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Re: Unknown U-boat
Posted by:
Stavros
()
Date: April 08, 2016 10:54PM
Hi Oliver,
This is very very interesting, fascinating news!
Thank you so much for your effort, time, assistance and valuable info!
Today, i checked all available data i have on the first special U-boat mission to South-Western Peloponnese, carrying the first pair of greek, pro-german, officers.
Here it is:
N.B. All following dates are with german calendar
FIRST MISSION BY U-BOAT CARRYING THE FIRST PAIR OF GREEK OFFICERS FROM POLA TO GREECE
The 2 greek officers in this mission were Lieutenant Ioannis Kalamaras and Second Lieutenant Ioannis Hatzopoulos of the Infantry Division of the Greek 4th Army Corps, in Görlitz.
(i) Before the U-boat journey:
23 February 1918: "The first 2 have left from here. Signed: Ipsilantis"
Source: This message was sent by Austrohungarian Foreign Minister Count Otto von Czernin (Otto Rudolf Theobald Ottokar Maria Graf Czernin von und zu Chudenitz) to Austrohungarian Ambassador in Bern Alexander Freiherr Musulin von Gomirje on 23 February 1923, with the order to inform H.E. King Constantine in Switzerland.
(the word "here" refers to the residence of Ipsilantis at Schloss Rappoltenkirchen, 16 km from Vienna).
(ii) During the U-boat journey:
"We left by train from Vienna to Pola, where a german officer awaited us and, after spending 24 hours on a steamboat, we entered a U-boat 36 metres in length with 3 officers, 3-4 sub-officers and 20 sailors, we initially sailed for 24 hours at surface and then continued sailing sometimes at surface and other times submerged and, after a total duration of 4 days, we arrived below the town of Kyparissia, the U-boat emerged to surface about 1,5 km from the shore, we boarded a rowboat with one sailor and went ashore".
Source: Interrogation of Second Lieutenant Hatzopoulos, in Athens, dated 12 March 1918, after being arrested on 11 March 1918
(iii) After the U-boat journey
5 March 1918: Second Lieutenant Hatzopoulos was seen in the city of Patras (north-western Peloponnese) and, from that moment, placed under surveillance
8 March 1918: Lieutenant Kalamaras is arrested in Athens (interrogation took place the same day)
11 March 1918: Second Lieutenant Hatzopoulos takes the train from Patras to Athens and is arrested a few hours after arriving in Athens (interrogation took place the following day)
23 March 1918: "Please transfer the following message to H.E. King Constantine: I have been informed from an official german source that, according to the press, one pair of officers has been arrested. Signed: Princess Ipsilanti"
Source: This message was sent by Austrohungarian Foreign Minister Count Otto von Czernin (Otto Rudolf Theobald Ottokar Maria Graf Czernin von und zu Chudenitz) to Austrohungarian Ambassador in Bern Alexander Freiherr Musulin von Gomirje on 23 March 1923, with the order to inform H.E. King Constantine in Switzerland.
Some thoughts:
- The fact that the message was sent on 23 February 1918 does not necessarily mean that the 2 greek officers actually left Rappoltenkirchen on 23 February 1918. They could have departed from Rappoltenkirchen earlier...
- The town of Kyparissia (older name "Arcadia" ) is located in the Bay of Arcadia (also known as Bay of Kyparissia). The approximate coordinates are 37 15'N 21 40'E .
- The info from Hatzopoulos' interrogation concerning the U-boat details (length, number of crew) might not be accurate...
- It would be extremely interesting to find info on the exact journey of the U-boat of this first special mission to South-Western Peloponnese and the exact point of disembarkation of the 2 officers in the Bay of Arcadia...
- the W/T-message from UB 68 you mention : "Ballen ohne Schwierigkeiten am vorgesehenen Platz ausgeladen" - unloaded bales without difficulties at the designated spot " : is there info on when it was sent?
Thanks,
Stavros Fessas
This is very very interesting, fascinating news!
Thank you so much for your effort, time, assistance and valuable info!
Today, i checked all available data i have on the first special U-boat mission to South-Western Peloponnese, carrying the first pair of greek, pro-german, officers.
Here it is:
N.B. All following dates are with german calendar
FIRST MISSION BY U-BOAT CARRYING THE FIRST PAIR OF GREEK OFFICERS FROM POLA TO GREECE
The 2 greek officers in this mission were Lieutenant Ioannis Kalamaras and Second Lieutenant Ioannis Hatzopoulos of the Infantry Division of the Greek 4th Army Corps, in Görlitz.
(i) Before the U-boat journey:
23 February 1918: "The first 2 have left from here. Signed: Ipsilantis"
Source: This message was sent by Austrohungarian Foreign Minister Count Otto von Czernin (Otto Rudolf Theobald Ottokar Maria Graf Czernin von und zu Chudenitz) to Austrohungarian Ambassador in Bern Alexander Freiherr Musulin von Gomirje on 23 February 1923, with the order to inform H.E. King Constantine in Switzerland.
(the word "here" refers to the residence of Ipsilantis at Schloss Rappoltenkirchen, 16 km from Vienna).
(ii) During the U-boat journey:
"We left by train from Vienna to Pola, where a german officer awaited us and, after spending 24 hours on a steamboat, we entered a U-boat 36 metres in length with 3 officers, 3-4 sub-officers and 20 sailors, we initially sailed for 24 hours at surface and then continued sailing sometimes at surface and other times submerged and, after a total duration of 4 days, we arrived below the town of Kyparissia, the U-boat emerged to surface about 1,5 km from the shore, we boarded a rowboat with one sailor and went ashore".
Source: Interrogation of Second Lieutenant Hatzopoulos, in Athens, dated 12 March 1918, after being arrested on 11 March 1918
(iii) After the U-boat journey
5 March 1918: Second Lieutenant Hatzopoulos was seen in the city of Patras (north-western Peloponnese) and, from that moment, placed under surveillance
8 March 1918: Lieutenant Kalamaras is arrested in Athens (interrogation took place the same day)
11 March 1918: Second Lieutenant Hatzopoulos takes the train from Patras to Athens and is arrested a few hours after arriving in Athens (interrogation took place the following day)
23 March 1918: "Please transfer the following message to H.E. King Constantine: I have been informed from an official german source that, according to the press, one pair of officers has been arrested. Signed: Princess Ipsilanti"
Source: This message was sent by Austrohungarian Foreign Minister Count Otto von Czernin (Otto Rudolf Theobald Ottokar Maria Graf Czernin von und zu Chudenitz) to Austrohungarian Ambassador in Bern Alexander Freiherr Musulin von Gomirje on 23 March 1923, with the order to inform H.E. King Constantine in Switzerland.
Some thoughts:
- The fact that the message was sent on 23 February 1918 does not necessarily mean that the 2 greek officers actually left Rappoltenkirchen on 23 February 1918. They could have departed from Rappoltenkirchen earlier...
- The town of Kyparissia (older name "Arcadia" ) is located in the Bay of Arcadia (also known as Bay of Kyparissia). The approximate coordinates are 37 15'N 21 40'E .
- The info from Hatzopoulos' interrogation concerning the U-boat details (length, number of crew) might not be accurate...
- It would be extremely interesting to find info on the exact journey of the U-boat of this first special mission to South-Western Peloponnese and the exact point of disembarkation of the 2 officers in the Bay of Arcadia...
- the W/T-message from UB 68 you mention : "Ballen ohne Schwierigkeiten am vorgesehenen Platz ausgeladen" - unloaded bales without difficulties at the designated spot " : is there info on when it was sent?
Thanks,
Stavros Fessas
