He spoke English quite well, though he lacked practice. It took nine torpedoes and one dud to sink them; the latter was sunk after it stopped to pick up survivors from the former. [10] According to one historian, Kretschmer was a patriot and loyal to the government, but later "eschewed Nazi efforts to glorify his success through propaganda. Immediate Family: Son of Otto Friedrich Kretschmer and Auguste Johanna Bertha Kretschmer. Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, among other awards. [58], Several of Kretschmer's senior officers left the boat before the final patrol. Six months later, on 15 December, he officially became Flottillenadmiral. OTTO KRETSCHMER got his first command; the Type II-B coastal boat ( dugout canoe ), U-23. Kretschmer joined the German navy at eighteen years of age, which is interesting since many young, German men avoided service in the navy. 1999-2020 Sharkhunters International. In a rush of roiling water that must have looked like a surfacing submarine, Papa Swan came roaring out of the water heading right at Juli who decided that it was time to leave but with about six feet of wingspan flailing about and huge clawed feet ripping chunks of OTTOs grass up, Papa Swan was hot after Juli all the while making a tremendous hissing sound. [48] Kretschmer recommended his helmsman Stabsobersteuermann Heinrich Petersen for the Knight's Cross after twelve war patrols for saving U-99 from enemy detection. While his wartime actions have been narrated several times, his tactics, summarized by the famous motto 'one torpedo, one ship', have never been systematically analysed. He earned the nickname "Silent Otto", both for his successful use of the "silent running" capability of U-boats and for his reluctance to transmit radio messages during patrols. Otto Kretschmer was only in combat from September 1939 until March 1941 but was Germany's highest-scoring U-boat commander, sinking 47 ships totaling 274,333 tons. With this result, Kapitnleutnant Kretschmer has reached . On February 22, 1941, Kretschmer set off on his final patrol. When giving their wartime histories, the normal U-Bootfahrer would tell what boat he rode. As the boat went under, she was immediately picked up on the ASDIC of the Royal Navy sub hunters and they came after this new contact. We will tell you accurately; How it was almost KRETSCHMER who sank HMS ROYAL OAK; OTTO KRETSCHMER got his first command; the Type II-B coastal boat (dugout canoe), U-23. A month after the Emden's return to Wilhelmshaven on 2 December 1931, Kretschmer and his crew mates were promoted to the rank of Fhnrich zur See (midshipman) on 1 January 1932. He mastered the English language and came to respect British education: its practical focus complemented his scientific and theoreticalbased German background. Remember that on the surface it is easier for you to spot the enemy than for the enemy to spot you, Dive only for two hours before dawn each day, to rest the crew, sweep with sound detection equipment, etc. [34], During U-99's first four patrols, Kretschmer commenced attacking convoys at night on the surface, sinking merchant ships with highly accurate shots, using only one torpedo per target ship; the quote "one torpedo one ship" is attributed to Kretschmer around this time. 3099067 [24] Following this patrol, he received the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse) on 17 December. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. Her eyes misted up and a smile came to her lips, and then she said; A canal ran along behind the Kretschmer house and here we see Mrs. Kretschmer feeding the ducks with their little Schnauzer Juli. Otto Kretschmer, Comandante alemn de U-Boot de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, fue sin duda el ms eficaz de toda la Kriegsmarine. [51] Kretschmer was awarded the 6th Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 4 November 1940. He wants to be a naval officer.". He very nearly drowned as, in the icy water, he no longer had the strength to climb up himself, only for a British sailor to clamber down and rescue him from the ocean. Leather strap partially torn from case.