This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning (1 Viewer)

[parsifal]

13 December 1939
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

An English S/M successfully attacked some of our light surface forces in the North Sea. So that as extensive a S/M hunt as possible can be organized, all boats in the North Sea were ordered to make their positions. All the Atlantic boats reported, except U 38. There is some clue to her position however, because of a sinking report near the west coast of Norway.

Arrivals
Kiel: U-20

Departures
Kiel: U-22

At Sea 13 December 1939
U-13, U-22, U-23, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-38, U-43, U-47, U-48, U-57, U-60, U-61.
13 boats at sea

Baltic

Steamer ALGOL (SD 978 grt) was damaged on a mine. The ship foundered, but was eventually raised, repaired and returned to service Six of the crew were rescued.

Sub SALMON on patrol 130 miles W of Jutland in the North Sea sighted German light cruisers KÖLN, NÜRNBERG and LEIPZIG at 1036 while they were covering the five DKM DDs returning from the ML mission off the Tyne. She fired six torpedoes at 1124, hitting LEIPZIG amidships with two torpedoes and NÜRNBERG with one. At 1357, the cruisers were joined by DDs HERMANN KÜNNE, RICHARD BEITZEN and BRUNO HEINEMANN of the Tyne force, two F-boats and four M-boats. After she got home, LEIPZIG was laid up for a time and decommissioned for repairs on 27 February 1940 which did not complete until 1 December 1940. Even then, she did not return to active duty and with some guns removed and a maximum speed of 22 knots, was relegated to training duties. NÜRNBERG's bow was blown off and her repairs were not completed until late May 1940.

HM Submarine SALMON, and DKM LEIPZIG in 1931

Norwegian Coast
MV DEPTFORD (UK 4,101 grt) 39 crew, enroute Narvik - Middlesbrough. the unescorted vessel was struck by one torpedo from U-38 in the foreship 0.24 miles north-northwest of Honningsvaag, and sank within five minutes. The master, 31 crew members and two Norwegian pilots were lost. Four crewmen were picked up by the Norwegian fishing vessel FIRDA, which observed the periscope of the U-boat. One other man and two bodies were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchant NORDNORGE. A search carried out by the Norwegian steam merchant SEKSTANT was unsuccessful. All survivors were brought to Lakanger and then via Maalöy to Bergen.

Northern Patrol
CL COLOMBO departed Scapa on Northern Patrol duties and arrived back on the 18th.

North Sea

MV steamer ASHKHABAD (SU 1173grt, formerly Estonian MINA as she is usually identified) 17 crew, in ballast, London - Hull - Gothenburg. The unescorted vessel was hit in the stern by one torpedo from U-57 off Cross Sand and broke in two. The stern part sank immediately and the fore part within 30 seconds. The ship had been missed by a first torpedo at 19.03 hours. All the crew were lost

DDs AFRIDI, MAORI and NUBIAN from Rosyth; JERVIS, JUNO, JANUS, JAGUAR and JUPITER from the Humber carried out ASW sweeps in the midlands coastal regions. DD KELLY departed Rosyth to relieve DD BASILISK escorting destroyer depot ship WOOLWICH. Escort ship WOOLSTON departed Rosyth to search for a submarine reported by aircraft. It was found to be the ORP Sub WILK, and WOOLSTON returned. CLs SOUTHAMPTON and EDINBURGH departed Rosyth and arrived at Scapa later the same day. DD VANITY, departed Rosyth on the 12th for the Humber, was in a collision in the North Sea with steamer WELSH TRADER (4974grt) in FS.54. VANITY was able to continue to the Humber where she received emergency repairs. She left on the 17th for permanent repairs and conversion to an AA escort ship at Plymouth, arriving on the 19th.

FN.54 departed Southend, escort DD WALLACE and sloops PELICAN and HASTINGS, and arrived in the Tyne on the 14th. FS.54 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VALOROUS, VIVIEN and sloop BITTERN, arriving at Southend on the 14th. There was no convoy FS.55 as it was delayed by fog and later cancelled.

West Coast UK
DD DUNCAN departed the Clyde escorting steamer DUFFIELD (8516grt) to Liverpool, and arrived back on the 14th.

Channel

ASW trawler CAPE SIROTOKO (590grt) attacked a submarine contact five miles 170° from Portland Bill. Patrol sloop PINTAIL attacked a submarine contact seven miles 164° from Portland Bill. ASW trawler LADY ELSA (518grt) attacked a submarine contact six miles NNE of Kentish Knock. A DD stood by at the location as well. British minefield SC was laid on the 12th, 18th and 27th December, 16 January and 14 February by Aux ML HAMPTON westward of Folkestone Gate.

Western Approaches

Nth Atlantic
HX.12 departed Halifax at 1000 escort RCN DDs SAGUENAY and SKEENA. At 1800/14th, they handed the convoy over to an ocean escort consisting of Fr sub PASTEUR which detached on the 20th, and AMC AUSONIA, which left on the 25th. PASTEUR was joined by Fr Contre Torpilleur DD VALMY and sloop GAZELLE on the 23rd, and later arrived at Brest. DDs WANDERER and WALKER escorted the convoy from the 24th to 27th, when it arrived at Liverpool on the 27th.

Sth Atlantic
[See preceding entry for account of the Battle Of the River Plate)

British Force H with CAs SUSSEX and SHROPSHIRE arrived at Capetown for refuelling before setting off for Rio de la Plata. Allied Force X with CVL HERMES and Fr CAs FOCH and DUPLEIX arrived at Dakar for refuelling, also before setting off for Rio de la Plata. In night flying operations off Dakar on the 16th, Lt B E Coombs was killed when his Swordfish of 814 Squadron from HERMES ditched at sea. The pilot and air gunner were rescued.

CVL HERMES with Swordfish of 814 Sqn embarked June 1940. CA DORSETSHIRE in the background

Med -Biscay
DDs DOUGLAS and VIDETTE departed Gibraltar to conduct a night-time patrol off Cadiz.

Pacific - Far East
RAN CLs SYDNEY and ADELAIDE, escorting liner STRATHALLAN (23,722grt) with elements of the the 2nd AIF embarked to the Middle East, SYDNEY detached after being was was relieved by ADELAIDE which continued the escort round the Leeuwin Promontory into the Indian ocean before returning to Fremantle. SYDNEY arrived at Sydney on the 18th for a refit that lasted from then until the 5 January.

Sub REGULUS departed Hong Kong on the 13th and patrolled off the Soviet Pacific port of Vladivostok to check if U-boats were using it. She spent Christmas Day in Bosfor Vostochny Strait, the channel leading to Vladivostok and reported "The patrol was disappointing. No German merchant ships were sighted", before arriving back on 4 January.

Prison Transport INDIGIRKA (SU 2864 grt) the ship cleared Magadan (a far northern port in Siberia) to return to Vladivostok under Captain Nikolai Lavrentevich Lapshin. It contained 39 crew, 249 fishermen and their families, 50 prisoners in chains and under guard, and 835 prisoners with technical skills who had been released to work for the war effort. These prisoners were locked in the hold, but were not chained. On 13 December 1939 at 2:20 am (other reports place the event on 12 December 1939) the ship ran aground in a blizzard off the Japanese coast near Sarufutsu while trying to enter the La Perouse Strait. As the ship turned over, the guards sealed the hold entrances and prevented the escape of the prisoners from the holds, and the ship came to rest in shallow water on its side. The Japanese rescued the captain and most of the crew, guards, and fishermen, but it took three days for any rescue of the trapped prisoners to begin. 16 December, when the Japanese rescue team then finally opened the hull with acetylene torches, only 28 survivors (one of whom later died) were found among more than 700 dead prisoners. Overall 741 people perished. Even by Soviet standards this was an attrocity, and cause for great embarrassment with the japanese. Stalin ordered severe action to be taken. Captain Lapshin was tried and executed for abandoning the ship; chief of NKVD convoy who locked the prisoners in a sinking ship was sentenced to eight years. Other members of the guard detail were given lesser sentences. A cenotaph at Sarufutsu commemorates the tragic end of the ship

