Identification: Boats on the way towards Africa

[Djall]

Hello,

I print some old negativ and trying to identify the boats.

Somebody can help me?

Thank you.

[Spee]

Hi Djall,

the cruiser in the first picture is an italian light cruiser type "Alberto di Giussano" ("Alberto di Giussano", "Alberico di Barbiano", "Bartolomeo Colleoni" and "Giovanni delle Bande Nere"). The camouflage of the merchantmen are typical german (for me). I found only two convois with a cruiser of "Giussano"-class and german merchantmen.
First: 21.4.1941 Italy to Tripoli: cruisers "Giovanni delle Bande Nere" and "Luigi Cadorna", destroyers "Scirocco" and "Maestrale", merchantmen "Arcturus", "Castellon", "Leverkusen" (all german) and "Giulia"
Second: 8.5.1941 Italy to Libya: cruiser "Giovanni delle Bande Nere", destroyers "Aviere", "Geniere", "Grecale", "Camicia Nera" and "Dardo", merchantmen "Preussen" (germ.), "Wachtfels" (germ.), "Ernesto", "Giulia", "Tembien" and "Col di Lana".
I'm not sure, but i think the second warship-line in the frist picture is an cruiser of the "Cadorna"-class and if this the fact, it must be the first convoy.
Sorry, but merchantmen are not in my special interest. I can't say if the ships are the "Arcturus", "Castellon", "Leverkusen" or "Giulia". Please wait, we have some very good specialists for that theme.

And sorry..my english 

[Djall]

Thank you very much.

Very interresting information.

I buy on ebay 90 negatifs of a german soldier and don't have any information about him.
Trying to know a little more. 

Djall

NB:  Your english is perfect for me. 

[Huszar]

If we could get the BRT (GRT) of the mentioned merchantmen, we could decide...

The first ship looks like a rather small vessel.

alex

[Peter K.]

Hello DJALL!

At first welcome onboard and thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures!

I think, SPEE did a great identification job again! 

In my opinion the small freighter on the first picture is definitly the German CASTELLON (2.086 BRT).
This steamer with a remarkable old camouflage could be also seen on the second picture and on the third one (the right ship there)!.
The second ship with the fresh and unusual camouflage on the third picture (on the left and a little bit more in the background) should be the German ARCTURUS (2.592 BRT) - but I am not 100 % sure about that, only 90%! 
The ship in the harbour on the fourth picture could be the German LEVERKUSEN (7.389 BRT), at least when looking at the positions of the life boats, etc. 
The Italian GIULIA (5.921 BRT) isn´t visible at any picture ...

Greetings