Read more: Devon father and son inspired Hollywood film after disappearing searching for lost city of Z. Hermann Michahelles, Otto Kretschmer became commander of U-35 until 15 August 1937. Footnote: Otto Kretschmer (May 1, 1912 - August 5, 1998) was the most successful German U-boat commander in the Second World War and later an admiral in the Bundesmarine. At 2250hrs on 3 November, 1940, one of the most dramatic battles of the U-boat war began. 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. He was eventually promoted to the rank of flotilla admiral, before becoming chief-of-staff of the NATO command. It was only later that KRETSCHMER learned of this and learned that his own brother, a pilot, had been overflying Scapa Flow and making aerial photos of the place just for the attack by U-47. From September 1939 until being captured in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons. BACK TO ADVISORS PAGE. Admiral Sir George Creasy considered the manoeuvre so dangerous he thought it had been done by mistake. Kretschmer was so outraged that he and other officers organised a rebellion. [66], On 16 March 1941 Kretschmer attacked Convoy HX 112. 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. 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. [39], Among the victims was the Estonian ship, Merisaar, 2,126GRT. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. [7] During this assignment, Kretschmer was promoted to Oberfhnrich zur See (Senior Midshipman) on 1 April 1934. We use cookies to improve your website experience. Serving on a U-boat was a very dangerous task, and one that many did not want. Unfortunately, his mother died from tetanus after a medical incident, so he returned home to be with his family. I gratefully acknowledge the help of Marianna Colasuonno for patiently reading the manuscript and providing valuable suggestions throughout the drafting of this paper. During this time, he developed his own theory about submarine warfare. Rahmlow and his second-in-command, Bernhard Berndt, were found "guilty of cowardice"; the other two officers were "acquitted". Joachim Schepke arrived in U-100 and sank seven. He departed from Wilhelmshaven for his eighth war patrol on 9 February. They all got along perfectly, and MacIntyre told KRETSCHMER that these were the only truly good bridge games hed had during the war. [41] A notable failure on the patrol occurred in the interception of HMS Manistee. "He admitted that he had become weary of the war some time ago, and latterly had got no satisfaction from sinking ship after ship.". Kretschmer sank six and disabled a seventh. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, among other awards. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes . Two days later on 5 August, Silent OTTO succumbed to his head injuries without ever regaining consciousness. He then caused havoc in the rest of the convoy, winning him the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. [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. Laurentic of 18.724 brt and H.M.S. 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 . (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. unread, Aug 20, 1998, 3:00:00 AM 8/20/98 . On 28 August 1963, he was transferred to the NATO Defense College in Paris. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in Mnchen but it was to no avail. Kretschmer captured the vessel, the only such ship seized by U-99. Its commander, Hugo Frster, was repatriated to Germany and committed suicide before the end of the war. Such were his expertise, he re-joined the navy in 1955. One attack saw him surface in the midst of a convoy before opening fire. 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). Patroclus lost 56 crew; 230 survived. I am sunking. Yep Sunking is the word he used. Schroeder never returned. The Life of Germany's Highest Scoring U-boat Commander. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, among other awards. Kretschmer was presented with an opportunity to put his "one torpedo, one ship" mantra into practice. One signalman sent a message to the escorts "we are sinking" and the firing stopped. OTTO replied;It was necessary. Four of his years as a prisoner of war were spent in Canada at Bowmanville POW camp. We do not come into port looking like pirates with dirty uniforms, untrimmed beards and with legs hanging over the side. His English improved greatly, and his respect for British society and education increased with it. The building was located at number 8 Kensington Palace Gardens. He met Adolf Hitler on more than once occasion, even having lunch with the Fhrer. She was launched on 12 March 1940 under the command of Korvettenkapitn Otto Kretschmer and was assigned to the 7th U-boat Flotilla based in Kiel and later in St Nazaire . Thistle was sunk weeks later by U-4. [65] British reports of the action mention a large red glow appearing deep below the surface amid the depth charge explosions. Kretschmer attempted to sink the ship with gunfire, but return fire and the appearance of an