WesWorld

Aircraft Carrier Karl der Große, Wilhelmshaven Harbour, Friday, 25 April 1947

Her captain signalled “All Stop” to the engine room, and when the answering bells faded away an uncanny silence came over the mighty aircraft carrier. After more than four months of sailing and countless thousands of revolutions of her turbines they now fell silent. Ruge reflected on their homecoming.

The British ships sent to shadow them – a reminder that Britannia still believed it ruled the waves – had broken off when the task force came into sight of Heligoland, and the ships of the task force were escorted into the Jade past the great ships of the fleet – aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers – and a host of smaller ships all lined with cheering sailors whose voices seemed to animate the very waters of the harbour. His own men – months away from home – responded lustily, shouting themselves hoarse. Soon the first liberty parties would be going ashore, while in the safety of the Jade and with dockyards at hand routine maintenance of the ships would begin – in the morning, of course. Tonight he and his crews would sleep soundly; for tonight the sailor had come home.

Monday, 28 April 1947 – The Operations Room of the Admiralstab and Elsewhere

Merten had waited patiently to see whether the Royal Navy had finished its current exercise, and his patience had been rewarded.

Early the prior morning a report from the U-boat Brasche, still monitoring the anchorage at Scapa Flow, had noted the departure of two cruisers, heading west-northwest; this information had been passed to her sister U-boat Neunaugen, which did its best to keep up with the fast moving vessels. To Merten, the course of west-northwest suggested that the cruiser-destroyer group marked “Bruno” on his plot was about to come into play. Now the Brasche was reporting heavy movements – one aircraft carrier, one battleship, and numerous escorts – also on a course to west.

“And so it begins,” he muttered, as he picked up the telephone to advise von Bassewitz-Levetzow of the latest developments.

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Tillessen, aboard the Goldener Löwe, had been surprised by the appearance of two British cruisers, who took up their own shadowing positions behind the “Bruno” force, effectively forcing the inspection ship to shadow the shadowers. “It is their exercise,” he remarked. With fog ever-present, he doubled the lookouts and ordered the funkmess watch to report anything.

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The U-boat Makrele was running submerged, relying on her air mast to feed her engines. Paepenmöller had been bringing his logbook up to date when he was called to the conning tower; the gruppenhorchgerät operator had recorded a change in the course of the “Bruno” force.

“They appear to be zig-zagging Herr Kapitän,” he explained. The change in aspect on the acoustic apparatus quite noticeable.

Paepenmöller wondered why the British vessels would do such; could it be that they had detected his boat’s presence? Might British submarines have joined in the exercise? These and others were all possible. All he could do at the moment was order the Makrele to close so as not to lose contact.

Die Welt am Sonntag, Sunday, 4 May 1947



Handelsblatt, Monday, 5 May 1947

The first of a trio of new passenger-cargo vessels has been laid down at Rostock for the Seedienst Ostpreußen. To be christened Sassnitz when completed the ship is intended for passenger and cargo services between German Baltic ports and ports in the range Danzig-Petrograd and Stockholm-Helsinki. Besides accommodation for thirty-six passengers the ship will be fitted for carriage of palletized and trailer cargo, and will be without conventional deck gear, relying on a large stern ramp and side doors for movement of her cargo.


Berlin, The Cabinet Meeting Room, Tuesday, 6 May 1947

The day’s meeting had begun with discussion of the results of the recent Belgian elections – Dehler, the Foreign Minister, was cautiously optimistic that this might presage an improvement in relations with Belgium. The general consensus was that such might be possible, but it was far too early to take it for granted.

Blank, the Defence Minister, presented a progress report on the matter of the reorientation of the national defence posture. Nothing substantial was expected before the autumn, but Blank advised that the Kriegsmarine would be holding a major staff conference within the fortnight to consider some of the latest proposals.

Von Hapsburg, the Minister of Economics, gave an update on the continuing efforts to change the nature of Germany’s economic relations with her Baltic neighbours. He had long advocated a more enlightened approach to Lithuania in particular – where the existing customs union had allowed Germany to dominate its economy. He reported that development credits had been made available to a new textile venture in the town of Alytaus, which would provide employment of more than a thousand workers. “And the direction of the firm is in the hands of local entrepreneurs,” he emphasized.

Tuesday, 29 April – At Sea, On Land

The scopes of the funkmess apparatus aboard the Goldener Löwe filled with the pips of ships and aircraft – the ships of the “Bruno” force that the inspection ship had been following for days, then a single aircraft that appeared to orbit the position of the “Bruno” force, and some hours afterward a large number of aircraft were detected making for the “Bruno” force. Visual observation of the movements of the British ships and aircraft was difficult by fog but it was clear that something major was happening.

Korvettenkapitän Tillessen soon found that he had a ring-side seat for the British exercise; after a simulated air strike, obviously delivered by a nearby aircraft carrier, a strong force of cruisers and destroyers appeared over the horizon in the early afternoon to engage the ships of the “Bruno” force. He kept the Goldener Löwe at the extreme of visual range, not wishing to provoke an incident, but concentrating on his orders to observe and gather as much information as possible. He could not tell which of the two exercise groups had obtained the upper hand, but the appearance of a British battleship on the horizon left the definite impression that the “Bruno” force had been checked.

