About Schnellboot S 35 mined off Bizerta on 28 February 1943

[Francesco De Domenico]

I attach here the story of the sinking as told by Friedrich Kemnade, at the time Commander of the 3. Schnellbootflottille and later Rear Admiral, in his book "Die Afrika Flottille. Der Einsatz der 3. Schnellbootflottille im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Chronik und Bilanz", Motorbuch Verlag, 1978 (kindly lent to me by Francesco Mattesini).

In the map from the book, the mine barrage just laid by HMS ABDIEL NW of Biserta which presumably caused the loss of S 35 and her entire crew is  indicated by the letter "X" at the extreme right of the map.

[Platon Alexiades]

Dear Francesco,

 

Many thanks for the information ("X" is on the extreme left of map). These minefields were not all laid by the Third S-Flottille and minefield S 91 (next to "X") which was suspected that may have caused the loss of S 35 was laid by the minelayer Barletta and the destroyer Da Noli on 29 November 1942 (112 EMC and 60 EMF mines laid from 37°23.5' N, 09°44.5' E to 37°30' N, 09°54.5' E). Compare this with HMS Abdiel's minefield:

 

1. 6 mines on a line extending for 0.2 mile in a direction 250° from 37°29.5' N, 09°44' E.

2. 154 mines on a line extending for 5 miles in a direction 250° from 37°28.3' N, 09°42.9' E.

(all Mk. XVII/XVII mines).

 

The possibility of a drifting mine cannot be discounted so the position of the wreckage (18 miles north of Cape Dukara) located perhaps 15 hours or so after her sinking means that she blew up within a few miles from there.

 

All the best,

 

Platon

[Francesco Mattesini]

Il 30 novembre 1942 il BARLETTA e il DA NOLI hanno posato anche lo sbarramento S 92, con 55 mine EMF e 98 mine ENC, in lat. 37°25,6'N, long. 09°53,7'E e in lat. 37°30,3'N, long. 09°59,7'E.

 

Franco