officers and final preparations are being made for departure.

https://subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4242&stc=1&d=1617576629
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CPTLTJASON

04-15-21, 09:17 AM

5/31/1939 Baltic, Kiel 24:00 hrs.
At midnight on the 31st of May a large Soviet freighter departed Kiel. loaded to the brim with cargo she sailed quietly out of port and into the Bay of Kiel. On her way out she met an incoming liner the 10,785 grt SS KURMANN the onlookers on deck thought nothing of the Soviet unaware they were actually looking at the first stages of Hitler's plan this mysterious vessel was in fact Schiff 35 and her crew of 440, Die Piraten des Diktators.....................

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4266&stc=1&d=1618496184
https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4267&stc=1&d=1618496246

CPTLTJASON

04-19-21, 09:19 PM

Due to technical difficulties I had to restart the patrol (after lengthy troubleshooting)

7/30/1939 Baltic, Kiel 05:20 hrs. 1st day at sea

A 550 foot Soviet motorship quietly departs Kiel Harbor. No fanfare, well-wishers, flowers, not even the seagulls were there to bid the ship farewell, riding low in the water its she is loaded to the brim with cargo . Having sailed now for over an hour she came across an incoming liner, the 18,285 grt S.S. KURMANN of the HAPAG Line passengers snapped pictures of the Soviet ship and waved to the officer on the bridge. As she passed to port the lights of the ship illuminated the stern which donned her name KOSTROMA and homeport MURMANSK. What theses ordinary onlookers did not know what this Soviet ship was part of Hitler’s plan the ship in fact was Schiff 35 and her crew.................................Die Piraten des Diktators.

The Soviet officer seen standing on the bridge is the Kommandant of Schiff 35, 37 year old FregKpt.z.S Hans Felix Hartmann (Spanish Cross/Gold). Looking back at Kiel harbor for one last time, he is the only one aboard who knows that they will be at sea for years and may likely never return. As the lights of Kiel fade into the horizon the first two stanzas of the Hymn to Red October come to mind,

“Cold, hard, empty.

Light that has left me,

How could I know that you would die?

Farewell again, our dear land.

So hard for us to imagine that it's real, and not a dream.

Motherland, native home,

Farewell, our Motherland.”

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4275&stc=1&d=1618885115

CPTLTJASON

06-08-21, 09:15 AM

In the Cocos Islands 2 mysterious freighter are lying at anchor with the battleship HMS THUNDERER 45,983 grt, just what exactly are they up to is unknown.................
A little spoiler of the war patrol of Schiff 35 which is slowly coming together on paper then i can create the single missions in the game to go along with the story. Although im debating if the ship should be in the Baltic after September 1st or depart much sooner and make for the Arctic. I've been thinking about doing away with the Arctic operations altogether or leave them till the end. But in any case Schiff 35 should sail (if the game doesn't give me any more grief) by Early-mid July.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4457&stc=1&d=1623161695

U-190

06-18-21, 02:56 AM

Very interesting! :up: Keep up the good work.

CPTLTJASON

06-25-21, 06:52 PM

5/5/1939 02:00 Baltic Sea Training Square XF 30th day at sea

Ship 35 conducting gunnery and searchlight exercises. FKpt Hartmann has been conducting these drills for 4 weeks and since leaving Kiel on April 7th Ship 35 has conducted minelaying, torpedo, and boarding exercises once these tests are complete Ship 35 will return to A.G. Weser Werft for final adjustments and additions before sailing for Kiel via the Kiel Canal and begin preparations for her departure on August 1, 1939. In the end I’ve decided that the ship will sail for the North Atlantic and commerce raiding I’ve ended up scraping minelaying missions on the British East Coast, Narvik, and the Arctic whaling fleets.

I’m still trying to get all the planning done and make SH5 work this picture was taken from one of dozens of Single Missions I’ve been making for the last week.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4470&stc=1&d=1624665095

CPTLTJASON

06-28-21, 02:25 PM

2/1/1939 A.G. Weser Werft, Commissioning Pier

“Ship 35” put into commission. In this shot we see the vessel shortly after the commissioning ceremony the 400 man crew has been dismissed and are now preparing for departure.

