16.12.1936 Arabian Sea 13°31’N, 59°8’E 472nd. day at sea
Schiff 30 has been busy since the last report after hunting to the east of the Seychelles Islands. Schiff 30 sailed west between Madagascar and the Seychelles. Twice daily, weather permitting, the Heinkel He 114b seaplanes are catapulted for reconnaissance. On 30.11. the seaplane sighted the Cunard liner “Aquitania” and a P&O liner several other freighters and tankers were sighted. On 2.12. a radio message was intercepted from a tanker contacting Valencia. Schiff 30 continued in pursuit of the elusive Spanish tanker. The following day Prize II signaled she had arrived at Las Palmas and disembarked the prisoners. The three prizes are expected to arrive at Wilhelmshaven by 1.2.1937.
On 7.12. the Meteorological Officer reported that a strong storm was approaching Kapitan.z.S Hartmann ordered the boats and camouflage for the deck cannons be checked and secured. At 1230 hrs. a large wave hits the ship causing significant damage on the aft boat deck wiping out most of the ventilators deck fittings and 2 boats and their davits. Stbs.O.Masch Munster and Masch.Gfr Haag who were securing the deck and carrying out maintenance and Heizer Freiwald, who against orders was smoking on deck were slammed against the railings they were sent down to the ships hospital all were severely injured but the ships doctor Geschw.Arzt. Dr. Brinkmann expects all to recover.
On 13.12. Schiff 30 went to work at 0433 hrs. a tanker was sighted and when approached turned away from the Hilfskreuzer. Hartmann ordered the fore 15cm. cannons to open fire! Six salvos and a torpedo send the fleeing Spanish tanker to the bottom. Only 20 of the 121 man crew were picked up the 1.Offz. was interviewed and said the tanker was the “San Domingo” 11.401 grt loaded with 12.000 t of diesel fuel and 1.200 t of gasoline. The tanker was on its way from Aden to Valencia via Durban- Cape Town. The first officer stated that several Spanish tankers were in the Indian Ocean and were either sold or charted from the British Tanker Company. He identified 6 tankers which were destined for Spanish Republican ports. The watch on the bridge and crosstrees were doubled as any tanker could be sighted at any moment. On 15.12. smoke was sighted by the bridge watch and after a staggering 52 salvos and 312 shells 2 charted tankers were sent to the bottom the largest was the “British Might” 11.200 grt loaded with 12.000 t of fuel oil while the smaller tanker was the “British Monarch” 3.528 grt loaded with 5.000 t of gasoline were sunk.
Less than 2 hours later another tanker was sighted by the Bridge watch and by 1400 Oblt.z.S Brandt’s demolition commando sent the Spanish tanker “La Palma” 4.500 grt loaded with 6.000 t of gasoline to the bottom. Schiff 30 pressed further north into the Arabian Sea and on the 16th. the tanker “British Cannon” 8.990 grt was spotted and stopped for inspection it was determined by the Investigation Commando that she was sailing for a Spanish Republican port loaded with 11.000 t of high quality diesel oil and 100 t of bunker fuel. Hartman ordered the tanker to be taken prize and was placed under the command of L.z.S(S) Hansen who was instructed to take the tanker to “Point George”
Almost 2 hours later at 1550 the tanker “British Duchess” was sighted and stopped for inspection. However, when the first warning shot from the Hilfskreuzer’s 7.5cm stop gun rang out the tanker turned and ran from the raider and began sending distress signals. Hartmann ordered the fore 15cm cannons to drop camouflage and open fire. 6 salvos bring the tanker to halt but the tanker burns heavily on the bows and the Kommandant decided not to send the Investigation Commando aboard. The tanker was in fact the Spanish tanker “Vargas” 3.400 grt sailing from Abadan to Barcelona loaded with 6.000 t of gasoline. The Norwegian freighter “Triton” picked up the distress signals from the tanker and relayed it to Ceylon, Aden, and Bombay however the Bridge Radio Room reported that only “S.O.S..........” were transmitted before jamming and the shelling stopped the transmission.
In just a few days Schiff 30 has sunk or captured 43.019 grt of shipping. Hartmann will break off the tanker hunt and proceed to meet the “Pazifik” and “Indien” along with the prize tanker which was sent to wait at “Point George”.
The situation in Spain is rapidly deteriorating. Hartmann expects to be in the Mediterranean Sea sooner or later.
Schiff 30 speeding through the smoke of the sinking tanker shortly after launching a torpedo.
Schiff 30 approaching two sinking tankers.
Schiff 30 in the Arabian Sea