Sorry about the delay, I write the story as it comes to me and along with writing the Kriegstagebuch it does take a while to read up on the history and events and then write the story so it sounds plausible on top of this I have to create the single missions for the screenshots. I really appreciate the interest in the story.
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21.9.1936 Southern Ocean 56°28’S, 130°14’E 386th. day at sea
Schiff 30 departed the frozen expanses of the Ross Sea and began sailing northwest towards Heard Island. The “Altmark” signaled that she was 2 days from Heard Island. The “Ehrenfels” and “Reichenfels” are 3 days out. “Wachtfels” is 4 days out. On 12.9. The Ob.d.M. informed Kapitan.z.S Hartmann that the Seekriegsleitung will take over administrative control of the ship from now on. After passing the Balleny Islands on the 13th the following day the aircraft was catapulted on its afternoon reconnaissance flight at 1548 hrs. the aircraft returned and reported by VHF that 2 unidentified factory ships and 9 whalers were sailing in formation 121 sm. from the Hilfskreuzers position. There were no identification markings on the vessels nor where they flying any national flag. In the Kriegstagebuch the Kommandant was of the opinion that this whaling fleet was charted by the Spanish Republican Government requesting further information. The B-Dienst in Berlin reported 3 whaling fleets operating in the area 1 Japanese, 1 Dutch, and 1 unidentified. The fleet was later identified as a Soviet whaling fleet; however, Schiff 30 ran into a strong storm so the aircraft could not be catapulted for its daily reconnaissance and contact was lost with the fleet. On the afternoon of the 17th. during the storm, the catapult was damaged by a derrick which collapsed and caused several of the deck plates covering the catapult to be jammed in the rails. Luftwaffe personnel were able to repair the catapult by the 19th.
Schiff 30 will soon be assigned an operational area by the Seekriegslietung. Kapitan.z.S Hartmann anticipates that this will be either in the Indian Ocean, off Spanish South Africa, or in the Mediterranean.
The Spanish Civil War continues with the Nationalists taking the island of Ibiza while the rebellion succeeds in the island of Fernando Po in Spanish Guinea.
