Three days later he departed for his seventh war patrol. Laurentic of 18.724 brt and H.M.S. In 1955, MacIntyre returned the Zeiss binoculars to Kretschmer. [63] On 7 March Kretschmer sank two ships from the convoy including the 20,638GRT Terje Viken. Rsing's successor, Hermann Michahelles, was killed in a car accident and Kretschmer assumed command for two weeks. OTTO replied;It was necessary. This third patrol on U-99, took the boat into the North Atlantic, into the North Channel and west of Ireland. His command ended on 31 March 1969. 19 men were killed in the sinking; only two were saved. 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. With no time to return to the hatch, Kretschmer clung on to the periscope and waved at it frantically, hoping to be spotted. His school report contained the remark: "Kretschmer demonstrated his extraordinary courage in many instances. 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. 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. [29] U-23 returned to port on 29 January. Out of the stormy night, Schnee spotted another submarine close at hand and he ordered an ALARM dive! There were no deaths among the crew. To learn about our use of cookies and how you can manage your cookie settings, please see our Cookie Policy. [57] Kretschmer was forced to engage Patroclus with the deck gun when it appeared to resist the torpedo damage, but retreated when the ship fired back. Suddenly one of the men spotted him and yelled the alarm and Captain MacIntyre stopped the ship. Immediate Family: Son of Otto Friedrich Kretschmer and Auguste Johanna Bertha Kretschmer. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, among other awards. 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. Correct optics: how the binoculars of the best underwater ace of the Reich became a symbol of relations with Britain #___historydocs The ship was accompanied by three other vessels, but she was darkened and the black out aroused Kretschmer's suspicions. ; otherwise, remain on the surface, This page was last edited on 6 December 2022, at 20:17. Rsing brought his own watch officer, and Kretschmer was demoted to second watch officer. Note that OTTO KRETSCHMER (arrow) is wearing the regulation navy blue cap, not the traditional nut non-regulation White Cap. Four of his years as a prisoner of war were spent in Canada at Bowmanville POW camp. Schroeder never returned. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, among other awards. In December 1934, he was transferred to the light cruiser Kln, then in January 1936 made the move to the fledgling U-boat service. Kretschmer captured the vessel, the only such ship seized by U-99. The officers were also taken to the prisoner-of-war camp at Grizedale Hall. 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. His wife was so devastated that she just gave up and died two years later, almost to the day. From September 1939 until his surrender in March 1941, he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. He prided himself on being able to take advantage of whatever the passing moment offered and made no elaborate plans for attacking convoys. 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. Two days later on 5 August, Silent OTTO succumbed to his head injuries without ever regaining consciousness. Kretschmer stated that he was unmarried. [57] On 7 December 1940, Kretschmer sank the Dutch freighter Farmsum; the last success of the year. They opened the drain valve to drain the flooded conning tower into the Zentralle but only a small amount of water came through. 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. El Otto Kretschmer (1 de maig de 1912 - 5 de maig de 1998) va ser un comandant de submarins alemany durant la Segona Guerra Mundial, sent l' amb ms xit. It took nine torpedoes and one dud to sink them; the latter was sunk after it stopped to pick up survivors from the former. Kretschmer took command of U-99, and adorned the conning tower with two gold-painted horseshoes for luck. The German crew failed to sink the stationary vessel with torpedoes while the weather ruled out the use of the gun. Death: November 08, 1981 (85) Millicent, South Australia, Australia. This was not OTTO KRETSCHMER! The boat slipped beneath the waves, leaving him stranded in freezing waters. The German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 began the war in Europe. 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. 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. He was taken to a prisoner of war camp in Cumbria, before being sent to Canada. 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. Read more: Devon father and son inspired Hollywood film after disappearing searching for lost city of Z. He assumed most of the crew went down with the ship; but there were 159 survivors. 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. 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. The nomination was approved on 5 November 1940. 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. Hitler invited Kretschmer to sit in on a lunch meeting with Hitler and Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet Union's ambassador to the Third Reich. In doing so, both the effectiveness and limitations of Kretschmers tactics are clarified and put into the context of the Battle of the Atlantic. The Life of Germany's Highest Scoring U-boat Commander. Kretschmer's thoughts on Hitler and the subsequent conference are not known. 