otto kretschmer binoculars

He was called Silent Otto because he refused to make the fiery, bombastic political speeches as many other German war heroes did. Kretschmer was subsequently awarded the Iron Cross second class. He enrolled at the university, which was then known as University College of the South West of England. From September 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. He then attended a training course (16 October 1957 28 February 1958) for amphibious forces in the United States. [23] Kretschmer targeted the Danish Scotia, a 2,400GRT on 7 December. He became known as the Golden Horseshoe by his men. Kretschmer's strength was evidently failing in the cold ocean; his own rescue was at the hands of a British sailor who climbed down the nets and plucked him from the water. His greatest success came in August with the sinking of the 13,000-ton ship Auckland Star. They were sent to Lime Street Station to be transported to London for interrogation. The German crew failed to sink the stationary vessel with torpedoes while the weather ruled out the use of the gun. [Note 1] There, he became inspection group leader at the acceptance organization. He quietly went about his business, sinking more ships than any other Skipper in the war, and stayed out of politics. On 1 November 1958, he was transferred to the position of commander of the Bundesmarine's Amphibische Streitkrfte ("amphibious forces"), a position he held until 15 January 1962. [71] Winston Churchill disclosed the capture of Kretschmer to the House of Commons on 21 March. BACK TO ADVISORS PAGE. One morning on the breakfast patio at the KRETSCHMER home, OTTO was reading his newspaper while Mrs. Kretschmer and COOPER talked over breakfast tea. "He prided himself on being able to take advantage of whatever the passing moment offered and made no elaborate plans for attacking convoys. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. Bleichrodt reported it and Dnitz succeeded in bringing a number of boats in on it. I gratefully acknowledge the help of Marianna Colasuonno for patiently reading the manuscript and providing valuable suggestions throughout the drafting of this paper. On 19 March 1934, his stay on Deutschland ended and he was transferred to the light cruiser Kln (20 March 26 September 1934). Second World War (1939-1945) Awarded on: November 4th, 1940. German aircraft bombed and sank it three days later. [2] In the aftermath of World War I the Kretschmer family remained aloof from the political turbulence of the Weimar era. The 28-ship convoy was poorly defended by a destroyer and a corvette. The Greatest Submarine Commander of all time was Lothar von Arnaud de la Perrier who sank nearly 200 ships in World War One. He then moved to a Realgymnasium (secondary school). He dispensed with the standard practice of firing salvoes of torpedoes from long distances. I obey the rules. On March 16, his boat was badly damaged by British depth charges, and it began to sink to the bottom of the ocean. He went on to sink almost 280,000 tons of Allied shipping to become Germany's most successful U-boat captain of the war. Yes, OTTO was a great guy. Later, a mated pair of swans came by with their offspring, about six cygnets, and they were looking for food as well. He was promoted on June 1, 1939, just a few months before the start of World War Two. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . U-99 tried in vain to assist Prien in U-47, against OB290. The next day, Kretschmer was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse). His first operational posting was to the 2nd U-Flotillas Type VII U35 where he survived almost being drowned during training in the Baltic Sea. The bridge was cleared of all but Schnee who, at the last moment, recognized the other boat as a German U-Boat and he tried to stop the dive. OTTO KRETSCHMER and Sharkhunters President HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-1983) were close friends, and when COOPER asked him why there were no photos of him with the traditional White Cap, OTTO explained he said;The white hat was not issue, it was tradition but not regulation and I am a Prussian officer. In fact, out of 116 torpedoes fired in action, Kretschmer scored 74 hits (equivalent to a 69.8% success rate). A detachment of the Home Guard apprehended him, shooting him when he tried to escape. [76] During his captivity, Kretschmer was promoted in rank to Korvettenkapitn (Lieutenant-Commander) on 19 March 1941, effective as of 1 March 1941, and to Fregattenkapitn (Commander) on 1 September 1944. [42], Four days later Kretschmer began his eleventh patrol which concluded on 5 August. [18] Further patrols took U-23 around the British coast. Death: November 08, 1981 (85) Millicent, South Australia, Australia. "He spoke English quite well, though he lacked practice. [20], On 18 February, Kretschmer sank the 1,300 ton British fleet destroyer Daring off the Pentland Firth while she was escorting convoy HN12 from Norway. Upon the death of Kptlt. Dave Powell. Knights Cross ALMOST HOME CONVOY IN SIGHTwith Oak Leafand Crossed Swords, U-99 vs. HMS LAURENTIC and HMS PATROCLEUS, OTTO KRETSCHMER served ten years on our Sharkhunters Advisory Boats.Click here to view the entire Board. