Hptm. Wilke, III. J.G. 53

[byron-]

Hi guys

I must run now to vote for the european parlament and than as quick as possible to a beache of Chalkidiki near the mount of Athos.
Does any of you know this paradise?
If one is lucky, is possible to see a mermaid there.

I`ll reply tomorrow evening when i`ll be back

byron

[Bruce Dennis]

Originally Posted by byron-

If one is lucky, is possible to see a mermaid there.

I keep looking...

In the meantime, concerning your man Wilcke, if you find any biographical data I would be interested to know if he is related to a Kreigsmarine Officer, Korvettenkapitan Hans Wilcke. This man was active in the Norway actions and then in the Channel until his death on 14 October 1942 in a friendly fire incident.

Regards,
Bruce

[VtwinVince]

Byron, my dad spent a lot of time on Mt. Athos, and I spent a year on Rodos. You are lucky to be there.

[byron-]

@ Vince,

I was September last year in Rhodes, it`s an impressive island. High quality hotels and service for permissible prices.

@ Bruce

I`ll make a recearch on KKpt. Hans Wilke and tell you about him.

@ Larry,

take a look on these two WebSites about Thessaloniki and the white tower.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Thessaloniki

http://www.google.gr/search?hl=el&q=...83%CE%B7&meta=

The town was surroundet, during the Byzantin time and after it, with high walls, 5 or 6 kilometers are still save, attached a pic. The white tower was a fortress of the whole.

@ pelagonia

thank you for the good will to help. I `ve allready written some books
about the "Kriegsmarine" and the "Heer" in Greece. Maybe later, if i can research what is needed, i`ll go ahead with "Luftwaffe". It needs time.

all the best

Byron

[Larry deZeng]

Larry,
take a look on these two WebSites about Thessaloniki and the white tower.

Thanks, Byron, very interesting! An Ottoman prison from about 1430.

Larry

[byron-]

@ Larry

regarding your question about the mole infront of the Seenot 7 base.
After the war, all the seafront of Salonica, from the white tower eastward, (about 3 km.) become wider (into the sea) some 100 meters, so the mole disapeared.

@ pelagonia

you may have seen a similar picture of the base, included in the book of Horst Thürling "Seenotstaffel 7"

[Larry deZeng]

regarding your question about the mole infront of the Seenot 7 base.
After the war, all the seafront of Salonica, from the white tower eastward, (about 3 km.) become wider (into the sea) some 100 meters, so the mole disapeared.

That's probably for the best, Byron, as the mole seems to have been too low to offer much protection in a really bad storm with high waves. Now the good citizens of Salonica have a wider sea front and beach to walk on.

[byron-]

surely Larry,

thats a wonderful place 5 km. along the coast of the Salonica bay. Every morning a lot of people young and older are runing or walking there, thats why one call this pedestrian zone as the "by pass avenue".

[byron-]

hello Bruce,

here what i found about KKpt. Hans Wilcke:

Geboren am 6.2.1909

gehörte zur Offiziers-Crew 1927


April 1939 - Oktober 1940 Kommandant Torpedoboot KONDOR

dabei
Sept. 1939 Deckung von Minenlegeunternehmung WESTWALL

April 1940 Teilnahme an der Unternehmung WESERÜBUNG (Besetzung Norwegens) mit Gruppe 5 (Oslo), Kampf um den Hafen Horten

Juni/Juli 1940 Geleitschutz für die von Trondheim zurück nach Kiel verlegenden beschädigten SCHARNHORST und GNEISENAU

September 1940 Deckung von Minenlegeunternehmungen SW
_ _ _

Oktober 1940 - Mai 1941 Personaloffizier P I c beim Stationskommando Nordsee

Mai 1941 - Oktober 1942 Flottillenchef 3. Torpedobootsflottille

1.11.1941 Beförderung zum Korvettenkapitän

14.10.1942 gefallen beim Geleitschutz für "Komet" *

posthum Beförderung zum Fregattenkapitän mit Wirkung vom 1.10.1942

* Gefallen in der Nacht zum 14. Oktober 1942 beim Geleitschutz für den Hilfskreuzer "Komet" im englischen Kanal durch fehlgeleitetes Abwehrfeuer ("friendly fire") des Hilfskreuzers, der die Brücke von Wilckes Führerboot T 14 traf. (Komet wurde wenig später versenkt.)

Got unfortunately no information about a relationship with the Lw officer.
Excuse me for the text in german, i am not so good with my school englisch

[Bruce Dennis]

Byron,
Many thanks. The information matches what I have, but seems to be from a different source so it is most welcome. Hans Wilcke had at least one brother, another KM officer who commanded a schnellboot, also on duty in the English channel the night of the battle. Perhaps Wolf-Dietrich will turn out to be related as well. I will use the place of birth (Schrimm near Posen) of Wolf to see if I can find a link with Hans. It is a long shot, but if they are related perhaps the place of birth will be the same.

Regards,
Bruce