Die Schnellboot-Seite
The boats of type S 30 were handed over to the 3. SFltl by the 2. SFltl in February and March of 1941. Some of the boats got already before their deployment in Operation Barbarossa (Russia-Campain) camouflage paintings and silhouettes of sea animals as coat of arms. So there was painted a Flying Fish as coat of arms on the quarter of "S 31" (Lt.z.S. Haag).
"S 31" with the Flying Fish 1941 in the ship yard Wilhelmshaven - Picture: Archives H. Haag
"S 34" with the Deap Sea Fish off the Belgian Coast 1941 - Picture: From Kemnade "Afrikaflottille"
"S 35" with the Sea Horse Spring 1941 - Picture: From Kemnade "Afrikaflottille"
"S 57" with Chamberlain with Umbrella 1940 - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
Whether and if so which sea animals were used by the other boats is not known, other than "S 34" using Deep-Sea Fish, "S 35" using Lobster, "S 57" using Chamberlain with Umbrella, and "S 61" using Mermaid. One boat used an animal which might have been an Otter or an early form of a Crocodile. From that time no other pictures are available.
Before the deployment in Operation Barbarossa the boats were painted in camouflage-patterns.
On June 20th 1941 the 3. SFltl was composed of the following units for Operation Barbarossa:
| Boat | Rank | Name | Sign |
| S 31 | Lt.z.S. | Heinz Haag | Flying Fish |
| S 34 | Lt.z.S. | Erwin Lüders | Deep-Sea Fish |
| S 35 | Lt.z.S. | Horst Weber | Lobster |
| S 54 | Lt.z.S. | Herbert Wagner | ? |
| S 55 | Oblt.z.S. | Karl-Heinz Stolzenburg | ? |
| S 57 | Lt.z.S. | Günther Erdmann | Chamberlain with Umbrella |
| S 58 | Lt.z.S. | Eberhard Geiger | ? |
| S 59 | Oblt.z.S. | Albert Müller | ? |
| S 60 | Oblt.z.S. | Siegfried Wuppermann | ? |
| S 61 | Oblt.z.S. | Axel von Gernet | Mermaid |
Boats "S 30", "S 33", "S 36", and "S 56" were not ready for action in the ship yard.
Boats of the 3. SFltl 1941 at Saßnitz, Pierboat "S 34" with the Deep-Sea-Fish - Picture: Archives Heinz Haag
"S 35" with the Lobster during Operation Barbarossa - Picture: PK-Photograph
"S 54" with the Crocodile (early form) - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
"S 56" camouflaged with Shark - Picture: Archives 7. SGschw
Coat of Arms Mermaid on the quarter of "S 61" - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
For the transfer of the boats into the Mediterranean Sea they were painted black. With that all sea animals disappeared because of the possible identification of the boats.
On October 7th 1941 the first group of the 3. SFltl sailed from Wilhelmshaven to the Mediterranean Sea via the Rhine, the Rhine-Rhone-Kanal and the Rhone.
| Boat | Rank | Name | Sign |
| S 31 | Lt.z.S. | Heinz Haag | Flying Fish |
| S 33 | Oblt.tz.S. | Karl-Heinz Stolzenburg | Sea Snake |
| S 34 | Lt.z.S. | Erwin Lüders | ? |
| S 35 | Lt.z.S. | Horst Weber | Sea Horse |
| S 61 | Oblt.z.S. | Axel von Gernet | Mermaid |
On February 5th 1942 the second group of the flotilla arrived. The flotilla now consisted of eight boats:
| Boat | Rank | Name | Sign |
| S 31 | Lt.z.S. | Heinz Haag | Flying Fish |
| S 33 | Oblt.tz.S. | Karl-Heinz Stolzenburg | Sea Snake |
| S 34 | Lt.z.S. | Horst Weber | ? |
| S 35 | Lt.z.S. | Erwin Lüders | Sea Horse |
| S 54 | Oblt.z.S. | Claus-Degenh. Schmidt | Crocodile |
| S 56 | Oblt.z.S. | Siegfried Wuppermann | Shark |
| S 57 | Oblt.z.S. | Günther Erdmann | Dolphin |
| S 58 | Lt.z.S. | Eberhard Geiger | Saw Fish |
| S 59 | Oblt.z.S. | Albert Müller | Sea Lion |
| S 61 | Oblt.z.S. | Axel von Gernet | Mermaid |
"S 31" in a Lock during the Transit to the Mediterranean Sea - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
"S 31", "S 33", "S 34", "S 35", "S 61" in a Lock at Chalon-sur-Saône - Picture: Unknown
During the following time in the ship yard at La Spezia the boats got back their white ("schnellbootweiß") paint and with that also their sea animals. These sea animals stayed normally with the boats.
