WesWorld

London, The German Embassy, Tuesday, 13 April 1948

Walter Schellenburg read the morning edition of the Daily Mail with more than mild interest, “Massive German Fleet Spotted – Navy to Shadow” its headline read. The evening before the Press Attaché, Erich Andres, had dined with Hector Puncheon, one of the Mail’s reporters, and let ‘slip’ certain details of Unterhehmen Donnerschlag, which duly appeared in its story – a story picked up in several degrees by other of London’s dailies. Today, not surprisingly, Andres had been kept busy dealing with the many newspaper reporters who had besieged the embassy looking for news – particularly in light of the Ambassador’s early morning summons to the Foreign Office.

The news filtering back to Schellenburg himself suggested that there was growing dissatisfaction with the Government’s response to the German exercise, not only from the Tory opposition but even from some Labour back-benchers. It was too early for any of his own agents to report on specifics, but the tenor of discussions in London’s clubs and pubs had taken on a decidedly jingoistic tone. On the one hand, this seemed a defeat for Schellenburg’s own strategy of making friends and influencing people. Given its limited success, Berlin had apparently opted for something more dramatic. In any event, Donnerschlag had attracted Britain’s attention.


Innsbruck, Provincial Police Headquarters, Wednesday, 14 April 1948

Walter Gerike and Erwin Sander had been ordered to remain in Innsbruck to continue their efforts to combat the thugs plaguing the towns along the frontier. The party they had captured in Neustift had been identified as belonging to an Italian criminal group called the Camorra. Inquiries to the Abwehr and the embassy in Rome told a sad tale. The Italian Government was riddled with those sympathetic to or suborned by this Camorra, or the Sicilian Mafia, or the ominously named Mano Nera. Allied with right-wing political elements they had turned Italy back into a collection of private fiefdoms.

“I don’t see that we can stop these thugs from operating along our frontiers if we cannot go after them where they live,” said Sandler in disgust. “The frontier is just too long.”

Gerike had to agree with him. For large scale movement between the two countries there were a limited number of rail or road crossings. For determined men willing to risk the dangers of trails over the Alps however, the opportunities were limitless.

“That could bring about a full-scale war with Italy,” he replied at last. “I do not think Berlin would authorise ‘hot pursuit’ in any case.” He paused. “But they might be willing to authorise formation of local self-defence groups to back stop the Grenzers and ‘discourage’ armed thugs.”

They agreed that such a course might work, and began to jot down ideas for a formal proposal for submission to headquarters in Berlin.


Cruiser Novara, 6 dgs 53 min North, 120 dgs 34 min East, Thursday, 15 April 1948

Konteradmiral Rogge had led the larger portion of the East Asia Squadron across the South China Sea and into the Sulu Sea; on the morning they would call at the Philippine port of Zamboanga. There, having topped off his bunkers, the Novara and her consorts would cross the Celebes Sea and pass to the north of New Guinea. They exchanged salutes with a Philippine sloop sent out to greet them, and cruised in company towards their destination.

Copenhagen, Asiatisk Plads, Friday, 16 April 1948

Niels Rasmussen, Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, received his guest with great affability – it was one of his strengths – but today he sensed it would avail him little. The German ambassador, Gustav Alexander Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, appeared to be in high dudgeon.

After the minimum of pleasantries the ambassador got straight to his mission. “My government wishes to inform you that a British submarine was sighted in the Bay of Danzig four days ago”. To emphasize his words he took out several photographs of the boat, flying the White Ensign of the Royal Navy, together with photographs of her crew. “My government has not yet determined how this vessel came to be in the location where it was discovered but it could have only entered the Baltic Sea through the Great Belt or other Danish territorial waters. My government is concerned that it may have carried out this transit with the permission or connivance of the Danish government; while I have assured Berlin that such a belief is misplaced, I must formally ask your excellency whether Denmark is aware of this transit or not?”

Rasmussen was shocked at the news. He immediately assured Sayn-Wittgenstein that the Danish Government had given no such permission for a transit of its waters by a British warship.

“I am glad to hear that your excellency,” replied the German ambassador. “No doubt the Danish government is distressed that its territorial waters might have been abused by a friendly nation in time of peace.”

And so Rasmussen was. The last thing he wished was to give even the suggestion of a casus belli to its neighbour. Choosing he words carefully he advised the German ambassador that he would protest the matter to the British Government and thanked him for providing evidence to support the demarche.


