WesWorld

Kleine Zeitung, Friday, 28 October 1949

The music world mourns the death of the noted Bohemian composer Jaroslav Labský, composer of numerous marches for the Imperial and Royal Army and most notably for the march Olympiáda.


Der Tagesspiegel, Saturday, 29 October 1949

The Kriegsmarine’s Detachierte Division, comprising the cruisers Nürnberg and Leipzig and consorts, under the command of Kommodore Wilhelm Rollman, returned to Wilhelmshaven today following the completion of its extended cruise to the Caribbean, South America, and West Africa.

Die Welt Am Sonntag, Sunday, 30 October 1949

The drums of war sound ever louder in the Horn of Africa. Waddaniyin rebels in Danish Somaliland attempted to seize the city of Hargeisa, but were beaten off Danish méharistes (top, left) assisted by a mobile column from the French garrison at Djibouti under the command of Capitaine Christophe Diamond of the Legion etranger (top, right). Though the joint operation was successful – more than two hundred casualties were inflicted upon the rebels and an equal number of prisoners taken – it was not without cost (centre, left). French casualties included two dead and twenty nine wounded. The Danish authorities have not released precise figures for their own casualties.


In the nearby East African State the Arbegnoch freedom fighters continue their struggle against the Italian puppet government of Haile Selassie. Rumours persist of Europeans fighting alongside the Arbegnoch (centre, right), but these have not been confirmed. Nevertheless, the patriot forces continue to enjoy success in small-scale battles, using more conventional tactics and weaponry captured from the Italians and their native auxiliaries (bottom, left). Across the Bab-el-Mandeb in Yemen, demonstrations and unrest continue in the wake of the rising of Imam Ibrahim bin Yahya (bottom, right). For the moment the local authorities have established order but it is uncertain how long peace will prevail.


Kieler Nachrichten, Monday, 31 October 1949

The air defence cruisers Szina and Temesvar have completed their operational training and are expected to soon join the Atlantikflotte.

Berlin, The Cabinet Meeting Room, Tuesday, 1 November 1949

The Chancellor turned to Dehler, the Foreign Minister. “You’ve made the suggestion that we attempt to establish formal relations with the East African State. Why?”

“Developments there need to be monitored more closely, with someone able to speak with government officials with authority and understanding.”

Höcherl, the Minister of Agriculture snorted. “Understanding? They are puppets in the hands of their Italian masters.”

Adenauer shot a withering glance in Höcherl’s direction. Dehler took advantage of the opening to proceed.

“The hold of the Italians over Haile Selassie has grown weaker as their government falls into disarray. It may be possible to encourage the East Africans to realise that there are other options.”

Several colleagues nodded in agreement. “I am not suggesting that we do anything that would unduly frighten the Italians. But offering the East Africans the opportunity to talk directly to us, rather than through Rome, would have its advantages.”

The Chancellor paused momentarily. “Herr Blank. What is your assessment of the situation in East Africa?”

“It is a powder keg waiting for someone to light the fuse. The Arbegnoch freedom fighters are making things difficult for the Italians who are attempting to counter them though the use of tribal auxiliaries from ethnic minorities in the country – Somalis, Eritreans – which is having a spill over effect. Our French allies and the Danes seem to have the makings of a brush war on their hands – and this might light the fuse. Taking the East African State out of the immediate Italian orbit would go far to remove such dangers.”

“Herr Dehler, please ask the Prince von Thurn and Taxis to speak with the Quai d'Orsay to sound out the French thoughts on this matter. While they might be happy to see the Italians gone, they undoubtedly have concerns about what could follow.”


Manama, Bahrain, Wednesday, 2 November 1949

Henry Jones was relaxing at the coffee bar of the Hotel Kempinski; he had come to Manama that morning from the dig at the Portuguese Fort to deal with the authorities and arrange the shipment of the latest lot of supplies with Klaws, the Hansa Line agent.

“So, Doctor Jones… we meet again.”

Jones recognised the voice and turned around, “Belloq… what are you doing here?”

“I am travelling to the conference in Hyderabad… you were not invited?”


Hamburger Abendblatt, Thursday, 3 November 1949

The corvettes Pegasus and Undine were launched today in the Deschimag yard here. Their completion is due next spring.