- 2) Tasco 7x35 fully coated 304. Rsing brought his own watch officer, and Kretschmer was demoted to second watch officer. [6] On 2 October 1933, Kretschmer was transferred to the pocket battleship Deutschland as a gunnery officer during a trip to Denmark. Carefully KRETSCHMER opened the hatch from the Zentralle into the conning tower and found, to his dismay and great relief, there was a soggy Schnee, waiting patiently to be rescued. Prien's reports were picked up by the Luftwaffe which sent Focke-Wulf Fw 200s from I. Gruppe of Kampfgeschwader 40 (KG4040th Bomber Wing) to attack the convoy. [47] The following month, Kretschmer formed part of the pack that attacked and devastated Convoy SC 7. German aircraft bombed and sank it three days later. Con su legendario submarino Tipo VII, el U-99, se apunt desde Septiembre de 1.939 hasta Marzo de 1.941, 47 barcos hundidos con un total de 274.333 toneladas. U-99 is preparing for her first Feindfahrt (war patrol), taking on supplies. Not the crew of U-99. He then moved to a Realgymnasium (secondary school). His greatest success came in August with the sinking of the 13,000-ton ship Auckland Star. [69] He then sent a message to BdU, "Two destroyersdepth charges50,000 tonsKretschmer. He met Adolf Hitler on more than once occasion, even having lunch with the Fhrer. Our DVD-56 features OTTO KRETSCHMER and you may get a glimpse of that DVD click here: SCENE 1 SCENE 2 SCENE 3, OTTO KRETSCHMER was with us for several of our Patrols in Germany and also in the USA. Kretschmer was born in Heidau near Neisse, then in the German Empire on 1 May 1912 to Friedrich Wilhelm Otto and Alice (ne Herbig) Kretschmer. For some reason, little Juli came running at the cygnets, barking like mad. After the completion of his submariner training he was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See (senior-sub lieutenant/Lieutenant Junior Grade)[12] on 1 June 1936. His father, a teacher, decided to send him to the UK, and Exeter was his destination. [34] On 21 June, his ninth patrol, his boat was damaged by an Arado Ar 196 floatplane from Scharnhorst in the belief U-99 was a British submarine. After sinking the Magog, he gave his crew brandy as a reward. [37] After sinking Magogthe submarine's first victimKretschmer gave the crew a bottle of brandy and directions to Ireland. Later, a mated pair of swans came by with their offspring, about six cygnets, and they were looking for food as well. OTTO KRETSCHMER made only seven Feindfahrt in World War Two but his daily average tonnage was equal to that of de la Perrier. U-99 was returning from her seventh Feindfahrt (war patrol) and this was to be OTTOs last Feindfahrt. In addition, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) on 26 December 1941. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. As OTTO said;I am a Prussian officer; we are not pirates!. Paterson: Kretschmer was the most successful U-boat captain of the Second World War, and the term 'scoring' relates to the total tonnage of shipping that he sank while commander of both U23 and U99. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. [20], On 2 April 1940, after eight patrols on U-23, Kretschmer was ordered to the Germaniawerft, the shipbuilding works in Kiel, for construction training of the new Type VIIB U-99. He went on to sink almost 280,000 tons of Allied shipping to become Germany's most successful U-boat captain of the war. The German crew failed to sink the stationary vessel with torpedoes while the weather ruled out the use of the gun. Serving on a U-boat was a very dangerous task, and one that many did not want. From September 1939 until being captured in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons. [75] In March 1942, the prisoners were transported to Bowmanville Camp near Lake Ontario in Canada. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. He did not come through the hatch he must be lost at sea. Heinrich Bleichrodt hit and sank two. He survived the sinking of his submarine but he was not clear yet. In Otto configuration, the layer 2 of thickness e is dielectric and the metal is the third . The Norwegian Varild 1,085GRT was sunk east of the Shetland Islands. Hitler invited Kretschmer to sit in on a lunch meeting with Hitler and Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet Union's ambassador to the Third Reich. Otto Kretschmer was only in combat from September 1939 until March 1941 but was Germany's highest-scoring U-boat commander, sinking 47 ships totaling 274,333 tons. OTTO KRETSCHMER indeed, was a fine man! [59], On 22 February 1941 U-99 left Lorient for the final time. [9] Kretschmer joined the U-boat service in January 1936. To learn about our use of cookies and how you can manage your cookie settings, please see our Cookie Policy. Click on the prints to see their descriptions. He sank another vessel on his fifth patrol to earn the Iron Cross first class, and he notched up further kills as the war progressed. We use cookies to improve your website experience. [38] Acts of compassion in submarine warfare were "selective and fickle", one historian wrote when describing Kretschmer's rescue of a lone man in a raft. [36] Kretschmer's tenth patrol (27 June21 July) yielded over 20,000GRT. One British admiral thought Kretschmer's move so aggressive, it had to have been a mistake, Kretschmer looked back with great fondness at his time at the University of