By late afternoon the entire British force had joined up and set an eastward course; apparently this phase of the exercise was over. The Goldener Löwe followed at a respectful distance, until such time as she was ordered to resume her regular patrol duties.

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As soon as its funkmess equipment had detected an aircraft Paepenmöller had ordered the Makrele to dive to sixty metres and lowered the boat’s air mast; the sounds of many high speed screws were detected by her acoustic apparatus, but the submariner knew that his boat was safer in the depths below than near the surface; a chance ramming by a fast-moving cruiser or destroyer might be fatal to the Makrele. Discretion, he held, was the better part of valour. So the Makrele cruised at slow speed on her batteries, the sound watch tracking what could be made out, while the air in the submarine grew stale. After several hours the sounds of the screws in the British warships faded in the gruppenhorchgerät and Paepenmöller brought the boat to periscope depth.

Save for one small vessel heading eastward the area was clear; Paepenmöller ordered the Makrele to surface, to recharge her batteries and to refresh the air in the boat. When the lookouts manned their stations they reported a mass of jetsam off the boat’s bow; Paepenmöller brought the boat closer to investigate, and discovered that the mass comprised garbage from the British vessels – a common enough practice in the navies of the world when heading for port. In the fading light a working party was set to rummaging through the sodden mass on the off-chance that any useful intelligence information might be gleaned. Paepenmöller thought it highly unlikely that this would yield anything worthwhile.

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In the Operations Room Merten checked the reports from the ships tracking the British forces; it appeared that a surface action between the “Bruno” force and an uncertain number of British ships had brought the exercise to a close. The latest message from the Goldener Löwe suggested that all the British units were returning to their bases. Traffic analysis might give some further clues – and Merten hoped that with all the wireless traffic generated by this exercise that some headway might be made in disentangling the British signals code; this, however, he did not count on.

For the moment then, the plot of the North Atlantic seemed quiet.

Göttinger Tageblatt, Wednesday, 7 May 1947

A spokesman for the Ministry of Transport announced today that in cooperation with the Deutscher Wetterdienst and the Reichsinstitut Deutsche Seewarte the Kriegsmarine will begin deployment of a network of weather buoys in the North Atlantic and Norwegian Sea. Known as Wetter-Funkgerät See, this type of automated weather station was developed at the Greifswald Marine Observatory by the late Konteradmiral Heinrich Friedrich Conrad, whose pioneering work in the development of the radiosonde contributed much to modern meteorology. The buoy tender Dänholm is being outfitted to undertake this task and is expected to depart on her voyage before the end of this month.


Sächsische Zeitung, Thursday, 8 May 1947

The last Junkers Ju88E long-range reconnaissance aircraft of the Luftwaffe was retired today, the type having been replaced by the Junkers Ju288E and supplemented by the Gotha Go229. More than three hundred-fifty examples of the Ju88E were produced, in addition to several thousand of its cousin, the Ju88 twin-engine medium bomber. Of the last named, a few remain on strength in ancillary roles but it is expected that it too will pass from the Luftwaffe inventory before the end of the year.


Militär-Wochenblatt, Friday, 9 May 1947

A pre-production example of the Ardelt Leichtepanzer “Löwe" arrived in the Turkish town of Kızıltepe last week where it will undergo testing in the rugged hill country of south-eastern Turkey as part of its evaluation by the Turkish Army. The vehicle is presently being evaluated by the Heer and has shown excellent handling characteristics in winter and spring conditions at the testing grounds at Meppen. A final decision by the Heer on whether to procure the Ardelt vehicle is expected soon; an order from Turkey would certainly improve the chances of the type’s eventual manufacture. Reports also indicate that the “Löwe” is to be evaluated by the Latvian and Lithuanian armies, and Ardelt has confirmed that at least six pre-production vehicles have been produced to date.

London, The German Embassy, Saturday, 10 May 1947

Walter Schellenburg wrote up his notes on his meeting with Martin Walser, one of his many informants and his link to the adventurer Sydney Stanley – and Walser’s attentiveness to gossip at the Portland Club was paying off. Stanley had waxed lyrical in his comments on how his ‘friend’ Emanuel Shinwell had been sacked for his poor handling of the winter’s power crisis but protected by Attlee and shoved sideways to the new Commonwealth relations portfolio. Stanley’s account of Shinwell’s recent visit to Palestine was most illuminating – supposedly the British planned to disband the Transjordan Frontier Force as soon as a political settlement ended the current communal strife; Schellenburg had his doubts on that score.

He had yet to hear word from the pair of ‘irregulars’ he had sent north to investigate the town of Warrington and the nearby place called Risley. He hoped that they could shed light on the mystery of what was happening there.


Die Welt am Sonntag, Sunday, 11 May 1947



Emder Zeitung, Monday, 12 May 1947

The inspection ship Roter Löwe departed for Arctic waters today. In contrast to previous occasions the spokesman for the Ministry of Defence would not enlarge on her intended mission. Previously it had announced that the buoy tender Dänholm would take the place of the Roter Löwe in carrying out weather observations this spring.

