Hilfskreuzer Schiff 44 (HSK-16) “Afrika”

CPTLTJASON · 11-07-21, 07:20 PM

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.

CPTLTJASON · 11-08-21, 07:41 PM

Apologies for again ending the patrol but I’m still not satisfied,

3/21/1939 Mediterranean Sea 40km South of Majorca Island 141st day at sea

Ship 44 has had success of in just 3 days 7 freighters and 2 tankers were sunk for 31,827 grt, however just south of the Island of Majorca. the Spanish Republican submarine C-5 was on patrol.Under the command of Capitan de Navio Ernesto Garcia the submarine had left Valencia on March 18th en route to the Italian supply lines of the Nationalists 2 days before Ship 44 had taken the guise of a Greek freighter The raider was approaching Majorca At 13:30 hrs. The port bridge watch reported torpedo tracks bearing 349°T Hartmann ordered hard to port but It was too late the first torpedo slammed into the ship under the aircraft hold. The second torpedo detonated 300-500m away Hartmann at once steered for the Island in hopes of beaching the raider, no sooner had he given the order that a second torpedo struck astern in the area of the aft magazine a colossal explosion engulfed the raider before anyone could escape. Of the 430 officers and ratings there were no survivors.

Ship 44 had been at sea for 141 days sailed 57,000 km and had sunk 62,000 grt of shipping. The crew were posthumously awarded the Iron Cross I and II class as well as the Spanish Cross in Silver and the
Kommandant the Spanish Cross in Gold

11-07-21, 07:20 PM	#1
CPTLTJASON Kapitan.z.S Hartmann Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Texas Posts: 305 Downloads: 247 Uploads: 0	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. __________________ "The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him" Sun Tzu Kapitan.z.S Hartmann's (U-35,U-46-U-204-U-332-U-256-U-293, U-838, U-830, U-834, U-1188, U-1180, U-835, U-840, U-839, Schiff 44 “AFRIKA”, Schiff 77 "Stortebecker", "Schiff 66 "WOLF", Schiff 19, Schiff 30) motto: Eastward Ho! "Be more aggressive" *Schiff 30 wird sie alle versenken!* Last edited by CPTLTJASON; 07-08-23 at 06:20 PM.

11-08-21, 07:41 PM	#2
CPTLTJASON Kapitan.z.S Hartmann Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Texas Posts: 305 Downloads: 247 Uploads: 0	Apologies for again ending the patrol but I’m still not satisfied, 3/21/1939 Mediterranean Sea 40km South of Majorca Island 141st day at sea Ship 44 has had success of in just 3 days 7 freighters and 2 tankers were sunk for 31,827 grt, however just south of the Island of Majorca. the Spanish Republican submarine C-5 was on patrol.Under the command of Capitan de Navio Ernesto Garcia the submarine had left Valencia on March 18th en route to the Italian supply lines of the Nationalists 2 days before Ship 44 had taken the guise of a Greek freighter The raider was approaching Majorca At 13:30 hrs. The port bridge watch reported torpedo tracks bearing 349°T Hartmann ordered hard to port but It was too late the first torpedo slammed into the ship under the aircraft hold. The second torpedo detonated 300-500m away Hartmann at once steered for the Island in hopes of beaching the raider, no sooner had he given the order that a second torpedo struck astern in the area of the aft magazine a colossal explosion engulfed the raider before anyone could escape. Of the 430 officers and ratings there were no survivors. Ship 44 had been at sea for 141 days sailed 57,000 km and had sunk 62,000 grt of shipping. The crew were posthumously awarded the Iron Cross I and II class as well as the Spanish Cross in Silver and the Kommandant the Spanish Cross in Gold __________________ "The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him" Sun Tzu Kapitan.z.S Hartmann's (U-35,U-46-U-204-U-332-U-256-U-293, U-838, U-830, U-834, U-1188, U-1180, U-835, U-840, U-839, Schiff 44 “AFRIKA”, Schiff 77 "Stortebecker", "Schiff 66 "WOLF", Schiff 19, Schiff 30) motto: Eastward Ho! "Be more aggressive" *Schiff 30 wird sie alle versenken!* Last edited by CPTLTJASON; 07-08-23 at 06:20 PM.