 

[Njaco]

13 December 1939 Wednesday
THE BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE
ATLANTIC OCEAN: The Battle of the River Plate takes place. British Commodore Harwood has brought his squadron to the River Plate estuary hoping that the German pocket battleship "Graf Spee" will come hunting there. Harwood has the heavy cruiser, "Exeter", and the light cruisers, "Ajax" and "Achilles". Early in the morning "Graf Spee" spots the British squadron. Intent on battle, Capt. Langsdorff closes rapidly ignoring safer options (pick off the smaller ships with his longer range guns or outrun the warships). At 0618 hours, Harwood opens fire on the heavy cruiser "Exeter" from 11 miles. Commodore Harwood's plan is to spread his ships and split "Graf Spee's" fire. All three cruisers return fire by 0623 hours. "Ajax" and "Achilles" 6-inch shells rake "Graf Spee's" topside but do not penetrate "Graf Spee's" armor. "Achilles" is hit (4 dead) and "Exeter" is badly damaged by seven 11-inch shells (61 crew killed) but continues firing. At 0638 hours, 8-inch shell from "Exeter" penetrates "Graf Spee's" armor, wrecking her fuel processing system. With only enough fuel for 16 hours, "Graf Spee" heads for Montevideo, where under international law the warship is permitted temporary neutral sanctuary, to make quick repairs and have his wounded treated. "Ajax" and "Achilles" take station off the port.

GERMANY: I./ZG 76, fresh from its successful campaign in Poland, is posted to Oblt. Schumacher's JG 1 fighter group at Jever.

UNITED KINGDOM: The British House of Commons meets in secret session for the first time since 1918. According to a tense statement issued seven and a half hour of debate, the Members of Parliament discussed;

"…the organization of supplies for the prosecution of the war."

The minesweeping trawler 'William Hallet' (202t) struck a mine and sank off the Tyne. The exact position of the wreck is unclear, but it is thought to be off Whitley Bay.

Air Ministry announced that two aircraft of Coastal Command attacked two Dornier flying-boats over North Sea and damaged them.

NORTHERN EUROPE: The Finns continue a series of attacks on the Soviet 8th Army. Finns have alleged to have recaptured Salla. They were also successful in heavy fighting north of Lake Ladoga.

ASIA: In China, troops of the Chinese 47th Corps captured the Taihang Mountain and cut the Taosin Railway by taking the stations at Poshan and Changkou. Chinese troops launched an offensive in eastern Shanxi Province in China, nearly encircling the Japanese 36th Division.


.

 

[parsifal]

14 December 1939
Known Reinforcements
Allied
RN MSW Trawler ROWAN, Le Hardi Class DD BISON
[NO IMAGE FOR THE ROWAN]

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

(Addendum)

Tkr INVERLANE (UK 9141 grt ) Attached to FN 54: The tkr was sunk by a mine in the North Sea off Sunderland, with the loss of 37 of her 40 crew. Her bow section was salvaged, converted to a blockship and sunk at Scapa

Painting with title" HMS 'WHITLEY' Coming to the Rescue of 'MV Inverlane', Badly Damaged and on Fire after the Convoy Entered a Mine Field in the North Sea, 14 December 1939" by Harold Wyllie

 

[parsifal]

14 December 1939 Part B
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 38 reported her position off Utsire. U 30 and U 43 entered port. U 43 sank:
1) steamer unidentified 6 - 8,000 tons
2) tanker, unidentified 10 - 12,000 tons
3) S.S. Uskmouth 2,483 tons
total at least 18,483 tons
The Commanding Officer did very well in spite of his young, inexperienced crew and, considering the circumstances, was very successful.
The case of U 30 has led me to take up the whole question of dockyard repairs and to get in touch with the Admiral Superintendent.
The failure of torpedoes has had a very bad effect on U-boat operations. The material weaknesses of the boats are of no less importance and they seem to have come more into evidence since the engine casings have been changed. Even if this matter were settled, there still remains the fact that the dockyard periods are very long by comparison with the number and duration of patrols and that this state of affairs cannot go on.
1) One of the reasons for the long dockyard periods are defects in the boats which are only coming to light now in the war and can lead to losses. So for instance, defects in the exhaust valves have meant that boats could not operate or had to return home, because they could not dive to a sufficient depth. Against my recommendations, boats were not allowed to dive below 50 meters in peacetime; if they had these defects would have been found out before the war started. After they can only be put right by structural alterations and long and tedious work. This means more work for the dockyard in addition to the extra efforts required in wartime.
2) Long dockyard periods mean that there are many boats in the dockyard at a time, which leads to shortage of skilled labor and supervisors. Personnel untrained in U-boat work cannot take the place of skilled workmen. Either therefore the skilled workers are overworked or else the untrained men make mistakes which mean an even longer period in the dockyard.
3) The dockyard periods must be shortened by rigid organization of the work. I will not accept bad organization which causes boats to have to remain days longer in the dockyard. Individual commanding officers have been ordered to assist the dockyard by departments in carrying out the work.
4) On 5.12 I had a conference with the admiral Superintendent of the Dockyard to discuss these matters. The following was established:
a) that short dockyard periods of 3-4 weeks after patrols are necessary, apart from changing engines and making other alterations.
b) that numbers of trained dockyard personnel must be increased to meet the greater demands. The nucleus of workmen to service 8 boats is not considered adequate. Peak requirements cannot be met by withdrawing labor from surface vessels.
c) Items of work must be organized by the dockyard quickly and efficiently.
The length of dockyard periods for operational boats must be reduced at all costs.

Arrivals
Wilhelmshaven: U-30 , U-43

Departures
Wilhelmshaven: U-59

At Sea 14 December 1939
U-13, U-22, U-23, U-28, U-29, U-38, U-47, U-48, U-57, U-59, U-60, U-61.
12 boats at sea

Baltic
Until the events of 13/14 December RN Submarines had not achieved much, but these two days saw some change in the tempo of operations. At 1131, six miles SW of Heligoland, sub URSULA made contact with the German cruiser force which SALMON had attacked and damaged the day before. URSULA fired four torpedoes at CL LEIPZIG which missed and hit escort ship F.9 sinking her with heavy casualties. DD RICHARD BEITZEN rescued fifteen survivors. Sub SHARK was ordered into the Bight and at 1045/14th, sighted a CL and four DDs , but was unable to attack. A further attempt was made on the 18th when RAF Coastal Command bombers were sent to attack German warships in the Heligoland Bight and around Schillig Roads and Wilhelmshaven. However nothing was accomplished and the bomber force suffered heavy losses.

F9 was a unit of the "F" Class Escort Boats, sunk this day by Submarine URSULA
Norwegian Coast
DKM TBs JAGUAR and SEEADLER operated in the Skagerrak from the 14th to 16th, and captured six merchant ships carrying contraband before returning to port.

TB Seeadler was a member 0f the class of TBs known simply as 1923 Type

Northern Patrol

North Sea
Desflot 20 was formed with DDs EXPRESS (SO), ESK, IVANHOE, INTREPID, IMPULSIVE and ICARUS. DDs EXMOUTH, ECHO and ECLIPSE arrived at Rosyth. OA.53 departed Southend escort sloop ENCHANTRESS from the 14th to 16th when it dispersed. DD WHITEHALL from SL.11 joined from the 15th to 16th.

West Coast UK
CA SUFFOLK arrived at the Clyde. ASW trawler LORD WAKEFIELD (418grt) attacked a submarine contact off Swansea. OB.53 departed Liverpool escort DDs WINCHELSEA and VANOC until the 17th, when the convoy dispersed. DDs WINCHELSEA and VANOC attacked a submarine contact five miles NW of Holyhead (a major Irish Sea port in the county of Anglesey in Wales). DD WARWICK joined the search on the 15th.