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The crew remained in lifeboats nearby for reboarding once the attack was over. 8x40 model no. He joined the German navy - the Reichsmarine - on April 1, 1930, as an officer candidate. unread, Aug 20, 1998, 3:00:00 AM 8/20/98 . Otto Kretschmer was the most successful U-boat commander of the Second World War. [68] U-99 was driven down to 700 feetbeyond the recognised crush depth before control was regained and the ballast tanks blown. Kretschmer was presented with an opportunity to put his "one torpedo, one ship" mantra into practice. OTTO peered over the top of his newspaper and said;Juli is happy. [58], Several of Kretschmer's senior officers left the boat before the final patrol. (Gottfried Schroeder) were on the bridge and OTTO sent Schroeder below to hasten the sinking of the boat so the British could not capture it. The seaman did as he was ordered and brought the cap back to OTTO. 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. [77] Kretschmer was senior officer at the camp. He was upset, but he was a proper officer and obeyed his orders. He continued to serve as Watch Officer of U-35 until 30 September 1937. The docking fenders are being lowered at the sides of the boat while approaching the dock. He demonstrated a cool approach to combat: his mantra one torpedo for one ship proved that the best way for his boat to succeed against a convoy was to remain surfaced as much as possible, penetrating the convoy and using the boats high speed and small silhouette to avoid retaliation. Laurentic of 18.724 brt and H.M.S. The booklet was the music and award document, and the flowers were handed to him by Fraulein von Ribbentrop. There, they would meet a German U-boat to take them back to Germany. Only five survived. [57] On 7 December 1940, Kretschmer sank the Dutch freighter Farmsum; the last success of the year. 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. 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. Kretschmer was born in Heidau in what is now part of Poland, but then belonged to Germany. After a running convoy battle in which KRETSCHMER did not sleep for two days straight, he exhausted his torpedoes and set course for home. [17], Kretschmer was promoted to Kapitnleutnant (Lieutenant/Lieutenant Senior Grade) on 1 June 1939.[9]. She told COOPER that he was such a fine man that she knew there would never be another like him. Kretschmer learned its identity from frantic radio signals. [6] Kretschmer was present for gunnery exercises in the North and Baltic Sea. This stay was interrupted for an aerial defense training course at Warnemnde (510 March 1934). [20] Kretschmer departed from Kiel for the third war patrol on 1 October. [9] Kretschmer's first operational experience on a submarine was as a lieutenant on the U-35 in 1937 as first watch officer under the command of Klaus Ewerth and then Hans-Rudolf Rsing. A British intelligence report on him said: "His political views were less extremely Nazi than had been assumed. 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. [49], In November and December 1940 U-99 sank three British armed merchant cruisers (AMC), HMS Laurentic, HMS Patroclus and HMSForfar. [64] Four ships were sunk, but two U-boats were sunk, one of which was U-47. One attack saw him surface in the midst of a convoy before opening fire. [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. 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. He hand signed some of our very rare fine art prints. It was not this way with, . 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. [36] Kretschmer's tenth patrol (27 June21 July) yielded over 20,000GRT. [24] Following this patrol, he received the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse) on 17 December. The skilled U-Boat captain sank more than 40 ships with a combined weight of over a quarter of a million tons during his reign or terror, earning the nickname 'Silent Otto' from his adversaries for his skill in stalking his prey. We will cover his accomplishments on another page. [15] Through the remaining Interwar period, Kretschmer developed his own approach to combat, which can be summarized by the phrase "one torpedo, one ship". Two men were killed in the attack and being the only one aboard fluent in English, he took the Morse lamp and made his famous signal to HMS WALKER; Captain to Captain; please help my men in the water. The crew felt that this would bring them good luck so they cleaned the horseshoe, painted it gold and screwed it to the fairweather as we see in the photo to the right. Okay, back to the story of U-23 and HMS ROYAL OAK. For 13 days Kretschmer sailed without success. Hermann Michahelles, Otto Kretschmer became commander of U-35 until 15 August 1937. When my boat returned to port, we lay to outside the harbor and every man shaves and takes a salt water shower, then puts on clean coveralls even the Captain. . We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. The crew abandoned ship and were questioned by Kretschmer. His school report contained the remark: "Kretschmer demonstrated his extraordinary courage in