Kieler Nachrichten, Tuesday, 13 May 1947

At the dockyards here the Manching-class air defence frigates Stockach and Gailingen were completed, while in Flensburg their sisters Chemnitz and Mohlsdorf joined the ever-increasing numbers of ships queueing to undergo trials and training before joining the fleet. Four further vessels of this class are to be laid down in the summer, assuring the work force of the shipyards work for many months to come.


Dithmarscher Landeszeitung, Wednesday, 14 May 1947

The buoy tender Dänholm departed today to begin her mission of deploying a series of weather buoys in the Norwegian Sea. The data obtained from these floating weather stations is expected to allow the Deutscher Wetterdienst to more accurately forecast weather over the western portion of the European continent.


Eisenbahn Kurier, Thursday, 15 May 1947

Marine Kriegsakademie Stralsund, Tuesday, 13 May 1947

The murmur of quiet conversation in the auditorium came to a stop when the doors opened to admit Generaladmiral Hermann von Fischel, Chief of Naval Operations. The officers present stood to attention and remained so as von Fischel strode to the podium. The admiral’s staff filed in behind him and stood at their seats on the right side of the hall.

“Be seated Gentlemen,” the Admiral said, and the sea of blue uniforms moved as one. Von Fischel paused a few moments before speaking.

“As you know the Minister of Defence had called for this conference some months ago to consider the options available to the Kriegsmarine in the forthcoming quadriennium as to force levels, equipment, organisation, and doctrine. In the past six months we have maintained a high operations tempo, and the number of new vessels coming forward continues. We have learned much, and we have much to discuss. However, before examining in detail our own requirements, I have asked Kapitän Gerlach and Kapitän Merten to brief us on the recently concluded British training exercises in the North Sea. I believe that you will find their conclusions most illuminating.”

Merten, Director of Naval Operations had spent the last fortnight attempting to unravel what had happened during the British exercise and what it meant; Gerlach, Director of Naval Intelligence, had provided additional information, obtained from a variety of sources, that unlocked some of the anomalies that had confused Merten during the actual days of the British operation. Merten began the presentation while an assistant drew back the curtain on a large map of the North Sea that hung at the rear of the stage.

“The exercise proper appears to have begun at midnight, 15 April, with movement of many warships from Scapa Flow and other bases in Scotland,” Merten began. “Prior to this point a force – comprising three light carriers, five cruisers, eleven destroyers, two sloops, and four auxiliary vessels had been concentrated at Harwich. As best as we can determine this force was meant to be the opposition force for the exercise – in our tracking it was designated as the ‘Albrecht’ group.” He paused while the wall map was updated to show the initial movement of the ‘Albrecht’ group.

“In reaction to the movement of the ‘Albrecht’ group a large force of British vessels moved across the North Sea to take up patrol positions near the Shetland Islands, the Viking Bank, and the Fisher Banks. This force – we estimate it included at least two aircraft carriers, three battleships, and ten cruisers, with numerous destroyers – was designated ‘Julius’, and was clearly intended to intercept the ‘Albrecht’ group within the eastern portion of the North Sea.”

The markers on the map behind Merten took on a configuration familiar to many of the officers present – that of the Skagerrakschlacht of the Great War; indeed, some of the senior officers had been present at that battle. Merten could see heads nodding, and some shaking.

“Despite the presence of three aircraft carriers in the ‘Albrecht’ group air operations appeared to be tentative at best,” continued Merten, drawing on the observations of the Marineflieger crews that had overflown the British vessels. “Aircraft operations were hesitant, relatively few aircraft were employed on air search, and the combat air patrol was thin.”

Gerlach spoke up at this point. “From traffic analysis we believe that two of the aircraft carriers in the ‘Albrecht’ force were ships of the Albion class – we have identified HMS Centaur as one of them. These are recently commissioned vessels, and their actions may reflect the state of their training.”

Merten nodded. “Yes – the composition of the ‘Albrecht’ group offers insight into British operational thinking; it also offers insight into the current limitations of the Royal Navy. Based upon all information we have gathered thus far we are forced to conclude that the ‘Albrecht’ group was intended to reflect a Kriegsmarine task force attempting to break out into the North Atlantic.”

Several guffaws echoed from the back of the auditorium, which were stifled quickly by a scowl from Admiral von Fischel.

“On 16 April the ‘Albrecht’ and ‘Julius’ forces exchanged air strikes – they were approximately one hundred kilometres distant at the time, and several sub-units were involved,” Merten explained. “The commander of the ‘Albrecht’ group made the tactical error of dividing his forces, detaching the bulk of his screening vessels in a vain attempt to initiate surface combat with a sub-unit of the ‘Julius’ force. The ‘Albrecht’ group was attacked while attempting to recover its aircraft and its subsequent movements indicate that the exercise umpires must have ruled that it took heavy damage.”

Vizeadmiral Ernst Lindemann, Commander, Battle Force, who had been in the plotting room of the Admiralstab at the time asked, “Do we have any information regarding the outcome of the surface engagement between the two groups?”

Gerlach answered, “We are still attempting to analyse the information obtained by observation from Wiesbaden and Kolberg, and to decrypt the wireless transmission intercepted during the whole of the exercise. The retirement of the ‘Albrecht’ group indicates that whatever the details, its presumed losses did not allow it to continue its attempt to break out.”

