2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - pre-war deployment.

On August 17, 1939 were issued the directives for the following Submarine Flotillas: Saltzwedel (2nd); Hundius (6th) and Wegener (7th). As specified there, the Flotillas "Hundius" (6th) and "Wegener" (7th) should sail at 00:00 hours on August 19, 1939, while four submersibles belonging to Flotilla "Saltzwedel" would do it with the first light of that very day or later.

The Naval stations should supply the aforementioned submersible flotillas with second duty officers (WO II).

During a telephone conversation with Wilhelmshaven, arose that were not ready yet a sufficient number of torpedoes in operating state . The information was retransmitted immediately by telephone to Berlin.

Sources:http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - pre-war deployment.

On August 19, 1939 sailed as planned, four submersibles of U Flotilla "Saltzwedel": the U 28 (Oblt Günther Kuhnke, IWO Oblt Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche), U-29 (KpLt Otto Schuhart, IWO Lt Georg Lassen, IIWO Ludwig Forster), U-33 (KpLt Hans-Wilhelm v. Dresky, IWO Oblt Hans Heidtmann), U-34 (KpLt Wilhelm Rollmann, IWO Oblt Wilfried Prellberg) from Wilhelmshaven.

It also sailed five submersibles (type VIIB) of the U Flotilla Wegener (from Kiel) and five submersible (Type IXA) of the U Flotilla Hundius from Wilhelmshaven. The tactical command of the group was exercising by the Commander of the U Flotille Hundius, KrvKpt Werner Hartmann aboard the U 37.

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - pre-war deployment.

As early as August 21, 1939 the BdU (Dönitz) realized that he could not meet all the plans for lack of ships, there were very few submarines to sail towards the Atlantic and none of them could be sent to remote areas. So by the evening of this day the situation for the 2º U- Flotille was as follows:

4 submersible of 2 º Flotilla, sailing to the Atlantic.
3 submersible of 2º Flotilla, sailing to the Baltic.

Besides:

7 submersible of 1º Flotilla, assigned to the West Group.
5 submersible of 5º Flotilla, sailing to the Baltic.
5 submersible of 6º Flotilla, sailing to the Atlantic.
5 submersible of 7º Flotilla, sailing to the Atlantic.

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - pre-war deployment.

On August 22, 1939 at 03:00 hours the U 30 (Fritz-Julius Lemp Oblt, IWO Oblt Hans-Peter Hinsch, IIWO Lt Friedrich Bothe) sailed from Wilhelmshaven. This submersible, type VIIA and belonging to the 2nd Flotilla, would operate with U 27 on the northern Irish Sea (Atlantic Operations Order No. 2).

The following submarines in the Atlantic route:

2 nd U-Flotilla: U 28/29/30/33/34
6 th U-Flotilla: U 37/38/39/40/41
7 th U-Flotilla: U 45/46/47/48/52

On August 23, 1939 at 23:00 hours, and with the storm at the gates, the U 27 ((Kplt Johannes Franz; IWO Oblt Werner Kolb; IIWO Oblt Hermann Beckmann) sailed from Wilhelmshaven.

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - pre-war deployment.

On August 24, 1939 came into force the Maßnahme Schweden (Measure Sweden) which intended to prevent ships from Poland escape into the North Sea. Here were committed U 31 (KpLt Johannes Habekost, IWO Oblt Heinz-Otto Schulze), U 32 (KpLt Paul Büchel, IWO Oblt Hans Jenisch) and U 35 (KpLt Werner Lott, IWO Oblt Hans-Bernhard Michalowski). These boats sailed towards the port of Memel that very August 24, arriving on August 26, 1939 and turned to leave the port of Memel on August 27, 1939 with the intention of planting the sea mines in order to accomplish the assigned mission.

But the measure was not very effective because the mines were never planted and three Polish destroyers (ORP Burza, ORP Gdynia/Grom and ORP Blyskawica) and two Polish submarines reached Great Britain, while other Polish ships arrived in Sweden.

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - pre-war deployment.

On August 25, 1939 was put into action the Maßnahme Ulla (Ulla Measure) was intended to watch the Eastern access of the Canal and the British ports from the Latitude 0 º. Here were engaged four submersible on the northern exit of the Canal, five in the Great Fisherman Banks, two up the level of Scotland and one in front of Utsire. Besides, six submersible were available in Wilhelmshaven.