London, The German Embassy, Saturday, 17 April 1948

Walter Schellenburg read the latest British newspapers with a grim satisfaction. For days now their headlines had been filled with reports of the massive German fleet operating off the coast of Scotland and northeast England, while the Royal Navy either sat in its own harbours or crawled around the west coast of Scotland painfully. The Conservative press, led by Lord Beaverbrook’s Daily Express, excoriated the Labour Government for inaction in the face of the perceived affront offered by the German exercise. In Parliament, when Prime Minister Atlee had attempted to assure the House that the Government was doing everything possible to ensure the safety of main shipping routes, his speech had been greeted with howls of “Shame”, and there were even rumours of a move for a vote of no confidence.

His own sources suggested that the Cabinet was divided on what to do. According to one report – which Schellenburg ascribed to the well-placed fixer Sidney Stanley, Bevin, the Foreign Secretary had argued that Britain’s response should be immediate and precipitate – to descend upon the “unprotected coast of the Fatherland and put the bloody wind up the Hun.” This had failed to garner any significant support, and the cautious movements of the Home Fleet conveyed the fact that the British Admiralty had a better understanding of the balance of forces than the Cabinet. The same report indicated that a suggestion by Commonwealth Secretary Shinwell to ask the Canadian Government for assistance had been discarded as well. This Schellenburg found quite illuminating.

The downside to all this was a resurgence of anti-German sentiment among the Conservatives, among whom both he and Prince Bismarck had sought to cultivate a spirit of friendship and cooperation. Though officially a defence attaché Schellenburg had no clue why Berlin had decided to bring on a potential crisis with Britain.


Sächsische Zeitung, Sunday, 18 April 1948

The prototype of the Junkers Ju322 heavy bomber aircraft was unveiled today at the Junkers works at Dessau. The aircraft will undergo several weeks of ground testing before attempting its first flight, which is expected sometime in June.

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Copenhagen, Asiatisk Plads, Friday, 16 April 1948

Niels Rasmussen, Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, received his guest with great affability – it was one of his strengths – but today he sensed it would avail him little. The German ambassador, Gustav Alexander Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, appeared to be in high dudgeon.

After the minimum of pleasantries the ambassador got straight to his mission. “My government wishes to inform you that a British submarine was sighted in the Bay of Danzig four days ago”. To emphasize his words he took out several photographs of the boat, flying the White Ensign of the Royal Navy, together with photographs of her crew. “My government has not yet determined how this vessel came to be in the location where it was discovered but it could have only entered the Baltic Sea through the Great Belt or other Danish territorial waters. My government is concerned that it may have carried out this transit with the permission or connivance of the Danish government; while I have assured Berlin that such a belief is misplaced, I must formally ask your excellency whether Denmark is aware of this transit or not?”

Rasmussen was shocked at the news. He immediately assured Sayn-Wittgenstein that the Danish Government had given no such permission for a transit of its waters by a British warship.

“I am glad to hear that your excellency,” replied the German ambassador. “No doubt the Danish government is distressed that its territorial waters might have been abused by a friendly nation in time of peace.”

And so Rasmussen was. The last thing he wished was to give even the suggestion of a casus belli to its neighbour. Choosing he words carefully he advised the German ambassador that he would protest the matter to the British Government and thanked him for providing evidence to support the demarche.

An aide stepped in moments after Sayn-Wittgenstein left. "Minister Rasmussen, the Russian ambassador has also arrived and is waiting to see you."

"Uh oh. What does he want?" Rasmussen asked.

"Guess."

Quoted from "HolyMotherRussia"

Dear Denmark,
How are you doing? I haven't heard much from you in the last few years. Hope things are going okay. Still have that nice king on the throne?

I noticed there was recently a British submarine in the Baltic. I think it snuck in submerged when you weren't looking. Did you see it go past all your straits? I don't really care if it's there, but we are under the impression that you don't like that sort of 'submerged sneaking' thing in your straits. Danger to navigation and all that! You asked me not to do that with any of my subs, and so if Britannia's trying to pull a fast one on you, I figured you might want to know. I think my friend Germania is more upset about it. If mean old Britannia is twisting your arm, just let us know and I'll write them... THE TESTY LETTER! But if you changed your rules, please make sure to tell us, because I have a lot of submarines I want to sail submerged through your straits, so that I can gleefully imperil innocent merchant shipping.

Anyway, hope you're doing well, and we'd love to get a letter back from you. Maybe try sending a singing telegram; they're all the rage in Petrograd this year.
Sincerely,
MOTHER RUSSIA

P.S. Oh wow, I just remembered I forgot to write you that I've nearly achieved one of my lifelong dreams - my Armed Forces are now over half the size of your total population! Two million down, two million to go!

Der Tagesspiegel, Monday, 19 April 1948

The construction work on the air defence destroyers Aachen and Eisenach was completed today, the former in the yards at Cuxhaven, the latter in the Wilhelmshaven shipyard. Both vessels will now undergo builders’ trials and operational training before joining the fleet in the autumn.


