[CPTLTJASON]

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.