Vizeadmiral Werner Lindenau, Commander, Aircraft Carrier Force, the driving force behind the Kriegsmarine’s air-centric structure inquired, “Your analysis supposes the presence of three aircraft carriers yet you describe their activity as ‘tentative’. What explanation can you offer for this apparent disparity between means and results?”

Gerlach seemed prepared for the question. “The Albion class vessels have only recently entered service; it is possible, even likely, that their air groups are inexperienced. Further, our intelligence data suggests that the Royal Navy sees these vessels as primarily air defence and scouting platforms for surface units rather than striking forces in their own right. In size and employment they are not unlike our own Wallenstein and Pappenheim.”

At this point Admiral von Fischel intervened. “Gentlemen, I know that you have many questions, but I ask that you hold them until the presentation is complete, as I know that some will be answered by it.”

Marine Kriegsakademie Stralsund, Tuesday, 13 May 1947

Kapitän Merten continued with the briefing of the assembled senior officers on the analysis of the recently concluded British exercise.

“For the next several days there was an operational pause while the vessels involved performed unit training; our observations of such were limited in scope and we can draw no firm conclusions on the results. It was not until 22 April that the exercise was resumed. At the outset of this phase a force of two cruisers and three destroyers departed Scapa Flow on a course to the north-north-west; for tracking purposes this group was labelled ‘Bruno’. Its role was not immediately clear to us; its movements took it to the vicinity of the Denmark Strait, where it re-entered the exercise in its third phase.”

“Our patrolling vessels then tracked a force of four auxiliaries escorted by two sloops in the vicinity of the Eigersund Bank; these were obviously a part of the original ‘Albrecht’ group and were labelled as such.” The plotting map was brought up to date; Merten paused a moment to allow those assembled to orient themselves to the situation – as it would grow bewildering in short order. He saw jaws drop among some of the officers in the front rows.

“Yes, it appears that for this portion of the exercise the British presumed that desperation would demand that their enemy attempt to pass a slow convoy with bare escort out into the Atlantic; I say slow convoy as it was limited to the speed of its slowest vessel – which we have identified as a Dale-class oiler – whose speed is little more than eleven knots. From their absence from this portion of the exercise, we presume that the aircraft carriers that had previously formed a part of the ‘Albrecht’ group had been judged by the exercise umpires as sunk or otherwise hors de combat.”

“Though subsequently joined by two cruisers and a destroyer the reformed ‘Albrecht’ group lacked sufficient force to defend itself. A small air strike was launched against it from an aircraft carrier operating with the ‘Julius’ force, which apparently scored little damage – as the ‘Albrecht’ group continued on its northerly course. However, a second air strike followed later in the day; in much greater numbers and with more obvious effect; at the time it was believed that the entire ‘Albrecht’ group had been defeated and its retirement noted by Wiesbaden and Kolberg.”

“You say ‘believed’,” interjected Kapitän zur See Karl-Adolf Zenker, an officer on the staff of Vizeadmiral Langsdorff. “I take it that this air strike was not completely effective?”

“Quite so Herr Kapitän,” Merten replied. “One supply ship and an escorting sloop attempted to continue the breakout but were attacked by additional carrier-based aircraft and intercepted by surface vessels. It rapidly became clear that they had been judged as destroyed by the exercise umpires.”

Admiral von Fischel noted the effect that Merten’s analysis was having on the audience – the sense of disbelief was palpable. “Kapitän Gerlach”, he said, “At this point I believe you have some information that will help us to digest this analysis.”

“Thank you Herr Admiral,” Gerlach said, as he took the podium. “The scenarios outlined in our analysis may seem somewhat unrealistic – they are however our best estimation of how the British view naval warfare and the strategic situation between our two countries. This tells us much regarding the thought processes within the British Admiralty and the senior leadership of the Royal Navy. It also tells us much about the limitations of the Royal Navy in executing naval warfare in this day and age.” He paused to let his words sink in.

“Gentlemen, despite the overall greater strength of the Royal Navy, Britain’s Imperial commitments constrains the forces it can retain in home waters. Our best intelligence estimates are that the Home Fleet comprises only seven aircraft carriers, five battleships, eight heavy and twenty-seven light cruisers, with approximately seventy destroyers. In terms of aircraft carriers and capital ships, the heart of the modern fleet, the Kriegsmarine has surpassed the Royal Navy in European waters.”

There were a few looks of surprise among the assembled officers; there were also knowing nods.

“This lack of overall numbers constrains the Royal Navy in attempting to mimic two balanced task forces participating in the exercise. The relatively weak force-mix of the ‘Albrecht’ group was no doubt derived from observation of our own peace-time movements, where the ships of the fleet train depart in company with combatant units, or, as in the most recent extended exercise in the South Atlantic, where additional supply elements followed under light escort. The Royal Navy obviously assumes that under war conditions we would operate in the same manner.”

This comment drew a ripple of laughter, which von Fischel permitted to continue a moment, before ending it with a simple “Please continue Herr Kapitän.”

Gerlach resumed speaking. “It is clear from our understanding of the exercise scenarios that the Royal Navy appreciates our strategic weakness brought about by the lack of overseas bases and sees in our need for an extensive fleet train a vulnerability that can be exploited. It is also clear that they have overestimated their ability to cope with a true war situation, one that would entail a concentration of forces on our part. This afternoon’s break-out sessions will permit further discussion of these points. At this point I would return the presentation to Kapitän Merten for a review of the third phase of the British exercise.”