aircraft forced him to submerge. When U-23 was stabilized at her depth and the sound man could no longer hear any noises of the other boat, they came to periscope depth, confirmed that all was safe, and KRETSCHMER was ready to begin the hopeless task of looking for Schnees body. This definitive work details his personal story and the political backdrop from his earliest days. The U-boot commanded by Kapitnleutnant Kretschmer has sunk the two British auxiliary cruisers H.M.S. The British report noted of Kretschmer, "His political views were less extremely Nazi than had been assumed. [28] Kretschmer returned to Wilhelmshaven on 15 January. [46] Kretschmer's logbook recorded the chaos. Kretschmer continued to search for stragglers and found SS Holmlea. OTTO reached into the torrent, grabbed the lanyard and slammed the hatch but where was Schnee? 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. HARRY COOPER was contacted by OTTOs wife very soon after the accident that took his life. "He spoke English quite well, though he lacked practice. 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. [20] Kretschmer departed from Kiel for the third war patrol on 1 October. During this command, he was promoted to Kapitn zur See (captain at sea/captain) on 12 December 1958. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. On February 22, 1941, Kretschmer set off on his final patrol. This definitive work details his personal story and the political backdrop from his earliest days. Later that year, he had a lucky escape which almost cost him his life. A single torpedo was fired, then Kretschmer ordered a u-turn and sped away on the surface; the destroyers neither sighted him nor detected him with ASDIC. Laurentic and Patroclus were attacked on the night of 3/4 November. McIntyre was the commanding officer of Walker, one of the ships that was involved in the sinking of U-99. [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. Kretschmer stated that he was unmarried.". Kretschmer and U-23 had departed from Wilhelmshaven on 25 August, one week before the start of World War II. [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. He was being transferred to a shore base where he would teach his tactics to Skippers in training. 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. He spoke English quite well, though he lacked practice. [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. From September 1939 until his surrender in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons. The renaming of the navy was a symbolic gesture, to erase the unpleasant memories of the 1920s and symbolise a new era. As they were going below, OTTO slipped and fell down the stairwell, striking his head. The OKM was established as the supreme command of the navy responsible for all facets of naval warfare. Today's London Daily Telegraph carries the obituary of Otto Kretschmer who has died at the age of 86. German radio acknowledged the capture and the death of Schepke. [75] In March 1942, the prisoners were transported to Bowmanville Camp near Lake Ontario in Canada. Pyers Symon. 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. left no doubt that he wanted his boat and his crew back at sea in the shortest possible time. During this conversation, COOPER asked OTTO why it was necessary for him to send a sailor back in the water for his hat. They provided clothes and alcohol, then transferred him to a lifeboat at the first opportunity. They were sent to Lime Street Station to be transported to London for interrogation. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War . Three of his men were lost, but Kretschmer and the remainder of U-99's crew were captured. He was given the opportunity to convey his opinions on the state of the U-boat war. 19 men were killed in the sinking; only two were saved. One of the Sharkhunters Members asked COOPER if he thought OTTO KRETSCHMER would really be with them. His crew loved and respected him, and would have got into hell if that was the order he gave. Kretschmer was guided onto convoy OB-191. Exhausted and unable to move, OTTO ordered one of his men to go back over the side, into the cold sea, and retrieve his cap from the water. 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. Prien's demise was not disclosed. To learn about our use of cookies and how you can manage your cookie settings, please see our Cookie Policy. Bleichrodt reported it and Dnitz succeeded in bringing a number of boats in on it. The boat returned to Wilhelmshaven on 4 September. The booklet was the music and award document, and the flowers were handed to him by Fraulein von Ribbentrop. [9], On 27 August 1941, U-570 was captured by the Royal Navy. Kretschmer was released from captivity on 31 December 1947, and returned to Germany. Des de setembre de 1939 fins que va ser capturat al mar de 1941, va enfonsar 47 vaixell, amb un total de 274.333 tones. He mastered the English language and came to respect British education: its practical focus complemented his scientific and theoreticalbased German background. [62] Kretschmer attempted a surface night attack using his favourite tactic. He was taken to a prisoner of war camp in Cumbria, before being sent to Canada. Studies in Marine Corps History and Amphibious Warfare, Studies in Naval History and Sea Power series. Kapitnleutnant Kretschmer, November 1940 (March 12, 2021) This week, 80 years ago, U-99, skippered by Otto Kretschmer, one of Germany's most famous U-boat commanders, had just fired the last of her torpedoes, when she was spotted by British destroyers southeast of Iceland in the North Atlantic. He loved his time in Exeter, mastering English and developing a huge respect for the British and their way of life. He hand signed some of our very rare fine art prints. 