Operational Order No. 18 for the Tanker "Heide", April 22, 1941

[Translated from the German by Google Translate.]  Naval Group Command North B.No. 239/41 Gkdos. Chiefs.

Command Post North, April 22, 1941.

"Top priority!", "Officer only!"

Operational Order No. 18 for the tanker "Heide".

I. Task:
The tanker "Heide" is positioned off the coast of Tränen in the archipelago, ready to reinforce the battleship "Bismarck" and the cruiser "Prinz Eugen."
Until it leaves the archipelago, as ordered by Group North, the ship is under the command of Group North; after departure, it is directly under the command of Fleet Command.

II. Command Structure:
Overall Command: Commander-in-Chief of Group North at the Kiel Command Post.

III. Participating Forces:
Fleet Commander with "Bismarck" and "Prinz Eugen.
" Tanker "Weissenburg,"
tanker "Heide."

IV. Enemy News:
See Annex 1.

V. Own Forces in the Operational Area:
1.) Tanker "Weissenburg" at point H.
2.) One WBS each in square AB 72 and in square AE 39 at position. 2.) Ship 31 (English fishing trawler type) en route from Tromsø to the operational area north of Jan Mayen.

VI. Individual Orders:
a) Tanker "Heide" will depart Kiel as soon as clear, under escort according to the instructions of the BSO, for the voyage via Kristiansand, then through Skudesnesfjord through archipelagos to Trondheim, from there to the anchorage in Kvalnesgogen in Vefsen Fjord at 65° 58.5' North, 12° 46' East.
March from Kristiansand-South to Hanst City Landing as directed by the Admiral West Coast, from there via Trondheim to the anchorage as directed by the Admiral North Coast.
The ordered waiting position must be reached no later than the evening of May 2nd.

b) The ship will remain there on 3-hour standby and, if necessary, relieve the tanker "Weissenburg," which is on standby in the North Sea to supply the naval forces at Point Hans (see Annex).
The order to leave the archipelago and rendezvous with the naval forces will be issued by the Naval Staff of Group North.

c) The order to return from the operational area will also be issued by the Naval Staff of Group North or the Fleet.

VII. Conduct in the operational area:
The ship will be positioned within a 15 nautical mile radius of the designated rendezvous point, at least every 6 hours at the center of this circle, beginning at 00:00 MGZ. It
is of particular importance that the tanker "Heide" remains unseen by the enemy. Therefore, a particularly strong lookout must be maintained, and all vessels must be avoided in a timely manner.
In the event of unavoidable enemy contact that cannot be avoided, the ship must, if necessary, be scuttled in a timely manner after prior FT reporting of the location, number, and type of enemy forces.

VIII.
Message orders: Follow separately.

IX. Mine situation in Norway:
Available for inspection from the Naval Commander Kristiansand-South.

X. Tanker deployment at rendezvous points:
See Appendix 2.

XI. List of code names:
See Appendix 3.

---

Annex 1 to Group North 238/41 Gkds. Chiefs. and 239/41 Gkds. Chiefs.

Operations Order No. 17 Tanker Weißenburg.
Operations Order No. 18 Tanker Heide.

Enemy intelligence

a) In the sea area of ​​the English east coast, Scapa area, west coast and northern route, the following English forces up to and including cruisers are presumably to be expected:

1.) Scapa area and West Coast:
Battleships "Prince of Wales", "Nelson", "Rodney", Heavy Cruiser "Suffolk", Cruisers "Frobisher", "Najade", "Mauritius", "Fiji", "Phoebe", "Dido", "Nigeria", "Aurora", "Penelope", Minesweeper "Adventure".

2.) Northern Route:
Battleships "King George Five", "Ramillies", "R. Sovereign".

3. East Coast:
Cruisers "Edinburgh", "Galatea", "Cardiff", "Curacoa".

b) The appearance of enemy forces, both in the Denmark Strait and the Iceland Passage, and surprise short incursions as far as the Norwegian coast, must be expected.

c) The following reports of British submarines are available:
14.3. AN 3652 two submarines (report questionable)
19.4. AN 3138 one submarine.

d) Aerial reconnaissance is conducted daily as part of the morning reconnaissance, weather permitting. and afternoon reconnaissance, and on favorable nights also night reconnaissance, flown and extended in the northern North Sea as far as the coast of Norway.
North of the Shetlands-Drontheim line, Sunderland flying boats are deployed for reconnaissance from Lerfick Harbour or Sollum-Voe (Shetlands).
The sea area Iceland-Faroe is apparently being reconnaissanced from Iceland.

e) Further reports, especially bearings of enemy units, are continuously being relayed by the group.

---

Annex 2 to Group North 238/41 and 239/41 Gkds. Chiefs.

Operations Order No. 17 Tanker Weißenburg and Operations Order No. 18 Tanker Heide.

Meeting point for the tankers.

Point: Hans Fritz Karl Max

Latitude: 70� North 71� North 72� 20' North 73� 40' North

Longitude: 1� West 1� 20' West 0� 30' East 0� 0'

---

Annex 3 to Group North 238/41 and 239/41 Gkds. Chiefs.

Operations Order No. 17 Tanker Weißenburg and Operations Order No. 18 Tanker Heide.

List of code names.

The following code names are used in correspondence and written communication, but not for signatures and affidavits:

"Bismarck" "Prince Eugene" "Heide" "Weissenburg" "Group North"

Oak wreath, sea god, powder box, resting pillow, bantam chicken.

---

Distribution

to Group North B. No. 238/41 Gkds. Chiefs and B. No. 239/41 Gkds. Chiefs. of 22.4.41.

(Operations Order No. 17 for tanker "Weissenburg"
Operations Order No. 18 for tanker "Heide".)

Naval Fleet "Bismarck" "Priz Eugen" Admiral Norway Admiral West Coast Admiral North Coast Tanker "Weissenburg" Tanker "Heide" Reserve (of which 3 war diaries)

Test no. 1 test no. 2-3 test no. 4 test no. 5 test no. 6 test no. 7 test no. 8 test no. 9 (B.No.238) test no. 10 (B.No.239) test no. 10-15