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. [4], Kretschmer entered the Reichsmarine (Weimar Navy) on 1 April 1930 as See Offizier Anwrter (naval officer cadet). All Rights Reserved. Why his average daily tonnage sinking equaled that of de la Perrier. 2.6K views, 39 likes, 4 loves, 2 comments, 23 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from German U-Boats Crews and Commanders: Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was the most successful German. The OKM was established as the supreme command of the navy responsible for all facets of naval warfare. [62] Kretschmer attempted a surface night attack using his favourite tactic. Patroclus lost 56 crew; 230 survived. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. 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[22], The fourth patrol (19 November) was unsuccessful. On 26 September 1935, he was transferred to the 1st department of the standing ship division of the North Sea in Wilhelmshaven where he served as a company officer until 25 January 1936. The Greatest Submarine Commander of all time was Lothar von Arnaud de la Perrier who sank nearly 200 ships in World War One. 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. 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. [80], On 1 December 1955, Kretschmer joined West Germany's navy, at the time named the Bundesmarine (Federal Navy), holding the rank of Fregattenkapitn (Commander). The seaman did as he was ordered and brought the cap back to OTTO. He was transported to the London Cage, a facility for MI19 to hold valuable enemy prisoners. He mastered the English language and came to respect British education: its practical focus complemented his scientific and theoreticalbased German background. Laurentic and Patroclus were attacked on the night of 3/4 November. [9] Kretschmer joined the U-boat service in January 1936. As they pulled up the anchor one day, an actual horseshoe was caught in the flukes of the anchor. 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. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes . The vast majority of Kretschmer's attacks - at least 83 - were launched on the surface. [6] During another torpedo training course at Flensburg-Mrwik (27 September 21 December 1934), Kretschmer received his commission as Leutnant zur See (Junior Sub-Lieutenant/Ensign) on 1 October 1934. Prien achieved several sinkings, Kretschmer did not; the pair was chased off by destroyers. 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. Kretschmer was taken to London for interrogation. KRETSCHMER was quickly at the con, but once the boat went under and they were detected, there was no escape. He then moved to a Realgymnasium (secondary school). The people were all seated at their tables in the dining room and COOPER was table-hopping to make sure that everything was going well. [25] The Norwegian Fredville, only 1,150GRT was sunk on 11 January 1940 without warning. [52] U-99 docked four days later, concluding Kretschmer's fourteenth patrol after just ten days at sea. BACK TO ADVISORS PAGE. When clear of the battle scene, he turned in to his bunk and gave strict orders to his new I.W.O. He survived the sinking of his submarine but he was not clear yet. He quietly went about his business, sinking more ships than any other Skipper in the war, and stayed out of politics. [39], Among the victims was the Estonian ship, Merisaar, 2,126GRT. Kretschmer was so outraged that he and other officers organised a rebellion. 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. 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. 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. 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. [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. Kretschmer and U-23 had departed from Wilhelmshaven on 25 August, one week before the start of World War II. U-99 was one of the most successful German U-boats in the war, sinking 38 ships for a total tonnage of 244,658 gross register tons (GRT) of Allied shipping in eight patrols. We will cover his accomplishments on another page. "He prided himself on being able to take advantage of whatever the passing moment offered and made no elaborate plans for attacking convoys. Such were his expertise, he re-joined the navy in 1955. Allied courts and Rahmlow sought justice against Kretschmer after the war, but he was never vigorously pursued for trial for his role in the death of Berndt. Por todo ello y entre otras, recibi 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. 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. Once secured dockside, the crew poses for a triumphant photo. The attack was conducted with no warning, and consequently all 15 crewmen died. He was understandably upset when he and all the other Type II boats in the area were ordered to get back into the North Sea, far away from Scapa Flow. 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). U-99 was returning from her seventh Feindfahrt (war patrol) and this was to be OTTOs last Feindfahrt. OTTO and his wife were already in the dining room. 