Channel
DD GRENADE attacked a submarine contact 12 miles 172° from Portland Bill (Headland midway between Plymouth and Portsmouth on the sout coast of England) . DDs VEGA and WHITSHED later in the sweep. ML PRINCESS VICTORIA departed Portsmouth for minelaying Operation "GF" escort DDs EXPRESS and ESK. They were joined off Dover by DDs BASILISK and BOREAS and the field was completed on the 15th. PRINCESS VICTORIA, EXPRESS and ESK, escorted by DDs CODRINGTON and BRAZEN laid another line on the 22nd.

Nth Atlantic
Fr Fce Z of BB LORRAINE, CLs JEAN DE VIENNE and MARSEILLAISE, departed Halifax escorting Steamers INDOCHINOIS (Fr 6500 grt), LOUIS L D (Fr 5795 grt), JEAN L D (Fr 5795 grt), and British CITY OF PRETORIA (UK 8046 grt) carrying aircraft for France. DDs MAILLÉ BRÉZÉ, KERSAINT, VAUBAN and BISON departed Casablanca and joined the convoy at 1050/22nd, and TEMPÊTE, TYPHON and TORNADE, also from Casablanca joined at 0815/23rd. At 0650/24th, Fce Z escorted by MAILLÉ BRÉZÉ, KERSAINT, VAUBAN and ALBATROS left the convoy to the other DDs, which accompanied it to Casablanca, and then proceeded to Oran arriving at 1000/25th. Force Z reached Toulon at 0800/27th.

Sth Atlantic
British Force I, consisting of CVL EAGLE, CA CORNWALL and CL GLOUCESTER which had arrived at Durban on the 12th, put to sea on the 14th when it was reported that DKM CS ADM GRAF SPEE was in Montevideo harbour. However, after a few hours steaming, the force was recalled for escort duty in the Indian Ocean and arrived back at Durban on the 15th. CA CUMBERLAND , cut short a refit in the Falkland Islands, joined cruisers AJAX and ACHILLES off Montevideo at 2200/14th.

Caribbean
RAN CL PERTH departed Kingston on patrol duties, and arrived back on the 31st.

Liner COLUMBUS (Ge 32,581 grt) departed Vera Cruz, Mexico. USN DDs BENHAM, LANG, JOUETT and BAGLEY were stationed off Vera Cruz to watch for German merchant ships there. When COLUMBUS set out, LANG and JOUETT immediately began screening her. Meanwhile RAN CL PERTH was at that point in the Yucatan Channel screened by USN CA VINCENNES and DDs EVANS and TWIGGS of DesDiv 64. On the 16th, DDs PHILIP and LEA relieved JOUETT and LANG as COLUMBUS sailed north along the US coast. On the 17th, DDs COLE (DD.155) and ELLIS (DD.154) of Desdiv 60) relieved PHILIP and LEA. At 2000/17th, French tkr SHEHERAZADE (13,467grt) reported COLUMBUS in 30-25N, 79-31W steering course 040°. On the 18th, USN DDs UPSHUR and GREER of DesDiv 61 relieved COLE and ELLIS. On the 19th, USN CA TUSCALOOSA and DD BABBITT of DeDiv 53, which had departed Norfolk on the 16th, relieved UPSHUR and GREER.

On the 19th, off Cape May, off the southeast tip of New Jersey COLUMBUS was challenged by RN DD HYPERION which had departed Bermuda and was led to COLUMBUS by plain language radio reports from the US ships. The liner was trapped thanks to the assistance by the USN and she scuttled herself and the 597 man crew was picked up by TUSCALOOSA and BABBITT. HYPERION left the rescue to the American ships and arrived back at Bermuda on the 22nd.

Liner COLUMBUS on fire and sinking after the scuttling charges had been detonated.

Steamer ARAUCA (Ge 4354grt) was similarly tracked by the USN on departing Vera Cruz. Ships involved included DD TRUXTON (DD.229) making plain language reports which alerted French warships in the area. Also alerted by three American naval patrol aircraft, CL ORION, which had departed Bermuda on the 9th and had been patrolling near Nassau, intercepted her off Florida. However, ARAUCA reached American waters and that afternoon, a boarding party from American DD PHILIP went aboard and checked her. Later that day, ARAUCA moored in Port Everglades. ORION, joined by DD HEREWARD, patrolled for a time offshore, but ARAUCA never sailed again under the German flag. She was taken over by the American authorities in August 1941 and on 20 April 1942, was commissioned as USS SATURN . The German crew were interned.

 

[nuuumannn]

Great stuff Parsifal and Chris, just a wee detail;

RNZN ACHILLES (background) seen from deck of RN AJAX Photograph taken during the battle of the River Plate

HMS Achilles was still an element of the Royal Navy (New Zealand Division) at this time as technically the Royal New Zealand Navy wasn't formed until 1941. Only after then did it become HMNZS Achilles. Also, the Admiral Scheer was not a 'von'. Nit picking I know, but with such excellently detailed work I had to throw my tuppence in. On with the highly detailed accounts from both of you...

 

[Njaco]

Bring it on and thanks for the correction! As you can see, its a lot of stuff to research and some mistakes are bound to get through. Thanks!

 

[Njaco]

14 December 1939 Thursday
GERMANY: Hptm. Wolfgang Falck is made Gruppenkommandeur of I./ZG 1 flying Bf 110s.

British submarine Ursula sinks a German cruiser in the mouth of the Elbe River.

Near the mouth of the Elbe River, twelve Wellingtons of RAF No. 99 Squadron are sent to attack the German cruiser "Leipzig" and the light cruiser "Nürnberg" which have been damaged from a British submarine in the outer Jade. Five Wellingtons are shot down when intercepted by fighters from II./JG 77. Even though the British claim only five bombers lost, victory credits are given for eleven bombers. Pilots from 4./JG 77 given kill credits are Fw. Erwin Sawallisch for two bombers and single victories given to Lt. Friedrich Braukmeier, Oblt. Helmut Henz and Lt. Heinz Demes. Victors in 5./JG 77 are Lt. Edgar Struckmann with two kills, Lt. Heinz Kalbach, and future Zerstörer Experten, Utz. Herbert Kutscha. A sixth bomber crashes returning to England.

Norwegian politician Vidkun Quisling meets with Adolf Hitler in Germany. He suggests Germany launch a pre-emptive strike on Norway. Quisling says he would take control of the Norwegian government through a coup. Adolf Hitler issues an order that Denmark and Norway be seized and occupied during the upcoming attack on the West, to gain control of Norwegian territorial waters. He orders his Armed Forces High Command (OKW) to prepare plans for the invasion of Norway, (codenamed Studie Nord) to protect crucial supplies of iron ore from Sweden.

WESTERN FRONT: The League of Nations, meeting in emergency debate, expels the Soviet Union after naming the USSR an aggressor in violation of treaties with Finland, the League Covenant and the Pact of Paris. The League also calls on its members to give all possible help to the Finns and agrees to coordinate international aid programs for the Finns.

French communiqué announced sharp engagements between reconnaissance units in the Voges and along the Blies.

NORTHERN EUROPE: The Finns continue a series of attacks on the Soviet 8th Army. Soviet forces launch a new drive near Petsamo. Finnish fortress at Uto was attacked by two Soviet destroyers; one of the Soviet destroyers was lost.

ASIA: Chinese Nationalist forces occupy the town of Ningxian after a bitter clash with Chinese Communist forces.

NORTH AMERICA: German freighter "Arauca" and the German liner "Columbus" (33,000 t) leaves Vera Cruz in an attempt to run home. The American cruiser "Tuscaloosa" shadows the ships, while on neutrality patrol, and broadcast their location on open radio.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German pocket battleship 'Admiral Graf Spee', badly damaged, took refuge the preceding night in Montevideo harbour. Capt. Langsdorff releases 61 prisoners held on "Graf Spee". He requests two weeks for repairs in Montevideo. British naval attaché, Henry McCall, presses Uruguay to expel "Graf Spee" within 24 hours, per international law. Uruguay compromises and gives "Graf Spee" 3 days. Royal Navy's Harwood is furious at the prospect of "Graf Spee" sailing against his depleted cruiser force. Fortunately, heavy cruiser HMS "Cumberland" arrives at 2200 hours to replace the damaged HMS "Exeter", sailing directly from the Falkland Islands in 34 hours.