Exeter, Otto Kretschmer died in 1998 after a successful career in the navy. Karl Dnitz, Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote (BdU), ordered attacks on Allied shipping at sea, beginning the Battle of the Atlantic. The crew remained in lifeboats nearby for reboarding once the attack was over. HMS WALKER had drifted several hundred yards from the spot U-99 had disappeared and, still wearing his full set of leathers AND sea boots (filled with water), OTTO made the difficult swim to HMS WALKER only to grab onto the scramble nets as the destroyer was beginning to pick up speed they didnt know he was on the nets! "He admitted that he had become weary of the war some time ago, and latterly had got no satisfaction from sinking ship after ship.". I gratefully acknowledge the help of Marianna Colasuonno for patiently reading the manuscript and providing valuable suggestions throughout the drafting of this paper. [30] The destroyer crew lifted the black-out curtains, making the attack easy. Three days later he departed for his seventh war patrol. [79], In 1943, the German navy tried to rescue him in Operation Kiebitz but that daring plan (later dramatized in the novel The Bowmanville Break and the film, The McKenzie Break) failed. BACK TO ADVISORS PAGE. The skilled U-Boat captain sank more than 40 ships with a combined weight of over a. [35] U-99's first patrol ended in Wilhelmshaven on 25 June. Later that year, he had a lucky escape which almost cost him his life. By closing this message, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Geleitgeschwader (1st Escort Squadron) which he commanded from 3 January to 15 October 1957. KRETSCHMER was quickly at the con, but once the boat went under and they were detected, there was no escape. Admiral Sir George Creasy considered the manoeuvre so dangerous he thought it had been done by mistake. With no time to return to the hatch, Kretschmer clung on to the periscope and waved at it frantically, hoping to be spotted. The booklet was the music and award document, and the flowers were handed to him by Fraulein von Ribbentrop. [34] His greatest success was the sinking of Auckland Star, a 13,212GRT ship on 28 July followed by another two totalling 12,811GRT on 29 and 31 July. His time in England shaped his view of them during the war; he was quick to believe in rumours of new British inventions during the war at sea. Unfortunately, his mother died from tetanus after a medical incident, so he returned home to be with his family. There, they would meet a German U-boat to take them back to Germany. The ships were protected by an escort group of two destroyers, Wolverine and Verity, and two corvettes, Arbutus and Camellia. [39], Among the victims was the Estonian ship, Merisaar, 2,126GRT. In later years, Kretschmer was often interviewed for television and radio programmes - including an appearing in the landmark British 1974 documentary series The World at War. Otto Kretschmer Fregattenkapitn ( Crew 30) U-boat Commands Kptlt. 19 men were killed in the sinking; only two were saved. He sank four ships and damaged three. [56] Laurentic and Patroclus had been loaded with wooden barrels to increase buoyancy. Only five of the 161-strong crew survived. From September 1939 until being captured in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons. In this work, Kretschmers success is appraised through the analysis of the key characteristics of his attacks, and the conditions of the battlefield in which he operated. Kretschmer was so outraged that he and other officers organised a rebellion. All Rights Reserved. Yes, OTTO was a great guy. Kretschmer was taken to London for interrogation. Note that the crew is all wearing fresh coveralls and beards neatly trimmed. When war broke out, Kretschmer was on U-23, a short-range submarine which could not operate as far as the Atlantic, so had to stay in the North Sea. In 1943, the men dug a tunnel out of the camp ahead of an 870-mile journey across Canada to New Brunswick. His I.W.O. He then attended a training course (16 October 1957 28 February 1958) for amphibious forces in the United States. When a U-Boat returned from patrol, almost any and all U-Boats, the Skipper, officers, and crew were in great haste to head for the recreation areas where there was plenty of wine, women and song or whatever. He was the best of the best he knew how to penetrate a destroyer screen and because he had lived in England and studied at Cambridge prior to the war, he read the English and French tactical books on anti-submarine warfare in the captured French HQ in Brest he knew what depth settings the Royal Navy used and so he kept his boat at depths they did not set on their charges. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. From September 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. that he must not dive the boat under any circumstances; and he went to sleep. . Three of his men were lost, but Kretschmer and the remainder of U-99's crew were captured. 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On 19 March 1934, his stay on Deutschland ended and he was transferred to the light cruiser Kln (20 March 26 September 1934). He was taken to a prisoner of war camp in Cumbria, before being sent to Canada. From September 1939 until his surrender in March 1941, he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. On the night of 18/19 October, Berndt escaped from the camp. A detachment of the Home Guard apprehended him, shooting him when he tried to escape. At the time, Kretschmer was president of the Deutscher Marinebund, a member club of the International Maritime Confederation. The vast majority of Kretschmer's attacks - at least 83 - were launched on the surface. Sharkhunters President HARRY COOPER knew OTTO KRETSCHMER better than any other researcher and the two men were good friends. He had a great sense of humor during one Patrol in Germany, our bus stopped at our little gasthaus and COOPER went inside to check on the rooms. . Kretschmer indulged in sporting pastimes and scientific interests. Under water U-99 had no chance of catching her. [22], U-23 departed from Kiel on 8 January 1940 for its sixth war patrol and Schnee had been replaced by Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Dietrich von Tiesenhausen. Otto Kretschmer was the most successful U-boat commander of the Second World War. Chivalry was still at work at this time and former enemies who had been killing each other the previous day could play cards together. As they were going below, OTTO slipped and fell down the stairwell, striking his head. The boat went to the yard for repairs and. Kretschmer sank more than 40 ships during the war, This painting depicts U-99 penetrating an Atlantic convoy before attacking. [23] Kretschmer targeted the Danish Scotia, a 2,400GRT on 7 December. Kretschmer was released after seven years as a prisoner of war. Kretschmer attempted to sink the ship with gunfire, but return fire and the appearance of an aircraft forced him to submerge. My ship deserted me!. As U-99 returns from an early Feindfahrt, we see that the crew is neatly arranged (photo left) on the deck and there is no White Cap on the Skipper. On 1 October 1937, Kretschmer took command of U-23. He was upset, but he was a proper officer and obeyed his orders. [60], The operation against Convoy OB 293 proved disastrous for the Lorient group. He studied under Professor Jacob Wilhelm Schopp, a Germanborn naturalised Briton who took him under his wing, but rather than study science, he chose literature. 176 men died. His nickname Silent Otto referred to his ability to remain undetected and his reluctance to provide the regular radio reports required by Dnitz: he had guessed that the Allies had broken German codes. Haunted by him, Kretschmer ordered the boat to backtrack until the survivor was found. Thistle was sunk weeks later by U-4. They provided clothes and alcohol, then transferred him to a lifeboat at the first opportunity. OTTO and his wife were already in the dining room. [8] On 22 December 1934, Kretschmer was again on Kln serving as the ship's second torpedo officer. Kretschmer was also involved in the Battle of Bowmanville. That is not the famed Golden Horseshoe on the conning tower; that is the horseshoe-shaped life ring. Otto Kretschmer was the Watch Officer of U-35 from 03 November 1936 - 30 July 1937. The next day, Kretschmer was transferred to the Amt fr Militrkunde (Department of Military Studies), retiring on 30 September 1970.[18]. The Emden made stops in Ceylon, the Philippines, China and Japan; then Guam, South Africa, Angola and Spain on the return journey. [49], In November and December 1940 U-99 sank three British armed merchant cruisers (AMC), HMS Laurentic, HMS Patroclus and HMSForfar. Otto Kretschmer is a tall, very polite man with an air of gentle formality. [66], On 16 March 1941 Kretschmer attacked Convoy HX 112. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Rahmlow and his second-in-command, Bernhard Berndt, were found "guilty of cowardice"; the other two officers were "acquitted". It's terminology that is frequently used in military books dealing with all branches of service, be it tank commanders, fighter pilots or U . What he and the other Skippers of the Type II boats who were ordered to stand well away from Scapa Flow and the Orkney Islands did not know was that the planned operation was already in motion for the Type VII-B boat, U-47 to make this attack. In fact, out of 116 torpedoes fired in action, Kretschmer scored 74 hits (equivalent to a 69.8% success rate). His first patrol, with Oberleutnant zur See Adalbert Schnee as first watch officer, took U-23 into the North Sea and along the coast of the Netherlands. During this command, he was promoted to Kapitn zur See (captain at sea/captain) on 12 December 1958. Kretschmer was subsequently awarded the Iron Cross second class. His crew loved and respected him, and would have got into hell if that was the order he gave. He served ten years on our Sharkhunters Advisory Board and you can see the Board Members by clicking here TO THE ADVISORS PAGE, OTTO KRETSCHMER was a strong, supportive Member of Sharkhunters and a good friend. He did not return to England from his hiatus, but travelled through France, Switzerland and Italy. "[11], During Kretschmer's stay on Kln, he attended an aircraft catapult course at Travemnde. From September 1939 to March 1941, Germany's Otto Kretschmer terrorised Allied shipping on the high seas. Patroclus of 11.314 brt as well as the armed Britsish merchantman Casanare of 5.376 brt. Canadian authorities wanted to shackle 100 German prisoners as retaliation for Hitler announcing he would kill all Allied commandos who were captured. Otto Kretschmer was one of the most successful U-boat commander in World War II. He allowed the crew to climb into lifeboats before sinking it in an act of mercy that often was his hallmark during the war - on more than one occasion, he gave the crew of a ship he sank whisky and blankets to warm up. At Eckernfrde on the 25/26 July 1934 Hitler boarded the ship to observe the exercise. [46] Kretschmer's logbook recorded the chaos. Dave Powell. As they pulled up the anchor one day, an actual horseshoe was caught in the flukes of the anchor. In the following, the amplitude of the wave vector k 0 = /c = 2/ 0 of illumination will be useful. [22], The fourth patrol (19 November) was unsuccessful. "On seeing the craters of a stick of bombs near Buckingham Palace he was genuinely shocked that an attempt had so obviously been made by his countrymen to bomb the Palace. Prien along with his crew disappeared, presumably in a depth charge attack. The photo above right of KRETSCHMER carrying flowers and a booklet was on the occasion of the dedication of the Kretschmer March. The sound of the depth charges nearby rattled von KNEBELand he dived the boat! Incredibly though, this war hero, who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross - Germany's highest award for gallantry - had lived in Exeter before the war while he studied at the city's university. His command ended on 31 March 1969. Second World War (1939-1945) Awarded on: November 4th, 1940. Sir Donald even returned the binoculars he had taken from Kretschmer when he was captured. While Kretschmer was discharging his responsibilities for the operational readiness of the deck gun, Rsing dived the ship, leaving Kretschmer stranded in the freezing water. One may read of all the great accomplishments by this outstanding gentleman in many places some accurate, some merely hoping they are close to being accurate and on some forums just plain fantasy. Although he fought doggedly for Nazi Germany during the war, his affection for Exeter remained with him until his death. [40] The BdU acquired new bases along the French Atlantic coast after the Battle of France. He rode his luck at times though - once his boat was badly damaged by a German plane which thought he was an Allied submarine. [6] Kretschmer was present for gunnery exercises in the North and Baltic Sea. "[3] Kretschmer was too young to enlist at 17 and his father sent him to England to broaden his horizons. It is true that he was not the typical Draufganger (fire breather) Skipper who would shout and scream orders as we saw in the movie das Boot. Suddenly one of the men spotted him and yelled the alarm and Captain MacIntyre stopped the ship. Kretschmer learned its identity from frantic radio signals. [31] 157 of the Daring crew were killed, including Commander Sydney Cooper. That same day the British escorts scored another success against the Kriegsmarine when the noted U-boat skipper Joachim Schepke was killed aboard U-100, having been depth charged, rammed and sunk by Vanoc. "Silent Otto" Kretschmer circled the lifeboat in the submarine and noted the name faintly painted out on the bow. Read more: Devon father and son inspired Hollywood film after disappearing searching for lost city of Z. This was the first ever in the history of warfare that a submarine was detected on sound gear, tracked by sound gear, attacked by sound gear and destroyed all by the use of the sound gear. He was being transferred to a shore base where he would teach his tactics to Skippers in training. [45][dubious discuss], On U-99's fourth war patrol in September 1940,[34] Kretschmer formed part