During their stationing at Derna the coat of arms were possibly painted over to deny the posibility of identification to the enemy. The boats which were photographed at Derna did not carry any coat of arms.
Two S-Boats of Type S 30 alongside a Tender in the Mediterranean Sea - Picture: Gerhard Bollermann
Boat of Type "S 30" at Mersa Matruh - Picture: Archives Richard Mundt
"S 30" off Derna - Picture: Archives Heinz Haag
End of October 1942 upon arrival of the third transfer-group and a training phase necessary because heavy personnel exchange the flotilla consisted of 12 boats, the boats "S 31" and "S 34" had been lost on May 10th 1942 respectively on May 17th 1942:
| Boat | Rank | Name | Sign |
| S 30 | Oblt.z.S. | Günther Schulz | Sword Fiksh |
| S 33 | Oblt.z.S. | Günther Brauns | Sea Snake |
| S 35 | Oblt.z.S. | Erwin Lüders | Sea Horse |
| S 36 | OBlt.z.S. | Horst Weber | Sea Star |
| S 54 | Oblt.z.S. | Claus-Degenh. Schmidt | Crocodile |
| S 55 | Reserveboat | Penguin | |
| S 56 | Oblt.z.S. | Siegfried Wuppermann | Shark |
| S 57 | Oblt.z.S. | Günther Erdmann | Sawfish |
| S 58 | Reserveboot | Dolphin | |
| S 59 | Oblt.z.S. | Albert Müller | Sea Lion |
| S 60 | Oblt.z.S. | Heinz Haag | Flying Fish |
| S 61 | Oblt.z.S. | Axel von Gernet | Mermaid |
After loss of boat "S 31" the Flaing Fish was taken to his new boat "S 60" by the commanding officer, Lt.z.S. Heinrich Haag.
"S 30" in Pola (Firella) June 1944 - Picture: Archives Oblt.z.S. a.D. Backhaus
"S 31" in an Italian Harbour - Picture: Archives Kapt.z.S. a.D. Haag
"S 33" in Pola (Firella) June 1944 - Picture: Archives Oblt.z.S. a.D. Backhaus
"S 33" at Venice 1944 - Picture: Archives Thomas Bethke
"S 33" in the ship yard at Palermo - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandson
"3. SFltl in Line of Bearing in the Med, in Front "S 34" - Picture: Archives Förderverein
"S 35" in the Med - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
"S 36" at the celebration of their Iron Crosses at Augusta 1942 - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
"S 54" in Formia January 1942 - Picture: Unknown
"S 54" at the Supply-Pier - Picture: Unknown
"S 55" in the Med - Picture: Unknown
R-boats and "S 55" in Samos - Picture: Archives Peter Schenk
"S 55" in Mersa-Matruh - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
"S 56" in Formia - Picture: Archives Oblt.z.S. Backhaus
"S 57" in the Naval Base Toulon - Picture: Unknown
"S 58" in the ship yard at Pola - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
"S 58" on a Sortie in the Mediterranean Sea - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
"S 59" in an Italian Harbour - Bild: Unknown
"S 60" off the African Coast - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
"S 60" in the Adriatic Sea - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
"S 61" in Venice - Picture: Unknown
Plague for the leaving oldest CO, Kptlt. Wuppermann - Picture: Wuppermann
Plague for Oblt.z.S. Buschmann, CO "S 57", reminding of the 100. Sortie - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
Mid June 1943 the flotilla consisted of 11 boats:
| Boat | Rank | Name | Sign |
| S 30 | Oblt.z.S. | Johannes Backhaus | Sword Fish |
| S 33 | Oblt.z.S. | Günther Brauns | Sea Snake |
| S 36 | Oblt.z.S. | Hans-Georg Buschmann | Sea Star |
| S 54 | Oblt.z.S. | Claus-Degenh. Schmidt | Crocodile |
| S 56 | Spareboat | Shark | |
| S 57 | Oblt.z.S. | Günther Erdmann | Dolphin |
| S 58 | Oblt.z.S. | Günther Schulz | Saw Fish |
| S 59 | Oblt.z.S. | Albert Müller | Sea Lion |
| S 60 | Oblt.z.S. | Heinz Haag | Flying Fish |
| S 61 | Oblt.z.S. | Axel von Gernet | Mermaid |
On January 1st 1945 the flotilla had decreased in number to six boats:
| Boat | Rank | Name | Sign |
| S 30 | Oblt.z.S. | Gunnar Kelm | Sword Fish |
