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.
