Die Schnellboot-Seite
Who can give reliable information on what was the basis for the letter-code used for the boats of the 7. SFltl?
Was the initial used of the CO's family-name? Was the initial of the first-name of the CO selected? Or was it the initial of the CO's nickname?
Was the letter-code of the boat changed when there was a change in command?
Boats of the 1. SBoat-Division (3. and 7. SFltl) in Ancona, Italy - Picture: Archives Kloetzke
The 2. Boot from left shows the letter-code "H", the boat to the right shows letter-code "B", "D" oder "R"
"S 158" during torpedo-replenishment in an Adria-harbour - Picture: Archives Kloetzke
It shows the letter-code "K". That does not suit with the CO, having sailed the boat to the Mediterranean Sea and sailed it there until April 1943, Oblt.z.S. Günther Erdmann, nor does it fit with his successor Oblt.z.S. Claus Schulze Jena.
|
Boat |
Co
on 15.09.42 |
CO
on 31.05.43 |
CO
on 01.05.45 |
Code |
Sunken |
Surrender
at Pola |
|
S
151 |
Oblt.z.S.Hermann
Holzapfel |
Kptlt.
Hermann Holzapfel |
Lt.z.S.d.R.
Hellmuth Greiner |
E |
|
03.05.45 |
|
S
152 |
ObFhnr.z.S.
Friedrich-Wilhelm Heye |
Lt.z.S.
Friedrich-Wilhelm Heye |
OBStm
Erich Mensch |
? |
|
03.05.45 |
|
S
153 |
Lt.z.S.
Sven Rautenberg |
Lt.z.S.
Sven Rautenberg |
|
? |
12.06.44 |
|
|
S
154 |
ObFhnr.z.S.
Gunnar Kelm |
Lt.z.S.
Gunnar Kelm |
|
? |
22.01.45 |
|
|
S
155 |
KptLt.
Wolf Dietrich Babbel |
Lt.z.S.d.R.
Marxen |
OBStm
Erwin Schipke |
W |
|
03.05.45 |
|
S
156 |
Oblt.z.S.
Klaus Thomsen |
OLt.z.S.
Klaus Thomsen |
Lt.z.S.
Marxen |
H |
|
03.05.45 |
|
S
157 |
Oblt.z.S.
Karlheinz Merkel |
Lt.z.S.
Hans-Wulf Heckel |
Oblt.z.S.
Hans-Ulrich Liebhold |
C |
01.05.45 |
|
|
S
158 |
Oblt.z.S.
Günther Erdmann |
Oblt.z.S.
Claus Schulze-Jena |
|
K
(H*) |
25.10.44 |
|
*) some sources name as letter-code for boat "S 158" the letter "H", other sources name under code "H" boat "S 151" but also "S 156"
 |
| S 151 - Code "E" - Picture: Archives Kloetzke |
 |
| S 155 - Code "W" - Picture: Archives Eric-Jan Bakker |
 |
| S 156 - Code "H" *) - Picture: Archives Förderverein |
 |
| S 157 - Code "C" - Picture: Archives Förderverein |
 |
| S 158 - Code "K" - Picture: Archives Kloetzke |
"S 155" shows letter-code "W". That points to the name of the commanding officer, KptLt Wolf-Dietrich Babbel, as well as to the name of the commanding officer, Lt.z.S. Hans-Wulf Heckel, who held command of "S 155" at times.