Hamburger Abendblatt, Friday, 16 May 1947

Today in the Deschimag yards here the minesweepers Rappensee and Heidensee were completed. The lead vessels of a group of eight, work on their sisters Boggensee and Lautersee is already well advanced. A spokesman for Deschimag stated that it is expected that construction of the next pair will commence this summer, and all will have been laid down by the end of the year.


Kieler Nachrichten, Saturday, 17 May 1947

Work on conversion of the small support tanker Mur was completed today and the vessel has now embarked on her trials and operational training.


Nürnberger Nachrichten, Sunday, 18 May 1947

Flanked by Minister of Transport Gottfried Treviranus, Minister of Labor Wilhelm Niklas, and a host of provincial officials, Chancellor Adenauer formally opened the section of the National Motorways linking Nürnberg with the city of Erlangen. In prepared remarks the Chancellor praised the workers who completed the final section on time despite the unseasonable weather of this winter. An official motorcade travelled the newly opened motorway and further celebrations were held at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität in Erlangen.

Marine Kriegsakademie Stralsund, Tuesday, 13 May 1947

Merten nodded and signalled his assistants to change the map configuration; it now showed only the small ‘Bruno’ group of cruisers and destroyers operating in the vicinity of the Denmark Strait.

“The ‘Bruno’ force, we deduce, was intended to represent an opposition-force surface action group set to prey upon British sea lines of communications. It also afforded the Royal Navy the opportunity to exercise in Arctic waters, but we have no good observations on those outcomes save that none of the British vessels encountered an iceberg.” Merten noted that several of his listeners suppressed a chuckle.

“On Sunday, 26 April, two cruisers were noted departing from Scapa Flow, heading west-northwest; a U-boat was alerted to track them; however, this was unsuccessful, as the two vessels were operating at very high speed. The following morning another British force - one aircraft carrier, one battleship, and numerous escorts – also left Scapa Flow. We interpret this as (1) a force sent to locate and shadow the ‘Bruno’ group and (2) a battle group sent to seek and destroy the raiding force. Subsequent actions by the exercise participants seem to confirm this supposition.”

“On 29 April ‘battle’ was joined between the two exercise forces. Due to the limitations of the assets available to us our interpretation of the action is incomplete. The patrol ship Goldener Löwe observed an air strike delivered on the ships of the ‘Bruno’ force, followed by a surface engagement between it and the opposing British cruisers and destroyers; the accompanying battleship did not engage. As the vessels of both groups returned to port following the simulated engagement, it appears that the ‘Bruno’ raiding force was sufficiently ‘crippled’ to achieve exercise victory conditions.”

Admiral von Fischel concluded, “Thank you. I will now open the floor to questions for our analysts.”

Marine Kriegsakademie Stralsund, Tuesday, 13 May 1947

Kapitäns Merten and Gerlach did not lack for questions once the floor was opened.

Konteradmiral Hans Hartmann, Commander, Supply and Service Force, rose and inquired, “According to the interpretation of the exercise, the ‘Albrecht’ group included four fleet auxiliaries whose mission, it is presumed, was to supply a force operating at sea. Have you any information on how such operations were carried out?”

Merten was the first to respond. “According to our patrol aircraft no underway replenishment operations were observed during the course of the exercise; as the ‘Albrecht’ group was unable to reach the Norwegian Sea before interception, we do not know if there was any intent to carry out such operations as part of the exercise. The selection of the four auxiliary vessels involved – all relatively slow – suggest that no significant exercises were anticipated.”

“However Herr Admiral,” Gerlach hastened to add, “The absence of such activity in the current series of exercises ought not to suggest that the Royal Navy is incapable of performing underway replenishment operations. Our most recent assessments of the Royal Navy’s shipbuilding programme indicates that several new classes of fast combat support ships are under construction – and these would significantly augment British capacity to maintain their forces at sea. Still, it seems that the Royal Navy still relies on its extensive network of bases overseas to provide logistics support for fleet units.”

After several follow-up questions, Vizeadmiral Lindenau returned to the question of the British aircraft carriers deployed in the exercise. “Two of the three aircraft carriers deployed with the ‘Albrecht’ group were identified as Albion-class. These vessels are new; could you elaborate on their capabilities?”

Gerlach replied, “The class dates from 1945, and were originally designated Carriers K and L. They displace some sixteen thousand tons, and are believed to have speed in excess of thirty knots. Our information suggests they can operate approximately fifty aircraft; their self-defence armament is limited to director controlled 57mm guns, and they are reputed to have an extensive suite of electronics.”

Lindenau nodded. “Perhaps closer to Großer Kurfürst and her sisters than to Wallenstein?”

“Yes Herr Admiral,” Gerlach admitted.

Vizeadmiral Ruge, sitting next to Lindenau, piped up. “I will still take my flagship any day.” Which brought a chuckle of relief.

Further questions followed, indicating the high level of interest the analysis of the British exercise sparked in the assembled officers. Merten and Gerlach fielded them to the best of their ability. After some minutes a French officer stood. Capitaine de vaisseau Jean-Stephane Lizot was a liaison officer of the Marine Nationale.