UNITED KINGDOM: Admiralty announced loss of HM destroyer 'Duchess' by collision with another British warship. HM trawler 'William Hallett' was sunk by a mine. The trawler 'James Ludford' on Admiralty service, was mined and sank off the Tyne in 44 metres of water on colliery spoil.

SS 'Inverlane' a tanker (9,141t built in 1938, on a voyage from Abadan to Invergordon), was under way in the North Sea, when a huge explosion, thought to be caused by a German mine, ripped through her hull. Four of her crew were killed and many more injured, the ship was abandoned and left to sink, but she drifted through stormy seas for 36 hours, to eventually appear on the shore at Seaburn. The 'Inverlane' burned for five days and was used as a marker by German bombers searching for the entrance to the Tyne. When a salvage team got aboard, as the stern had settled on a sandy bottom, it was decided that the fore section (over 300ft) could be refloated. This was done and it was first taken to South Shields and then to Blyth to be converted into a blockship. Over 3,000 tons of rubble and stone were put into the hull, which was then towed up to Scapa Flow to be sunk in Burra Sound, where she lies to this day.

In the afternoon of the 14th, the tanker SS 'Atheltemplar' (8939t) and built in 1930, struck a mine and was lying helpless eleven miles off the Tyne. The tugs 'Joffre' and 'Langton', lying at Blyth and the tug 'Great Emperor' from the Tyne, set off to help the tanker, they were met by the destroyers HMS 'Kelly' and HMS 'Mowhawk' acting as the escorts. It nearly dark when the 'Atheltemplar' was reached, her stern was high out of the water, her forecastle was awash and she was rolling badly. A short distance away the tanker SS 'Inverlane' was lying derelict, having also struck a mine. Whilst deciding what course of action to take, over the casualties, the 'Kelly' then had the misfortune to hit a mine. The 'Kelly' was to be taken in tow by the 'Great Emperor', after the tow was made fast it was found possible to maintain a speed of about three knots. Reaching the Tyne just before mid-night, with the assistance of the tugs 'Robert Redhead' and 'Washington', the 'Kelly' was taken to her builders, Hawthorn-Leslie's shipyard, for repairs. Meanwhile the tugs 'Joffre' and 'Langton' were having difficulty in making fast the tow for 'Atheltemplar' until some of the 'Mowhawk's' crew boarded the tanker to lend a hand. This done, the tow commenced, they reached the Tyne entrance at 23.00, only to be told not to enter, so they towed the stricken ship another two miles to a location between the river entrance and Souter Point and stayed there throughout the night.

.

 

[parsifal]

Thanks guys. Calling the Achilles a KIWI ship aint too bad (most of the crew were Kiwis) in my book but missing the Inverlane was a bit of a problem. I dunno how I missed it. Fixed now due to Chris's post alerting me to my error.

Chris, i dont think the germans lost a CL at this time, though LEIPZIG was all but a write off. URSULA fired at her, but missed, but one of the torps sped on and hit the escort vessel F9, sinking it

Edit German Admiralty GRAF SPEE SITUATION REPORTS

DKM War diary 15 December
Selected Extracts

It is significant that the DKM Admiralty are NOT reporting limitations on the ships radius of action. the contrary actually. There were other problems with the ship however

 

[nuuumannn]

As you can see, its a lot of stuff to research and some mistakes are bound to get through.

Heck yes! With the time such work takes, you guys obviously don't have small children! Great work and both your efforts are HUGELY appreciated.

 

[parsifal]

15 December 1939

Known Losses
MV GERMAINE(Gk 5217 grt); no crew details, cargo of Maize, transported Maine (NY) to Cork. The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean by U-48 . DDs WANDERER, WALPOLE, WOLVERINE and ARDENT arrived on the scene about four hours later, but failed to find the attacker. The crew were picked up by WANDERER and transferred to Dutch liner PENNLAND (16,381grt). WOLVERINE and ARDENT continued their ASW Sweeps until the 16th, without success.

MV HARFRY (909grt) was sunk in collision off Dunkirk with Portuguese steamer LUSO (6207grt) which was damaged.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]

Steamer H C FLOOD (Nor 1907 grt) with a cargo of coking coal, The cargo ship struck a mine (laid by DKM DDs on the 12/13 December) and sank in the North Sea with the loss of four of her 21 crew.

ROSA (Be 3500 grt (est)) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank off St Mary's Island
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MV RAGNI (Nor 1264 grt) 19 crew, Struck a mine near Hartlepool on Dec.15-1939 when on a voyage Hull-Malmö with a cargo of coal and coke. 6 died.

STRINDHEIM (Nor 321 grt) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank off the mouth of the Tyne on the same minefield as the above ships.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

URSUS ( Sd 2000 grt(est)) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea north of North Foreland, Kent with the loss of nine of her 20 crew. Survivors were rescued by the Ne trawler BRINDUS .

[NO IMAGE]

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

"Graf Spee" is damaged and has put into Montevideo after her action in the South Atlantic. Naval War Staff has asked B.d.U. what support U-boats could give the pocket battleship off the mouth of the La Plata. I have assured Naval War Staff that I will do all I can and I am determined to try everything possible, in spite of the great difficulties which an operation of this kind with U-boats involves.

2 U-boats (U 44 and U 46) can be got ready in time to reach the La Plata at the beginning of February. The operation depends mainly on the question of supply. It will be necessary to refuel on the way out, on the way back and in the operations area. Naval War Staff promises supplies in the Canaries and off the La Plata from "Altmark". This means that the operation can be attempted. It means going into the Tropics and there is no experience of U-boats in these areas. Preparations must be made accordingly.

Special attention will have to be paid to victualling supplies, clothing and medical matters in view of the changes of climate, high temperatures and strong sun. Torpedo pistols, electric torpedo batteries and ammunition are also likely to be effected. The necessary steps are being taken immediately.

Arrivals
Kiel: U-13 , U-23

At Sea 15 December 1939
U-22, U-28, U-29, U-38, U-47, U-48, U-57, U-59, U-60, U-61.
10 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS

Northern Patrol
CL DRAGON departed Scapa on Northern Patrol and finished on the 18th for refitting at Chatham, arriving on the 21st. Her refit began on the 22nd December, completed on 24 February and on the 26th, she was transferred to the Med.

North Sea
Subs SEAHORSE, STURGEON and UNITY arrived at Blyth after patrol. Submarine TRIAD arrived at Rosyth after patrol. DDs JERVIS and JANUS attacked a submarine contact north of Cromer Lighthouse.

FN.55, escort DDs VIVIEN, VALOROUS and sloop BITTERN and FS.55, escort DD WOOLSTON and sloops GRIMSBY and WESTON were delayed due to fog. The FN.55 escorts proceeded to Sheerness to wait, but FS.55 was later cancelled.

ASW trawler NOTTS COUNTY (541grt) made a submarine contact SW of Pladda (a small islet in the Firth of The Clyde) and depth charged the contact, but without success.

U.22 laid mines off Blyth, on which one ship was lost.

Northern Waters
BBs WARSPITE, BARHAM and BC HOOD with nine DDs were 250 miles west of Malin Head. CAs DEVONSHIRE, BERWICK and CL GLASGOW were 480 miles W by N of Malin Head. CLs SOUTHAMPTON and EDINBURGH were on patrol between the Orkneys and the Faroes. CLs DIOMEDE, DELHI, CERES and CARDIFF were concentrated off the Faroes. If no further enemy reports were received, the battle fleet was directed to cover the Canadian Troop convoy, and the cruisers to return to Northern Patrol except SOUTHAMPTON and EDINBURGH which were to proceed to Scapa for refuelling.