Cruiser Novara, 5 dgs 4 min North, 1260 dgs 1 min East, Tuesday, 20 April 1948

After a visit to the convivial Philippine port of Zamboanga, Konteradmiral Rogge ordered his ships to set a south-westerly course across the Celebes Sea. Here there was sufficient sea room to practice refuelling at sea without the need to be overly concerned about mercantile traffic in busy shipping lanes. Save the occasional patrol aircraft from the Philippines or the Dutch East Indies, they were alone. Wireless reports from Europe kept them informed of the rise of tensions associated with Kriegsmarine exercises in the North Sea, but Rogge did not expect any long-term repercussions. Yet should something untoward come to pass, having his ships at sea, in the vastness of the Pacific, might be advantageous.


Rheinische Post, Wednesday, 21 April 1948

The Ministry of Transport, the Lufthansa, and the Junkers aircraft firm have reached a joint agreement to develop the Junkers Ju490 long-range civil airliner as a successor to the present Ju390. The new aircraft will feature four powerful propeller-turbine engines, and will seat more than one hundred passengers on flights across the Atlantic and to the Far East. It is expected that a prototype might fly sometime next year, much preliminary work having been done by Junkers over the last eighteen months.

London, The German Embassy, Thursday, 22 April 1948

Press attaché Erich Andres, sat in his office besieged by copies of the latest domestic and foreign newspapers; staying on top of ‘The pulse of Britain’ was the heart and soul of his official duties. Nudging that pulse in any particular direction also fell under his purview – but all parties preferred not to speak of that. Today he chuckled as he read some of the headlines.

In the English-language edition of the Prager Tagblatt: “English spy-submarine caught red-handed off German coast… Russians to the rescue”

From Madrid’s El Mundo: “A Wolverine trapped”

From the prestigious New York Times: “British submarine surprise – sailing under German escort”. This item was accompanied by two rather grainy photographs – one of the surfaced submarine Wolverine, and one of a German mehrzweckboot, which, the article explained, and escorted the Wolverine on her homeward voyage.



Copenhagen’s Ekstra Bladet ran a lengthy editorial excoriating the entire affair and openly asked why the Danish Government had taken no action to detain the Wolverine when she transited the Oresund on her homeward voyage since the British submarine had obviously entered the Baltic submerged – there being no evidence of her surfaced, innocent passage in which to enter it.

What he found most illuminating was the silence on the matter from Fleet Street. The British press was filled with thunder regarding the recently-concluded German fleet exercise, with most of the Conservative-leaning papers, and some of the more Labour-oriented press as well, challenging the Government over what one paper described as the “weak-kneed” response of the Royal Navy. He surmised that a ‘D-Notice’ had been issued regarding the Wolverine Affair; still, he was confident that the foreign barbs would find their mark.


Berliner Morgenpost, Friday, 23 April 1948

Elements of the 2. Panzerarmee and 7. Armee have begun a series of tactical exercises in Schleswig-Holstein, which are expected to continue over the next week.


Hamburger Abendblatt, Saturday, 24 April 1948

The fleet oilers Hessenland and Kulmerland have completed their conversion in the Deschimag yards here and have embarked for their post-conversion trials and operational training.

Der Ostasiatische Lloyd (Shanghai), Sunday, 25 April 1948

The frigates Blitz and Pfeil of the East Asia Squadron arrived at Woosung yesterday for bunkers.


Berbera, Danish Somaliland, Monday, 26 April 1948

Mulugueta Bulli, envoy of Ras Tafari Makonnen, stood in the seedy warehouse not far from the docks of Berbera; he was not alone – his hosts, the Greek Podromos Bodosakis and the Pole Stefan Czarnecki pried up the top of a crate marked ‘Agricultural Implements’.

“I think these will meet your needs,” said Bodosakis, handing the Ethiopian a light submachinegun. “Easily broken down for concealment, simple to reassemble, rugged, and deadly at close quarters.”

Bulli hefted the weapon thoughtfully. “It seems cheap…”

There was truth to his observation. Turned out in a small workshop in Patras the weapon had never been adopted by a regular military; but the Błyskawica had seen action with insurgents in several corners of the globe. “While that may be true,” Czarnecki admitted, “but it is inexpensive. Your deposit with us more than covers the first shipment of three hundred weapons with their ammunition.”

This news brought a smile to Bulli’s face. His movement had little wealth, and while acquiring weapons to combat the forces of oppression in his country had high priority, he had no wish to squander money on purchasing over-priced guns. “Excellent!” he exclaimed.

