Hilfskreuzer Schiff 44 (HSK-16) “Afrika”

[CPTLTJASON]

21.9.1935 Norwegian Sea “Point Blue 10” 74°17’N, 18°26’E, 20th day at sea

During training in refueling procedures A 39 suffered a list to starboard, the engineering staff under the LI of Schiff 30 Korv.Kpt.(Dipl-ing) Sonntag go aboard in an attempt to repair the damage which the Kommandant of A 39 believes was sustained during the stormy passage through the North Sea. Despite the best attempts of the engineering staff nothing could be done and the list of the tanker grew from 5° to 19° and Freg.Kpt. Hartmann ordered A 39 abandoned and sunk with scuttling charges this was carried out by 16:45 hrs. and the tanker sank in position 74°17’N, 18°26’E. A radio message was sent to operations stating that A 39 had sunk and another suitable replacement tanker be sent. A reply from the Ob.d.M. is expected sometime tonight or tomorrow morning.

Korv.Kpt. Hoffmann will be put in command of the incoming tanker the crew will be kept aboard and used to supplement the Prize Commandos. Of the 49 ratings 21 are civilian merchant sailors they all volunteer to join the Kriegsmarine.

With this new delay the departure of the convoy is now anticipated to be in mid-October. For the time being, the crew continues with their training and daily shipboard routine, the 3 radio rooms with their intelligence gathering, and the seaplanes are being sent out 4 times a day, 2 flights per aircraft. The catapult has proved to be very useful more than 60 flights have been carried out as opposed to the 10 or 15 that would have been able to have carried out without a catapult.


Schiff 30 stopped in stormy weather off Bear Island

"Esso Bremen" 'A 39' 4,500 grt DOKL sinking after being scuttled due to damage sustained during a storm in the North Sea

Schiff 30 and one of her seaplanes approaching to land after carrying out a reconnaissance flight