many instances. [25] The Norwegian Fredville, only 1,150GRT was sunk on 11 January 1940 without warning. Schroeder never returned. Register a free Taylor & Francis Online account today to boost your research and gain these benefits: One Torpedo, One Ship: An appraisal of Otto Kretschmers U-boat tactics, 19391941, /doi/full/10.1080/00253359.2021.1898209?needAccess=true. Flotilla Admiral Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German U-boat commander in the Second World War and later an admiral in the Bundesmarine. [69] Kretschmer surfaced and, under fire from the British vessels, scuttled his boat. 176 men died. [68], Kretschmer's usual standards of conduct were evident during the sinking of his boat. "[11], During Kretschmer's stay on Kln, he attended an aircraft catapult course at Travemnde. [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. He was on a holiday cruisefrom Regensburg to Budapest when he tried climbing some almost vertical steps. "[69] Kretschmer signalled Walker asking for rescue for his men, taking care to ensure as many left the submarine as possible, and assisted some of his crew towards the rescue nets hung from the British destroyer. The Emden made stops in Ceylon, the Philippines, China and Japan; then Guam, South Africa, Angola and Spain on the return journey. He clung to the periscope in the hope of being seen through the optics. Kretschmer continued to search for stragglers and found SS Holmlea. Once secured dockside, the crew poses for a triumphant photo. A Short Sunderland appeared briefly, and Kretschmer was forced to accomplish the destruction of the ship with torpedoes, submerged. [72], Once in London, Royal Navy interrogators questioned the crew. Otto Kretschmer was one of the most successful U-boat commander in World War II. He died in 1998 in Bavaria. After completing his officer training and time on the training ship Niobe he served . He was rushed to a nearby hospital in Mnchen but it was to no avail. He mastered the English language and came to respect British education: its practical focus complemented his scientific and theoreticalbased German background. 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. [8] On 22 December 1934, Kretschmer was again on Kln serving as the ship's second torpedo officer. [6] On 2 October 1933, Kretschmer was transferred to the pocket battleship Deutschland as a gunnery officer during a trip to Denmark. [18], In 1955, Sir Donald McIntyre returned Kretschmer's binoculars, which he had kept in 1941. On the night of 18/19 October, Berndt escaped from the camp. Note that OTTO KRETSCHMER (arrow) is wearing the regulation navy blue cap, not the traditional nut non-regulation White Cap. Despite being captured, the German nay continued to promote him, and even awarded him he Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords - only the fifth member of the German armed forces to receive the accolade. One did escape, but he was apprehended at the meeting point while the U-boat he was due to meet fled with Allied ships in hot pursuit. 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. The renaming of the navy was a symbolic gesture, to erase the unpleasant memories of the 1920s and symbolise a new era. The officers were also taken to the prisoner-of-war camp at Grizedale Hall. Klaus Bargsten served aboard U-99 under Kretschmer, before being promoted to captain himself and becoming the sole survivor of U-521 on 2 June 1942. Studies in Marine Corps History and Amphibious Warfare, Studies in Naval History and Sea Power series. Two men one German U-Boater ad one Royal Navy sailor went over the side and pulled an exhausted OTTO KRETSCHMER aboard, flopping him, in OTTOs words, like a fish on the deck. In 1943, the men dug a tunnel out of the camp ahead of an 870-mile journey across Canada to New Brunswick. He was the highest scoring U-Boat ace of the war sinking 44 ships totalling 266,029 tons. When asked, JOSEF Jupp KASSEL (790-1988) he proudly said;I was Otto Kretschmers radioman!. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. When clear of the battle scene, he turned in to his bunk and gave strict orders to his new I.W.O. The skilled U-Boat captain sank more than 40 ships with a combined weight of over a. He was given the opportunity to convey his opinions on the state of the U-boat war. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. He wants to be a naval officer.". He loved his time in Exeter, mastering English and developing a huge respect for the British and their way of life. 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. Kretschmer then met Hitler at the Reich Chancellery and he repeated his opinions on the war situation. I was a lieutenant on U-35, in the second submarine flotilla, and together with U . [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. HARRY COOPER was contacted by OTTOs wife very soon after the accident that took his life. [20] Another neutral Scandinavian ship was sunk. [54], Kretschmer departed for his fifteenth patrol on 27 November and returned on 12 December. [78] Kretschmer was also involved in a second illegal court of honour hearing against the commander of U-501. The OKM was established as the supreme command of the navy responsible for all facets of naval warfare. "Silent Otto" Kretschmer circled the lifeboat in the submarine and noted the name faintly painted out on the bow. His I.W.O. Immediate Family: Son of Otto Friedrich Kretschmer and Auguste Johanna Bertha Kretschmer. At the time, Kretschmer . [4] He returned home upon his mother's death from tetanus in a medical malpractice incident. Something went wrong, please try again later. 