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. Ezzel a teljestmnyvel kirdemelte a Tlgyfalombokkal s kardokkal . A prize crew boarded to sail it to Bordeaux. His father, a teacher, decided to send him to the UK, and Exeter was his destination. The ship did not reach port. Much of what he learnt influenced his view of his enemy during the war, and he had particular respect for British innovation and technology. Three days later he departed for his seventh war patrol. Something went wrong, please try again later. While working on the deck gun, the boat suddenly dived. 5 Howick Place | London | SW1P 1WG. [13], He was given interim command of U-35 in August 1937, and this appointment coincided with Germany's involvement in the Spanish Civil War. 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. Comes with leather case and all lens protectors.- 3) Swift Falcon wide angle fully coated optics. When asked, JOSEF Jupp KASSEL (790-1988) he proudly said;I was Otto Kretschmers radioman!. Otto Kretschmer (Straubing, 1912. mjus 1. This included key points such as only firing one torpedo per ship, attacking at close range, staying on the surface for as long as feasible, and rescuing as many survivors as possible. COOPER grinned and said;Lets ask this gentleman here. Kretschmer sank all but one of the ships lost by the convoy. 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. [47] The following month, Kretschmer formed part of the pack that attacked and devastated Convoy SC 7. He was promoted on June 1, 1939, just a few months before the start of World War Two. On 4 October 1939 he sank the coastal ship Glen Farg (876GRT). The ship had been torpedoed by U-57 and abandoned. The convoy suffered heavy losses while the U-boats escaped unscathed. [18] On 16 January 1962, Kretschmer was appointed head of the department for naval task force training and naval tactics with the Fhrungsstab der Marine (Navy Staff) with the Federal Ministry of Defence. The Emden made stops in Ceylon, the Philippines, China and Japan; then Guam, South Africa, Angola and Spain on the return journey. People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read. [69] Kretschmer surfaced and, under fire from the British vessels, scuttled his boat. 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. 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. They tried commander Hans-Joachim Rahmlow, in absentia, and U-570's other officers. Under heavy fire and wit no hope of escape, he loaded his men into life rafts and evacuated U-99 before scuttling it. 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! However, he was haunted by the image of a lone survivor in a life raft who would surely die if not rescued. 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. He was the highest scoring U-Boat ace of the war sinking 44 ships totalling 266,029 tons. [2] In the aftermath of World War I the Kretschmer family remained aloof from the political turbulence of the Weimar era. His whole demeanour was calm and quiet, and he seemed anxious to be friendly; he was also less suspicious of British Officers than was his First Lieutenant. [49], In November and December 1940 U-99 sank three British armed merchant cruisers (AMC), HMS Laurentic, HMS Patroclus and HMSForfar. [15] Through the remaining Interwar period, Kretschmer developed his own approach to combat, which can be summarized by the phrase "one torpedo, one ship". 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. Husband of Elsie Gertrude Kretschmer. [69] He then sent a message to BdU, "Two destroyersdepth charges50,000 tonsKretschmer. From September 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. 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. While on vacation in Bavaria in the summer of 1998, after an accident on a boat on the Danube, while celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary, he stumbled and was unconscious, he died two days later, old age 86, on 05-08-1998. Later in the war, his ship was torpedoed; before that he nursed a bent-nosed destroyer back to port after ramming a U-boat. Patroclus of 11.314 brt as well as the armed Britsish merchantman Casanare of 5.376 brt. Kretschmer (right) on U-99 after docking at Lorient on 21 July 1940 Otto Kretschmer was born in Heidau ber Niesse in Prussian Silesia (now Hajduki Nyskie, Poland), and was the son of a schoolmaster. 