8/18/1936 Mediterranean Sea 70th day at sea
Ship 66 has been busy sinking the vital supplies of the Spanish Republicans after the disastrous sinking of the “OLYMPIA” off the coast of Sardinia “Ship 66” stopped and captured the Soviet freighter “LENINGRAD” 8,800 grt from Odessa to Barcelona loaded with 10000 t of general cargo, the ship was taken prize and dispatched with a prize crew under the command of L.z.S(S) Schultz and 13 ratings with orders to make for the provisional Nationalist naval base of Caligari. In the night of the 7th L.z.S(M) Brockman and Mtr.O.Gfr Kob sighted another Soviet vessel, she was shelled to immobilization it was the STEPANOV 8,100 grt loaded with 10000 t of diesel fuel unfortunately due to the damage of the shelling she could not be taken prize and had to be sunk. In the evening on the 11th Mtr Hertzog and L.z.S(W) Fischer sighted a freighter the British “WHIRPOOL” 2,900 grt from Port Said to Barcelona loaded with 3017 t of coal destined for the Spanish Republicans the raider quickly sent the freighter to the bottom. Just after midnight on the 12th Fahnr.z.S Meyer and OStrm Witterhold spotted a large vessel approaching off the starboard bow, after an hour and half long chase the large Spanish Republic Liner “MARIA ELENA I” 8,000 grt from Alexandria and Almeria loaded with 10000 t of army and air force equipment. It turns out that the liner was outfitted as a troop/supply ship. 278 of the 330 aboard were fished out of the water. A few hours later a Dutchman came into view she was signaled to stop for a search and was promptly sent to the bottom “BACHLAAN” 5,547 grt from Alexandria to Barcelona.
No sooner had “Ship 66” cleared the area that the bridge watch again sighted another vessel Mtr.O.Gfr Hahn and Kplt.z.S Wagner this was a Norwegian freighter who turned out to be quite inquisitive it took some convincing to get her to stop for a search which turns out she was carrying contraband for the Spanish Republicans, the “RONSTAD” 6,700 grt was sent to the bottom. By 22:00 hrs. “Ship 66” was off the coasts of Libya and Egypt. On the 14th Stb.O.Fldwl Kirchner and OGfr Phillipp sighted another ship then shortly thereafter another was sighted. Soon the Hilfskreuzer shelled and torpedoed both which turned out to be Spanish Republican ships the “DOMINGO” 2,799 grt and the “MAR AZUL” 4,284 grt later in the day yet another ship was sighted by Kplt.z.S Wagner and by 12:30 hrs. the freighter was sent to the bottom she was the “REY ANTONIO” 5,263 grt from Odessa and Cartagena loaded with misc. cargo. Another Soviet freighter was sighted the “SKVORTZOV” 2,962 grt loaded with food, timber, and steel bound for the Spanish Republicans.
Again, late in the afternoon OGfr Theismann sighted another freighter the Spanish Republican Freighter “EL OLIVO” 2,800 grt from Odessa to Valencia loaded with spare parts for tanks.
The following day “Ship 66” rounded the Island of Cyprus and since the afternoon of 17.August the raider has been drifting at 1-2 knots in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Today she continues to drift awaiting for September 1st to begin the voyage back to the Gulf of Valencia to lay minefields. Then on orders from the Seekriegslietung she is to make for the Alboran Sea and continue to engage in commerce warfare. In 10 days of aggressive commerce warfare “Ship 66” has sunk 49,355 grt of shipping and captured 1 freighter for 8,800 grt totaling over 80,796 grt of shipping sunk/captured. But with success comes major problems currently we have 913 prisoners aboard plus the 600 crew equals to 1,513 aboard! we must find another ship to take prize as this number is unsustainable. If not Kapitan.z.S Hartmann will be forced to abandon his operational area and head to the Port of Cadiz to release the prisoners.