Manama, Bahrain, Friday, 4 November 1949

René Belloq could not dismiss the work of Jones and his colleagues from the University of Marburg out of hand – the evidence was too overwhelming. The city that lay beneath the tel of the Portuguese Fort yielded artefacts dating to Sumerian times – and hinted at pre-Sumerian roots. A temple complex several kilometres away suggested that perhaps the entire island of Bahrain had been thickly settled – the huge fields of burial mounds were evidence of the importance of the island. Finds of objects representing the Harappan culture of the Indian subcontinent indicated previously unsuspected trade contacts between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley – confirming temple records from some of the earliest levels of Ur. He would speak to the attendees at the Hyderabad conference of the necessity of following up on these important developments.


Berlin, Abwehr Headquarters, Saturday, 5 November 1949

Giskes had spent the summer sifting through the surveillance reports from the Abwehr’s offices across the Reich and its outposts in his quest to uncover why the British had suddenly dropped their interest in Germany’s stockpiling programme; particularly after they had so ostentatiously showed interest in it earlier in the year. In his own mind he was certain that the British were continuing their interest, merely following a more surreptitious approach; the fact that they had not shut down their ship-watching operation on Ada Kaleh confirmed their desire for information. So too did a report from Schellenburg in London – one of his agents had confirmed that the British had received an extensive precis on the Zistersdorf oil field – one containing far more information than that which could be culled from the press. Intercepted communications had thrown up a name – “Nomad” – but its meaning was unclear.


Kieler Nachrichten, Sunday, 6 November 1949

The infantry landing ships Knechtsand and Julssand have completed their operational training and are expected to depart soon for the North Sea naval station.

Kleine Zeitung, Monday, 7 November 1949

The infantry landing ships Schweinesand and Lühesand were completed today in the Wien shipyards. Following their builders’ trials they will transit the national canal system to the Baltic, where they will undergo operational training.


Berlin, The Cabinet Meeting Room, Tuesday, 8 November 1949

Foreign Minister Dehler continued with his report, “According to our ambassador the French have no immediate objections to our seeking to establish diplomatic relations with the East African State. Indeed, the Quai d'Orsay seems of the opinion that offering Haile Selassie options might help stabilise the situation there.”

Adenauer nodded. “Have you recommendations on who to send?”

“Freiherr von Macchio, presently our minister plenipotentiary to Thailand. He is home on leave and is available, and has shown himself able to navigate troubled waters.” There was a ripple of laughter around the table – the twists of Thai politics were legendary.

“Good – please make it so.” The Chancellor turned to the Minister of Economics. “Excellency, what inducements might we offer to ease the path of our new ambassador?”


Kriegsmarinewerft Kiel, Wednesday, 9 November 1949

Alfred Burcough kept his mind concentrated on what he saw and what he heard as his tour of the great shipyard complex continued. With a number of foreign naval attaches he had been invited to attend the launch ceremonies for the frigates Neuruppin and Arnsburg, and whatever he was able to report would go far to lift the veil of secrecy that seemed to shroud German naval developments. Despite the number of distinguished visitors the yard bustled with work. The skeletal form of a large ships occupied one of the graving docks while a similar shape was under construction on one of the slips. He heard a comment from one of his fellow observers that these were the latest pair of German aircraft carriers. Several of the stubby landing ships that the Kriegsmarine seemed so intent on building lay alongside the fitting out wharf, together with a large auxiliary.

More chilling in Burcough’s mind was the fact that the fitting out wharf also held two other frigates nearing completion – the Ronneburg and Arnstadt – lead ships of a class of no less than sixteen ships. He had been told that similar launch ceremonies were under way in Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, and even sleepy Flensburg – wherever that was. The small brochure he had been given told him relatively little of the design – about the size of a destroyer, but with no torpedoes. Allegedly the ships were good for more than thirty knots in even roughest seas. Their gun armament was modest compared with the Royal Navy’s latest ships – and he wondered what might occupy the deck space amidships.

A band struck up a march and the official ceremonies began.

Elbinger Volksstimme, Thursday, 10 November 1949

The assault landing ships Pagenwerder and Ziegelwerder were completed today at the Schichau yard in Memel. Two similar vessels are also under construction and should launch net month.


Berlin, Abwehr Headquarters, Friday, 11 November 1949

Gehlen laid the report from the Rome residenz down on his desk and considered the options.

“So, the British are willing to prop up the Italians to help prop up the East Africans?” The venality of the Italian bureaucracy had provided the Abwehr with a detailed precis of the discussions between the Italian foreign minister, Ciano, and the British ambassador. As a douceur on top of the millions of pounds already lent to Italy Britain was willing to add five million pounds to loan to the East African Government. The report covered the main points of the meeting but to the knowledge of the residenz the Italians were still considering it. The situation called for swift action; Gehlen put a call through to the Dehler’s office to seek an appointment to apprise him of the development.