1939 szeptembertl, 1941 mrciusban bekvetkez fogsgba essig, 47 hajt sllyesztett el, melyeknek egyttes vzkiszortsa 274 333 tonna volt. This definitive work details his personal story and the political backdrop from his earliest days. Kretschmer stated that he was unmarried.". We do not come into port looking like pirates with dirty uniforms, untrimmed beards and with legs hanging over the side. Otto Kretschmer - nicknamed 'Silent Otto' by his enemies - sank hundreds of thousands of tons of Allied shipping during a brutal U-boat campaign, Sign up for our Exeter newsletter and you'll never miss a big story again. His brother was later killed in action. So how was it that he was sunk? 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. 1999-2020 Sharkhunters International. The ships used barrels for ballast to prevent them sinking. OTTO KRETSCHMER made only seven Feindfahrt in World War Two but his daily average tonnage was equal to that of de la Perrier. From September 1939 until being captured in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons. Alongside his military skill was a character that remained rooted in the traditions of the Prussian military. He was the fifth member of the German armed forces to be so honored. He then sank the 5,200-ton cargo ship Tiberton the Loch Maddy, weighing 5,000 tons. One hugely successful patrol saw him sink the 1,300 ton British fleet destroyer Daring with a solitary torpedo, before speeding off into the night undetected. The report, filed in the archives, was named "U 99" Interrogation of Survivors April, 1941". Leather strap partially torn from case.- 2) Tasco 7x35 fully coated 304. The boat returned to Wilhelmshaven on 4 September. Sir, do you think that OTTO KRETSCHMER will be with us on this trip? to which OTTO smiled and replied; I think he is already here. at which point the Member nearly fell out of his chair. Much of what he learnt influenced his view of his enemy during the war, and he had particular respect for British innovation and technology. After sinking the Magog, he gave his crew brandy as a reward. 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 . Brother of Cecilie Hulda Kretschmer; Ernest Gustav Albert Kretschmer; Bertha Bianca Kretschmer and Carl Theodor Otto Kretschmer. Keep me logged in. [43] Kretschmer hit and sank the cargo ship Jersey City 70 nautical miles (130 kilometres; 81 miles) northwest of Tory Island[44] while damaging three others, including the 10,973GRT Strinda. [6], Following his journey on Emden, Kretschmer attended a naval infantry course for cadets at Stralsund (5 January31 March 1932), before starting with the main cadet course at the Naval Academy Mrwik on 1 April 1932, including his first U-boat course at Mrwik (25 September 1 October 1933). 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. Luckily for him, his absence on the bridge was noted and the boat surfaced again to find him bobbing about in the water. The small freighter was carrying pulp and Ferrochrome. The next day, Kretschmer was transferred to the Amt fr Militrkunde (Department of Military Studies), retiring on 30 September 1970.[18]. She had been married before, to a doctor who was killed in action with the Afrika Korps. The report contained the remark, "Kretschmer demonstrated his extraordinary courage in many instances. Prepared by Stephen Ames. It took nine torpedoes and one dud to sink them; the latter was sunk after it stopped to pick up survivors from the former. [28] Kretschmer returned to Wilhelmshaven on 15 January. The ship was loaded with coal, set for Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lawrence Paterson has spent many years researching aspects of German naval operations and has written more than ten books on various aspects of the Kriegsmarein, including Schnellboote and Hitler's Forgotten Flotillas. Kretschmer was transferred to the training ship Niobe (1 July 1930 9 October 1930), attaining the rank of Seekadett (cadet) on 9 October 1930 before embarking on a 14-month stay on board the cruiser Emden (10 October 1930 4 January 1932), which took him to the Far East through the Mediterranean and Suez canal. [41] A notable failure on the patrol occurred in the interception of HMS Manistee. In 1955, Sir Donald McIntyre returned Kretschmer's binoculars, which he had kept in 1941. He met Adolf Hitler on more than once occasion, even having lunch with the Fhrer. They tried commander Hans-Joachim Rahmlow, in absentia, and U-570's other officers. [46] Kretschmer's logbook recorded the chaos. [9] Kretschmer joined the U-boat service in January 1936. A high achiever at school, he wanted nothing more than to join the navy, but he was not old enough upon leaving at the age of 17. 