“Of course, it will be your responsibility to move the guns across the border,” Bodosakis explained. “For future shipments we may be able to make other arrangements.”


Aero Kurier, Tuesday, 27 April 1948

Engineer Herman Havertz, of Bückeburg, has flown a prototype of a light helicopter, which he describes as ‘a personal transport vehicle’ – that he has built in a workshop near his home. Weighing no more than 130 kg when empty, Havertz claims that his machine is capable of speed of up to 70 kph and can range up to 70 kilometres.

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Der Ostasiatische Lloyd (Shanghai), Sunday, 25 April 1948

The frigates Blitz and Pfeil of the East Asia Squadron arrived at Woosung yesterday for bunkers.

Isn't Woosung a part of Shanghai ?

Quoted from "parador"

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Der Ostasiatische Lloyd (Shanghai), Sunday, 25 April 1948

The frigates Blitz and Pfeil of the East Asia Squadron arrived at Woosung yesterday for bunkers.

?(

Isn't Woosung a part of Shanghai ?

It is now, wasn't always that way. 8)

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Quoted from "parador"

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Der Ostasiatische Lloyd (Shanghai), Sunday, 25 April 1948

The frigates Blitz and Pfeil of the East Asia Squadron arrived at Woosung yesterday for bunkers.

Isn't Woosung a part of Shanghai ?

It is now, wasn't always that way.

But it is chinese territory so i wonder that the ships didn't ask for permission to sail to this chinese harbor. After all, they are maritime forces of a foreign country. Not that I will have forbidden it, but in my eyes it should be normal to ask before i set anchor.

I'm sorry about that. I should have sent a PM. :(

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

I'm sorry about that. I should have sent a PM.

As said no problem. China give the two german vessels a very warm welcome. Perhaps it is again the beginning of a fruitful cooperation of the two countries.

Kieler Nachrichten, Wednesday, 28 April 1948

The antisubmarine corvettes Amazone and Gazelle have completed their operational training and will join the Atlantic Fleet sometime next week.


Elbinger Volksstimme, Thursday, 29 April 1948

The corvettes Minerva and Diana are due to be completed today at the Schichau works at Memel. They are the latest antisubmarine vessels to enter service with the Kriegsmarine and it is expected that they will be followed by a further four vessels of this class – two of which are under construction, and two to commence construction in July.


Rome, The German Embassy, Friday 30 April 1948

Ambassador Carl-Ludwig von Bergen had never found it difficult to obtain information regarding Italy’s machinations; the probity of her public servants had never been high, and in the current atmosphere of confusion among the upper echelons of government, sometimes it took little more than a decent dinner to convince a parliamentary delegate to speak volubly. The substance of the recent talks between Foreign Minister Sforza and his British counterpart, Bevan, was rapidly laid bare through a variety of informants.

According to these, Britain sought to reach an understanding with Italy on a wide variety of topics spanning the Levant – most of which were left unresolved due to Italy’s insistence on maintaining its occupied provinces across the Adriatic. Some details could be verified – Italy had sought, and obtained – a loan of £150 million, ostensibly for stabilising the economy. Von Bergen had his doubts how much of this would actually be used for its intended purpose – but the prospect of Britain being willing to ‘invest’ such a sum in obtaining Italian ‘friendship’ was stunning.

His dispatch to Berlin would include this, and other bits of information he and the embassy staff had obtained. He had no doubt that it would pique the interest of his superiors.

Berlin, The Danish Embassy, Saturday, 1 May 1948

Major Thorkild Hansen of the Royal Danish Army was working this morning to summarize his observations of the recent manoeuvres of the German Heer in the heathlands of Schleswig Holstein. His invitation to observe was nothing new – foreign military attaches were frequently permitted to observe – but the timeliness of the exercises heightened his interest. The press had announced that the manoeuvres involved units of the Second Panzer Army and the Seventh Army; and this was true in the technical sense; the 3rd Panzer Division and the 16th Panzergrenadiers that had contributed a composite battle group were a part of the Second Panzer Army; the battalion of the 20th Infantry Division that had opposed them was, nominally a part of the Seventh Army. In point of fact all the units were drawn from local garrisons and engaged regularly in such tactical exercises. The only unusual aspect to the entire matter was the attention it had drawn in the press.

And that, Hansen considered, was deliberate. It was a pointed reminder that if given good reason Germany could have troops firmly ensconced in Copenhagen before the British fleet could even clear its ports. He shared the view of his naval counterpart that the recent German naval exercise served in part as a notice that the Royal Navy no longer had undisputed control of the sea, and that Britain’s misguided decision to send a submarine into the Baltic would do nothing but inflame the situation. German troop movements on his country’s frontier raised the spectre of 1807, when Denmark faced the choice of siding with France or Britain – a decision made for Denmark by the British bombardment of Copenhagen and the destruction of the Danish fleet.

