Kretschmer was taken to London for interrogation. [71] Winston Churchill disclosed the capture of Kretschmer to the House of Commons on 21 March. During the Spanish Civil War, Kretschmer was involved in several patrols as part of the international non-intervention force. All 33 men aboard died. We will cover his accomplishments on another page. Later that year, he had a lucky escape which almost cost him his life. Kretschmer experienced His father, a teacher, decided to send him to the UK, and Exeter was his destination. A British intelligence report on him said: "His political views were less extremely Nazi than had been assumed. I had to surrender my ship to the British Captain and I had to be in complete uniform.. [22], The fourth patrol (19 November) was unsuccessful. 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 . [18] Further patrols took U-23 around the British coast. This definitive work details his personal story and the political backdrop from his earliest days. [62] Kretschmer attempted a surface night attack using his favourite tactic. The German crew failed to sink the stationary vessel with torpedoes while the weather ruled out the use of the gun. Pyers Symon. that he must not dive the boat under any circumstances; and he went to sleep. For some reason, little Juli came running at the cygnets, barking like mad. [69] He then sent a message to BdU, "Two destroyersdepth charges50,000 tonsKretschmer. [17], Kretschmer was promoted to Kapitnleutnant (Lieutenant/Lieutenant Senior Grade) on 1 June 1939.[9]. 702. We will tell you accurately; How it was almost KRETSCHMER who sank HMS ROYAL OAK; OTTO KRETSCHMER got his first command; the Type II-B coastal boat (dugout canoe), U-23. After completing his officer training and time on the training ship Niobe he served . On 1 June 1965, he was promoted to Flottillenadmiral (flotilla admiral/Commodore/Rear Admiral), a rank which he initially held on probation. 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. 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He was called Silent Otto because he refused to make the fiery, bombastic political speeches as many other German war heroes did. [9], In 1933 Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power. The sound of the depth charges nearby rattled von KNEBELand he dived the boat! [31] 157 of the Daring crew were killed, including Commander Sydney Cooper. Otto Kretschmer. The photo above right of KRETSCHMER carrying flowers and a booklet was on the occasion of the dedication of the Kretschmer March. The crew remained in lifeboats nearby for reboarding once the attack was over. [4] He returned home upon his mother's death from tetanus in a medical malpractice incident. He joined the German navy - the Reichsmarine - on April 1, 1930, as an officer candidate. 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. He clung to the periscope in the hope of being seen through the optics. a legeredmnyesebb nmet tengeralattjr-parancsnok volt a msodik vilghborban. At the time, Kretschmer was president of the Deutscher Marinebund, a member club of the International Maritime Confederation. The Greatest Submarine Commander of all time was Lothar von Arnaud de la Perrier who sank nearly 200 ships in World War One. I was a lieutenant on U-35, in the second submarine flotilla, and together with U . When asked, JOSEF Jupp KASSEL (790-1988) he proudly said;I was Otto Kretschmers radioman!. From September 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. On 3 August 1998, they were on a luxury cruise boat on the Donau (Danube) River celebrating their 50th (Golden) wedding anniversary. They provided clothes and alcohol, then transferred him to a lifeboat at the first opportunity. [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. Why? He then caused havoc in the rest of the convoy, winning him the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. 1939 szeptembertl, 1941 mrciusban bekvetkez fogsgba essig, 47 hajt sllyesztett el, melyeknek egyttes vzkiszortsa 274 333 tonna volt. He rode his luck at times though - once his boat was badly damaged by a German plane which thought he was an Allied submarine. 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. Upon the death of Kptlt. [77] Kretschmer was senior officer at the camp. He loved his time in Exeter, mastering English and developing a huge respect for the British and their way of life. Kretschmer ordered his U-boat to be turned around, and they rescued the lone sailor. 12 ships were sunk in total. After completing his officer training and time on the training ship Niobe he served aboard the light cruiser Emden. He wants to be a naval officer.". At the time, Kretschmer . Suddenly one of the men spotted him and yelled the alarm and Captain MacIntyre stopped the ship. During this command, he was promoted to Kapitn zur See (captain at sea/captain) on 12 December 1958. The ship had been torpedoed by U-57 and abandoned. Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, "U 99" Interrogation of Survivors April, 1941", Newspaper clippings about Otto Kretschmer, Telegraph On-line edition, February 4, 2008, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Otto_Kretschmer&oldid=1125960308, Efficient lookouts are of prime importance, It is essential not simply to spot the target, but to spot it in good time, Lone ships should be attacked on the surface with gunfire in order to save expensive torpedoes, Survivors should be assisted when possible, Convoys should be attacked in daylight only if it is not feasible to wait for nightfall, Attack at night from the dark side of the convoy, so that the target is silhouetted and the submarine is in shadow, When there is little or no moonlight, attack from the windward side (to avoid a visible white bow-wave when motoring into the wind), Fire one torpedo per target, not fanned salvoes, Once an attack is launched, do not submerge except in circumstances of dire necessity. [50] 51 men died aboard Laurentic, 367 survived. He was given the opportunity to convey his opinions on the state of the U-boat war. Otto, Herman Ernest Kretschmer was born on month day 1895, at birth place, to Otto, Friedrich Kretschmer and Auguste, Johanna Bertha Kretschmer. Does not come with case. On 28 August 1963, he was transferred to the NATO Defense College in Paris. 