“Kapitän Merten, you indicated that one of the aircraft monitoring the British ‘Julius’ force detected a signals anomaly during the first contacts between the ‘Albrecht’ group and patrolling cruisers. Can you explain further?”

Merten explained as much as he could. “One of our aircraft was monitoring the frequency used by the British electronic detection devices and noted a sudden strong noise signal emanating from the ‘Julius’ force, which swamped all other emissions on that frequency. This appears to have been deliberate; the strength of the noise signal would have rendered any detection apparatus operating on that frequency blind.”

“This suggests deliberate jamming on the part of the British,” Lizot concluded.

“Indeed, it does,” Merten continued. “That is still be investigated.”

This began a flurry of questions of a technical nature that caused von Fischel to intervene.

“Gentlemen, I regret that those best equipped to answer your questions on this particular matter are not present – they are engaged in unravelling the true import of the discovery. Mittagessen will be served in the officers’ mess in a few moments, and I suggest that we adjourn at this point and move to our break-out sessions when we reconvene.”

“Allow me to reiterate however that whatever interpretation we place upon this British exercise, there is no indication of a change of policy by the British Government. It is our duty to consider the worst case scenario but we must not allow it to colour our thinking to too great a degree.”

With this he stood, and the other officers did also.

Marine Kriegsakademie Stralsund, Tuesday, 13 May 1947

Protocol placed Vice-Admiral Gordey Levchenko near the head of the long mess table, with Vizeadmirals Lindenau, Ruge, and Lindemann close at hand; Generaladmiral von Fischel of course sat at the head of the table, and to Levchenko’s right there sat numerous rear admirals and senior captains. White-jacketed mess attendants moved quietly to serve unobtrusively so as not to interrupt the inevitable conversations. Levchenko had found the morning’s discussions enlightening yet he wondered; addressing himself to von Fischel he said, “Admiral, I comprehend the analysis of the British exercise, but is it that likely that the English now see the German Navy as a primary adversary?”

Von Fischel paused a moment before replying, “Given what is known regarding the deployment of the Royal Navy, I do not think so; yet the elements of the exercise do appear predicated on facing the Kriegsmarine. Their focus on surface action, however, misses the mark.”

Lindenau picked up the thread of conversation. “The aircraft carrier is at once a powerful and vulnerable weapon of war; it is capable of projecting power over great distances – yet to do so without inviting destruction requires that it be used in mass and supported by other escort vessels to defend first and foremost against air attack. The British appear to be willing to risk their aircraft carriers within gun range of surface vessels; given their unwillingness to execute thorough and long-range searches, it would seem to be a situation in which they expect to find themselves. By extension, they expect their enemies to do likewise.”

“You recall,” Ruge added, “that when we sailed in company our air search extended up to three hundred kilometres over a broad arc.”

“True,” Levchenko acknowledged, “but it absorbed a significant portion of your aircraft.”

“Which is why aircraft carriers must be used en masse,” Lindenau said, with emphasis. “With combined air groups numbering more than two hundred aircraft a task force has the resources to mount long-range search, combat air patrols, and antisubmarine searches and still have sufficient aircraft for a substantial strike force.” Levchenko recalled that the German Navy’s air arm had once belonged to the German Air Force, with the youthful service’s belief in air power. But he had to admit the logic of Lindenau’s argument.


Further down the table sat Gerlach and Merten, opposite Lizot and Capitaine de vaisseau Paul Morin, their French counterparts. The insights of the two French officers had proven useful in sharpening the analysis presented that morning, yet something still nagged at the back of Morin’s mind.

“The Labour Government in Britain, like the Conservatives before the last election, has spoken often about a ‘Peace Dividend’,” he said quietly. “Is it possible that the British Admiralty staged this exercise as part of a campaign to provoke a response by Germany that in turn would justify increased naval estimates?”

The three captains looked at him incredulously. Lizot spoke first. “You have been reading Machiavelli again,” he cautioned deprecatingly.

“No,” Morin continued. “Look at the machinations that took place before passage of the British Naval Defence Act of 1889. The Government was first convinced of a need to match foreign naval construction, then public sentiment was whipped up with jingoism, and Parliament finally won over with the argument that increased naval construction in the near term would deter foreign powers from competing with Britain on the seas in the long run.”

Merten shook his head. “I doubt that the British would adopt so Byzantine a policy in the current situation. So long as France, Russia, and Germany maintain a united front Britain cannot out-build our combined fleets.”

Gerlach considered the argument. As Director of Naval Intelligence it was his duty to consider all possible alternatives, but this suggestion boiled over into the realm of politics, and its investigation lay more in the bailiwick of the Abwehr. He made a mental note to informally discuss the idea with his counterparts there, though he suspected it would turn out to be a chimera.

Peenemünde Test Station, Monday, 19 May 1947

The barge was anchored several kilometres off the beach; the tug that had towed it thence had stood off. The small crew aboard the barge now readied the large weather balloon for launch, slowly filling it with helium. A careful observer would have noted that the payload attached to the balloon was no ordinary radiosonde; it was in fact a small test rocket. As the balloon rose it took the strain of the weight of the rocket and began to carry it aloft. The balloon’s tether line was then loosened and it rose into the bright morning sky.