An aircraft bombed a subm off Buchan Ness, and DDs ESCORT and ECLIPSE were ordered to carry out a sweep of the area. On the 16th, ESCORT made an attack. The search continued until dark on the 16th when they relieved trawlers escorting captured German steamer CAP NORTE. The German ship, ESCORT and ECLIPSE arrived at Rosyth on the 18th.

Channel
Coastal Cmd a/c report a submarine in the Channel, DD BASILISK is directed to the area and attacked U.57, 17 miles east of North Foreland (the famous white cliffs of Dover). PC SCOTT (ex-DD) carried out a search in Mounts Bay after a submarine was report was received.

SW Approaches
DDs VIMY and WITHERINGTON attacked a submarine contact 120 miles WSW of Land's End. DD ESCAPADE returning to Plymouth was ordered to assist in this sweep.

Sth Atlantic
CAs SUSSEX and SHROPSHIRE arrived at Capetown, but departed the same day for the Plate. DDs HARDY, HOSTILE, HERO arrived at Pernambuco from Freetown, refuelled immediately, and departed for Rio de Janeiro

Visual Records of the Damage sustained By GRAF SPEE. Shots are taken whilst she is at anchor in Montevideo

View of the after part of the ship's superstructure, port side, taken while she was in Montevideo harbor, Uruguay in mid-December 1939, following the Battle of the River Plate. Note the burned-out remains of an Arado Ar 196A-1 floatplane on the ship's catapult and the German naval ensign flying from the mast mounted atop the after rangefinder.

Close-up view of the port side of the ship's forward superstructure, taken at Montevideo, Uruguay in mid-December 1939, following the Battle of the River Plate.
A shell hole in the tower side plating is visible aft of the searchlight platform.
Note the ship's pattern camouflage, antenna of a "Seetakt" radar mounted on the face of the main battery rangefinder, foremast and 15cm broadside guns.

View of the ship's forward superstructure, starboard side. Note the shell fragment scars and splinter damage in the hull in her side plating. .

Ship's port bow, taken while she was anchored in Montevideo harbor, Uruguay in mid-December 1939, following the Battle of the River Plate. The critical Hit by Exeter, which some sources say wrecked her fuel feed system is visible to the right . This was the hit that purportedly sealed her fate, but there is some doubt about that, as the German Admiralty reports dont mention it as a critical factor

 

[Njaco]

15 December 1939 Friday
GERMANY: The II Gruppe of JG 2 'Richthofen' is formed at Zerbst with Hptm. Wolfgang Schnellmann appointed Gruppenkommandeur. Oblt. Hans 'Assi' Hahn (not to be confused with Oblt. Hans von Hahn of JG 53) leads the 4th Staffel.

Erich Raeder suggested that the pocket battleship "Lützow" and the blueprints for the Bismarck-class battleships could be made available for sale to the Soviet Union if the Soviet Union was willing to pay a good price.

RAF planes bombed enemy seaplane bases of Borkum, Norderney, and Sylt during the night of 14th 15th.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Finns wreck metal mines and withdraw from Salmijärvi. The Finns conclude a series of attacks on the Soviet 8th Army. The 139th Division at Tolvajarvi is virtually destroyed and the 75th Division is also hard hit. The Finns also capture much valuable equipment. The Battle of Soumussalmi begins. Red Army assaulted Taipale. Meanwhile, the Finnish government decided to bring fallen Finnish soldiers of the Winter War to their home towns for burial.

The Finnish Foreign Minister broadcasts an offer to reopen negotiations to the Soviet Foreign Minister. He says that any design to annex Finland will be resisted to the last:

"…the Finns will never submit to a foreign yoke."

ATLANTIC OCEAN: "Graf Spee" has 2 days to leave Montevideo. Captain Langsdorff buries his 36 dead sailors; released British prisoners lay wreathes at the funeral. "Graf Spee" readies to leave, taking on fuel from a German tanker while the crew repairs damage. As only HMS "Cumberland" and the damaged light cruisers "Ajax" and "Achilles" are positioned to prevent a break out, British diplomats spread rumors that several vessels including battleship "Renown" and aircraft carrier "Ark Royal" are nearby. British ships start leaving Montevideo at regular intervals to prevent "Graf Spee" sailing (she is required to give enemy merchant ships 24 hours head start). SS "Ashworth" sails at 1700 hours.

Southwest of Ireland, U 48 stops neutral Greek steamer SS "Germaine". The crew is ordered into the lifeboats and rescued by Norwegian SS "Vinland". As her cargo is destined for Britain, "Germaine" is torpedoed.

WESTERN FRONT: Three British infantry brigades sent to France in October are formed into the British 5th Division, BEF. This division is deployed south of Lille along a fortified line which is being extended and strengthened. The British Expeditionary Force is only in direct contact with German forces around Metz. Prime Minister Chamberlain visits the BEF.

ASIA: 5,000 Japanese troops launched a counter-attack against recent Chinese offensives in northern China.

UNITED KINGDOM: The morning brought dense fog and by mid-day it was thought to be too risky to bring the tanker 'Atheltemplar' into the Tyne so it was decided to beach her south of the river. With the assistance of two more tugs, the 'Great Emperor' and the 'George V' the task was completed by 1915 hours, the tugs standing by again throughout the night in case she refloated. The 'Joffre' and 'Langton' were not yet finished with the 'Atheltemplar' for after some of her load was recovered and the ship lightened, she was able to be towed by them into the Tyne where the rest of the cargo was salvaged and the ship then towed to a repair yard.

SS 'Strindheim' (321t) a Norwegian ship, struck a mine off the entrance to the Tyne and subsequently sank on a seabed of shale and colliery spoil. She is upright, lying in an E to W direction and is intact except for the mine damage. SS 'Rosa' (1,146t) a Belgian ship struck a mine and sank, 8.3 miles from St Mary's Island. SS 'Ragni' a Norwegian ship struck a mine and sank off the mouth of the Tyne, with the loss of six lives. SS 'H.C. Flood' a Norwegian ship was mined and sank in the North Sea off the Tyne. Norwegian steamer 'Foeina' was sunk by mine off Scotland. British tanker 'Inverlane' reported mined.

,

.

.

 

[parsifal]

16 December 1939
SPECIAL GERMAN ADMIRALTY REPORT ON GRAF SPEE


DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

 

[Njaco]

16 December 1939 Saturday
NORTHERN EUROPE: Sweden declares itself a non-belligerent, and allows 12,000 volunteers and arms to cross the Gulf of Bothnia to aid the Finns.

The main forces of Soviet 7th Army have now advanced to the Mannerheim Line and a major Soviet attack, therefore, begins. Waves of Soviet infantry and tanks, with air support, attempt to overrun the Summa area (the First Battle of Summa). These initial efforts are subsidiary moves against the northeast end of the Finnish defenses. They continue for two days without success. Soviet 'road strategy' fails to get men and equipment in force to the point of contact. Finnish resistance becomes a rout in places. Finnish IV Corps, having scattered Soviet 139th division in Tolvajärvi on Dec 12, meets Soviet 75th division marching to the rescue and puts them to flight also. As the Finnish noose tightens on the surrounded 163rd division in Suomussalmi, Soviet 44th Division advances slowly up the Raate Road to rescue them. Disaster awaits them.

MEDITERRANEAN: Count Galeazzo Ciano, the foreign minister in the government led by Benito Mussolini, attacks the Soviet Union in a speech to the Fascist assembly. The tone reflects that of the Italian press and radio. Since the Soviet invasion of Finland, Italy has sent volunteers to fight with the Finns and large quantities of military equipment.

GERMANY: The repatriation of about 51,000 ethnic Germans (or Baltic Germans), from the Baltic state of Latvia to the "Incorporated Territories" of former Poland, is completed.

Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" received the order to relocate from Stuggart, Germany to Jever, Germany.