3 binoculars included in this lot. The officers were also taken to the prisoner-of-war camp at Grizedale Hall. Patroclus of 11.314 brt as well as the armed Britsish merchantman Casanare of 5.376 brt. Studies in Marine Corps History and Amphibious Warfare, Studies in Naval History and Sea Power series. The OKM was established as the supreme command of the navy responsible for all facets of naval warfare. [36] Kretschmer's tenth patrol (27 June21 July) yielded over 20,000GRT. Only five sailors survived. [30] The destroyer crew lifted the black-out curtains, making the attack easy. A special thank you to Gertrud Kassel for sharing her family records about the history of U99, including many unpublished photos. You can stay up to date on the top news and events near you with DevonLive's FREE newsletters enter your email address at the top of the page or go here. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. 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. He became known as the Golden Horseshoe by his men. (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. Kretschmer took command of U-99, and adorned the conning tower with two gold-painted horseshoes for luck. One may read of all the great accomplishments by this outstanding gentleman in many places some accurate, some merely hoping they are close to being accurate and on some forums just plain fantasy. His greatest success came in August with the sinking of the 13,000-ton ship Auckland Star. Otto had 4 siblings: Cecilie Hulda and 3 other siblings. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. [2] His father was a teacher at the local Volkschule (primary school), which Otto attended from 1918 to 1921. 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). [63] On 7 March Kretschmer sank two ships from the convoy including the 20,638GRT Terje Viken. Karl Dnitz, Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote (BdU), ordered attacks on Allied shipping at sea, beginning the Battle of the Atlantic. The Norwegian Varild 1,085GRT was sunk east of the Shetland Islands. 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. 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. It was not this way with U-99. His body was cremated, and his ashes were scattered at sea. There were two reasons for this; He was tough but he had a heart and was chivalrous as well. Kretschmer attempted to sink the ship with gunfire, but return fire and the appearance of an aircraft forced him to submerge. Today's London Daily Telegraph carries the obituary of Otto Kretschmer who has died at the age of 86. The German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 began the war in Europe. OTTO KRETSCHMER was almost lost in this actionA firm, almost hard-headed man, KRETSCHMER firmly DIS-believed the old sailors story that a sinking ship will create a suction that will pull down anyone in the water so as his U-99 was going down, OTTO stood at attention on the bridge and his boat sank out from under him; So you see, Harry, he told HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-1983), I did not desert my ship! As always you can unsubscribe at any time. [39], Among the victims was the Estonian ship, Merisaar, 2,126GRT. 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. Walker) and Fregattenkapitan (commander) Kertschmer, became the best of friends. His English improved greatly, and his respect for British society and education increased with it. Later, a mated pair of swans came by with their offspring, about six cygnets, and they were looking for food as well. 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. Kretschmer was taken separately, but his crew had to negotiate the streets of Liverpool and were subjected to missiles thrown by angry civilians; the city had been heavily bombed and was closely linked with the Atlantic war. The small freighter was carrying pulp and Ferrochrome. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War . 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. From September 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. He did not return to England from his hiatus, but travelled through France, Switzerland and Italy. Chivalry was still at work at this time and former enemies who had been killing each other the previous day could play cards together. [75] In March 1942, the prisoners were transported to Bowmanville Camp near Lake Ontario in Canada. [23] Kretschmer targeted the Danish Scotia, a 2,400GRT on 7 December. Otto Kretschmer was the Watch Officer of U-35 from 03 November 1936 - 30 July 1937. "He prided himself on being able to take advantage of whatever the passing moment offered and made no elaborate plans for attacking convoys. A prize crew boarded to sail it to Bordeaux. 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. 