The report he sat down to craft would have to ease the alarm raised by the rhetoric of the German press but convey the dangers implied by them. Denmark would need to play the true neutral and affirm the defence of her territorial integrity; no inducement Britain could hold out would weigh against the immediate balance of forces Germany, and her allies, could bring against Denmark. He could list a host of deficiencies that needed the attention but none could significantly shift the fact that the Grand Alliance had far larger reserves of manpower. Indeed, as a quip from his Russian counterpart had put it, “Our military is larger than the population of your country”.


Elbinger Volksstimme, Sunday, 2 May 1948

The corvettes Thetis and Medusa were launched today at the Schichau works here. Work will start next week to prepare the shipyard to commence construction of two additional vessels in the coming months.


Cruiser Novara, Suva Harbour, Fidji, Monday, 3 May 1948

Konteradmiral Rogge had arrived in the French colony with the East Asia Squadron two days ago, to take on bunkers, water, and provisions. On the evening tide he and his ships would depart to play their role of “Red Force” in the French Exercise Guette 48. It would keep his ships busy for the next several weeks, and would give them an opportunity to learn from their allies.

Berlin, The Cabinet Meeting Room, Tuesday, 4 May 1948

The meeting had begun early, and augured to run late, for there was much to discuss. Blank, the minister of defence, had led off the discussions with a review of the recently completed fleet exercise and the so-called ‘Wolverine Incident’ – a British submarine caught red-handed spying in the Baltic. With regard to the latter, Dehler, the foreign minister, summarized the steps taken to protest the Danish Government’s negligence in permitting the British submarine to transit its waters in contravention of the Treaty of Copenhagen. An explanation having been received from the Danish foreign office, and the sacrifice of a suitable scapegoat in the Danish Navy having been made, the Cabinet was prepared to put the matter to rest.

“The foreign press,” Adenauer noted, “has taken up the matter of the Wolverine with wide interest. The ‘perfidy’ of the British is touted across all of Europe, the Americas, and, according to yesterday’s Ostasiatische Lloyd, even in the Far East.” He looked at Blank and Dehler with a somewhat jaundiced eye. “Has it been shown to have any effect?”

“Not yet Herr Chancellor,” Dehler replied.

“Then perhaps the matter should be allowed to cool,” Adenauer suggested. “I doubt that the British will be so foolish as to try this tactic again; but if they do, it can be re-opened as part of a pattern of wild adventurism.”

“Yes Herr Chancellor.” The foreign minister was well aware of the efforts made by General Gehlen to spin the matter to Germany’s advantage.

“Now,” said Adenauer, changing the subject, “the question of Britain’s machinations in Italy. I have read von Bergen’s report; I have no doubt that there is more to it, but loaning the Italians £150 million does not stem from Mr. Atlee’s kind heart. The British expect something concrete in return.”

This led to a wide ranging discussion of the interpretation of the most recent events in the sweep of the Levant. The ‘difficulties’ that had arisen in Iraq and Egypt made it likely that Britain might wish to reach some sort of rapprochement with Italy that might permit it to reduce its naval and military commitments in the region. The rumoured British efforts to convince Italy to reach accommodations with Greece and Yugoslavia were dismissed as trial balloons. At length, von Hapsburg, the minister of economics, spoke.

“The Arthashastra contains an ancient proverb that applies in these circumstances, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”. Britain has traditionally followed a strategy of developing allies on the periphery of her perceived enemies; it was the strategy of encirclement she followed before the Great War; she may seek to buy Italian friendship in the hope of developing such an ally.”

Such comments were not common for von Hapsburg. “Italy’s position, however, is quite weak. Not only is her government in disarray but threats to her colonial rule in the Balkans, in North Africa, and in East Africa, are emerging. Yugoslavia, for example, has been importuning us for greater economic and military assistance; which we have withheld out of concern for our relations with Italy. Acceding to their requests in a calculated manner would build up a counterweight to Italy and assure that Italian adventurism would be checked.”

These thoughts brought on further discussion. It would take time to build a consensus, and the final form of such was as yet unclear.


Inspection Ship Goldener Löwe, 49 dgs 5 min North, 7 dgs 36 min West, Wednesday, 5 May 1948

The Goldener Löwe and her sister Roter Löwe had departed the port of Emden in the wake of the recently-concluded fleet exercise, Donnerschlag, for what both captains believed would be a routine of iceberg patrol and support to the expanding German high-sea fishing fleet. Thus it came as a surprise to the captain of the Goldener Löwe when he opened the sealed orders he had been given just before his departure; his ship was to operate north of the Azores to observe as far as possible a British fleet exercise scheduled to commence in several days. This explained the additional electronic equipment and operators the ship had taken on board at the last moment. It was likely that the Roter Löwe had received similar orders. The vessel increased speed in order to reach her operational area; it would be tight.