On August 29, 1939 sailed from Wilhelshaven the U 26 (Kptlt. Klaus Ewerth, IWO Oblt Ottokar Arnold Paulsen, IIWO Lt Horst Hamm) and U 53 (Kplt Heinz-Günther Heinicke, IWO Oblt Heinrich Schonder) aboard was Commander of the 7º U Flotille. On August 31, 1939 sailed from Wilhelmshaven the U 36 (Kplt Wilhelm Fröhlich; WO Oblt Hans-Joachim Bassinger?; Oblt Wolfgang Trommershausen?).

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - War with Poland.

On September 1, 1939 the submersibles of the U-Flotille "Weddingen" (1º) operating in the Baltic and "Saltzwedel" (2º), "Lohs" (3º), "Hundius" (6 º) and "Wegener" (7 º) operating in the Atlantic were given the status of warships. The U 2 (KpLt Helmut Rosenbaum), U 8 (Wolf-Harro KpLt Stiebler) and U 10 (Georg-Wilhelm Schulz KpLt) despite the outbreak of war remain in school flotilla but at immediate disposal.
 
Admiral Dönitz sent a memorandum to the Commander of the Fleet for the purpose of increasing the submarine force, this program did not take into account a possible war against Great Britain but still had very urgent classification.

The U 34 sighted four tankers in Grid BE 3540. After six days of sailing arrived in Kiel the U 31, U 32 and U 35 after operating in Baltic Sea, these submersible had been six days at sea.

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.

Cheers. Raúl M . 

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - War with Poland.

On September 2, 1939 the U 27 reached the patrol area in the North Atlantic as ordered. The U 26 at Grid FY 7456, at 16:00 hours she spotted U 53. The U 36 at Grid AN 6260. The U 30 in the North Atlantic within its patrol sector AM 03. The U 31 and U 35 moved from Kiel to Wilhelmshaven.

On this very day the British passenger vessel "Athenia" sailed from Liverpol.

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - War with Great Britain and France.

On September 3, 1939 at 13:30 hours, Admiral Dönitz received the following Navy Command order: Starting immediately the war against England. At 14:00 hours the OKM issued the policy of: actions of the submarine force as stated in the order of operations. At 15:00 hours Dönitz radioed to submarines in position: open hostilities without waiting for the enemy attacks.

Following the declaration of war, Germany had on patrol off the west coast of England the following submersibles of U Flotille "Saltzwedel": U 27, U 28, U 29, U 30, U 33 and U 34.

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - War with Great Britain and France.

First blood!

On September 3, 1939 at 19:00 hours U 30 spotted the British passenger ship Athenia (13,518 tons) sailing in zigzag and with darkening. At 19:40 hours the German submersible launched two torpedoes, one of which hit the ship and caused her to sink in position 56 ° 44'N - 14 ° 05'W south of the Rockall; 112 passengers were killed (many of them U.S. citizens) and 1290 were saved.

Here is head of a British newspaper of that time giving an account of the sinking, in order to understand a little more the Lemp's error, so the paper shows the Athenia was quite out of normal shipping lanes to travel to North America (at least at the time). As seen, the Captain of the British passenger ship took measures to prevent an attack that eventually ended up causing damages to them and happened exactly what he wanted to avoid .........

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.

Any ideas or someone happens to know the reason for the decision of the captain of the passenger ship?. Was it fear to the submarines?, was he following orders?. Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - War with Great Britain and France.

On September 4, 1939 Admiral Karl Dönitz told his aides: this war is very serious and should be aware that it will be very long, maybe seven years and at the end we should be grateful if we at least get a tie! ...

On 5 September 1939 the German submersible operating in the North Atlantic were ordered not to attack any passengers ship, even sailing within a convoy. The U 32 sailed as stated in Operations Order No. 5; an intelligence report told about mines in the Strait of Dover for the first time, therefore U 32 was ordered to proceed around the north of Great Britain instead of across the Channel .

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - War with Great Britain and France.