Observers in several small craft nearby watched its progress carefully, thankful for the relative lack of wind. The only telemetry emanating from the balloon was an indication of its altitude. When it reached eight thousand metres one of the operators threw a switch; observers noted a bright flash from beneath the balloon and then the balloon itself had seemed to disappear. Moments later its remains splashed into the waters of the Baltic.

The technicians responsible for the test were satisfied with the results. The test rocket carried aloft by the balloon had been successfully fired by remote control. The concept had been proven – and their next challenge was to repeat the test with a real payload. And that would take time.


Kieler Nachrichten, Tuesday, 20 May 1947

The submarines Äsche, Drachenfisch, and Huchen completed their operational training today and have arrived here to take up their assignment with the fleet.


Dithmarscher Landeszeitung, Wednesday, 21 May 1947

The submarines Hecht and Seeteufel were completed today at the Wilhelmshaven dockyard while their sister Maifisch was completed at Kiel. They are the last of the current production run of Typ XXI fleet submarines and will now embark on trials and working up.

Marine Kriegsakademie Stralsund, Wednesday, 14 May 1947

The conference reconvened the following morning, its focus shifting to the after-action analysis of the Kriegsmarine’s winter exercises in the South Atlantic and its joint operations with the Russians during its homeward voyage. Vizeadmiral Friedrich Ruge, who had been in overall command of the Kriegsmarine’s forces during the exercise, opened the briefing with a summary of its objectives.

“The task force put to sea on 22 December in anticipation of severe weather that would curtail unit training during the forthcoming winter; a secondary objective was to test the ability of the Service Force and the Etappendienst to sustain a major elements of the fleet operating in distant waters for sustained periods.”

Ruge continued, touching upon the difficulties encountered in the North Atlantic due to the winter weather; flight operations were impacted, with delays encountered in launch and recovery due to wind gusts and the pitching the ships’ decks. These were overcome, though operational and non-operational losses put a strain on the maintenance crews. “It was necessary to draw heavily on the stocks of spare aircraft and parts to keep adequate aircraft strength” he admitted.

By mid-January the task force had reached the calmer waters of the tropics, and flight training could resume with little interruption. “Air-to-air gunnery drills were carried out regularly, with increasing levels of proficiency on the part of the pilots involved,” Ruge reported. “Likewise, dive and torpedo bombing training was carried out. The extended good flying weather significantly contributed to the results.”

Ruge then described the rendezvous with the Wallenstein and her escorts; that carrier had been touring South America for the previous several months and was now free to resume regular operations with the fleet. “The additional aircraft ferried aboard the task force were flown off to Wallenstein without incident. However, the use of units of the fleet for ferry purposes detracts from their primary mission.”

He noted the ever-increasing number of supply ships that were called upon to support the task force during its extended mission. “Despite the distance from our own harbours the Service Force made available an adequate number of tankers and support ships, and the efforts of the Etappendienst to arrange the availability of supplies in the region were exemplary. However, there were occasions when the movements of the task force were constrained due to concerns regarding fuel supplies. While adequate for a peacetime exercise, under war conditions significant risks would be run.”

There were nods from most of the officers in the audience. The fuel situation for the aircraft carriers and their escorting cruisers would be far less critical than for their escorting destroyers. Operating at high speed would rapidly exhaust their fuel stocks and impinge on their stability in heavy weather. Water ballast could be taken on in an emergency, but all captains sought to avoid that necessity if at all possible.

Ruge continued, “Losses due to all causes amounted to thirty-eight aircraft, or nineteen percent of the first-line complement of the air groups. While these were made good thanks to the use of spare aircraft carried aboard the carriers in a disassembled state, actual combat attrition would be at a far higher rate, rapidly reducing the strength of embarked air groups. The development of the means to rapidly replace aircraft losses is vital if task forces are expected to remain deployed for any significant period of time.”

This conclusion came as a surprise to many of the officers present, though not to the carrier admirals, who had long argued for the need for some sort means to assure the maintenance of operational air strength. The relatively large number of spare aircraft carried aboard the carriers of the Kriegsmarine – even Großer Kurfürst and her sisters carried sixteen such – was intended to fulfil that need. Admiral Ruge’s revelation indicated that losses in extended peacetime operations would stretch that stopgap to the limit.

Der Tagesspiegel, Thursday, 22 May 1947

In the Deschimag yards at Bremerhaven and Cuxhaven work continues on the first quartet of the new Torgau-class destroyers, launched last week. The lead ship, Torgau, with her sisters Bautzen, Dessau, and Gustrow, are expected to complete before the end of the year. In their places on the stocks workers are preparing to lay down the second quartet of vessels of this class, scheduled to begin in the summer.


Militär-Wochenblatt, Friday, 23 May 1947

The Army Armaments Office has approved the fielding of the new Quetschkopfgeschoss 47 demolition and anti-materiel munitions developed for the 7.5cm Sturmwagenkanone, the 7.5cm Kraftwagenkanone, and the 8.8cm Kraftwagenkanone.