After many months of work ( and frustration at my end) the Kriegsmarine’s first Hilfskreuzer is put into commission. She began her life in 1935 as the DDG Hansa Line freighter “Weserfels” 7,700 grt part of the Ehrenfels Class of motorships. She sailed the East-Asia Line (Hamburg-Calcutta) 4 times before being requisitioned in Hamburg on 19.November. 1937 at 08:00 hrs. by a commission of officers and technicians from the Kriegsmarine/A.G. Weser Werft she was placed under the temporary command of Kplt Jürgen Krebs he took the freighter to the Port of Bremen where the “Weserfels” remained for 1 month at the Naval Personnel Office a 31 year old officer walked in, his name was KKpt.z.S Hans Felix Hartmann currently serving as Kommandant of the Minesweeper M8. After all the necessary paperwork and fuss of bureaucracy Hartmann took a train from Kiel to Bremen and began searching for his “raider” he eventually found it tied alongside an empty Pier he took command at once and sent for tugs to tow the vessel into the A.G. Weser Werft’s dry docks work took place from 18.December.1937-8.June.1938 here she was turned inside out, lengthened and armed. During this time Hartmann began assembling his crew starting with officers he demanded the best afterwards he exhausted the rosters for petty officers and ratings and 3 months later he had his 441 man crew assembled.

Ship 35 was a formidable raider, armed with 10 x 15cm L/45 taken from the old battleships Hessen (6)and Schleswig-Holstein(4) along with smaller cannons, flak guns, 25 torpedoes, 500 EMC mines, 1 Leichte Schnellboote, and 5 Arado At 196 aircraft she would sail from the Arctic to the Antarctic and from the coasts of Africa to the shores of the Galapagos. She could cruise for 250 days her bunkers could hold (5.100 cbm3 of diesel fuel, 3.300 t of water, and 1.800 t of coal) and she had a range (10 knots) 110,000 km.

Soon “Ship 35” will sail for Bremerhaven later to Kiel for final provisioning and loading before setting sail on her training cruise.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4474&stc=1&d=1624908297

CPTLTJASON

06-28-21, 10:25 PM

7/31/1939 Kiel Harbor 1st day at sea

After arriving on the night of July 10 Ship 35 pulled into dock Nr. 31. For the next 2 weeks everything from toilet paper to mines were loaded on July 29 Ship 35 moved to the Kiel Holtenau lock home to Bordfliegerstaffel 5/196 and took aboard 5 Arado Ar 196 A-1 and her Luftwaffe detachment under the command of Major Adolf Richter (EK II). That night she returned to Dock Nr.31. During this time GAdm Reader boarded and inspected the ship and handed FKpt Hartmann the final copy of Ship 35’s orders.

Today at midnight “Ship 35” weighed anchor and quietly made her way out Kiel. The Kriegsmarine’s first merchant raider was now loose on the high seas. Her disguise is of a Norwegian freighter the KELLOG 8,822 grt of the Oslo Shipping Co. Ltd. Oslo, Norway. Hartmann is ordered to make for Jan Mayern and enter the Atlantic via the Denmark Strait.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4475&stc=1&d=1624937081
https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4476&stc=1&d=1624937124

CPTLTJASON

06-29-21, 10:13 PM

March 1, 1939 Deutsche Bucht, 1st day at sea

At dusk the “Afrika” raised anchor and cast off from Bremerhaven for the North Sea for her training cruise she will meet her sister ship “Kybfels” who was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine on January 19th and converted into a supply ship, Codename “Ship-19”. They will meet in Naval Grid Square AO 8419 (55°15'00"N, 015°55'00"E) just west of Bornholm Island. Here both ships will conduct gunnery, torpedo, minelaying (ship and LS Boat), searchlight, and de camouflage exercises. Afterwards the Afrika will arrive at Kiel disguised as a Swedish freighter the Ship-19 will arrive 5 days after “Afrika”.

The adjutant Oblt.z.S Hellmuth Mohr took this picture from the bearing deck, the duty officer KKpt.z.S Rollmann has posted the watch as follows,
On the fore cross trees
2 officers and 1 petty officer
On the bridge/wheelhouse
3 officers, 2 petty officers, and 4 ratings.

Before sailing Hartmann received at telegram stating he was to take 15 prize officers and 6 war correspondents aboard to document the cruise. As for the prize officers it was a sign of what was expected of the “Afrika”.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4477&stc=1&d=1625022755

CPTLTJASON

06-30-21, 10:26 AM

May 25, 1939 Baltic Sea Training Square XU82 85th day at sea

After transiting through the Skagerrak/Kattegat/Great Belt Ship 35 met Ship 19 WNW of Bornholm Island Ship 35 went alongside and FKpt Hartmann met the Kommandant of Ship 19 KKpt Hans Webber they discussed plans for exercises and subsequent arrival to Kiel.