On September 6, 1939 as the situation with France was not yet clear, the BdU ordered the merchant vessels of that flag were not to be stopped and actions against such vessels should be defensive only. The submersibles operating in the North Atlantic were directed not to patrol the area of the sinking of the "Athenia".

On September 7, 1939 in the radio message transmitted at 19:02 hours was issued the order to return to their home ports for the submersibles of Flotillas "Hundius" and "Wegener".

The U 33 sank the British merchant ship "Olivegrove" (4060 tons) loaded with 4500 tons of sugar; the German submersible required helps by radio to the ship U.S. "Washington" and spent nine hours near the lifeboats until they were rescued by the neutral merchant ship. While the U 34 sank the British merchant ship "Pukkastan" (5809 tons) loaded with corn.

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.
Les "U-Boot" de la seconde guerre mondiale en photos, Répertoire photos des U-Boot (WWII).

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - War with Great Britain and France.

On September 8, 1939, there were several important actions. First the U 52 (Type VIIB) reported that a torpedo G7a with magnetic detonator exploded prematurely while trying to attack a merchant vessel in Grid BE 5218. It was the first case reported to BdU.

Then by a radio message transmitted at 14:45 hours, the homecoming submersibles should follow the following routes:

Between Iceland and the Faroes: north U 45; center U 46 and south U 48, U 52.

Between the Faroes and the Shetlands: north U 47, U 37; center U 38, U 41 and South U 39, U 40.

Between the Shetlands and Norway: north U 37, U 38, U 39, U 41; center U 40, U 45, U 46 and south U 47, U 48, U 52.

Finally on this day the U 29 attacked and sank the British tanker MV REGENT TIGER (10176 tonnes) and the U-34 did the same with the merchant KENNEBEC (5548 ton) with both sinking the Allies lost 14,000 and 7,000 tons of fuel respectively. The Kennebec was first halted with a torpedo and after being abandoned by its crew, among whom there were no losses, was attacked by gunfire. The U-34, finally abandoned the sinking ship which was finished off later by the British warship HMS Verity (BF 1673/49 ° 18'N - 08 ° 13'W).

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.
Les "U-Boot" de la seconde guerre mondiale en photos, Répertoire photos des U-Boot (WWII).

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - War with Great Britain and France.

On September 9, 1939 the U 31 (Kptlt.Johannes Habekost; IWO Oblt. Heinz-Otto Schulze), U 35 (KpLt Werner Lott, IWO Oblt Hans-Bernhard Michalowski; WO Lt Hans-Joachim "Jonny" Roters) and U 36 (Kplt Wilhelm Fröhlich; IWO Oblt z. S. Hans Joachim Bassinger; WO Oblt z. S. Wolfgang Trommershausen) sailed from Wilhelmshaven according to Operations Order No. 6.

In the Bay of Heligoland U-35 was unsuccessfully attacked by the British submarine HMS Ursula.

On this day the U 27 stopped the freighter Wacosta offshore the coast of Ireland; the ship was in navigation from Glasgow, Scotland to New York, it proceeded the navigation after three hours.

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.
Les "U-Boot" de la seconde guerre mondiale en photos, Répertoire photos des U-Boot (WWII).

Cheers. Raúl M .

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2. U-Flotille “Saltzwedel”.

The first round of the Battle of the Atlantic - War with Great Britain and France.

On September 10, 1939 the U 26 sowed a barrier with 18 mines in front of the Port of Portland. Beginning at 5:23 hours and finished at 06:05 hours.

On September 11, 1939 the HMS "Ark Royal" sailed from Scapa Flow with the destroyers HMS "Firedrake", HMS "Foxhound", HMS "Faulknor", HMS "Eskimo" and two other tribal class for antisubmarine exercises west of the Orkneys.

On this day the U 30 sunk by cannon fire and torpedoes the British freighter BLAIRLOGIE (4425 tons), was the second ship of the submersible.

Sources: http://ktb.ubootwaffe.net/
Fotoalbum-U-Boot-Atlantikboot-Feindfahrten-FrontbootTop bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 14_02_10 200556 MEZ)
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB.htm
U-BOAT U-27 ~ 14 RARE ORIGINAL PHOTOS.
Les "U-Boot" de la seconde guerre mondiale en photos, Répertoire photos des U-Boot (WWII).

Cheers. Raúl M .