Tho ships to ID - please help.

[Derhummel]

Hello!

I would appreciate any help with IDing of these two ships. Any thoughts on what model or type are they?

#1 in the port of Wilhelmshaven.

[Derhummel]

And #2 that escorts Minenschiff (photo taken from the deck of Mineschiff roland) in the sea. Thanks in advance for any help!




Best regards,
Roman

[byterock]

The second is most likely Z22 was the Anton Schmitt. This would be a pre-war shot the first could by any of the other 34 or 36 class ships from Z01~Z22 the later one has either twin gun forward or only one turret forward

[Ed Taylor]

If this is the Anton Schmitt it was one of the German destrroyers sunk during the first battle of Narvik in April 1940.

[Derhummel]

Ed and byterock thanks for your comments!!! I appreciate your help. I have researched some information about Z-22 Anton Schmitt and what I found is:

http://www.bismarck-class.dk/german_destroyers/z6.html


Z-6 - Theodor Riedel had 22 pennant number, but Z-22 had #41.

Thanks,
Roman

[Simon O.]

Roman

You're on the right track, this is indeed Theodor Riedel, and the photo is pre-war. The number on the side is indeed the pennant number.

If you compare the funnels of the type 34A and type 36 destroyers you will see that the tops of the Type 36 are smaller than those of the 34 class.

[byterock]

Ok Last time I trust that Bantam book from the 60s.

I guess in that book they just used the Z-number and matched them against the pennant numbers for the photos.

I guess it would not be the first time this has happened, in this case it would be the photo editor not talking to the text editor.

I will have a closer look at it tonight.

At least I could tell it was a pre-war shot

cheers

[Derhummel]

Hello byterock! Reference books are not perfect but anyway your comment pushed me to the right direction for further research on this photo.

The photo is not prewar but very early war. What we see here is the first combat mission of Z6 and minenschiffs. I guess this photo could be dated by September 1939.

Best regards,
Roman