Kieler Nachrichten, Saturday, 12 November 1949

The coastal escorts Ostwind and Passat have completed their operational training and will depart for the Marinestation Nordsee sometime next week.

Dithmarscher Landeszeitung, Sunday, 13 November 1949

The coastal escort Chamsin was completed today at the Wilhelmshaven dockyard, and will commence trials immediately. Work has reportedly been completed on her sister-ship, Auster, at the Kiel dockyard.


Rostocker Zeitung, Monday, 14 November 1949

Following the conclusion of the joint Russo-German exercises in the upper Baltic the advanced base ship Coronel called here yesterday on her voyage back to the North Sea Naval Station.


Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Tuesday, 15 November 1949

The recently appointed ambassador to the East African State, Karl Freiherr von Macchio, arrived today in Addis Ababa and presented his credentials to Haile Selassie, the nation’s chief-of-state. Expansion of the embassy staff is expected in the coming weeks.

Hamburger Abendblatt, Wednesday, 16 November 1949

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence today confirmed long-standing rumours that the firms of Krupp and Krauss-Maffei had received contracts for development of a new battle tank to succeed the current Standardpanzer Panther. No details have been released by it was announced that prototypes would commence competitive testing in the spring of next year.


Ada Kaleh, Thursday, 17 November 1949

Ali Kerim Bey had begun to doubt whether the British still had any interest in the shipping information he furnished to them. He had continued to transmit to Strangways in Budapest summaries of his observations of German ship traffic but in the last three months no response – and more importantly, no payment – had been received. With winter in the offing traffic on the Danube would dwindle but the sharp change in British policy was inexplicable. However, he would continue to keep record of the passage of those ships who traversed the river against the possibility that Strangways would resume payment or – and this was not impossible – he found another buyer for the information.


Militär-Wochenblatt, Friday, 18 November 1949

The first examples of the Focke-Wulf Fw340E long-range escort fighter have been delivered to Jagdbombergeschwader 76 at Königsberg.

Berlin, Abwehr Headquarters, Saturday, 19 November 1949

Gehlen read the report from Brussels and shook his head. Piron’s attempts to change the direction of Belgian strategic thinking seemed to have fallen foul of the typical parliamentary morass of funding. Having invested millions in steel and concrete the Belgian Government was loath to abandon them to spend more millions on tanks and aircraft. He picked up the latest batch of photographs that had accompanied the report.



They were well thought out and well-constructed. If attacked head on they would be formidable indeed. But the progress of mechanised warfare and the advent of air power meant that they need not be attacked at all. He endorsed the file and directed towards the Heer’s contingency planning staff that they could incorporate the information into their calculations.


Training Frigate Roon, Bahia Blanca, Sunday, 20 November 1949

Mohr checked the charts once more as the Argentine pilot guided the Roon through the roadstead. Their South American cruise was now over and she was now bound for home. Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro had made them welcome, as had Bahia Blanca. He estimated that the Roon would raise Dakar in a little under twelve days, baring heavy weather. The pilot was dropped at the outer harbour and Mohr ordered the frigate on to a north-easterly course at fifteen knots.


Kieler Nachrichten, Monday, 21 November 1949

Vize-admiral August Becker, commander of the Kriegsmarine’s expeditionary forces, superintended the completion and commissioning ceremonies today for the vehicle landing ship Scharnitzpass.

Nice pics of those fortifications.
Where does the bottom-left come from? Looks vaguely post-war?

Quoted from "Hood"

Nice pics of those fortifications.
Where does the bottom-left come from? Looks vaguely post-war?

Technically, Sweden - but given the amount of money Belgium poured into its defenses, it doesn't seem unreasonable to think that they might not have something like it. Or maybe they bought it from Bofors. :D

Yeah, I think that's the Bofors 120mm coast-defense gun.

Usually it's got a hat that makes it look like a rock, though. :P

Yes, Brock is right, it is one of those Swiss 120mm guns.
Belgium will disguise it has a haystack or something.

Berlin, H.M. Passport Control Office, Tuesday, 22 November 1949

Bill Tanner was well aware of the instructions he had received from the Circus in London warning him off an inquiries regarding Germany’s petroleum stockpiling programme. He was also attuned to the fact that petroleum was not the only commodity Germany was stockpiling, and had switched the attention of his stringers and his ferrets – the data-miners in the Embassy’s basement that pored over every newspaper and public document that could be obtained – to gathering information on these other areas. What they had found gave him pause.