London, The German Embassy, Thursday, 6 May 1948

One of the unfortunate side effects of the recent cooling in Anglo-German relations was the contraction in Walter Schellenburg’s circle of informants. The contacts he had cultivated among Conservative MPs and the moneyed men of the City now cold-shouldered him – what with Winston Churchill sounding the tocsin about Germany’s growing strength at sea and in the economy of Europe few wished to be associated with an ‘official’ German.

Forced back onto indirect contacts and his analysis of the press, Schellenburg had no good answer to the question of how long the Atlee Government might stay in office. Labour still commanded a majority in the House of Commons, and despite the dissatisfaction of some back-benchers it seems that Atlee had managed to explain Britain’s response to the challenge of Donnerschlag for the time being. English by-elections could, of course, upset the delicate balance and bring about change – and press lords like Beaverbrook were doing their best to stir that pot. Andres, the press attaché, had been active in feeding scraps to the stringers of the tabloids to nudge that along; now, it seemed, that Berlin wished to let matters take their own course without further ‘assistance’.

Schellenburg hoped that time might restore his access to information; however, at the moment, he held it an uncertain prospect.

Militär-Wochenblatt, Friday, 7 May 1948

The 1948 Militariad, an international competition in military skills, has begun in Russia, the host nation. Teams from several European nations, including several fielded by the Heer, will compete in such areas as the Alpinist’s Challenge, which tests infantry skills in skiing, free and rope climbing, and shooting; the 1200-km Military Rally, which tests the skills of motorized reconnaissance troops; and the Presentation, a series of judged events including military marching drill and rifle display team. The Wachbataillon of the Heer has the honour of representing Germany in the last named event.


Rheinische Post, Saturday, 8 May 1948

The Dornier aircraft firm of Friedrichshafen has announced receipt of orders from the French Government for an additional quantity of thirty-six Dornier Do330 MFA maritime reconnaissance aircraft and six further airframes that will be delivered in electronic reconnaissance configuration approximating that of the Dornier Do330E. Deliveries are expected to commence later this month, with aircraft being diverted from current Luftwaffe orders.


The Home of Chancellor Adenauer, Rhöndorf, Sunday, 9 May 1948

The Chancellor had taken the opportunity of the fine spring weather to get away from the capital to rest; or so it was put out to the press. And it was true that Adenauer had left behind the daily routine of meetings; but he had in fact arranged successive meetings with key members of the Cabinet. Today he greeted his Minister of Economics, who had come at the special request of the Chancellor.

“Thank you for coming Excellency,” said Adenauer. Von Hapsburg replied in kind, and their first few moments together were given over to an exchange of pleasantries. However, they soon got down to business.

“Excellency,” began Adenauer, “at the last cabinet meeting you were uncommonly frank in your assessment of Britain’s intentions. Do you see Britain as a threat to our security?”

Von Hapsburg drew in a breath before beginning his reply.

“Since the time of William III England has sought to play the balance of power in Europe; with Holland it built up a coalition of powers to oppose the ambitions of Louis XIV; if it suited her policy, England backed Austria against Prussia, or Prussia against Austria. Her money financed the wars against the first Napoleon that established her position of hegemony in Europe. Faced with growing competition from the Kaiser’s Reich, she allied herself first with France, then Russia, and even Japan to encircle it.”

Adenauer knew history as well as his minister, but von Hapsburg’s voice betrayed a deeper animosity. “Today we remain in competition with Britain, in economic and military spheres. With PETA the aggregate economies of Europe are overshadowing Britain and her empire, and in the modern world economic power is military power. The Grand Alliance is no longer a mere makeweight; it is a challenge to Britain’s military dominance – a point our fleet exercise has shown quite clearly.”

“You see their attempt to buy off Italy as a ploy to divert us?” Adenauer asked.

“Most certainly, though given the shifting nature of Italian politics I have doubts of its long-term viability. Their intrigues in Denmark suggest a similar motive. Heretofore Britain has looked on Germany as a parvenu; they will no longer do so. We can expect to see increasing British attempts to undermine our interests in Europe and South America.”

Frankfurter Zeitung, Monday, 10 May 1948

There is speculation that the Defence Ministry has evinced interest in the Breguet-Nord Br.930 Pêcheur twin-engine naval antisubmarine aircraft.


