Ship "Arowana" from Saaremaa to Danzig Sept 1944

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aaaviku
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Joined: 28 Nov 2013, 17:27

Ship "Arowana" from Saaremaa to Danzig Sept 1944

#1

Post by aaaviku » 28 Nov 2013, 18:32

Hello;
Based on very limited anecdotal information, my parents and oldest brother left Estonia from Mõntu harbour, Sõrve peninsula Saaremaa, in September of 1944. They left as refugees on a military ship (I'm assuming German ship), bound for Danzig. I know that their ship was bombed from the air, but not struck. They spent some time in a DP camp. Eventually, they came to Canada, my father first, then my mother and brother later.
It is possible the name of their ship was Arowana. Does anyone have any information about such a ship? Its type or a picture? Also, does anyone know whether there would have been named lists of the residents of camps around the Danzig area, particularly those where Estonian refugees would have been sent?

thank you!
/ann

Arensburger
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Re: Ship "Arowana" from Saaremaa to Danzig Sept 1944

#2

Post by Arensburger » 23 Dec 2013, 16:22

http://www.hot.ee/hintzer/laeva_0.htm
http://www.hot.ee/lvpfoorum/hintzer.htm
There is some information in Estonia. I hope you can read it!
Arensburger


aaaviku
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Joined: 28 Nov 2013, 17:27

Re: Ship "Arowana" from Saaremaa to Danzig Sept 1944

#3

Post by aaaviku » 01 May 2014, 20:23

Thank you so much! My Estonian is "klunky" but I should be able to get through this material if I go carefully! I appreciate the links very much!
/ann

andrus
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Location: Estonia

Re: Ship "Arowana" from Saaremaa to Danzig Sept 1944

#4

Post by andrus » 10 May 2014, 09:28

Very wild speculation: ship name is RO 1. Maybe somebody said it to somebody in english "RO one" :)

Actually I did look into KTB Admiral östliche Ostsee, but found nothing (not saying name should be in that war diary - it's probably in papers of Kriegsmarinedienststelle Danzig which I don't have).

aaaviku
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Re: Ship "Arowana" from Saaremaa to Danzig Sept 1944

#5

Post by aaaviku » 24 Jun 2014, 21:14

Suur aitäh Andrus!
In the logs listed above, (http://www.hot.ee/hintzer/laeva_0.htm), I see reference to boats RO-1 and RO-22 - so perhaps not so wild a speculation after all! Looking in the databases of German ships deployed, there is nothing close to Arowana... I'll pursue this as much as I can! Show what happens when you think out of the box a little bit!

aaaviku
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Joined: 28 Nov 2013, 17:27

Re: Ship "Arowana" from Saaremaa to Danzig Sept 1944

#6

Post by aaaviku » 25 Jun 2014, 15:39

Andrus, I think you were definitely on the mark....

From the below we know that RO-1 left Kuressaare on 30-Sept bound for Danzig. That matches the window for my parents departure.
30. septembril pandi rügemendi isikkoosseis Kuressaares laevale RO-1 ja saadeti Danzigi.
(http://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/1._Saareka ... 3%BCgement)

From the below we know that a ship (name not given) from Kuressaare arrived in Danzig on 2-October.
Danzigi tuli laev 1200 eestlasega. Nende hulgas ka prof. Kõpp ja Tartu Ülikooli majandusjuht hr. Hannibal. Laev oli väljunud Kuressaarest.
(http://www.hot.ee/lvpfoorum/hintzer.htm)

From ema's passport stamp she officially entered Danzig on 4-October

I believe that the "Arowan/Arowana" was actually the "RO-1" as you suggest.
I'm trying to confirm from my source for the name of the ship, just how he came by it ...

Thank you again!
/ann

aaaviku
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Joined: 28 Nov 2013, 17:27

Re: Ship "Arowana" from Saaremaa to Danzig Sept 1944

#7

Post by aaaviku » 26 Jun 2014, 16:22

So, apparently the source of the name of the ship was my mother, to her brother in 2006.
Since he lived in Sweden, and she in Canada, the conversation was likely by phone.
Although English would not have been much (or at all) in use in Estonia, or Danzig, at that time, it is entirely possible that the conversation between my mother and her brother in 2006 would have mixed in some English, my mom having been in Canada for 60-ish years.
I know that most of my conversations with her were a mix of the two.
Either that, or "R" "Oh" "Ein" still sounds enough like "Arowan". Once I found confirmation of the R-01 leaving Kuressaare on 30-Sept, I was convinced.
Thanks once again, Andrus!
/ann

andrus
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Joined: 22 Aug 2005, 13:28
Location: Estonia

Re: Ship "Arowana" from Saaremaa to Danzig Sept 1944

#8

Post by andrus » 27 Jun 2014, 00:47

Estonian-language wiki is not the best source about naval war in Baltic during WW II.

Fortunately, there is primary source “Geleitlage”. My comments are inside square brakets.

30.September 12:00
[Aus Riga] 18:00/28[.Sept] RO 1 leer nach Ahrensburg, dort ein 06:30/29[.Sept]
[Ahrensburg] RO 1 10:30/30[.Sept] Ladeende ca 1500 estn Verspr[engte – these probably from regiment Made?], 500 Evak[uierte]
below this text there is handwriting, first word not readable, second probably Dzg [Danzig] and third 1200/2, probably 2.October at midday? Estimated or actual arriving time at Danzig?

2.October 16:00:
18:00/30[.Sept] RO 1 Ahrensburg-Dzg [speed] 8 sm 2000 estn Sold u. Zivil [escort?] Sat [schwere Artillerieträger] Helen.
There is also handwriting below this row, but I'm not able to decipher it.

aaaviku
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Joined: 28 Nov 2013, 17:27

Re: Ship "Arowana" from Saaremaa to Danzig Sept 1944

#9

Post by aaaviku » 27 Jun 2014, 02:53

Thank you once again, Andrus! Is a copy of the primary source available online?
Do you think that the "Helen" mentioned is an escort ship of some kind?

My mom recalls that the ship was shelled during the journey but fortunately was not hit.
I was confused with the above logs at first, until I realize that "Ahrensburg" was the German name for Kuressaare.

Fortunately, I have been able to find a photo of the R-01.

Thanks again!
/ann

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