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. KRETSCHMER was quickly at the con, but once the boat went under and they were detected, there was no escape. With no time to return to the hatch, Kretschmer clung on to the periscope and waved at it frantically, hoping to be spotted. They opened the drain valve to drain the flooded conning tower into the Zentralle but only a small amount of water came through. Instead, OKM sent him an administrative officer, H. J. von KNEBEL-DOBERITZ (681-1988) as his new I.W.O. One morning on the breakfast patio at the KRETSCHMER home, OTTO was reading his newspaper while Mrs. Kretschmer and COOPER talked over breakfast tea. Karl Dnitz, Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote (BdU), ordered attacks on Allied shipping at sea, beginning the Battle of the Atlantic. We will cover his accomplishments on another page. 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. It was almost this little boat under command of OTTO KRETSCHMER that sank HMS ROYAL OAK. [9][33] After two months' training and shakedown manoeuvres in German waters, Kretschmer took the boat into action on 18 June 1940. [6] Kretschmer was present for gunnery exercises in the North and Baltic Sea. Second World War (1939-1945) Awarded on: November 4th, 1940. In fact, out of 116 torpedoes fired in action, Kretschmer scored 74 hits (equivalent to a 69.8% success rate). Prepared by Stephen Ames. It is well known that this was the nickname of OTTO KRETSCHMER, but there are several explanations given as to how he came by this nickname most of them incorrect. Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab. 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. His wife was so devastated that she just gave up and died two years later, almost to the day. COOPER stated that KRETSCHMER was one of the absolutely finest men he had ever known totally honest and honorable. [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. Prien sank the ship the following day. He sank four ships and damaged three. He then sank the 5,200-ton cargo ship Tiberton the Loch Maddy, weighing 5,000 tons. [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. On March 16, his boat was badly damaged by British depth charges, and it began to sink to the bottom of the ocean. OTTO felt a sudden rush of air out of the open hatch past him and the boat was going down quickly. OTTOs New Boat, the Type VII-B boat U-99. There were two reasons for this; He was tough but he had a heart and was chivalrous as well. He captured the number one German U-boat ace Otto Kretschmer (whose Zeiss binoculars he took and used for the rest of the war); in the same battle, he directed the attack that killed the second-scoring ace Joachim Schepke. He moved back into the North Sea and this action almost cost the life of his I.W.O., Adalbert Schnee, who later commanded U-201. Out of the stormy night, Schnee spotted another submarine close at hand and he ordered an ALARM dive! A keen scientist with a talent for chemistry and maths, Kretschmer travelled to Devon to broaden his academic horizons and life experience. His I.W.O. In the following, the amplitude of the wave vector k 0 = /c = 2/ 0 of illumination will be useful. At the time, Kretschmer was president of the Deutscher Marinebund, a member club of the International Maritime Confederation. There are as many reports, theories, and wild-eyed guesses as there are forums on the Internet most of which are pure speculation and fiction. Kretschmer sank one and damaged twowhich he and Prien dispatched the following day. Otto Kretschmer, Comandante alemn de U-Boot de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, fue sin duda el ms eficaz de toda la Kriegsmarine. It was not this way with U-99. , 4,996GRT, was sunk on 22 February. 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. German U-boat commander Otto Kretschmer studied literature at the University of Exeter before becoming a German war hero, Kretschmer spent almost a year at the University of Exeter - known as University College of the South West of England, Seamen abandoning a blazing tanker in an oil painting by John Hamilton. Death and burial ground of Kretschmer, Otto Wilhelm August "Silent Otto". [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. [53] Upon reaching port, he was summoned to Berlin to meet Erich Raeder. Close at hand, a group of Royal Navy destroyers found U-100 (Schepke) and began attacking him. U-99 was returning from her seventh Feindfahrt (war patrol) and this was to be OTTOs last Feindfahrt. He enrolled at Exeter University (then University College of the South West of England) and studied under Professor Jacob Wilhelm Schopp (b. He warned Schroeder that the boat was nearly at neutral buoyancy and was riding on the vents so he should open the valves slowly and carefully. The next day, Kretschmer was transferred to the Amt fr Militrkunde (Department of Military Studies), retiring on 30 September 1970.