In J Whitley's book "German Destroyers of World War Two" (page89) it is reported that 3 German minelaying destroyers (names sought) on the 12/13 November laid mines in the Edinburgh and South Channels and on the 17/18 November the KUNNE escorted the minelayers ARNIM and GALSTER to lay mines in the Sunk Channel.
Any further information on the above would be most welcome names/(ports sailed from.returned to/times and especially for the nights of 12/13 - which ships laid in which channel)
Thanks to anyone who might be able to respond..
Regards
Sinbad
Minelaying in the Thames November 1939
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Christoph Awender
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minenleger
Hello!
It was a mission under command of F.d.Z.Kpt.z.S.Bonte with "Karl Galster", "Wilhelm Heidkamp", "Hermann Künne", "Hans Lüdemann".
The mines layed sunk the allied destroyer "Blanche" and 48 728 BRT merchant ships.
Returning the four destroyers were escorted by cruisers "Nürnberg", "Königsberg" and T-boats "Leopard", "Seeadler ", "Iltis" and "Wolf" of 6.T-Flottille.
\Christoph
It was a mission under command of F.d.Z.Kpt.z.S.Bonte with "Karl Galster", "Wilhelm Heidkamp", "Hermann Künne", "Hans Lüdemann".
The mines layed sunk the allied destroyer "Blanche" and 48 728 BRT merchant ships.
Returning the four destroyers were escorted by cruisers "Nürnberg", "Königsberg" and T-boats "Leopard", "Seeadler ", "Iltis" and "Wolf" of 6.T-Flottille.
\Christoph
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Christoph Awender
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- Location: Austria
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operation
Hello!
The info stated in the first post was referring to the raid in the night 12.-13.Nov.1939.
In the night 17.-18.Nov.1939 destroyers "Hermann Künne", "Bernd von Arnim", "Wilhelm Heidkamp" under command of FKpt.H.Hartmann (Chef 5.Z-Div.) lay mines in the middle Thames area.
Allied destroyers Gipsy, 1 trawler and 7 ships with 27565BRT sunk on this barrier.
On the return the destroyers were picked up at Terschelling-Bank by cruisers "NÜrnberg", "Leipzig", T-boats "Leopard", "Seeadler", "Iltis" of 6.T-Flottille.
BOTH operations started from Wilhelmshaven.
hope this helps,
Christoph
The info stated in the first post was referring to the raid in the night 12.-13.Nov.1939.
In the night 17.-18.Nov.1939 destroyers "Hermann Künne", "Bernd von Arnim", "Wilhelm Heidkamp" under command of FKpt.H.Hartmann (Chef 5.Z-Div.) lay mines in the middle Thames area.
Allied destroyers Gipsy, 1 trawler and 7 ships with 27565BRT sunk on this barrier.
On the return the destroyers were picked up at Terschelling-Bank by cruisers "NÜrnberg", "Leipzig", T-boats "Leopard", "Seeadler", "Iltis" of 6.T-Flottille.
BOTH operations started from Wilhelmshaven.
hope this helps,
Christoph