Merchant ships and warships lying at Gibraltar according to the Kriegsnachrichten of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated Berlin 23 August 1917

Pelorus-class©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item reported that on 20 August at Gibraltar were lying the British cruiser HMS Pelorus (1), 3 auxiliary cruiser yachts, 1 Italian auxiliary cruiser, 1 Italian passenger steamship and 9 cargo steamships.

Note

1. Laid down at the Sheerness dockyard in 1896, commissioned on 15 December 1896 and sold to be broken up in 1920. Building costs 154.315 pond sterling. Of the Pelorus-3rd class cruisers, designed by chief constructor of the British Royal Navy Sir William White (2 February 1845 Plymouth, England-27 February 1913 London, England), consisting of the Pactolus, Pandora, Pegasus, Pelorus, Perseus, Pioneer, Pomone, Prometheus, Proserpine, Psyche and Pyramus, preceded by the Arrogant-class and succeeded by the Highflyer-class.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

Allies lying minefields in the Mediterranean according to the Kriegsnachrichten No. 60 of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated 28 June 1918

An item referring to a reliable agent reported that at Toulon, France end May considerable amounts of mines were provided. Shipping lanes in the Mediterranean were to be protected by minefields.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

British light cruiser HMS Manchester 1936-1942

Arethusa-class. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Town-class Southampton-subclass. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Crown Colony-class. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Dido-class. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Part of Town-class Gloucester-subclass preceded by Arethusa-class succeeded by Crown Colony- and Dido-classes. Divided in three subclasses Southampton, Gloucester and Edinburgh. Originally to be named Minotaur- or M-class but in November 1934 called Town-class. Pennant C15. Laid down by Hawthorn, Leslie, Hebburn on 28 March 1936, launched on 12 April 1937, commissioned on 4 August 1938, torpedoed by Italian motor torpedo boats during Operation Pedestal (Malta convoy) near Kelbia, French Tunesia and scuttled on 13 August 1942. 

Ships arrived at Gibraltar coming from the east according to the Kriegsnachrichten of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated Berlin 23 August 1917

An item reported between 18-20 August the arrival at Gibraltar coming from the east 1 French passenger steamship, 2 British steamships, 1 Japanese steamships and 1 British torpedo boat.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

American admiral Sims advice to end all restrictions against sailing vessels bound for Europe in December 1918

An item referred to a telegram of Force Commander Wm.S. Sims(1) dated 2 December 1918 to OPNAV in which he advice to end all restrictions against sailing vessels bound for Europe. The vessels needed to be supplied with the latest information about mine(field)s. It it would be necessary to follow swept channel in tow when certain harbors were to be visited. Approaches to Brest and Loire, France, Gibraltar, Mediterranean, Azores, Madeira, Cape Verde, Canary Islands and African harbors were considered to be relatively clear. When the destination was the Netherlands or Scandinavia was it necessary to visit a British harbor for up to date details.

Note

1. William Sowden Sims (15 October 1858 Port Hope, Canada West-28 September 1936 Boston, Massachusetts, USA), commander-in-chief of the US naval forces in Europe during the First World War. Served in the US Navy between 1880-1922 ending in the rank of admiral.

Source

National Archive. Misc. Material Print File World War August 1918-January 1922.Drawer 3. Microfilm No. T829-403. 

German submarine SM UC 53 sunk Italian steamship Izabran according to the Kriegsnachrichten of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated Berlin 18 August 1917

German submarines UC 16-79©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item reported that the German submarine SM UC 53 commanding officer Kapitänleutnant Albrech had torpedoed and sunk on 10 August the armed Italian steamship Izabran of 3,892 tons loaded with 6,000 ton wheat underway from Australia towards Naples, Italy, on behalf of the Italian government, off Cap Palinuro.(1)

Note

1. Ordered on 12 January 1916, launched by Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany with yard number 269 on 27 February 1917, commissioned on 5 April 1917 and scuttled at Pola [nowadays Pula, Croatia] on 28 October 1918.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

Troop transport with American soldiers arrived at Marseille, France according to the Kriegsnachrichten No. 61 of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated 2 July 1918

An item referring to a reliable agent reported that on 24 June at Marseille, France 4 steamships with around 5,000 American soldiers in the age of 26-28 year and 3 steamships with around 600 horses and a large number of machine guns arrived. The ships were escorted by three British submarines and an American destroyer.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

Air reconnaissance above harbour of Saloniki, Greece according to the Kriegsnachrichten No. 61 of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated 2 July 1918

An item reported that during air reconnaissance on 27 June around 15 larger ships were sighted in the harbour of Saloniki.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

Hardly any shipping in Villefranche, France according to the Kriegsnachrichten No. 61 of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated 2 July 1918