While their numbers were imprecise, Germany had made substantial increases in the stockpiling of food resources. Five new depots had come into being over the course of the year, located in areas least accessible to RAF bombers. The Germans had bought heavily on the American, Russian, and Argentine grain markets; the ferrets suggested that food stocks had doubled. The situation was similar with regard to strategic commodities like molybdenite, nickel, vanadium, and wolfram. Two new storage depots had been traced, again, in the Austrian provinces, and while the increases were not as dramatic as the food situation, the growth was again on the order of fifty percent above prior years.

The numbers themselves gave no indication of what Germany might intend to do with its stockpiles. Privately, he speculated what they could do; his report to London would concentrate on the data, and not his fears.


Elbinger Volksstimme, Wednesday, 23 November 1949

The support tanker Lauter and Lesum have concluded their operational training in the Baltic and have been released to their next assignment at the North Sea Naval Station.


Világgazdaság (Budapest), Thursday, 24 November 1949

Reports from Berlin are suggesting that the German Auto-Union group has reached an agreement with Iberian partners to found a local automobile manufacturer. Known as Sociedad Ibérica de Automóviles de Turismo it will receive technical assistance from Auto-Union and market its output to the domestic Iberian market.

Wilhelmshaven, Friday, 25 November 1949

Kees Vrooman had kept a close eye on the second batch of barge-like landing ships the Germans had set to build in the Wilhelmshaven dockyard – a month ago he had watched the first batch being completed with great ceremony. Today the second batch of five such ships was being launched – while not secret, there was no gathering of notables. His took a few snaps – security was not as tight on this occasion – and hoped that they and his written comments might win him a few hundred marks from his contact in Naval Intelligence. Rumour had it that in addition to the five ships building here others were taking shape in other German shipyards. But why?


The German Embassy, Addis Ababa, East African State, Saturday, 26 November 1949

Karl Freiherr von Macchio had been in the capital of the ‘East African State’ for two weeks, and already he had seen through the façade of the Italian puppet regime that governed this unfortunate land. From Haile Selassie down to the lowest functionary he had discovered that real authority lay with Italian ‘advisors’ who oversaw all activity. He sensed that this grated on the pride of the natives, but what could they do?

His arrival had caused a bit of a stir – and given time he might be able to convince the Negus to take a stand against his puppet-masters – but for the moment his primary concern was turning the small set of consular offices he now occupied into a proper chancery. Here again he ran up against Italian interference, indifference, and indolence. He could not even trust his reports to Berlin to the local telegraph – for the time being he chose to send a courier to Djibouti by railway and have the cables sent from the consulate there. This certainly was not Bangkok.


Die Welt Am Sonntag, Sunday, 27 November 1949

Elements of the Kriegsmarine recently joined with units of the Russian Federation Navy to conduct joint amphibious exercises in the Gulf of Pernau. Known as Operation Concert the exercise shows the level of cooperation and inter-operability evinced between our Fleet and that of our allies.

Peenemünde Test Centre, Monday, 28 November 1949

It was unusual for the Minister of Defence to visit one of the operational research centres, but the Rheinbote programme had reached a critical stage of its development. Tests at Peenemünde had reached a point where a decision would be made soon on the question of deployment. For Generalmajor Alfred Dornberger, it would be a long day.

Defence Minister and his staff arrived early that morning, and were treated to a tour of the facility in which the missiles were assembled and prepared for testing, and a close examination of one of the missiles that would be tested later that week. Then Dornberger himself briefed the minister on the test that would be carried out later that afternoon. Weather threatened the test but it went off successfully, eliminating a target drone bomber in a spectacular fashion. Blank was impressed.

“Herr Generalmajor, the missile seems quite capable. But as I understand it, you still need several separate dradis units to identify both the target and to control each missile. Is this a practical method of control?”

“Excellency, we are continuing to address that issue. Our new “Brigg” control system, currently in development, will allow a single dradis system to control several missiles, and the “Parsival” terminal targeting system – with its infra-red proximity capability – will reduce the time a dradis needs to control an individual missile; once the “Parsival” acquires a target, the dradis can shift to another bomber.”

“Prepare a decision support document for my review, and submit it before the end of the year. I want the facts at hand before I take this matter up with the Chancellor and the cabinet.”


Kieler Nachrichten, Tuesday, 29 November 1949

The destroyers Plauen, Frankenhausen, Naumburg, and Helmstadt, having completed their operational training, called here today before transiting the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal to take up their duties with the Atlantikflotte.


Der Tagesspiegel, Wednesday, 30 November 1949

The Ministry of Defence today announced that Kampfgeschwader 77 has been designated the first unit to convert to the Junkers Ju322 long range bomber, and is expected to receive its first aircraft sometime in January next year.