ASIA: In China, troops of the Chinese 81st Division captured the city of Kaifeng in Henan Province, while troops of the Chinese 5th Division began to advance toward Kunlun Pass, Guangxi Province in southern China.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: In Montevideo, British diplomats play for time to contain "Graf Spee", dispatching another merchant vessel from Montevideo at 1700 hours to prevent "Graf Spee" sailing for another 24 hours. However, Uruguay insists the British cease this ploy as "Graf Spee's" stay of 3 days expires at 0800 hours tomorrow. "Graf Spee" continues her rapid repairs. Commodore Harwood refuels his ships in anticipation of renewed battle. Harwood receives news he is promoted to Rear-Admiral and knighted. A signal from the Admiralty stated Commodore Henry Harwood was promoted Rear Admiral from the 13th. of December, and the King bestowed the Knight Companion of the Bath ( KCB ) on him, and the Companion of the Bath ( CB ) on the three cruiser Captains, C.H.L Woodhouse in "Ajax", W.E. Parry in "Achilles", and F. S. Bell in "Exeter". There is much rejoicing in the British ships lying in wait off the River Plate.

German merchant ship 'Teneriffe' scuttled after being intercepted.

UNITED KINGDOM: One British and four neutral ships reported mined: British steamer 'Amble', Norwegian Steamers 'Ragni' and 'HC Flood', Swedish vessel 'Ursis' and Greek Steamer 'Germaine'. The trawler 'Sedgefly' (520t) on HM service hit a mine and sank, 1 mile off the Tyne. The armed trawler 'Evelina' (202t) on Admiralty service was mined off the Tyne.

.

 

[parsifal]

16 December 1939
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
SU Subs K2 K3 (K Class or Serie XIV)

Allied
AMC RAJPUTANA

Known Losses

TKR AMBLE (UK 1162 grt): World War II: The tanker struck a mine and was damaged in the North Sea off Sunderland, Co Durham. The crew were rescued by DD WALLACE. AMBLE drifted ashore between Sunderland and Whitburn. She was refloated on 25 December but declared a constructive total loss and scrapped.
(new photo source) The SS Amble passing the sunken Raymond, Warkworth Harbour

AMBLE passing the sunken RAYMOND, Warkworth Harbour mouth, 1930, which was refloated and employed during the war (lost in 1943)

ASW Trawler EVELINA (UK 202 grt ): The Naval Trawler was sunk by a mine off the mouth of the River Tyne with the loss of all nine crew.
[NO IMAGES LOCATED]

MV GLITREFJELL (Nor 1,568 grt): 18 (5 dead and 13 survivors): In Ballast: Oslo to Tyne: The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea by U-59. Survivors were rescued by ICARION (GK) and RN DD ICARUS

MV LISTER (SD 1,366 grt):19 (0 dead and 19 survivors):Cargo Of Wood : Skutskär (Sweden) - Antwerp: The ship was hit in the bow by a torpedo from U-59 and sank about 130 miles off Newcastle. The Germans spotted the Swedish flag only after firing the torpedo. Six survivors were picked up by DD ECLIPSE on 21 December. The 13 remaining survivors made landfall in a lifeboat on the Danish coast.

ASW Trawler SEDGEFLY ( UK 502 grt): World War II: The Naval Trawler struck a mine and sank off the mouth of the Tyne with the loss of all 16 crew
[NO IMAGE LOCATED]

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
[SEE PRECEEDING ENTRY]

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

The U-boat operation in support of "Graf Spee" has been cancelled. Apparently political considerations make it necessary to decide the pocket battleship's fate sooner.
U 29 and U 38 entered port. U 29 has had an unfortunate patrol. The boat sank nothing and did not carry out her minelaying operation. The C.O. obviously made the mistake of thinking all activity of enemy patrol vessels and suspicious craft was directed specifically against his boat, so he did not achieve anything. He will be given a similar operation next time in order to overcome this mistake.
U 38 sank: 1) S.S. "Thomas Walton" 4,500 tons; 2) S.S. "Garonfalia" 4,700 tons; 3) S.S. "Bredford" 4,000 tons; 13,200
tons (total). She observed lively neutral single traffic on the Norwegian coast. No convoys or English warships seen. Little traffic off Kola Bay, medium patrol. Adequate lighting from aurora borealis.

Arrivals
Kiel: U-57
Wilhelmshaven: U-29, U-38

At Sea 16 December 1939
U-22, U-28, U-47, U-48, U-59, U-60, U-61.
7 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS

Baltic

Eastern Baltic
SU sub SC.322 (Serie X Boat) damaged steamer GILLHAUSEN (Ger 4339 grt) with gunfire south of Hanko.

Northern Patrol
two cruisers were between the Shetlands and the Faroes, and three cruisers between the Faroes and Iceland.

North Sea
ON.5 of nine British ships departed Methil escort DDs AFRIDI, MAORI, NUBIAN and sub TRIAD. DD MOHAWK departed the Tyne on the 18th, but was delayed by the German mining of the port but later joined at sea. The convoy was due to leave Methil on the 14th, but was also postponed due to sub and mine activity. ON.5 arrived safely at Bergen on the 19th without incident. Return HN.5 was delayed 48 hours and meanwhile, the DDs went to Sullom Voe to refuel. Sub TRIAD carried out a diving patrol. FS.55 departed Southend escort DDs VIVIEN, VALOROUS and sloop BITTERN, and arrived at the Tyne on the 17th. OA.54 departed Southend escort DDs WREN and WITCH until it dispersed on the 19th

Steamer SANYO MARU (Jpn 970 grt) departed Rotterdam after a week in port and arrived at the Tyne on the 16th. She carried German nitrates and machinery along with a Dutch cargo to challenge the British blockade but left the contraband control station at the Downs on the 18th, her cargo intact.

Northern Waters
The Home Flt (with BBs WARSPITE , BARHAM, BC HOOD and nine DDs) was 300 miles west of Malin Head at 0730 covering arriving Canadian Troop Convoy TC.1. The 12 DDs which had sailed on the 12th to meet the convoy failed to make contact on the 15th due to fog, but met it during the morning of the 16th. Troopship EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA was separated from the convoy on the 15th again because of the fog, but rejoined on the 16th.

British a/c attacked a submarine contact, followed up by a sweep by DD ESCORT off Buchan Ness. CL CERES arrived in Scapa , departed the same day and arrived back on the 25th. Sloop FLEETWOOD, which had returned home from the East Indies in November, completed a refit on the 16th at Dundee and joined Convoy Cmd

(WARSPITE off normandy 1944. note X turret not operational a result of bomb hits off Salerno in 1943 - Maritime Quest)

SW Approaches
OB.54 departed Liverpool escort DDs WALKER and WHIRLWIND until the 19th when the convoy dispersed.

Sth Atlantic
DDs HARDY, HERO, HOSTILE departed Pernambuco early on the 16th and arrived in the Plate during the morning of the 22nd.
.
Med- Biscay
Fr DDs SIROCCO and LA RAILLEUSE, escorting convoy 40.KS, attacked a sub contact 25 miles 245° from Cape Spartel ( in Morocco).

HG.11 departed Gib with 52 ships for Britain and two more for Oporto, escort DD DOUGLAS and the Fr DDs TIGRE and PANTHÈRE, the latter from the 16th until they arrived at Brest on the 23rd. DOUGLAS detached on the 19th to patrol off Cadiz-Huelva-Cape Santa Maria, and the convoy continued escorted by sloop SANDWICH from the 16th to 24th, when it arrived at Liverpool.

DD WRESTLER departed Gibraltar for refitting at Malta.

 

[parsifal]

17 December 1939
Known Losses

LUFTWAFFE ATTACKS ON NORTH SEA SHIPPING

German bombers of the FliegerKorps X attacked and sank shipping, primarily British trawlers, in the North Sea off the British coast.

