Schnellboote

[Urs Heßling]

moin, Alo,

I think it is one of S 201-S 205 in summer 1944.

... die alle zur 4. S-Fltl gehörten

Did the crews shift between the boats?

"shift between" = wechseln ist nicht ganz der treffende Ausdruck.
Es war normal, daß eine ganze Besatzung auf ein neues Boot wechselte, wenn es fertig wurde.

Gruß, Urs

[alo41]

Urs,

My best guess:

The man (former lot owner) was on S 48 with Mirbach and later Wiencke.
He went with Wiencke to S 171 in Feb 1944. This was probebly a boat with a Bofors gun. There is one photo of such a boat in the lot.
He went with Wiencke to S 202 in Aug 1944 after S 171 was destroyed. (The Lürssen photos)

There is a connection between S 48 and the boats sold to Spain. S 48 escorted the second group of boats (S 124, S 125, S126 and S 134) between Cherbourg and St. Peter Port on 2 Sep. 1943. It is possible that the man was alowed by Mirbach to join the trip.

The Karcher crew photo would then be a gift from a friend in that crew (or something similar).


There are some dinner photos showing a theater performance.
Bätge is there with his RK and there are flowers on the tables. I think it must be June..Oct 1942. The performance is done by the Flottille. Do anyone know what they are playing based on the costumes? The "Dames" signe makes it Holland (or Ostende?). Where was the 4 Sftl living during this period?

Happy new year every one
Alo

[Urs Heßling]

moin,

S 48 escorted the second group of boats (S 124, S 125, S126 and S 134) between Cherbourg and St. Peter Port on 2 Sep. 1943.

Woher stammt diese Information ?
Sie steht im Widerspruch zum KTB des FdS 16.- 31.8.1943, Seite 26 (siehe Bild, rechts)

Gruß, Urs

[alo41]

Hi Urs,

Ops, I have given the Luna Park mission date by misstake.
The S 48 escort mission should be 21 Aug 1943. The information is from HMA, Schnellboot S 48 page.

Nice to see that Mirbach probebly met his old crew at that date.

The last photos in the lot only shows some training in a wood, probebly spring time (1943, anti invasion training?). I think the portrait man is on one of the photos.

Thank you
Alo

[Urs Heßling]

moin, Alo,

S 48 escorted the second group of boats (S 124, S 125, S126 and S 134) between Cherbourg and St. Peter Port

Da steckt (m)ein Fehler drin.
S 124 und S 134 waren schon am 31.7. an Spanien abgegeben worden.
Die "2. Gruppe" bestand aus S 73, S 78, S 125 und S 126.

Gruß, Urs

[alo41]

Yes, we discussed it on page 68 in this thread  https://www.forum-marinearchiv.de/smf/index.php?topic=18105.1005

/Alo

[alo41]

I have copies of another Schnellboot lot of photos. Some have text added by the seller.

First out from Pillau.

Can anyone say where in Pillau the photos were taken and what unit they belonged too. I have seen other photos showing Kriegsmarine personnel below the Pillau sign. The Silvester photos cap bands probably says Unteroffizierlehrabteilnung. Was the "Kriegsmarine" cap band introduced later in 1940?

/Alo

[Urs Heßling]

moin, Alo,

First out from Pillau.

Wahrscheinlich nicht

Es ist viel wahrscheinlicher, daß ein Gebäude in einer Marinekaserne - wo auch immer - den Namen "Pillau" (Namenstradition des Kleinen Kreuzers) trug

Gruß, Urs

[alo41]

Urs,
Yes it makes more sence with a a Kaserne. I have not been abel to read the number on the cap bands to find the unit.

The sign on the door (photo 2) probebly says: Der Kommandant der Seeverteidigung von Nordholland.
It was based in den Helder. In 1942 they had a "Marine Ersatzausbildungskompanie Alkmaar und Haarlem".

It dosent look like there is any connection to Pillau.

/Alo

[alo41]

Hi,

Next in the lot is training with S 56.

1. Taking over S 56 in Wilhelmshaven on 8 March 1941. Commander Lt Stöve, probably with a new crew. (I have based Wilhelmshaven on the lamps, original text was wrong)

2. S 56, still with the small battle mast (the large (training)mast laying on deck) on the way to Danzig (31/3-1941). (original date is probably right, boat is wrong)

3. S 56 in Neufahrwasser (Danzig)

4. S 56 in Gotenhafen, April 1941

5. The S 56 proof in the photo. (probably in Neufahrwasser)

Stöve went back to pick up S 47 in Wilhelmshaven, 24 April 1941.

/Alo

[Urs Heßling]

moin, Alo,

Stöve went back to pick up S 47 in Wilhelmshaven, 24 April 1941.

I habe da andere Daten
Stöve und seine Besatzung übergaben S 56 am 19.5.1941 in Wilhelmshaven an die 6. S-Fltl (LtzS Nolte neuer Kommandant)
Sie stellten S 47 am 13.6.1941 in Vegesack bei der Lürssen-Werft in Dienst

Gruß, Urs

[alo41]

Hi,

Yes, it should be that S 56 reached Wilhelmshaven 24 April 1941.

There is on photo that gives me some problem. The given text say S 70 Flak Waffe. There is not much of the boat showing but one of the details looks like a typ S 30 thing. It could be S 56 in a Wilhelmshaven dock, 1 May 1941. The weather must then have been very warm. There is another photo showing the view from the dock. Is it possible to say if it is Wilhelmshaven? The boat now has dodgers that must have been added at the wharf. Did the boat need to go into a dock for having the motors changed?
Is one guy wearing a Russian cap?

/Alo

[alo41]

Hi,

Next boat in the lot is S 47.  Stöve picked her up in Vegesack on 13 June. She might have already received the Baltic camouflage there.

1. S 47 in the Baltic. The text June is probably correct.
2. S 47 in Gotenhafen? looks like it is taken at the same place as no.1. (HMA is a bit vague on S 47 in June)
3. S 47 going back to Vegesack on 20 Aug. 1941. Levensau bridge. (my text, text from seller was wrong)

There is no absolute proof in the photos that it is S 47. It fits however with S 56 and also with later photos. The boat is an early Lürssen typ S 38 that fits with S 47.

/Alo

[Urs Heßling]

moin, Alo,
vielen Dank für das Einstellen der schönen Bilder

Gruß, Urs

[alo41]

Thank you Urs,

I think I have found another photo (not from the lot) of S 47. It is probably taken at the same time as the "June" photos but from another boat.

The main proof is in the way a sheet of cloth has been tied around the 2 cm gun (to give shade?). It also shows the two yellow "stop" flags, the lid taken of the main compass, one single rubber boat etc.

I have tried to find this boat in the past but without success

Is it possible to say if S 47 lay 14(?) Sprengboje in the Baltic at any time?

/Alo