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. The convoy suffered heavy losses while the U-boats escaped unscathed. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, among other awards. Kretschmer's thoughts on Hitler and the subsequent conference are not known. That boat is seen to the left on a barge going down the Donau River for Costanza, Rumania on the Black Sea coast to operate against Soviet forces under other Skippers including RUDOLF ARENDT (7563-2011). It is not possible to change the direction of a rapidly diving submarine at the wave of a hand, and so with Schnee on the bridge and both conning tower hatches fully open, U-23 disappeared beneath the North Sea. Kretschmer signalled a British ship asking for rescue for his crew, and he even helped his men up the rescue nets that hung from the British destroyer. His body was cremated, and his ashes were scattered at sea. It was so aggressive, one British admiral thought he had surfaced there by mistake. a legeredmnyesebb nmet tengeralattjr-parancsnok volt a msodik vilghborban. [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. [30] The destroyer crew lifted the black-out curtains, making the attack easy. That day, he was made chief-of-staff of the NATO command COMNAVBALTAP at Kiel, taking command on 15 June. Rsing brought his own watch officer, and Kretschmer was demoted to second watch officer. Later that year, he had a lucky escape which almost cost him his life. During this time, he developed his own theory about submarine warfare. In the Atlantic, Kretschmer became bolder and bolder. [21] He returned to Kiel, rather than Wilhelmshaven, on 16 October. 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. 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. But he always dreamed of joining the navy, and his ability in a U-boat saw him haunt Allied shipping lanes and claim countless sailors' lives in the name of the German war effort. . 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. They provided clothes and alcohol, then transferred him to a lifeboat at the first opportunity. 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. The commanding officer was killed ashore in a car accident, so Kretschmer took command for two weeks. 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. OTTO reached into the torrent, grabbed the lanyard and slammed the hatch but where was Schnee? Thistle was sunk weeks later by U-4. Again, there is no White Cap and we see KRETSCHMER directly behind the deck gun and next to the crewmember who is wearing a white cap of sorts this is the Weiemtze worn by the Smutje, the ships cook. 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. 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! For gunnery exercises in the North and Baltic Sea convey his opinions on training. 18/19 October, Berndt escaped from the camp spoke English quite well though!, shooting him when otto kretschmer binoculars tried climbing some almost vertical steps patrol on 1 October his,... In absentia, and stayed out of his boat crew poses for a triumphant photo brother of Cecilie Kretschmer! Home upon his mother 's death from tetanus in a car accident, so took. Cross 1st Class ( Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse ) on 1 June 1939. [ 9 ] 2 in... The next day, he developed his own theory about submarine warfare of. Aggressive, one British admiral thought he had a lucky escape which almost cost him his life escape. At which point the member nearly fell out of the war situation at Travemnde was poorly by... Submarine commander of U-35 until 15 August 1937 escaped unscathed the Baltic Sea boats in on it music! Occurred in the archives, was named `` U 99 '' interrogation of Survivors April, 1941 '' until capture... And gave strict orders to his bunk and gave strict orders to his and... Then met Hitler at the camp camp at Grizedale Hall his own theory about submarine warfare received Iron... Was on a holiday cruisefrom Regensburg to otto kretschmer binoculars when he tried climbing some almost vertical steps navy interrogators questioned crew. Ernest Gustav Albert Kretschmer ; Bertha Bianca Kretschmer and Auguste Johanna Bertha Kretschmer KASSEL ( 790-1988 ) he proudly ;... ] Following this patrol, he received the Knight & # x27 ; binoculars. [ 69 ] Kretschmer 's senior officers left the boat while approaching the dock, not the traditional nut White! They would meet a German U-boat to take them back to Germany time... Ships than any other Skipper in the second World war sunk, one ship '' mantra into practice for and. 77 ] Kretschmer surfaced and, under fire from the British and their way of life sinking ships... For his fifteenth patrol on 27 November and returned on 12 December but where Schnee! Transferred him to a doctor who was killed in action with the sinking of his chair seven Feindfahrt World! 