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. [61] As with the group that eventually sank Kretschmer ten days later, they were experienced and competent. OTTO KRETSCHMER indeed, was a fine man! . He was being transferred to a shore base where he would teach his tactics to Skippers in training. [31] Kretschmer sighted the British submarine Thistle(N24) soon afterwards, and fired a second torpedo which missed. 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, song or whatever. The 28-ship convoy was poorly defended by a destroyer and a corvette. [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. My family is complete.. This stay was interrupted for an aerial defense training course at Warnemnde (510 March 1934). This is a trusted computer. Seeing that the boat was still diving and the hatch beneath him to the Zentralle had slammed shut, Schnee had the presence of mind to close and secure the hatch above him to the bridge, thus saving the boat and himself. German aircraft bombed and sank it three days later. These excerpts are from that first interview and you can hear some of the hubbub in the . 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. 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. He was the fifth member of the German armed forces to be so honored. A British intelligence report on him said: "His political views were less extremely Nazi than had been assumed. [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. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. [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. U-99 is preparing for her first Feindfahrt (war patrol), taking on supplies. With this result, Kapitnleutnant Kretschmer has reached . But Canadian intelligence had cracked their code in Red Cross letters, and the police seized them before their breakout. A fall caused fatal injuries. The single torpedo attack killed 11 men. The boat returned to Wilhelmshaven on 4 September. The Golden Horseshoe: The Wartime Career of Otto Kretschmer, U-Boat Ace by Terence Robertson and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at AbeBooks.com. [71] Winston Churchill disclosed the capture of Kretschmer to the House of Commons on 21 March. 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. "He spoke English quite well, though he lacked practice. One attack saw him surface in the midst of a convoy before opening fire. German propagandists feared the triple loss might be too damaging to morale. OTTO KRETSCHMER made only seven Feindfahrt in World War Two but his daily average tonnage was equal to that of de la Perrier. German radio acknowledged the capture and the death of Schepke. Leather strap partially torn from case.- 2) Tasco 7x35 fully coated 304. were transferred off and sent to Commanders School so they could command their own boats and KRETSCHMER asked for battle experienced officers as replacements. Although he fought doggedly for Nazi Germany during the war, his affection for Exeter remained with him until his death. Prien's demise was not disclosed. 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. [18] Kretschmer served in this function until 18 June 1964 when he was appointed chief-of-staff of the Befehlshaber der Seestreitkrfte der Nordsee (German national Commander Naval Forces North Sea). From September 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. It was so aggressive, one British admiral thought he had surfaced there by mistake. After sinking the Magog, he gave his crew brandy as a reward. Death and burial ground of Kretschmer, Otto Wilhelm August "Silent Otto". The report, filed in the archives, was named "U 99" Interrogation of Survivors April, 1941". Its commander, Hugo Frster, was repatriated to Germany and committed suicide before the end of the war. [67] During a counterattack by the escorts U-99 was disabled after repeated depth charge attacks by the destroyers Walker and Vanoc. The Emden made stops in Ceylon, the Philippines, China and Japan; then Guam, South Africa, Angola and Spain on the return journey. [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. Note that the crew is all wearing fresh coveralls and beards neatly trimmed. On March 16, his boat was badly damaged by British depth charges, and it began to sink to the bottom of the ocean. The next morning at breakfast, the Kretschmers and COOPER were relaxing on the breakfast patio and Juli went to COOPER and lay down at his feet. Prien sank the ship the following day. Thistle was sunk weeks later by U-4. He departed from Wilhelmshaven for his eighth war patrol on 9 February. He admitted that he had become weary of the war some time ago, and latterly had got no satisfaction from sinking ship after ship. After the war he served in the German Federal Navy, from which he retired in 1970 with the flag rank of commodore. The boat went to the yard for repairs and. [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. 8x40 model no. In fact, out of 116 torpedoes fired in action, Kretschmer scored 74 hits (equivalent to a 69.8% success rate). Throughout the rest of 1940, he enjoyed startling success, becoming something of a celebrity in the navy and one of Germany's most successful captains. [53] In December Kretschmer tried to intercept Convoy HX 90 but encountered only stragglers. 1939 szeptembertl, 1941 mrciusban bekvetkez fogsgba essig, 47 hajt sllyesztett el, melyeknek egyttes vzkiszortsa 274 333 tonna volt.
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