Kleine Zeitung, Tuesday, 11 May 1948

The latest results from the continuing International Army Games/Militariad of 1948, saw the Wachbataillon of the Heer take first place in the Presentation Event, held at the Suvorov Military School, Moscow. Britain’s Coldstream Guards took second place, and Czechoslovakia’s Prague Castle Guards third. In the Alpinist Challenge event, held at Labinsk, Krasnodar Krai, the team from Gebirgesdivision 1 placed fourth, behind teams from Romania, France, and Nordmark.


Dithmarscher Landeszeitung, Wednesday, 12 May 1948

The small support tankers Leine and Löcknitz were launched today at the Wilhelmshaven Dockyard, where their construction will continue. The vacated building slips will be prepared for further construction, as two additional vessels of this type have been authorised.

Rostocker Zeitung, Thursday, 13 May 1948

The minesweepers Tietzowsee and Trenntsee have completed their operational training and have departed Warnemünde for Kiel, where they will transit the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal on their way to join the fleet.


Hamburger Abendblatt, Friday, 14 May 1948

The Deschimag shipyards were the scene of much activity today as no fewer than four destroyers building for the Kriegsmarine were launched. The yard at Bremerhaven saw the launch of the Wesel and the Apolda, while the Cuxhaven facility launched the Spandau and the Blankenburg. The four ships are due to complete this autumn.


Berlin, The Admiralstab, Saturday, 15 May 1948

Alexander Freiherr von Friedeburg, the Kriegsmarine’s Director of Naval Construction, would not normally have been working on a Saturday, but for him today was a red-letter day that demanded his presence to assure that there were no last-minute problems. At shipyards in Kiel, in Flensburg, and in Memel merchant ships were beginning the process of conversion to the auxiliary ships without which no modern fleet could sustain itself on the high seas. All were store ships – for ammunition, for aviation materials, and for the myriad of general items needed by the ships and men of the fleet. The timetable for their construction was tight – they were due to be operational before the end of summer – and no delays could be brooked in starting the work. Throughout the day he called the superintendents of the yards to confirm that the ships themselves had arrived, that the materials necessary to commence their conversion were on hand, and that work had in fact begun. When, in the late afternoon, he confirmed to his satisfaction that all was in order, he departed, resting assured that his plans would move forward – at least until the following Monday.

Berliner Morgenpost, Sunday, 16 May 1948

The latest results from the International Army Games now underway in the Russian Federation saw the defending champions, the Commandos Marine/Nageurs de Combat take first place in the Frogman Challenge – which tests the skills of combat swimmers in a series of tests including a distance swim in combat gear, demolition of an underwater obstacle, and infiltration of a shore-line. The Kommando Spezialkräfte of the Heer took second place in the Parachute Raid event; first place was taken by the 1er Régiment Etranger de Parachutistes of the French Foreign Legion. In the Equestrian Patrol event, for mounted troops, the Belgian 2/4th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment emerged victorious.


Berlin, Abwehr Headquarters, Monday, 17 May 1948

General Gehlen picked up the portfolio that contained the latest budget of reports emanating from Source Merlin. While the Hungarian intelligence organisation had lost all ability to report on matters ongoing in Britain, its insight into matters in the Middle East was unimpaired. Particularly enlightening was an item reporting on the growing dissatisfaction in Egypt with the high-handed attitude of Britain regarding the Suez Canal. Vital to the world’s commerce, the waterway was perhaps the most important of all Egyptian assets, but which was completely owned by foreign interest – thanks to the cupidity of the then khedive who sold his shares for quick cash. If the report before him was true the Egyptians had finally proposed that the small share of the canal company’s shares in the hands of Italy be prised from their grasp as a sop to Egyptian sensibilities; a suggestion spurned by the British foreign secretary, Bevan, on his recent visit. This affront, the report continued, had only inflamed the anger of the Free Officers’ movement.

Regarding the Italians’ own problems, Merlin had much to say. The followers of Mohammed Idris al Senussi had, so it was reported, begun to make noticeable headway against the local Italian authorities, seizing on the divisions between traditional Libyan society and the many thousands of Italian immigrants who had come to work in the oilfields, and in the industries that made oil extraction possible. The recent hijacking of an Italian airliner was but a straw in the wind that trouble was ahead for Italy in its newest provinces.

Such a development dovetailed nicely with Gehlen’s own plans. A message from an astute Abwehr agent in Danish Somaliland had led to a growing relationship with an independence movement within Italy’s so-called ‘East African State’. Through intermediaries Gehlen had already cast bread upon the waters; now he waited to see if it returned.