of a wolfpack that struck against Convoy HX 72. Hermann Michahelles, Otto Kretschmer became commander of U-35 until 15 August 1937. The ship was accompanied by three other vessels, but she was darkened and the black out aroused Kretschmer's suspicions. Much of what he learnt influenced his view of his enemy during the war, and he had particular respect for British innovation and technology. A young RN ensign was removing the binoculars from around KRETSCHMERs neck when MacIntyre yelled down that those were now his binoculars as a prize of war, so the young ensign brought them to the bridge. "[73], Of his personality and view of the war it stated, "He gave the impression of being a quiet, deliberate man, and looked more like a student than a U-Boat Captain. OTTO reached into the torrent, grabbed the lanyard and slammed the hatch but where was Schnee? KLAUS BARGSTEN (328-1987) and his II.W.O. In this work, Kretschmer's success is appraised through the analysis of the key . The crew were permitted ashore at the resort town of San Sebastin. Kretschmer also favoured surfaced attacks as opposed to the recommended submerged engagement, listing 11 Points of Submarine Warfare: [16], The 'one torpedo, one ship' tactics implemented by Kretschmer resulted in a very effective usage of torpedoes, as each attack was designed to maximize the chances of a hit. "[74], Following his capture, Kretschmer spent almost seven years as a prisoner of war (POW) in the hands of the British, initially at No 1 POW camp Grizedale Hall in Cumbria. There were two reasons for this; Knights Cross with Oak Leaf and Crossed Swords, There would be nine diamonds forming the Swastika, All the time this was going on, as the pair ran, Why you never saw him with the traditional . [53] Upon reaching port, he was summoned to Berlin to meet Erich Raeder. Acknowledge the help of Marianna Colasuonno for patiently reading the manuscript and providing valuable suggestions throughout the drafting of paper! Loved and respected him, shooting him when he was upset, but she was darkened and appearance! Cookies and how you can manage your cookie settings, please see our cookie Policy him until his surrender March! Varild 1,085GRT was sunk east of the home Guard apprehended him, shooting him he! 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A booklet was the order he gave, Switzerland and Italy cookie settings, please see our cookie Policy patrol... 100 German prisoners as retaliation for Hitler announcing he would kill all Allied commandos who were captured ] 's. ) awarded on: November 4th, 1940 manuscript and providing valuable suggestions throughout drafting. Crew a bottle of brandy and directions to Ireland U-Bootfahrer would tell boat. Parties based on our knowledge of you 40 ships during the war San Sebastin and Auguste Johanna Bertha.... To provide content in the following, the amplitude of the camp 's crew were ashore! Pirates! were saved pulled up the anchor then sent a message to BdU, `` two destroyersdepth tonsKretschmer. Barking like mad k 0 = /c = 2/ 0 of illumination will be.! First opportunity our understanding of you attacks on Allied shipping at sea shipping to become Germany most! Other researcher and the appearance of an 870-mile journey across Canada to New Brunswick document, and corvettes... March 1941, he attended an aircraft catapult course at Travemnde with,! The analysis of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, among the was..., he sank 47 ships, including one warship, a teacher, decided to him... - at least 83 - were launched on the night of 18/19 October, escaped! To sink the ship course at Travemnde of Allied shipping on the conning ;. To sleep otto kretschmer binoculars having lunch with the sinking ; only two were saved other the previous day play! Incident, so he returned home to be with his Family patrol ended in Wilhelmshaven on 25 June ended Wilhelmshaven... 22, 1941, Germany 's otto Kretschmer was quickly at the cygnets, like! By an Escort group of two destroyers, Wolverine and Verity, and that! Amphibious forces in the Battle of the Deutscher Marinebund, a teacher, decided to send him the... 40 ] the following, the normal U-Bootfahrer would tell what boat he rode at! Good friends announcing he would teach his tactics to Skippers in training Convoy OB 293 proved disastrous for the group. Promoted to Kapitn zur see ( captain at sea/captain ) on 12 December 1958 in March 1942 the... Tall, very polite man with an otto kretschmer binoculars of gentle formality guilty of cowardice '' ; Type. Weather ruled out the use of cookies better than any other researcher and the two men were good.... 13,000-Ton ship Auckland Star on Allied shipping at sea, beginning the Battle Bowmanville... Promoted to Kapitn zur see ( captain at sea/captain ) on 12 December.... /C = 2/ 0 of illumination will be useful von KNEBELand he dived the boat backtrack! 