On the 17th, five trawlers were sunk:

SERENITY (UK 487 grt) eight miles ENE of Whitby,
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

PEARL (UK 198 grt) 65 miles E by S of Outer Dowsing Light Vessel, with one crewman lost and the survivors, three wounded, picked up by an accompanying trawler,
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

COMPAGANUS (UK 270 grt) 150 miles E by N of May Island (she was abandoned 100 miles E by S of Aberdeen), with one member of crew lost and the survivors picked up by trawler COLLEAGUE (207grt) which had been fishing in company,
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

ISABELLA GREIG (UK 210 grt) 145 miles E by N of May Island with the survivors, two wounded, picked up by a drifter, and
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

ZELOS (UK 227 grt) 110 miles E by N of May Island, but without casualties.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

EILEEN WRAY (UK 227 grt) was badly damaged off Hartlepool and CRAIGIELEA (211grt) northeast of Aberdeen. Two were wounded on CRAIGIELEA, but there were no casualties on EILEEN WRAY which was towed to Hartlepool but sank in harbour. Sixteen other trawlers and Estonian steamer MARVI (244grt) were attacked but not damaged.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Loss Of the Graf Spee
DKM ADM GRAF SPEE (Ger 11700 grt ) after transferring her crew to German steamer TACOMA (8268grt), the ship was scuttled in the Rio de la Plata Estuary off Montevideo.Battle of the River Plate rather than engage with the Allies or be interned.

The wreck of the GRAF SPEE. The scuttled ship burnt for three days after being scuttled, before setlling into the fine mud of the harbour and then breaking in two


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciPoIz1qqNg

Other Shipping losses
MV BOGO (Den 1,214 grt):20 (17 dead and 3 survivors): In Ballast: Gothenburg - Methil . The neutral vessel was hit by one G7a torpedo from U-59 and sank after breaking in two 75 miles east of May Island. Three survivors were picked up by the British trawler RIVER EARN , which was herself sunk two days later by German a/c. All on board were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchant ROGALAND and taken to Kopervik.

MV JAEGERSBORG (Den 1,245 grt): 18 (18 dead - no survivors):Cargo of Agricultural products:Copenhagen - Leith :The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea by U-59.

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 47 entered port. She sank: 1) Unidentified steamer about 12,000 tons 2) tanker (Norway) about 10,000 tons 3) tanker (Holland) about 9,000 tons
about 31,000 tons

She also scored one certain hit on a London class cruiser east of the Shetlands on 28.11. Apparently however, the cruiser did not sink. This was a good patrol. There is nothing in particular to say about it.

Departures
Kiel: U-21

At Sea 17 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-28, U-47, U-48, U-59, U-60, U-61.
8 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
Baltic
Red Flt sortied in strength undertaking intensive bombardments in the Summa area to support the stalled assault by 7A. BB OCTOBER REVOLUTION and MARAT fired at Saarenpää batteries on 18 and 19 December. In both battles the Finn batteries were worn down to a single heavy gun due to malfunctions, but also in both battles one or two near misses caused the BBs to retreat. Ice prevented further naval operations in the eastern Gulf of Finland after this.

Northern Patrol
AMCs are sent back to sea to counter a possible attempt by a number of German merchant ships to run the blockade to Germany. Four of them sailed from the Clyde to stations on the Northern Patrol, while CA BERWICK headed for the Denmark Strait. C in C Home Flt Adm Forbes returned to Greenock to refuel his DDs on the 17th. That morning on the 17th, his force was BBs WARSPITE, BARHAM, BC HOOD, and destroyers ISIS, ICARUS, IMPERIAL, FOXHOUND, SOMALI, INGLEFIELD and IMOGEN. CVL FURIOUS, BB RESOLUTION, BC REPULSE, and DDs BEDOUIN, MASHONA, ESKIMO, MATABELE, FEARLESS, ILEX, IMPULSIVE, KANDAHAR, KHARTOUM, KASHMIR and KINGSTON arrived at Greenock at midday on the 17th.

North Sea
DDs IVANHOE and INTREPID of DesFlot 20 and GRENVILLE, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN and ORP DD BLYSKAWICA from Harwich carried out an ASW sweep from the Thames entrance to Yarmouth between 1245 and 1515. IVANHOE and INTREPID then laid a field of 240 mines off Borkum in the mouth of the River Ems at 0200/18th in Operation IB, while GRENVILLE, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN and BLYSKAWICA provided cover. After the lay, the Harwich DDs carried out another ASW sweep and arrived back at dusk on the 18th. U.60 laid mines off Cross Sands near Lowestoft. One steamer was lost on this minefield.

AMC JERVIS BAY departed the Tyne, north-about for Portsmouth, escorted as far as the Pentland Skerries by DD ECLIPSE.

Northern Waters
CL DELHI departed Scapa or Belfast arriving on the 21st to dock and refit, completed on 8 January. DDs JERVIS, JUNO, JAGUAR and JANUS, which departed Grimsby on the 16th, left Scapa and refuelled at Sullom Voe. JUNO was held up with defects, but the other three arrived off Tranoy late on the 18th to escort iron ore convoy NV.2 of six British and one Greek ship from Narvik, with CLs SOUTHAMPTON and EDINBURGH in support. JUNO sailed on the 19th to rejoin the convoy. On the 23rd, JAGUAR developed defects and was sent to Scapa Flow. One steamer was detached to the west coast and the convoy arrived safely at Methil on the 24th still with JERVIS, JUNO and JANUS.

West Coast UK
AMC LAURENTIC departed Liverpool for Northern Patrol, while AMCs TRANSYLVANIA, CHITRAL and MONTCLARE left from the Clyde.

Channel
DD KEITH ran aground and required docking at Plymouth. Steamer AGNITA (3552grt) was near-missed and badly damaged by German bombing SE of the Isle of Wight. Italian steamer VALENTINO CODA (4486grt) was also attacked in this raid, but not damaged.

UK - France
BC.19 of steamer BARON CARNEGIE departed Bristol Channel escort DD WESSEX, and arrived in the Loire on the 19th. The convoy returned with BARON CARNEGIE, leaving on the 24th and arriving in the Bristol Channel on the 25th.

Sth Atlantic
CV ARK ROYAL and BC RENOWN arrived at Rio de Janeiro, refuelled and put back to sea the same day. CL NEPTUNE refuelled at Santos and also departed the same day. Meanwhile, DKM CS ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE, after transferring her crew to German steamer TACOMA (8268grt), scuttled herself in the Rio de la Plata Estuary off Montevideo. The ARK ROYAL force, steaming at high speed towards Montevideo, had not gone far when word of SPEE's scuttling was received. Joined by DDs HARDY, HERO and HOSTILE and later by NEPTUNE, they began sweeps to try and locate supply ship ALTMARK. French CL DUGUAY TROUIN, Fr AMCs CHARLES PLUMIER, KOUTOUBIE, subs ACHÉRON, FRESNEL, LE HÉROS and REDOUTABLE also searched from 19 December to 19 January. ARK ROYAL's force then proceeded to Freetown, arriving on the 24th, CLs AJAX and ACHILLES left the Plate Estuary and proceed to Port Stanley, while heavy cruiser CUMBERLAND remained off Montevideo.
.
Med- Biscay
DD DIAMOND departed Aden on the 14th and arrived at Suez on the 17th completing the transfer of DesFlot 21 from China to the Med.

RAN DD STUART, which had arrived at Aden from duty in the Indian Ocean on the 10th, reached Malta on the 17th for duty in the Mediterranean. RAN DDs WATERHEN and VENDETTA, escorting BB MALAYA with DD DEFENDER, had arrived at Malta on the 14th followed by two more RAN DDs, VAMPIRE and VOYAGER on the 24th. The latter ships were dry docked for refit.

These ships, with CLs ARETHUSA, PENELOPE, GALATEA, CAPETOWN and DesFlot 21, which the Australians relieved for duty elsewhere, and submarines OSIRIS and OSWALD, comprised the entire operational Mediterranean Fleet at that time. From 2 January 1940, the RAN DDs were organised as the DesDiv 19.