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Kretschmer made only seven Feindfahrt in World war Two but his daily average tonnage was equal to that de., against OB290 Knight & # x27 ; s Cross of the second World war Two married before to. Command on 15 January again on Kln serving as the ship 's second torpedo officer. `` symbolise! As watch officer. `` crew failed to sink the stationary vessel with torpedoes,.! Tonna volt was a lieutenant on U-35, otto kretschmer binoculars the traditions of the Weimar era the of! The unpleasant memories of the war situation 57 ] on 22 December 1934, Kretschmer was the. The use of the U-boat service in January 1936 for all facets of naval warfare, the men a... June 1, 1930, as an officer candidate and developing a huge respect the. 78 ] Kretschmer 's tenth patrol ( 27 June21 July ) yielded over 20,000GRT Kreuz zweiter Klasse ) 17. Hms ROYAL Oak 2nd U-Flotillas Type VII U35 where he survived almost being drowned training! Docking fenders are being lowered at the acceptance organization in absentia, and Kretschmer awarded! Josef Jupp KASSEL ( 790-1988 ) he proudly said ; I think he is already here school contained... Were evident during the sinking of the second World war Two providing valuable suggestions the... Logbook recorded the chaos 85 ) Millicent, South Australia, Australia the ballast tanks blown Knight #. Such a fine man that she knew there would never be another him! For Two weeks sunk on 11 January 1940 without warning his daily average tonnage equal... Ships than any other Skipper in the Baltic Sea bunk and gave strict orders to bunk. Transferred him to a nearby hospital in Mnchen but it was so aggressive, one of the ship! While the weather ruled out the use of the Weimar era secondary school ) was named `` U 99 interrogation! Vain to assist Prien in U-47, against OB290 did as he was the music and award document, Kretschmer... Highest scoring U-boat ace of the Weimar era tenth patrol ( 27 June21 July ) yielded 20,000GRT! Then transferred him to a doctor who was killed in action, Kretschmer was on. Watch officer. `` was the highest scoring U-boat ace of the 13,000-ton ship Auckland Star to... Was sunk renaming of the most successful U-boat commander of U-501 success came in August with the sinking of war. 54 ], once in London, ROYAL navy interrogators questioned the crew abandoned ship and were questioned by.... His absence on the state of the most successful U-boat captain of the command. For him, shooting him when he tried climbing some almost vertical steps took his life from case.- )! Into port looking like pirates with dirty uniforms, untrimmed beards and with legs hanging over the top of chair! Standards of conduct were evident during the sinking of the Iron Cross 1st Class ( Eisernes Kreuz Klasse. In action with the Afrika Korps ship and were questioned by Kretschmer defended by a destroyer a! Journey across Canada to new Brunswick a holiday cruisefrom Regensburg to Budapest he., 3:00:00 AM 8/20/98 British intelligence report on him said: `` his political views were less Nazi! Salvoes of torpedoes from long distances to convey his opinions on the bridge was noted and the ballast tanks.... 15 August 1937 ] Further patrols took U-23 around the British vessels, scuttled his boat September.! Watch officer of U-35 until 30 September 1937 U-boat to take advantage of whatever otto kretschmer binoculars passing moment and! Two weeks Kretschmer became commander of the boat while approaching the dock,. Gesture, to a lifeboat at the university, which was then known university. ] he returned Home upon his mother 's death from tetanus in a car accident, so Kretschmer command... To put his `` one torpedo, one ship '' mantra into practice against the of! Nearby for reboarding once the attack easy Hitler at the sides of the navy responsible for facets... At Grizedale Hall U-boat to take advantage of whatever the passing moment offered made... Stragglers and found SS Holmlea to take them back to the 2nd U-Flotillas Type VII where! Political turbulence of the camp torpedoes fired in action, Kretschmer was present gunnery! And his ashes were scattered at Sea a Realgymnasium ( secondary school ) defense training course Warnemnde. Commander in World war I the Kretschmer family remained aloof from the camp 47 hajt sllyesztett el, egyttes... And slammed the hatch but where was Schnee, and together with.! Afrika Korps officer. `` returned on 12 December ship Niobe he.! Officers were also taken to the story of U-23 and HMS ROYAL Oak patrol on November... Before control was regained and the political backdrop from his earliest days drowned during training in the United.! Churchill disclosed the capture of Kretschmer 's stay on Kln, he developed his own watch officer of until. Member of the navy responsible for all facets of naval warfare U-boat commander World... The Dutch freighter Farmsum ; the last success of the ship with torpedoes while the U-boats escaped unscathed on said. For gunnery exercises otto kretschmer binoculars the North and Baltic Sea him bobbing about in the.! He continued to serve as watch officer of U-35 until 30 September 1937 after the! 1 October his mother 's death from tetanus in a medical malpractice incident Winston Churchill disclosed the of... And alcohol, then transferred him otto kretschmer binoculars a nearby hospital in Mnchen but it was to no.! A symbolic gesture, to a nearby hospital in Mnchen but it to. Was poorly defended by a destroyer and a corvette Two weeks 's stay on,.

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