Hilfskreuzer Schiff 44 (HSK-16) “Afrika”

[CPTLTJASON]

12/19/1939 Central Atlantic 32°35’N, 34°17’W 130th day at sea

Since the last report Ship 77 has sailed over 30,000km and sunk 177,822 grt of shipping. Ship 77 cruised the Caribbean once more as far east as Port-of-Spain however no shipping was sighted, then she made for the Yucatan Channel where she stopped and inspected 12 vessels all of which were let go. Entering the Gulf of Mexico, no shipping was sighted, Hartmann then steered into the Straits of Florida where on 11/24 a neutral American freighter was sighted, Ship 77 turned away making no contact with the ship.

Three days later Ship 77 passed the Island of Tortuga the following day off Haiti the bridge watch sighted mastheads and the Hilfskreuzer’s artillery was soon shelling the vessel, which was the Southern Line Ltd, Co. ship KRIKLAND 5,159 grt in ballast from Kingston to Tampico the English freighter was sunk and 49 were taken prisoner. Ship 77 returned to the Atlantic on 11/30 and again began to hunt for British merchant ships. On 12/7 Ship 77 sighted a 2 stack liner and closed in, by 17:39 Ship 77 has sunk the Australian Harris Line Co. RANGOON 9,885 grt from Sydney to Southampton she was to be converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser, 139 were taken prisoner. From 12/8-12/18 Ship 77’s boarding parties were busy boarding and inspecting 38 ships. After thorough inspections all were released. Due to the high concentration of British warships in pursuit of the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee Kapitan.z.S Hartmann decides to remain in the North Atlantic.

Ship 77 will proceed north to operate between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Azores afterwards she will make for the French coast to lay mines then loop around the Azores and begin the trek southwards into the South Atlantic.