Very shortly, CLs CALEDON and CALYPSO arrived from the Home Flt and ARETHUSA and PENELOPE departed for Home Waters. CALEDON arrived at Gib on the 24th, departed on the 26th, and reached Malta on the 28th for duty with CruSqn 3. CALYPSO arrived at Gib on the 27th, departed on the 28th, and arrived at Malta on the 31st, also for duty with the CruSqn 3.
DesFlot 21 was divided in two, with one half returning to Home Waters and the other going to the South Atlantic. In addition, in February, CL GALATEA also departed the Med for Home Waters. As a replacement for the departures of RAN DDs from Far East Station, CLs COLOMBO and CERES were sailed in February after completing their refits. Sloop SCARBOROUGH departed Port Said after arriving from the Indian Ocean en route to England, arrived at Malta and departed on the 26th.
French Contre Torpilleur DD AIGLE was damaged in a collision with French auxiliary patrol vessel LEZARDRIEUX in Toulon Roads. The damage took a month to repair.

Far East/Pacific/Australia
CL BIRMINGHAM, while refuelling, collided with tanker FRANCOL (5620grt) at the Saddle Islands off Shanghai. Her port bow was holed, but after emergency repairs, she was able to continue patrol and arrived at Hong Kong for docking on the 27th. Repairs took two days.

 

[Njaco]

17 December 1939 Sunday
GERMANY: Hptm. Reinicke's I./ZG 76 begins arriving at Jever to fill the void left by the departing ZG 26 from Oblt. Schumacher's ad-hoc JG 1 Geschwader on the North Sea coast.

NORTH AMERICA: Canada's Prime Minister William King signs the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, providing facilities for airmen in the Commonwealth to train. Price of the plan is $1.281 billion.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Battle-cruiser 'Renown' and aircraft carrier 'Ark Royal' arrived in Rio de Janeiro. Hitler cables Captain Langsdorff to fight his way out of Montevideo or scuttle "Graf Spee" instead of internment in Uruguay. As he can only leave port between 1700 - 2000 hours and cannot outrun the superior British forces, he decides to save his crew and scuttle "Graf Spee". At 1815 hours, "Graf Spee" sails 4 miles out, off the coast of Montevideo, Uruguay. German sailors open seacocks and set off a series of explosions, scuttling the ship at sunset in 7 meters of water. Her topside protrudes above the water for many years. SS "Tacoma" and two other vessels take 1055 of crew. Langsdorff and his crew are taken to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

NORTHERN EUROPE: The Red Army has made little progress on the Karelian Isthmus since the Finns fell back to the Mannerheim Line on Dec 6. Soviets assault the village of Summa, which provides road and rail access North to the centre of Finland ("gateway to Viipuri"). Despite heavy artillery bombardment, the Finns are ready and mow down the advancing Soviet troops. Some Soviet tanks penetrate Finnish defenses but are isolated and destroyed.

WESTERN FRONT: Mr. Chamberlain continued his tour of the British area in France.

There was an increase in Activity of German reconnaissance parties on the Western Front and that British troops on the Maginot Line had suffered their first casualties.

UNITED KINGDOM: Germany begins unrestricted air warfare on shipping. A formation of German planes attack the cargo ship SS "Serenity" sailing out from London. The ship is sunk by the attack east of Whitby. British trawler 'New Choice' sunk off East Coast by bombs and machine guns from Nazi planes. British aircraft drive off raiders.

Admiralty announced that five officers and 56 ratings of HMS 'Exeter' were killed in action of December 17th. Commodore Harwood in command of British actions against 'Graff Spee' awarded K.C.B. and promoted to Rear Admiral, Captains of 'Achilles' and 'Exeter' appointed C.B.

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[Wurger]

On the 17th December 1939 the badly damaged German Nazi pocket battle ship Admiral Graf Spee left the Montevideo harbour. The crew souttled her at the Montevideo port shipping lane. Sinking of her was the result of the naval battle at the Atlantic Sea on the 13th December 1939. During the battle the German battleship was fighting against the HMS Exeter - a heavy cruiser , the HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles - light cruisers. The battle was named - the Battle of the River Plate.

The participants in the battle ...

The Deutschland-class heavy cruiser Admiral Graf Spee .... here docking at the Montevideo harbour following the battle,

The York-class heavy cruiser HMS Exeter ...

The Leander-class light cruiser HMS Ajax ...

The Leander-class light cruiser HMS Achilles ...

The Nazi German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee leaving the Montevideo harbour ....

and her scuttling ...

And her wreck ...

 

[Crimea_River]

Anyone know the fate of this project to raise the Graf Spee? Started in 2004.

 

[parsifal]

I did find these

BBC NEWS | Americas | Graf Spee's eagle rises from deep

Graf Spee emerges from its River Plate grave - Telegraph

Salvagers struggle to raise Nazi ship - Technology science - Science | NBC News

Battleship Graf Spee surfaces - World - www.theage.com.au

 

[Njaco]

18 December 1939 Monday
"THE BATTLE OF THE GERMAN BIGHT"
GERMANY: 24 British Wellington bombers were launched to attack German shipping during daylight; only 22 flew to the target area because 2 developed technical problems shortly after takeoff. They reach their target safely but find only ships in harbor which they do not bomb to avoid German civilian casualties. German forces intercept radio messages and tracked the incoming planes, launching fighters to intercept them. Returning home, the bombers are attacked by about 50 Messerschmitt fighters. Flak quickly broke up the bomber formation, then the German Bf 109 and Bf 110 fighters came to the ships' defense. German pilots claimed 34 kills for the loss of 2 fighters during combat and another crashed at landing; the German Air Ministry confirmed only 26. British pilots also overestimated their kills, claiming 13 definite and 12 probable. Fifteen British Wellington bombers from RAF Nos. 9, 37 and 149 Squadrons were shot down by fighter elements of 10(N)./JG 26, JGr 101, II./JG 77 and I./ZG 76. Victories go to Lt. Helmut Lent of ZG 76 (three Wellingtons), Bf 110 leader Hptm. Wolfgang Falck (two Wellingtons), Fw. Willy Szuggar (one Wellington), Lt. Uellenbeck of JG 77 (who is wounded in the neck by return fire), Fw. Hans Troitzsch of 6./JG 77 (two Wellingtons), Lt. George Schirmbock of 6./JG 77 (one Wellington), Lt. Winfried Schmidt of 5./JG 77 (one Wellington) and Oblt. Schumacher himself (one Wellington). The Jagdwaffe pilots are starting to learn how to attack bomber formations, using a new side attack instead of an attack from astern. Still, two Bf 109s from JG 77 are shot down. RAF suspends daytime bombing until April 1940.

Oblt. Ernst Exss is made Kommodore of the bomber group KG 1 in place of Oblt. Ulrich Kessler.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Soviet assaults on the Mannerheim Line around the village of Summa gain no ground with further heavy losses. North of Lake Lagoda, the line at Kollaa holds and Finnish IV Corps pushes Soviet 75th and 139th divisions back to Ägläjärvi. In the far North, 3 Finnish companies under Captain Pennanen (retreating since Nov 30) hold Soviet 52nd division at Höyhenjärvi where they will stay frozen for two months. Soviet 273rd Infantry regiment retreated in the face of attacks from Finnish 40th Infantry Regiment.

EASTERN EUROPE: Lavrentiy Beria ordered first mass deportation of Poles to Soviet Union.

UNITED KINGDOM: The first Canadian troops arrived in Britain.

Admiralty and Air Ministry issued joint statement on attacks by enemy aircraft with bombs and machine-guns fire on merchant and fishing vessels in North sea. Announced that only 10 ships out of 1,100 entering or leaving ports have been lost round British coasts during first ten days of December.

ASIA: Chinese troops captured Longhua, near Yicheng, Hubei Province, China. To the south, Chinese 5th Division captured Kunlunguan Pass in Guangxi Province.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Captain and some of the crew of the 'Graf Spee' landed at Buenos Aires. Four others arrested by Uruguayan authorities, charged with blowing up their ship.

WESTERN FRONT: German troops reported to be massing on Luxembourg frontier.

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