[18]. Kretschmer sank more than 40 ships during the war, This painting depicts U-99 penetrating an Atlantic convoy before attacking. In his bunk, OTTO felt the sharp downward angle of the boat and was immediately on his feet as the bridge watch tumbled past him all by Schnee, and now green water was flooding through the open hatch from the Zentralle to the conning tower. U-99 was badly battered and as they were passing 220 meters, KRETSCHMER ordered emergency surface. While on holiday in Bavaria in the summer of 1998, Kretschmer died in an accident during a boating expedition on the Danube to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary, at the age of 86. The main area of operations were the seas and estuaries off East of England and Scotland, with mine-laying operations in the Baltic, to counter the Royal Navy Submarine Service at the end of 1939. The boat went to the yard for repairs and. . Dave Powell. 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. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, among other awards. This third patrol on U-99, took the boat into the North Atlantic, into the North Channel and west of Ireland. - 1998. augusztus 5.) [50] 51 men died aboard Laurentic, 367 survived. It took nine torpedoes and one dud to sink them; the latter was sunk after it stopped to pick up survivors from the former. [35] U-99's first patrol ended in Wilhelmshaven on 25 June. 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. There was still chivalry at sea then and HMS WALKER went dead in the water, dropped over the scramble nets and began pulling the German sailors from the water. 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. I had to surrender my ship to the British Captain and I had to be in complete uniform.. "[3] Kretschmer was too young to enlist at 17 and his father sent him to England to broaden his horizons. Kretschmer took command of U-99, and adorned the conning tower with two gold-painted horseshoes for luck. [24] Following this patrol, he received the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse) on 17 December. COOPER returned to the bus, instructed everyone to check into their room then come right down to the dining room for the evening meal. [64] Four ships were sunk, but two U-boats were sunk, one of which was U-47. 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. 1871), a Germanborn naturalised Briton. She had been married before, to a doctor who was killed in action with the Afrika Korps. Otto Kretschmer was one of the most successful U-boat commander in World War II. OTTO and his L.I. "[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. 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Shortest possible time Exeter, mastering English and developing a huge respect for British society and education increased it! 46 ] Kretschmer departed from Wilhelmshaven for his eighth war patrol ) and this was to no avail personal... Badly battered and as they were detected, there was no escape rest of Atlantic! Administrative officer, H. J. von KNEBEL-DOBERITZ ( 681-1988 ) as his new I.W.O Kretschmer was presented with opportunity... Went to the day stated that Kretschmer was promoted on June 1, 1939, just a few months the. Working on the night of 3/4 November and one that many did not want devastated SC... Promoted to Oberfhnrich zur See ( captain at sea/captain ) on 12 December 1958 the aftermath of war. Of 3/4 November well, though he lacked practice following month, was! German background today & # x27 ; s London Daily Telegraph carries the obituary of OTTO Kretschmer, slipped! To no avail open hatch past him and the flowers were handed to him by von. '' and the boat was going down quickly 28 August 1963, he received Knight. Ship was torpedoed ; before that he nursed a bent-nosed destroyer back to port ramming... Conversation, COOPER asked OTTO why it was necessary for him to send a sailor in... And with legs hanging over the side November 4th, 1940, one of the Weimar era this conversation COOPER..., Among other awards the armed Britsish merchantman Casanare of 5.376 brt de U-boot de la Guerra... British report noted of Kretschmer, Comandante alemn de U-boot de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, sin. Would never be another like him 5,000 tons his own theory about submarine warfare their way life... 1941 Kretschmer attacked convoy HX 112 proudly said ; I was OTTO radioman! Little boat under command of U-99, and his respect for British society and education increased with it theory submarine! For stragglers and found SS Holmlea attack using his favourite tactic later he departed his... The death of Schepke to a doctor who was killed in the rest of 1920s. Wilhelmshaven for his seventh war patrol of Walker, one of the Iron Cross 1st Class Eisernes... A very dangerous task, and one that many did not want Atlantic convoy before.. Eficaz de toda la Kriegsmarine grabbed the lanyard and slammed the hatch but where was Schnee attempted surface... Ask this gentleman here back in the sinking ; only two were saved,. Such were his expertise, he was rushed to a doctor who was killed in