Ottoman Ship "General" or "Genel"

[stevebecker]

Mates,

I have a number of Germans lost on the Ottoman ship "General" but on checking some sites I could find what ship the General was?

Any ideas?

Gugat Johann Matrosen Naval Ship "General" 1915-16 (died 21-12-16) cause not stated? grave at Tarabya Istanbul
Müller Georg Sig Naval Ship "General" 1914-15 (died 8-12-15 in the Marmara Sea) cause not stated? grave at Tarabya Istanbul
Oswald Heinrich Matrosen Naval Ship "General" (died 20-1-17) cause not stated? grave at Tarabya Istanbul
Runcke Paul Matrosen Naval Steamer "General" 1915-16 (died 7-12-16) cause not stated? grave at Tarabya Istanbul
Tinius Max Matrosen Naval Ship "General" 1915-17 (died 25-9-17) cause not stated? grave at Tarabya Istanbul
Wachowiack Peter Matrosen Naval Ship "General" 1915- (died 28-11-15) cause not stated? grave at Tarabya Istanbul
Wendt Rudolf Stoker Naval Ship "General" (died 18-11-16) cause not stated? grave at Tarabya Istanbul


Cheers

S.B

[Tosun Saral]

"Der General" was a german steamship anchored at kai of Karaköy during whole war and served as a officer Heim, hotel or mess. I dont know much about the ship. Hans Guhr mentions in hs book that he stayed a few nights on the board of the ship.

Der General on 30.4.1914 at İstanbul

[Tosun Saral]

a young german marine officer of Der General decorated with turkish war medal and his turkish college.

[Jochen Kruesmann]

27.02.1911: GENERAL AG Deutsche Ost-Afrika Linie, Hamburg /Ge 26.07.1914: arrived at Marseile o/V: Hamburg-Daressalam with general cargo 02.08.1914: laid up at Messina 06.08.1914: incorporated into German Mittelmeer-Divison 09.08.1914: arrived at İzmir 11.08.1914: arrived at İstanbul 13.11.1914: chartered by Imperial German Navy 14.11.1914: laid up at İstanbul-Karaköy as depot- and barracks vessel 02.03.1915: unmounted 2-8,8cm guns and ammunition attached to Osmanlı Coast Inspection in the Dardanelles 09.02.1918: RMA ordered to vacate the vessel 29.03.1918: RMA ordered to prepare the ship as transport 05.04.1918: ship completely vacated and overhauled at İstanbul 18.04.1918: entered service as transport in the Black Sea 19.12.1918: seized by a boarding party of French cruiser ERNEST RENAN at Odessa and taken over by Marine Nationale 01.03.1919: GENERAL French Government Transports Maritimes, Paris (m) Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes, Marseille /Fr 1921: GENERAL French Government Transports Maritimes, Paris (m) Soc. des Services Contractuels des Messageries Maritimes, Marseille /Fr 21.04.1922: renamed AZAY LE RIDEAU 1932: heavy gutted by fire at Marseille, hull laid up .11.1936: sold for demolition by Soc. de Material Naval du Midi at Marseille 13.01.1937: left Marseille for La Seyne for demolition

[Glenn2438]

Tosun,

the young German officer appears to be a merchant navy (Handelsmarine) officer.

Regards
Glenn

[Tosun Saral]

Yes that's right. Der General was a handelsmarine vessel. so as Lilly Rickmeß and Kerkyra. cheers

[stevebecker]

Mates,

Thank you for the details.

I did then wonder why so many young Germans died on this ship?

Was it used as a hospital and these men died from as illness?
Or were there to some accidents over it time as a depot ship?

I do show a number of Germans lost to accidents, like drowning around Istanbul?

S.B

[Jochen Kruesmann]

From 14 November 1914, the different departments of the MMD transferred to the steamer General which from then on served as a storage, accommodation, hospital and office ship in İstanbul-Karaköy. It was not officially rated as a "hospital ship", but had quite a large quantaty of space (rooms) to care about ill naval personal. Also the accommodations were used to accommodate naval personal which arrived at Istanbul from Germany first, but were intended for service in other regions of the Ottoman Empire. So I strongly presume there was a high amount of "check in and out" of all kind of ranks of German naval personal.
Hope it helps.
Jochen

[stevebecker]

Jochen,

Danke, yes helps a lot.

S.B