Bodensee Airport Friedrichshafen, Tuesday, 18 May 1948

The Aeronavale transport let down on the runway and taxied to the series of aprons reserved for military traffic. It disgorged several French officers, who were greeted by a delegation of the opposite numbers in the Marineflieger as well as several officials of the Dornier aircraft firm. Bundled into several cars the party was driven from the airport to the nearby Dornier works – for the French officers had come to collect the first of the Aeronavale’s most recently ordered Dornier Do330 patrol aircraft.

While the French transport was being refuelled for its return journey another car pulled up, and from it emerged three men of military bearing in mufti. At the foot of the aircraft’s gangway they were met by a French officer who assisted two of them in to the aircraft, before saluting the third, who remained on the ground.

Der Ostasiatische Lloyd (Shanghai), Wednesday, 19 May 1948

Our correspondents in Manila report that the frigates Blitz and Pfeil of the East Asia Squadron have called their following a deployment in the North China Sea to monitor ship traffic. It is expected that they will depart in a few days for their station in Indochina.


Oberösterreichische Rundschau, Thursday, 20 May 1948

The latest results from the 1948 International Military Games show the victory of the team from the 11th Panzerdivision in the 1,200-kilometer Military Rally. This event tests the skills of motorised reconnaissance troops. Covering a 1,200km course beginning in Arkhangelsk and ending in Petrograd with twenty checkpoints in between, the event is a challenge for the participants that requires the use of unimproved tracks and cross-country terrain. Finishing in second place was the team from the Polish 10th Mounted Rifle Regiment, while the defending team from the Russian 14th Guards Mechanized Brigade finished third.


Der Tagesspiegel, Friday, 21 May 1948

The Ministry of Defence has announced the latest changes in the Luftwaffe, signalling the arrival of new aircraft into service. Jagdgeschwader 54 had completed its conversion to the Bayerischen Flugzeugwerke Bf262 interceptor, while Jagdbombergeschwader 73 has been fully equipped with the Focke Wulf Fw340. Schlachtgeschwader 11 has begun conversion to the Arado Ar334 strike aircraft.

Toulouse, France, Aéroport de Toulouse–Blagnac, Saturday, 22 May 1948

Kapitänleutnant Erwin Ganzer and Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Werner Offermann, together with their French guides, deplaned from the Air France airliner into the warm sun. Far more accustomed to the cool spring of the Baltic the Marineflieger aviators were struck forcibly by what they thought to oppressive heat and humidity. They had flown from Friedrichshafen via Paris to examine and evaluate the Breguet-Nord Br.930 carrier-based antisubmarine aircraft as a potential acquisition for the newly-recognised need for a multi-engine patrol aircraft to serve aboard the Kriegsmarine’s newest aircraft carriers.

The suggestion had come out of discussions held in the wake of the recently-concluded Donnerschlag exercise. The French naval air arm had adopted the Br.930 for some of the very same roles that the Kriegsmarine had identified, and the suggestion of adopting the Breguet-Nord aircraft was considered most reasonable in Berlin; pending, perhaps, development of something better. The determination of whether they idea held water was the task that had brought them hence.

From what they had been told in advance, the Br.930 was still in low-rate production, and the French were still tinkering with the airframe as a platform for electronic surveillance and logistics support missions in addition to its basic maritime reconnaissance role. As they were shown that portion of the Breguet factory where the Br.930 was being assembled, this information was confirmed – and they observed three airframes, each in a slightly different configuration, at varying stages of construction.

Their mission seemed promising.


Abenteuer Archäologie, Sunday, 23 May 1948

“Initial Investigations into Bronze-Age Cultures of the Persian Gulf” by Professors Hans Bessig and Rolf Hachmann of the University of Marburg has been published. It summarises the results of their first year’s examination of the burial mounds located on the island of Bahrain.


London, The German Embassy, Monday, 24 May 1948

Walter Schellenburg pored over the photograph on his desk seeking to pick out as much detail as he could. It was the last on a roll of film sent to him by one of his ‘Baker Street Irregulars’ who operated in the English West Country – and it was not a very good photograph – taken, it seemed, by an unsteady hand of a fast-moving aircraft. But it was enough to reveal that the British had developed a new twin-engine jet aircraft – something akin to the Luftwaffe’s Arado Ar234. His agent had provided no notes as to what the aircraft was supposed to be, or even where the photograph had been snapped; but given the agent’s operating area, Schellenburg felt certain that it was the Westland factory at Yeovil, in Somerset. Was this the turbojet-powered successor to the venerable Mosquito that he had heard rumour of? Perhaps. Nevertheless, he would send the photograph, with his impressions, to Abwehr headquarters by the next courier; and he would redouble efforts to discern more of about this formidable-looking aircraft.