German Tanker (ex French)

[napy]

Good afternoon,

I recently bumped into a photo of a Tanker shot in Livorno probably in 1943. From the silhouette seems to me like the tanker ROUSSELION, can anybody confirm it?



Thanks alot in advance

Marco

[Klaus Günther v. Martinez]

No, Marco.
Almost certainly the "Thorsheimer", but more probably in 1942, for she received a camouflage as cargo (with false funnel amidships) and was lost in February 1943.

[Klaus Günther v. Martinez]

Judging by the form of the bridge another possibility might be the former French "Champagne", if she got the high kingpost behind the bridge not only in summer 1943 (and if two other pictures with this kingpost, one of them without camouflage, are wrongly identified as "Thorsheimer").

[Klaus Günther v. Martinez]

After rethinking I go for "Champagne", for pictures of "Thorsheimer" with the camouflage as cargo don't show the high kingpost (probably raised and strengthened for the loading of heavy vehicles on deck).
Regards
Klaus Günther

[napy]

Hello Klaus,
I'm not sure I can totally agree with CHAMPAGNE, the forward part looks to me too long. The only photo of CHAMPANGE I saw online show a very short space between the bridge suspertructure and the bow, and also the the bridge superstructure itself seems different. It looks more similar to THORSHEIMER, but she cannot be becasue she was already sank with the funnel modification and different camouflage. Why ROUSSELLION has to be discarded as option? I think she operated also from Livorno during 1943.
Do you have any photo of CHAMPAGNE to compare?

Regards

[Klaus Günther v. Martinez]

Hello Marco,
"Roussillon" was quite different, especially the form of the bridge.
But "Thorsheimer" and "Champagne" were sisterships, both built by Deutsche Werft.
I send some pictures from my collection by email.
Regards
Klaus Günther

[napy]

Hello Klaus,

I mistaken the CHAMPANGE with the "new" CHAMPAGNE, I'm totally agree with you on the identification, well done, again!!!