Feldgrau.net

Hello all,

I'm looking for information about the K-flotille 411 on their way from Germany to Italy. Near Verona the convoy was splitted to reach San Remo on the west and Sistiana in the Adriatic.

There is a bit of information on the 1st operation off Nice, but I still don't have nothing on the organisation, commanding officers, operations, etc of the naval base in Sistiana bay.

I visited the existing bunker and the wreck of one scuttled Molch. All other kinds of information are most welcome.

Thanks and best wishes,

Dejan

Hello DEJAN!


... difficult question, but I found the following:

K-Flottille 411

Flottillechef: Oblt. Heirich HILLE
Gruppenführer: Oblt. Johann Fischer, Oblt. Ernst Jahn, Lt. Karl-Heinz Herrlich

Originally the flottilla consists of 60 MOLCH and 350 men, but due to Allied air superority the flottilla suffered heavy losses - the flottilla was simply too large and flexible. All later MOLCH-flotillas get 30 boats and about 200 men.

formed in July 1944 at Surendorf
training until August 1944 ("Bodenstaffel" coming from List and drivers coming from Lübeck)
ready for action since 20.08.1944 at Gettdorf

At the end of August 1944 ordered to Tournai, but shortly later changed to Italy. Most probably the flottilla divided itself into 4 groups, first travelling to Verona. Perhaps only the 1. and 2. Gruppe reached Genua on 10.09.1944 and the 3. and 4. Gruppe went for Padua.
On 20.10.1944 20 MOLCH (from 1. and 2. Gruppe, ???) reached San Remo.

The first and also the last action theretookplace during the nicht 25./26.09.1944 with 12 MOLCH attacking Allied ships between Mentone and Nizza. Only 2 returned - which were destroyed shortly after by Allied shore bombardement - without scoring any hit.

The whole flottilla were present at Triest on 11.11.1944 and was later situated at Sistiana.

Greetings from Austria
Peter K.

WOW! Thanks. Way to go!

About the 1st action of the Molchs I have this below which can be pasted into your story. Also I'm getting report of the interrogation of the captured drivers.

Regards, Dejan



-----
26.– 30.9.1944
Mittelmeer / Ligurisches Meer
KK-Flottille 411 entsendet eine Gruppe von 9 Einmann-Tauchbooten (Typ »Molch«) mit je 2 Torpedos von San Remo aus zum Angriff auf den französischen Zerstörer Forbin vor Mentone und den amerikanischen Zerstörer Madison vor Nizza. Die Angreifer werden mit Sonar geortet; vier »Molch«-Piloten werden getötet, zwei entkommen an Land, drei retten sich an die Wasseroberfläche und werden von den Zerstörern geborgen. — Am 30.9. führt eine einzelne Spreng-»Linse« von Corsini aus eine weitere erfolglose Unternehmung durch.

some years ago it had an article on the local newspaper ("Il Piccolo") about this; students have found in a xy archive in Ljubljana some (hand)drawings of the base made by agents of the resistance mouvement.

Maybe I finf it (the article) in my chaos ...

hi, im happy to know that other people are interested about midget molch in sistiana. I'm looking for news about it and his hystory from san remo to Sistiana trough Verona. I know that another ,as you know, molch is conservated in Trieste in museum de Henriquez but difficult to visit...i'll try. i've made a lot of immersion in Sistiana visiting the molch and every time i find a new particular. Ive collect some photo from internet and not and i'm lookink for news, photo and books about it can u help me?

I'm also interested on this subject, let's revamp this thread

hi, no news about Molch? not only in Italy, also i prefer, but also in Europe notice or photo. Thanks 4 news