An item referring to a reliable agent reported that in the harbour of Villefranche, France since mid May hardly any shipping was.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

British submarine chaser N.L. 21 sunk according to the Kriegsnachrichten No. 61 of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated 2 July 1918

An item referring to a reliable agent reported that on 20 June off the north African coast the British submarine chaser N.L. 21 sunk due to a collision.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

Large amount of ammunition and hand bombs transported from France towards Italy according to the Kriegsnachrichten No. 61 of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated 2 July 1918

An item referring to a reliable agent reported that in the second half of June on large scale ammunition and hand bombs were transported from Marseille, France to Spezia, Italy. For instance departed between 19-23 June 7 steamships of which two on a distance of around 8 nautical miles distance from the coast lacking any escort.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

Several smaller submarines completed at Otranto, Italy according to the Kriegsnachrichten No. 61 of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated 2 July 1918

An item referring to a reliable agent reported that mid June at Otranto, Italy a series of new smaller submarines with a crew numbering six men and armed with two torpedoes was completed. The boats were just able to dive once during a trip.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

Shipping company Anchor-India Line kept using the Suez Canal according to the Kriegsnachrichten of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated Berlin 23 August 1917

An item reported that an agent reported 3 August that ships of the merchant shipping company Anchor-India-Line would kept using the Suez Canal and not like other companies via Cape Town, South Africa going to and coming from the Middle East-Far East.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

Greek merchant ship Teti visited Romania according to a letter of the German naval attaché at Istanbul dated 2 March 1940

In his letter dated Istanbul, Turkey 2 March 1940 No. 801 g. reported the German naval attaché to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht Abteilung Ausland the neutral ships passing Istanbul coming out of the Black Sea and loaded with contraband for or chartered by the enemy. An item reported on 28 February the Greek merchant ship Teti from Constanta, Romania with 3,385 ton wheat for St. Louis de Rhône, France.

Source

Bundesarchiv. German Marineattaché for Greece, Romania and Bulgaria 1939-1941. RM 12-II/459.

Unknown warships sighted at Stavros, Greece according to the Kriegsnachrichten of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated Berlin 23 August 1917

An item reported that according to reconnaissance on 18 August in the harbour of Stravos, Greece were sighted 4 monitors, 1 cruiser, 4 guard ships and 1 transport.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

German submarine SM U-33 sunk anonymous Spanish vessel according to the Kriegsnachrichten of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated Berlin 21 August 1917

U 32-39. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item reported that the German submarine SM U-33 (1) commanded by kapitänleutnant Siess (2) sunk on 9 August with explosives a Spanish vessel of 125 ton (name not supplied) with general cargo underway from Barcelona, Spain towards Savona, Italy 8 nautical miles south of Point de Beaudre.

Notes

1. Ordered on 29 March 1912, laid down by Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany with yard number 193 on 7 November 1912, launched on 19 May 1914, commissioned on 27 September 1914, surrendered to the British at Harwich, England on 16 January 1919 and broken up at Blyth, England between 1919-1920.

2. Gustav Siess (11 December 1883, Hamburg, Germany-14 October 1970 Hamburg, Germany.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

Shed for float planes at Villefrance, France sighted according to the Kriegsnachrichten No. 61 of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated 2 July 1918

An item referring to a reliable agent reported that in the new harbour of Villefrance was a shed for float planes especially for the transport of military post from and to Corsica.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

Italian destroyer Nembo 1925-1940

Italian Turbine-class destroyer©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

British aircraft carrier HMS Eagle©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Part of Turbine-class preceded by Sauro-class succeeded by Navigatori-class. Identification code NB. Laid down by Cantieri del Tirreno (CNT), Riva Trigoso, Italy on 21 January 1925, launched on 27 January 1927, completed on 24 October 1927 and sunk in an attack by Swordfish torpedo bombers of the British aircraft carrier HMS Eagle on the harbour of Tobruk, Libya on 20 July 1940. 

German submarine SM U 39 sunk the British steamship Ypres according to the Kriegsnachrichten of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated Berlin 23 August 1917

SM 32-39©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item reported that according to the Spanish newspaper Vanguardia was the small anonymous steamship sunk with gunfire by the German submarine SM U 39 was the British steamship Ypres of 308 ton.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

English, American, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian and Brazilian navies cooperating in the Mediterranean according to the Kriegsnachrichten No. 61 of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated 2 July 1918

An item referring to an agent reported recently an unusual number of meetings between admiral Sir Rosslyn Erskine Wemyss and vice admiral Sims participated by the marine attaches of France, Japan, Italy, Portugal and Brazil probably for a combined naval action in the Mediterranean or the Adiatric Sea.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622