3.September 1939

 

<< 2.Sept.1939                                                                                                                                                                                                  4.Sept.1939 >>

 

Germany starts hostilities against British navy.

The BdU sends out following FT-message:

„To all boat-commanders! Start hostilities against England at once. War-orders for the Kriegsmarine are now to be followed. Troopships and Cargoships are to be treated after the „Prisenordnung“ of the Haag-convention. Enemy convoys have to be attacked without warning. Passenger ships shall not be stopped and not attacked even when they are within a convoy“ gez.Dönitz

 

Meetings of highest Navy officers to discuss the “battle for the Atlantic”.

German navy starts laying minefields “Westwall-Sperre” in the North-sea.

 

The british cruiser “AJAX” stops the german freighters “OLINDA” (4576 BRT) and “CARL FRITZEN” (6594 BRT) between Rio Grande do Sul and the La Plata estuary. The two german ships sink themselves before captured.

 

 

Seelage Ost

 

All destroyers in the east are ordered back to O.d.West.

 

06:50-07:06 bombardment of Hela-harbor by german destroyers.

Minesweepers search the Danzig-bay up to Neufahrwasser and west of it.

 

“Friedrich Eckoldt” firing at Hela-batteries.

10:00 ordered 1 MZ-squadron from Northsea to Baltic-sea, 1 F-squadron from Baltic-sea to Northsea.

Reconaissance area Kattegat Gruppe West up to 56°N.

5.Torp.Flottille will not be transferred to the Baltic-sea.

For securing transports O.d.Ost boats of U-school and of F.d.U. will be used.

13:30-14:15 Minenverband Nordsee sets sail and starts to lay mines at 21:00.

 

4./186 attacks Hela-harbor and sinks “Wicher”.  3./K.Fl.Gr.706 damages/sinks? the polish destryocer “Gryf” heavily damaged.

3./K.Fl.Gr.506 sinks several small vessels and the cannon-boat “General Haller” in Hela.

 

U14 attacks the polish submarine “Zbik” with one torpedo. The torpedo explodes too far away from the target.

 

 

Seelage West

 

Air reconnaissance of southern and middle northsea reports just one british submarine 100sm west of List.

 

U30 (Olt.Fritz-Julius-Lemp) torpedoes and sinks the 13581BRT liner “Athenia” with 1400 passengers on board killing 112.

The british destroyers “Electra”, “Escort”, the norwegian motorship “Knute Nelson”, the US steamer “City of Flint”, and the norwegian yacht “Southern Cross” rescue 1300 survivors.

 

2.U-Flottille: starts operating west of the british islands with U27, U28, U29, U30, U33, U34

 

HOME            SEPTEMBER1939