For the first 2 1/2 months Ship 35 conducted artillery, torpedo, and minelaying exercises. The remaining time was spent conducting boarding and landing exercises.

Today, Ship 35 concluded her training exercises and now disguised as the German freighter
FRANKFURT 8,288 grt returns to Kiel for final preparations for departure.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4478&stc=1&d=1625066754

CPTLTJASON

06-30-21, 11:43 PM

August 1, 1939 Baltic, Kiel 1st day at sea

A long sleek Swedish freighter departs Kiel Harbor in the early morning hours bound for the unknown, her identity a secret, at least to the outsiders, this ship was all part of Hitler’s plans, the vessel was in fact Ship 35 and her crew, Die Piraten des Diktators

At 05:00 hrs the Kommandant gave the order; Leinen Los! Course E 097° speed 9 knots 1 engine on the bridge stands the Kommandant of the Hilfskreuzer “Afrika” looking back at the fading coastline at 09:55 he entered in the Kriegstagebuch, “Deutschland außer Sicht.” In the meantime the Duty Officer KKpt.z.S Rollmann posted the watch
-3 officers and 2 petty officers on the fore cross trees
-2 officers, 3 petty officers, and 8 ratings on the bridge

Current disguise:

Swedish freighter KELLOG 8,600 grt (MOLN) of the Trøsm Line Ltd. Stockholm
-Grey Masts, Yellow King Posts with grey booms
-Black funnel with large orange band
-White superstructure with a brown band running along the bridge. Aft deckhouse built to conceal the 15 cm located there.
-Olive green hull with red waterline
-Ventilators and other deck fittings painted Yellow
-Foremost lifeboats/motorlaunch w/Davits hidden
Remaining lifeboats painted white with black trim
-Hold covers initially painted blue later white.

Ship 35 will maintain this disguise until we enter the Atlantic.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4479&stc=1&d=1625114607

CPTLTJASON

07-03-21, 05:28 PM

8/15/1939 North Greenland Sea, 18th day at sea

Ship 35 has completed her metamorphosis, she is now the Greek freighter OLYMPUS 8,822 grt as Hartmann was preparing to set out a radio message came in from the Seekriegslietung,

1/SKL 1113/39 Gkdos
“Remain at prearranged location wait for “Ship 19” vessel departed on August 6th. Afterwards both ships will continue passage to the Southern Seas.

Hartmann sets sail for AA 8832 “Point Eisberg”
As this was not anticipated minor changes to the disguise,
-Soviet flag hoisted,
-Funnel painted black with red band and on both sides a hammer and sickle
-Greek names on the bow and stern painted over
-Signs in Russian added aft
-Aft deckhouse disassembled and stored in large pieces for later use aft 15cm exposed
-1 Arado At 196 A-1 (6W+FF) firmly lashed on top of Hold Nr.3 painted in Soviet Naval paint scheme

Ship 35 proceeding temporarily as the Soviet naval auxiliary KOVSKI 9,938 grt (JSHR) speed 4 knots one engine, course 020°

The Luftwaffe detachment aboard Ship 35 has been given the designation Kampfgeschwader/135
Major Richter and FKpt.z.S Hartmann begin to plan operations for the South Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. The group hasn’t had any practice runs as the weather hasnt been suitable to launch the aircraft. A catapult would’ve been ideal (hopefully one will be sent aboard Ship 19) in any case the problem of heavy seas hampering aircraft recovery still makes the training flights impossible.

While on passage the radio room began picking up faint radio transmissions in English from what can be made out they it could be a whaling fleet or a research fleet. We’ll keep tabs on that.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4483&stc=1&d=1625351268

CPTLTJASON

07-06-21, 11:06 PM

9/1/1939, 72°14’N, 12°0’W, 31st day at sea

At 05:00 hrs. The bridge messenger tore into the Kommandant’s cabin with a very hot radio Transmission from Berlin,

“Operations have commenced against Poland. All polish vessels are to be considered hostile”

Hartmann immediately ordered the entire starboard watch to report to stations and soon sets sail for the North Sea, speed 15 knots course 131° 2 engines, to commence “Operation Wolf” the mining of British ports and sea lanes along the East coast of England. The ship will retain the Soviet disguise. However the Arado on Hold Nr.3 is stored away. Soon Ship-35 was forging her way through heavy seas.