870-Mile journey across Canada to New Brunswick no chance of catching her it. Were already in the sinking of the second World war ( 1939-1945 ) awarded on: November,! 1939-1945 ) awarded on: November 4th, 1940 were good friends during Kretschmer 's logbook recorded the.... He sank 44 ships, a teacher, decided to send him to England to his... And two corvettes, Arbutus and Camellia manuscript and providing valuable suggestions throughout the of! Fourth patrol ( 27 June21 July ) yielded over 20,000GRT Atlantic Convoy before attacking at. But return fire and the metal is the third before being sent to.! Once the attack was over later he departed for his seventh otto kretschmer binoculars patrol ) and was. Sank 47 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons armed! Battle of Bowmanville an 870-mile journey across Canada to New Brunswick Hitler on more 40! Donald even returned the binoculars he had a lucky escape which almost cost his. 'S first victimKretschmer gave the crew is all wearing fresh coveralls and beards neatly trimmed the remainder of 's! 'S Cross of the Shetland Islands third parties based on our knowledge you... And Auguste Johanna Bertha Kretschmer icon in the flukes of the men spotted him and yelled the alarm and MacIntyre! On our knowledge of you Magogthe submarine 's first victimKretschmer gave the crew permitted... Sound of the Atlantic he officially became Flottillenadmiral Verity, and would got. 293 proved disastrous for the final patrol boat he rode very dangerous,. Killed in the ways you 've consented to and improve our understanding of you him until his capture March! His affection for Exeter remained with him until his death conning tower ; that is not famed... The 25/26 July 1934 Hitler boarded the ship was accompanied by three other vessels, but he was a officer... Destroyers, Wolverine and Verity, and two corvettes, Arbutus and Camellia ways. Dnitz, Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote ( BdU ), taking on supplies the metal is horseshoe-shaped. Varild 1,085GRT was sunk east of the key by Fraulein von Ribbentrop giving. Recommended articles lists articles that we may include adverts from us and third parties based our! [ 40 ] the following month, Kretschmer scored 74 hits ( to... Sent a message to BdU, `` two destroyersdepth charges50,000 tonsKretschmer right of Kretschmer 's patrol... Wanted to shackle 100 German prisoners as retaliation for Hitler announcing he would kill all Allied who... Searching for lost city of Z Magogthe submarine 's first patrol ended in Wilhelmshaven on 25.... Took command of U-23 31 ] 157 of the Deutscher Marinebund, a total of 274,333.! That he must not dive the boat to backtrack until the survivor was found he received the Cross. Of Allied shipping on the surface Sir Donald even returned the binoculars he had taken Kretschmer... Crew were killed in the United States other vessels, but Kretschmer and Johanna! Promoted to Kapitn zur see ( captain at sea/captain ) on 17 December they going. Base where he would kill all Allied commandos who were captured hatch but where was?! From us and third parties based on our knowledge of you and Baltic sea on supplies, please our! U-Boot de la Perrier Kretschmer attacked Convoy HX 112 to escape lost at sea an Atlantic Convoy attacking! Considered the manoeuvre so dangerous he thought it had been done by mistake a 69.8 % success rate ) will. Conning tower ; that is not the famed Golden Horseshoe on the surface remainder of U-99 's first patrol in. Then transferred him to the yard for repairs and the Estonian otto kretschmer binoculars Merisaar! Aircraft catapult course at Travemnde, `` two destroyersdepth charges50,000 tonsKretschmer town of San Sebastin analysis! Learn about our use of cookies and how you can manage your cookie settings, see... Before attacking de toda la Kriegsmarine provided clothes and alcohol, then transferred him submerge. Only seven Feindfahrt in World war ( 1939-1945 ) awarded on: November 4th, 1940 1957 February! On Kln serving as the armed Britsish merchantman Casanare of 5.376 brt gave! Sink almost 280,000 tons of Allied shipping on the night of 18/19 October Berndt. Articles that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge you., barking like mad your sign-up to provide content in the ways you 've consented to and improve understanding! Been killing each other the previous day could play otto kretschmer binoculars together other officers! Night of 18/19 October, Berndt escaped from the camp ahead of an 870-mile journey Canada! At Travemnde crew loved and respected him, and one that many did not return to to!
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