Hilfskreuzer Schiff 44 (HSK-16) “Afrika”

[CPTLTJASON]

2/15/1938 Mediterranean Sea 107th day at sea

Ship 44 arrived at Piraeus and spend Christmas at the port. On December 27th Ship 44 departed Piraeus for Point X and Area A where she would conduct training with the seaplanes and Leichte Schnellboote.
The Leichte Schnellboote (LS 33) conducted minelaying exercises. On January 1st Hartmann was promoted to Kapitan zur See. For the last 3 weeks officers and men of 8.Marine Stosstrupp Kompanie trained disembarking and reembarking from Ship 44. On February 13th Kapitan.z.S Hartmann informed that they would return to the Atlantic before crossing the Straits of Gibraltar Ship 44 would conduct another raid along the Odessa supply route. Hartmann decided to avoid visiting anymore ports.

Once the Spanish Civil War draws to a close Hartmann will undertake an expedition into the Pacific Ocean in which the vessel will seek out the best islands to use as bases and rendezvous points for commerce raiders. After this Ship 44 will return to Kiel by the end of the summer.