; a little query.....................German U Boats in Ponta Delgada 1937.
The flotilla's tenders provided targets for U-boats to attempt interception and simulated attacks. But the Baltic was too small for Dönitz to fully test his theories at group operations. However, despite repeated appeals for permission to stage Atlantic exercises, Hitler and Grossadmiral Raeder refused to allow U-boats to operate in any strength in the Atlantic while the war in Spain continued and the possibility of their presence could be misinterpreted by British naval units. On the other hand approval was granted to hold small-scale test-cruises to assess the handling of Germany's new submarines within the expansive Atlantic Ocean. In Wilhelmshaven Kplt. Wilhelm Ambrosius of U 28 was temporarily replaced by the veteran Kplt. Hans-Günther Looff while his brother-in-law Kplt. Hans-Rudolf Rösing, also a veteran submariner, was placed in temporary command of U 35 for a planned joint voyage into the Bay of Biscay. Besides Oblt. z. S. Dietrich von der Ropp was temporarily on board of U 35 at the request of Kaleun Hans-Rudolf Rösing for the patrol to Ponta Delgada (Azores). After this patrol, he reported back to U 11 (Rösing was the Kaleun of U 11 at that time so he brought his WO with him).
Rösing recalled: This was to be the first time that the boats had been into the Atlantic. I took over from Michahelles, as Dönitz was of the opinion that Michahelles had not enough experience therefore one of the "old horses" was put in. At that time there was a civil war in Spain and our two submarines were initially to be sent to the Spanish waters, but we were sent to the Azores instead. We made the first experiences in really heavy weather. We had a Force 11 to 12 and then we found out what excellent seagoing ships these submarines were. And when it was too wet we could go down and relax.
Of course, as usual, I was seasick. I used to be seasick for the first two days in the cruise. But later on I was okay. Normally I never did anything about it, in the war of course I took medicine.
Sources: KTB U-Bootwaffe. 1923 - 1938. Das Kriegstagebuch der U-Bootwaffe von Roland Berr. http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-U-9-Kriegsmarine-Flotille-Weddigen-Wehrmacht. eBay Auction.
http://www.u-35.com/crew/roesing.htm
http://www.u-35.com/crew/vonderropp.htm
U-Boot Flottille Saltzwedel U 35 in Spanien Ponta Delgada. Fotobethge. eBay Auction
A little query: What happened with Ambrosius and Michahelles? Did they went aboard during that patrol or not? TIA. Cheers. Raúl M
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