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°.
