PETER HANSEN (251-LIFE-1987) spent time working for the ABWEHR (the German Secret Service) during World War II and he has information known to a mere handful of people. He gives this secret information exclusively to SHARKHUNTERS. Here he tells us:

The Class of IV/42, to which Horst Bredow does belong, was actually promoted to Leutnant on December 1st 1944 rather than on January 1st 1945, at least 80% of that class whilst the lower scoring 20% or thereabouts were promoted with some delay either on January 1st 1945, February 1st or even March 1st. But because the last ranking list of the Kriegsmarine was issued on September 1st 1944 these folks are naturally not yet included in it.

Regarding 'FLAK-BOOTS', while there were plans and conversion to equip more boats as 'FLAK-BOOTS' were started, actually only U-441 actually saw combat, if you will. The results were such a flop that the conversion of other U-Boats slated for conversion were halted and they were reverted to regular TYPE VII boats. Only U-256 was finished and considered for a 'bait' operation in the Bay of Biscay but finally the sponsors of this unrealistic scheme were reigned in and it was stopped altogether because this approach clearly courted disaster, because RAF COASTAL COMMAND was both warned and informed by cracked radio interceptions that Bletchley Park passed on to them as well as quick adoption to these 'new tactics' to defeat their intent quickly. The same incidentally, was applicable to the so-called group support sailings that were ordered from Western French bases in June/July and in August of 1943.

An absolute unworkable scheme dreamed up in desperation by the Ivory Tower people in U-Boat Command who had been away from the Front too long, regardless how feasible or suitable it looked on the 'drafting tables' of U-Boat Command at the Hotel Steinplatz in Berlin, far away from the Bay of Biscay and the realities of the true situation there. Yet one could say one thing for this scheme - it probably saved the lives of some of these crews and kept their U-Boats from joining the mass killings during the Spring and Summer of 1943 by keeping them in the bunkers and shipyards for this very considerable attempt and then re-building the boats, which created considerable delays of course, and thus preserved them longer!!! Not since the Phoenicians roamed the seas was combat communication by waving flags of differentcolors used and attempted to order either fight on surface or crashdive and escape.

Regarding other 'secret' matters, you probably had not even heard of these stations and what they featured and how they were programmed, but this is really a very great and influential story and development. If properly handled & widely enough distributed, it could very well bring out of the woodwork certain suppressed facts concerning U-110, its capture & certain events connected with it BEFORE and AFTER that had very far-reaching consequences in many respects. Likewise it might well bring Felix Ewald somehow to the surface, from the engineroom of U-505 to mention two obvious possibilities. Believe me, this is not just speculation either! Many members of VDU would be extremely interested that this inquiry attempt succeeds.

HARRY'S NOTE - PETER, I did what you suggested, but drew a blank. Any further assistance on your part would be most welcome.

OPERATION URSULA Again here I am about as familiar with this matter and what transpired because I investigated it for Admiral Canaris as a special personal favor because he naturally had his hands in everything connected with Spain in general and the Spanish Civil War between the summer of 1936 and the spring of 1939 in particular, because he was instrumental in convincing Hitler to furnish Luftwaffe people and JUNKERS transport aircraft to bring Franco's Moorish troops from Spanish Morocco to Southern Spain because Franco and the other WHITE associates had virtually no means of bringing them across the Mediterranean Sea and into battle, as the Spanish Navy and Merchant Marine was almost entirely either under control or in the possession of the Spanish 'REPUBLICAN' (RED) forces partially because of the influence of the Merchant Marine and other unions. With other words, without Canaris's interference and the provision of the aircraft, the Franco rebellion would have collapsed already in 1936, a few months after it started!

Both due to the geographical separation of the various people involved and the super secrecy of the entire Spanish operational situation and who did what and when as well as why; only a very limited part of everything from plans to orders to decisions was put in writing or was documented in administrative or operational files. A considerable part was passed along 'verbally' only, often to the chagrin and dislike of the middle level & junior officers who had to carry out such orders and instructions.

As a consequence 'responsibility' was difficult to establish as well as intentionally covered up at virtually all levels. In fact, it seemed as if nobody could really 'remember' anything much of consequence, not to speak of facts or actual events.

People who have good memories will recal that in 1937 and 1938 especially 'mysterious' submarines attacked and torpedoed different warships and Merchant Marine vessels, mostly in the Western Mediterranean Sea. While there were many rumors and suppositions galore; few facts were ever released, determined, published or admitted.

HARRY'S NOTE - this amazing story of German U-Boats operating in Spanish waters and sinking ships (in one case, a 'REPUBLICAN' Spanish submarine) was all covered in previous issues of our KTB Magazine. OPERATION 'URSULA' was named for the daughter of (then) Kapitän zur See Karl Dönitz, URSULA HESSLER (1339-1990) and was a closely-kept secret even among the U-Bootfahrer. We even printed the oath sworn by all the officers and men involved in this OPERATION in one of our KTB Magazines.

One of our Members, himself a U-Boat Commander, had a friend and fellow officer who wore the SPANISH CROSS but this friend would not say how he earned this rare decoration. He was sworn to secrecy.

When we broke the story about OPERATION 'URSULA' and the U-Boat involvement in the Spanish Civil War, this Member asked his friend if this was how he won the Medal - his friend smiled and said that it was.

More Peter's Page: Ursula

German Subs in Spanish Civil War (#111)
German Subs in Spanish Civil War (#112)
German Subs in Spanish Civil War (#113)
German Subs in Spanish Civil War (#114)
German Subs in Spanish Civil War (#115)
German Subs in Spanish Civil War (#116)