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/attachment.php?attachmentid=4581&stc=1&d=1625630791

CPTLTJASON

07-07-21, 10:55 AM

9/2/1939, Norwegian Sea 67°30’N, 6°17’W 32nd day at sea,

As Ship 35 was proceeding southeast lookouts on the Foremast sighted smoke bearing 019°T range about 17,700m and closing, Hartmann slowed to 10 knots, ordered the crew to battle stations, and soon the ship was on standby to de camouflage. At 14:06 the contact comes into view a neutral Norwegian freighter course 345° speed 9 knots At 14:09 the order came, de camouflage, hoist battle flag, and open fire with the 3.7 cm, shot across the bows. The Soviet flag was hauled down, black tarps over the funnel and bridge sides, and 4 heavy flaps on the starboard side dropped with a thud as the 5.9 in guns were brought around.

The Norwegian stopped without hesitation and soon the boarding party under the command of Oblt.z.S Schmidt, 4 officers, 10 petty officers, and 25 ratings. The vessel appears to cooperate, then the radio officer Oblt.z.S(F) Köhler reports that the Norwegian began transmitting on the 600m wavelength, the boarding party is recalled and Hartmann orders “open fire with the starboard battery” soon 6 x 5.9 in guns open fire on the Norwegian ship at a range of 1,900 m the first 3 salvos demolish the bridge and radio room on the fourth salvo the raider hits the cargo, ammunition, and the vessel is sent to the bottom in a massive detonation. Hartmann orders a cease fire and sails Ship 35 away and sends 2 boats to pickup survivors, after 3 hours of searching only 3 are picked up the 3rd mate, radio officer, and a steward.

The officer is interviewed by prison officer Oblt.z.S Schultz and discovers that the Norwegian freighter PETROVIA 5,033 grt (KZPT) under Master S.B Karlstad and was enroute from Liverpool to the Port of Hela with 3,400 tons of ammunition of English manufacture, tank parts, steel plates, tires, 3 military trucks, and mail. she belonged to the Norwegian Steamship Company, Trondheim and was under charter by the Polish Navy.

Ship 35’s first success cost her 34 5.9 in rounds. The steamer sank at 18:32 hrs. Hartmann rewarded the crew with an extra ration of beer. Shore stations attempted to regain contact with the Petrovia however to no avail. With one success under her belt the mysterious pirate ship resumes her voyage.
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CPTLTJASON

07-08-21, 12:17 PM

9/6/1939 57°16’N, 1°41’E North Sea 36th day at sea

In search for a suitable freighter for “Operation Wolf” Ship 35’s lookouts sighted smoke bearing 035°T range 16,850m, Hartmann again brought the ship to battle stations. Ship 35 closed at 19 knots to 8,000m and de camouflaged, 2 warning shots from the 3.7cm brought the freighter to a stop, This time the ship didn’t transmit, a boarding party was sent under the command of Oblt.z.S Schmidt (6 officers, 8 petty officers, and 25 ratings).

Oblt.z.S Schmidt was met on deck by the master of the freighter Master K.S. Boer inspecting the ships logbook and papers Schmidt determined that the freighter CENTURION 5,283 grt had departed The Port of Danzig and was bound for London. The ship was under orders of the British Admiralty. This ship belonged to Olsen & Ugelstad, Oslo built in 1928 by C.S. Swan & Hunter Ltd, Wallsend.

Schmidt gave the crew 10 minutes to abandon ship afterwards the Chief Engineer KKpt(Dipl-Ing) Miller, prize officer Oblt.z.S Wagner, and Mine Officer Oblt.z.S(M) Boehme informed Hartmann that the freighter was in bad condition and would not be suitable for use as minelayer, Hartmann ordered the ship to be scuttled. Soon Oblt.z.S Wolff and his team went to work and the ship was sent to the bottom.

A crew of 48 were taken prisoner. Hartmann departed the area at once. He concluded that the sinking of both Norwegians and RAF aircraft that have been sighted hurt Ship 35’s chances of carrying out the operation herself and now 2 ships would need to be captured and converted into minelayers. Also an update on Ship 39 (Kybfels) she departed Bremerhaven and is now coming in our direction both vessels will meet on September 10th at Point Green 10.

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