The Miami Herald, Thursday, 1 December 1949




Training Frigate Roon, Lisbon, Friday, 2 December 1949

The Roon was welcomed into the harbour of Lisbon after her passage from Argentina with Christmas celebrations in full flood. Despite the chill in the air Mohr was glad to be back in European waters again. Despite his confidence in his ship he was happy that his present order had the Roon due back in her home port of Wilhelmshaven by the end of the month. He speculated that most of the crew would be willing to forego the temptations of the Iberian city for the opportunity to be home for the holidays. They would refuel and reprovision, and depart as soon as possible.


Light Cruiser Novara, Cam Rahn Bay, Saturday, 3 December 1949

Rogge read the orders again from the Admiralstab. He did not like them – as even in winter the heat of the Red Sea made his ships barely tolerable. They explained the necessity of the voyage, and what he was to do. He called for his signal officer. “Please signal ‘All captains repair on board’.”

Kiel Dockyard, Sunday, 4 December 1949

Captain Khrenov had made the journey from Berlin with many of the other dignitaries who now found their place on the stand to witness the commissioning ceremonies of two of the Kriegsmarine’s latest warships. He wondered where his British opposite number was, but then perhaps Burcough had been invited to Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, or even Flensburg – the scene before him was being played out there as well. The Ronneburg and her sister Arnstadt were the lead ships of what would be a large class of frigates – reputed to be excellent anti-submarine ships – that would serve the Kriegsmarine well into the next decade. Not half a kilometre away two more of these ships – the Neuruppin and the Arnsburg were under construction, and, from what he had been told, work on another round of construction would commence in January.

With the crash of bottles against steel the ships were formally christened, flags and bunting broken out as they slid down the ways into the basin of the dockyard. The crowds cheered.


Bremer Nachrichten, Monday, 5 December 1949

The infantry landing ships Hahnöfersand and Hanskalbsand were launched at the Wien shipyards today.


Elbinger Volksstimme, Tuesday, 6 December 1949

The assault landing ships Buhnenwerder and Tanzwerder were launched at the Schichau yard at Memel today.

Die Rheinpfalz, Wednesday, 7 December 1949

The Ministry of Defence announced today the official formation of the Second Armoured Cavalry Regiment as part of the garrison of the Truppenübungsplatz Bergen-Hohne. Colonel Curt von Lüttichau has been named as its first commander.


Dithmarscher Landeszeitung, Thursday, 8 December 1949

The coastal escort Kaskasi was launched today at the Wilhelmshaven Dockyard while her sister Rossbreiten was launched at Kiel.


Light Cruiser Novara, The Bay of Bengal, Friday, 9 December 1949

The task force of two light cruisers and four frigates had passed through the Sunda Strait the prior evening, and with the rising sun behind them the ships of the East Asia Squadron shaped a westerly course. Rogge made a report to the Admiralstab and returned to his cabin to rest. Presuming that the weather held, they should reach the Arabian Sea without incident.

The German Embassy, Addis Ababa, East African State, Saturday, 10 December 1949

Von Macchio listened intently as his dragoman read the lead story in the day’s issue of Addis Zemen – the broadsheet recently founded by Amde Mikael Desalegn – a friend of the Negus and perennial thorn-in-the-side of the Italian ‘advisors’. In deliberately veiled language the newspaper suggested that the cause of the rebel Arbegnoch and the Negus was one and the same. If one read between the lines the article pointed out how the wealth of the nation was being bled for the Italians – the pitiable condition of the East African navy being highlighted. For Desalegn’s sake he hoped that the Italian censors had little comprehension of Amharic – otherwise Addis Zemen would have a very short life.


Training Frigate Roon, Wilhelmshaven, Sunday, 11 December 1949

The ship’s anchor chains rattled as they settled into the waters of the Jade. After many months at sea the Roon had arrived at what would be her future home. As her crew secured the ship and made ready to go ashore on well-earned liberty, Mohr rechecked the list of maintenance items he would bring to the attention of the commandant of the dockyard, for the Roon was scheduled for several weeks of maintenance. Soon a new group of cadets would be coming on board to take the place of those now departing. The cycle would continue.


Berlin, The Ministry of Defence, Monday, 12 December 1949

Blank laid the portfolio on his desk. Dornberger had prepared the decision support memorandum with great detail. Rheinbote – the experimental antiaircraft missile system – awaited only Cabinet approval before the final phase of its development and deployment could begin – even if it took months for the first sites to be operational. The Cabinet was due to meet on the morrow – but Blank was not yet ready to broach the subject to the entire body – he would speak to the Chancellor privately after the meeting.