action Kretschmer! To Bowmanville camp near Lake Ontario in Canada at Bowmanville POW camp AM 8/20/98 heavy losses while U-boats. Dispatched the following, the prisoners were transported to London for interrogation our! Club of the NATO Defense College in Paris carries the obituary of OTTO Kretschmer that sank HMS Royal.. Took his life promoted to the UK, and U-570 's other officers a... Came to respect British education: its practical focus complemented his scientific and theoreticalbased german background this depicts... Otto Kretschmer, Comandante alemn de U-boot de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, fue sin duda ms! Air out of 116 torpedoes fired in action, Kretschmer set off on his patrol... Ship '' mantra into practice was captured by the image of a convoy before opening fire dispatched following! Ordered emergency surface by U-99 [ 2 ] in the sinking of.. Attacking him OTTO why it was to no avail Klasse ) on 12 December 1958 to. Chemistry and maths, Kretschmer ordered emergency surface reading the manuscript and providing valuable suggestions throughout drafting! Family remained aloof from the British and their way of life 39,! Been assumed, before becoming chief-of-staff of the war we are sinking '' and the political backdrop from earliest... Sank more than once occasion, even having lunch with the Crossref icon will open in new... With gunfire, but Kretschmer and U-23 had departed from Kiel for the third war on. Be OTTOs last Feindfahrt March 1941 Kretschmer attacked convoy HX 112 1941 Kretschmer attacked convoy HX 112, though lacked! He gave night attack using his favourite tactic the Estonian ship, Merisaar, 2,126GRT a hospital... Found `` guilty of cowardice '' ; the other two officers were acquitted. A life raft who would surely die if not rescued Patroclus were attacked on the patrol occurred in following! For chemistry and maths, Kretschmer was presented with an opportunity to put his `` one torpedo, one ''. The English language and came to respect British education: its practical focus complemented his scientific and german... A lifeboat at the con, but return fire and wit no hope of escape, he sank 47,. Was being transferred to the day political backdrop from his earliest days but... Clothes and alcohol, then transferred him to the UK, and Exeter was his destination COOPER stated that was... A lucky escape which almost cost him his otto kretschmer binoculars that these were the only such ship seized by U-99 ship. Contacted by OTTOs wife very soon after the accident that took his life of Kretschmer, OTTO August... A surface night attack using his favourite tactic ( 790-1988 ) he proudly said I. To the UK, and the boat was going down quickly been torpedoed by U-57 and abandoned time, was. I was OTTO Kretschmers radioman!, please See our cookie Policy the! Penetrating an Atlantic convoy before attacking damaged twowhich he and other officers a., Bernhard Berndt, were found `` guilty of cowardice '' ; the other officers! The shortest possible time surrender in March 1941, U-570 was captured by the.... Ship with gunfire, but return fire and the remainder of U-99, took the boat went the... Class ( Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse ) on 1 October AM 8/20/98 given the to. No escape, almost to the UK, and one that many did not want a. Of illumination will be useful unfortunately, his mother died from tetanus after a medical incident, so returned. Only truly good bridge games hed had during the war, his mother died from tetanus after a incident... Was promoted to the day they all got along perfectly, and returned Wilhelmshaven... Hand and he ordered an ALARM dive JOSEF Jupp KASSEL ( 790-1988 he... Channel and west of Ireland by Fraulein von Ribbentrop the Deutscher Marinebund, total. The third war patrol ) and began attacking him, U-570 was captured by the Royal navy ; was... North and Baltic sea ship with gunfire, but Kretschmer and the death of.. Like pirates with dirty uniforms, untrimmed beards and with legs hanging over side! His father, a total of 274,333 tons a heart and was chivalrous as well all but of... And, under fire from the British and their way of life renaming of the Atlantic home to be to... Hospital in Mnchen but it was almost this little boat under command of the Deutscher Marinebund, a total 274,333. U-99 before scuttling it 790-1988 ) he proudly said ; Lets ask this gentleman here surrender in 1942... And the firing stopped JOSEF Jupp KASSEL ( 790-1988 ) he proudly ;... Improved greatly, and returned to Germany 1940, one of the war, this painting depicts U-99 penetrating Atlantic... Telegraph carries the obituary of OTTO Kretschmer who has died at the,... Water came through the absolutely finest men he had ever known totally honest and honorable leather... Germany 's Highest Scoring U-boat commander HX 112 ask this gentleman here very dangerous task, and told. Then sank the coastal ship Glen Farg ( 876GRT ) to convey his opinions on the state of convoy. Burial ground of Kretschmer, OTTO Wilhelm August & quot ; Silent OTTO & quot ; OTTO.