The Inspection Ship Roter Löwe, 79 dgs, 20 min North, 1 dgs, 23 min East, Saturday, 24 May 1947

The Roter Löwe slowly made her way through the outer reaches of the retreating winter pack ice. Arctic waters were a natural habitat for her but rarely had she ventured this far north so early in the season. Aloft her lookouts scanned for possible channels through the thinning ice, as her orders were to sail as far north as feasible before depositing her passengers.

A small naval party augmented by several civilian scientists was to establish a polar research station for the summer months. This, combined with the placement of several automated weather stations, was to augment the buoy network being laid in the Norwegian Sea, with the resultant data aiding weather prediction across Europe.

Marine Kriegsakademie Stralsund, Wednesday, 14 May 1947

At this juncture Generaladmiral von Fischel rose to introduce the next speaker.

“Gentlemen, it is my honour to ask Vice-Admiral Gordey Levchenko, Russian Federation Navy, to address us on his observations and conclusions from Exercise ‘Viribus Unitas’. Admiral Levchenko is a senior task force commander in Russia’s Northern Fleet, with wide experience; I believe you will find his alternative point of view enlightening and worthy of consideration.” The introduction was concluded with a round of polite applause.

“Thank you Generaladmiral,” replied Levchenko. He began by outlining how his ships, comprising Operational Group Yunona 1.1, came to be present in the Atlantic at the time Ruge’s task force was returning from its deployment. His four new battleships were temporarily operating from the French port of Brest due to the severe winter weather. “Our orders from Admiral Kuznetzov, CinC Northern Fleet, were deceptively simple, ‘Find a good North Atlantic storm and practice in it’; the opportunity to exercise with the Kriegsmarine came as a welcome break from such manoeuvres.”

This remark drew a brief ripple of laughter. “In the first phase of our joint operations activity was confined to a simple cruise in company. Admiral Ruge and I were able to work out temporary operational and signals protocols to limit confusion and promote cooperation between our two task forces, which permitted greater integration of our ships. Liaison officers were exchanged to better address differences in operating procedures and in language. Subsequent screening and gunnery exercises were carried out without serious mishap, thanks to the care exercises by all participants.”

Levchenko continued with his summary, including his observations on the thoroughness of German underway replenishment activities. “The only adverse comments I can make are those relating to the equipment differences between our two navies – under true wartime conditions my ships would have been at a disadvantage due to differences in ammunition and specific spare parts and stores. This is a long-term question of logistics inter-operability, and one not easily resolved.”

There were nods. The Grand Alliance was still relatively new, and entrenched interests everywhere hindered adoption of common specifications for all manner of materiel. “Nicht hier erfunden” was not a syndrome exclusive to any one nation.

“In terms of lessons-learned”, Levchenko concluded, I would offer the following.

“Our navies should give further thought to how best to communicate efficiently and securely between various national forces - both beyond the horizon and when operating in close company.”

“For Viribus Unitas, manoeuvres were carried out by mutual agreement between Admiral Ruge and myself; in times of greater stress or with different personalities, a senior task force commander should be designated for any united task force.”

“I believe it might be advantageous for our navies to create a semi-permanent task force charged with the mission of developing better allied cooperation. Such a task force could serve as 'command school' formation to train a cadre of officers and seamen who are accustomed in being subordinate to a commander from a different nationality (or commanding such a force). It could test communication protocols and equipment intended to further more efficient communication between allied forces at sea. And lastly it would provide a regular means of feedback to the different high commands with regards to improving tactics, strategies, and operational arts.”

With this Admiral Levchenko concluded his briefing. Von Fischel returned to the podium and offered his thanks for a most thought-provoking presentation. “We will now recess for a brief period; light refreshments will be available in the adjoining wardroom. When we resume we will hear from Konteradmirals Hartmann and Wagner on the logistics aspects of the exercises.

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

His four new battleships were in the process of transferring from the Black Sea, where they had been constructed, to the Northern Fleet and were temporarily operating from the French port of Brest due to the severe winter weather.

One slight correction: the Rostislavs were all constructed on the Baltic, not the Black, Sea, with all of the ships being constructed in the shipyards in the Petrograd region. The confusion likely rises because the crews for all four ships were drawn from the personnel of the 2nd Battle Squadron - the six battleships that composed the Black Sea Fleet's capital ship formation prior to their retirement.

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Levchenko continued with his summary, including his observations on the thoroughness of German underway replenishment activities. “The only adverse comments I can make are those relating to the equipment differences between our two navies – under true wartime conditions my ships would have been at a disadvantage due to differences in ammunition and specific spare parts and stores. This is a long-term question of logistics inter-operability, and one not easily resolved.”

There were nods. The Grand Alliance was still relatively new, and entrenched interests everywhere hindered adoption of common specifications for all manner of materiel. “Nicht hier erfunden” was not a syndrome exclusive to any one nation.

...although FAR had a go at it back before Germany joined; and France and Russia have several items of equipment that they mutually standardized on, and shall be doing more in the future. Get with the program, Germany!

Which reminds me that France bought a number of German Do330s, which is one of the many new aircraft I need to add to my encyclopedia. Get with the program, France!

Quoted

One slight correction: the Rostislavs were all constructed on the Baltic, not the Black, Sea, with all of the ships being constructed in the shipyards in the Petrograd region.

Fixed. Thanks. ;)

No problem - and well written, I like it.