| S 33 | Lt.z.S. d.R. | Jarminowski | Sea Snake |
| S 36 | Lt.z.S. (KrO) | Bruno Ahlers | Sea Star |
| S 58 | Oblt.z.S. | Günther Milbradt | Saw Fish |
| S 60 | StObStrm. | Wilhelm Kaufhold | Flying Fish |
| S 61 | Oblt.z.S. | Jürgen Haardtke | Mermaid |
On May 3rd 1945 the last three boats of the 3 SFltl were sailed from Pola to Ancona to surrender to the British:
| Boat | Rank | Name | Sign |
| S 30 | Lt.z.S. d.R. | Rudolf Svoboda | Sword Fish |
| S 36 | Lt.z.S. d.R. | Jarminowski | Sea Star |
| S 61 | Oblt.z.S. | Jürgen Haardtke | Mermaid |
"S 57" during the visit of the Italian Crowne Prince May 1943 - Picture: Archives Ola Erlandsson
On 13.10.1944 the 3. and the 7. SFltl were united and the previous 3. SFltl became the 1. Group (Oblt.z.S. Johannes Backhaus) of the 3. SFltl with boats "S 30", "S 33", "S 36", "S 58", "S 60" and "S 61". The boats of the 1. Group kept their markings. The previous 7. SFltl became the 2. Group (Oblt.z.S. Hans-Georg Buschmann) of the 3. SFltl with boats "S 151", "S 152", "S 154", "S 155", "S 156", "S 157" and "S 158". The boats of the 2. Group also kept their markings. On 25.10.1944 kthe boats of the previous 24. SFltl, "S 621", "S 623", "S 626", "S 627", "S 629" und "S 629", joined and formed the 3. Group (Oblt.z.S. d.Res. Hermann Bollenhagen) of the 3. SFltl. About markings of the boats of the 3. Group nothing is known.
On 01.01.1945 the 1. Group (Oblt.z.s. Günther Milbradt) of the 3. S-Flottille was had shrunk to six of the the original boats:
| Boaot | Rank | Name | Marking |
| S 30 | Oblt.z.S. | Gunnar Kelm | Swordfish |
| S 33 | Lt.z.S. d.R. | Jarminowski | Sea Snake |
| S 36 | Lt.z.S. (KrO) | Bruno Ahlers | Se Star |
| S 58 | Oblt.z.S. | Günther Milbradt | Sawfish |
| S 60 | StObStrm. | Wilhelm Kaufhold | Flying Fish |
| S 61 | Oblt.z.S. | Jürgen Haardtke | Mermais |
On 01.01.1945 the 2. Group (Oblt.z.S. Hans-Georg Buschmann) of the 3. S-Fltl (former 7. SFltl) consisted of the following boats:
| Boat | Rank | Name | Marking |
| S 151 | Lt.z.S.d.R. | Hellmuth Greiner | H |
| S 152 | ObStrm. | Erich Mensch | ? |
| S 153 | Oblt.z.S. | Hans-Wulf Heckel | ? |
| S 154 | Obstrm. | Erwin Schipke | ? |
| S 156 | Oblt.z.s.d.R. | Marxen | K |
| S 157 | Oblt.z.S. | Hans-Ulrich Liebhold | ? |
On 01.01.1945 the 3. Group (Oblt.z.S. Hermann Bollenhagen) of the 3. S-Fltl (former 24. SFltl) consisted of the following boats:
| Boat | Rank | Name | Marking |
| S 621 | ObStrm. | Wernicke | - |
| S 623 | ObStrm. | Elsneit | - |
| S 626 | Llt.z.S. | Klaus Burba | - |
| S 627 | Lt.z.S. | Paul Oberwaul | - |
| S 628 | - | - | - |
| S 629 | Lt.z.S. | Ernst-Günter Müller | - |
| S 630 | Oblt.z.S. | Cartanga (it. Besatzung) | - |
On 30.04.1945 e Lt.z.S. Müller scuttled his boaot "S 629" and on 01.05.1945 Obstrm. Elsneit scuttled his boat "S 623". The other boats of the 3. Group fell aKB into the hands of the British partly laying at shipyards for repairs.
On 03.05.1945 the last three boats of the 1. Group of the 3. SFltl together with the remaining boats of the 2. Group sailed from Pola to Ancona to surrender to the British:
| Boat | Rank | KMarking | |
| S 30 | Lt.z.S. d.R. | Rudolf Svoboda | Swordfish |
| S 36 | Lt.z.S. d.R. | Jarminowski | Sea Star |
| S 61 | Oblt.z.S. | Jürgen Haardtke | Mermaid |
Boats of the1. S-Boat-Division (3. and 7. SFltl) in Ancona 1945 - Picture: Archives Kloetzke
"S 61" in La Valetta Harbour 1945 - Picture: Archives Gowing
Who can give us information on which boats of type S 30 sea animals were used as coat of arms already before Operation Barbarossa and on which boat of type S 30 the "Otter" was used as coat of arms during Operation Barbarossa. Who can provide us with relevant pictures suitable for our site?
Pleae contact the WEB-Master, Kalle Scheuch