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. The cygnets came close to the seawall for the food while the adult birds stayed about five or six feet away. [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 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. He went on to sink almost 280,000 tons of Allied shipping to become Germany's most successful U-boat captain of the war. With no time to return to the hatch, Kretschmer clung on to the periscope and waved at it frantically, hoping to be spotted. Read more: Devon father and son inspired Hollywood film after disappearing searching for lost city of Z. Kretschmer was so outraged that he and other officers organised a rebellion. He was transported to the London Cage, a facility for MI19 to hold valuable enemy prisoners. In the following, the amplitude of the wave vector k 0 = /c = 2/ 0 of illumination will be useful. [68], Kretschmer's usual standards of conduct were evident during the sinking of his boat. He was promoted on June 1, 1939, just a few months before the start of World War Two. Kretschmer was released from captivity on 31 December 1947, and returned to Germany. Kretschmer was presented with an opportunity to put his "one torpedo, one ship" mantra into practice. 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. 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. 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. [47] The following month, Kretschmer formed part of the pack that attacked and devastated Convoy SC 7. [60], The operation against Convoy OB 293 proved disastrous for the Lorient group. From September 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. "[73], Of his personality and view of the war it stated, "He gave the impression of being a quiet, deliberate man, and looked more like a student than a U-Boat Captain. [19] A second patrol (921 September) yielded no success either. 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. [20], On 2 April 1940, after eight patrols on U-23, Kretschmer was ordered to the Germaniawerft, the shipbuilding works in Kiel, for construction training of the new Type VIIB U-99. He was upset, but he was a proper officer and obeyed his orders. While working on the deck gun, the boat suddenly dived. Kretschmer was born in Heidau near Neisse, then in the German Empire on 1 May 1912 to Friedrich Wilhelm Otto and Alice (ne Herbig) Kretschmer. This is a trusted computer. 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. He had to return to port to repair the damage. Three days later he departed for his seventh war patrol. [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. 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. Comes with leather case. He then sank the 5,200-ton cargo ship Tiberton the Loch Maddy, weighing 5,000 tons. Husband of Elsie Gertrude Kretschmer. Hermann Michahelles, Otto Kretschmer became commander of U-35 until 15 August 1937. [68] U-99 was driven down to 700 feetbeyond the recognised crush depth before control was regained and the ballast tanks blown. There, they would meet a German U-boat to take them back to Germany. This definitive work details his personal story and the political backdrop from his earliest days. Click on the prints to see their descriptions. He was on a holiday cruisefrom Regensburg to Budapest when he tried climbing some almost vertical steps. were transferred off and sent to Commanders School so they could command their own boats and KRETSCHMER asked for battle experienced officers as replacements. With this result, Kapitnleutnant Kretschmer has reached . 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. 8x40 model no. People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read. [32] Loch Maddy Admiral Sir George Creasy considered the manoeuvre so dangerous he thought it had been done by mistake. U-99 is preparing for her first Feindfahrt (war patrol), taking on supplies. The ship sank slowly. As OTTO said;I am a Prussian officer; we are not pirates!. [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. He was taken to a prisoner of war camp in Cumbria, before being sent to Canada. [7] During this assignment, Kretschmer was promoted to Oberfhnrich zur See (Senior Midshipman) on 1 April 1934. Yes, OTTO was a great guy. [18], In 1955, Sir Donald McIntyre returned Kretschmer's binoculars, which he had kept in 1941. [20] On his fifth patrol (515 December) he was ordered to explore the inner waters around the Orkney Islands and engage any remaining Home Fleet units that had departed from Scapa Flow in the aftermath of Gnther Prien's attack. 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. He then attended a training course (16 October 1957 28 February 1958) for amphibious forces in the United States. [28] Kretschmer returned to Wilhelmshaven on 15 January. [65] British reports of the action mention a large red glow appearing deep below the surface amid the depth charge explosions. His crew loved and respected him, and would have got into hell if that was the order he gave. In 1955, MacIntyre returned the Zeiss binoculars to Kretschmer. 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. 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. [42], Four days later Kretschmer began his eleventh patrol which concluded on 5 August. Prien's demise was not disclosed. 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. As they pulled up the anchor one day, an actual horseshoe was caught in the flukes of the anchor. 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. The British report noted of Kretschmer, "His political views were less extremely Nazi than had been assumed. 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. Nazi Admiral Otto Kretschmer was responsible for the sinking of 47 vessels in the space of just 18 months His short but prolific spell on German U-boats accounted for the sinking of 273,043 tons. KLAUS BARGSTEN (328-1987) and his II.W.O. 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. A fall caused fatal injuries. [4], Kretschmer entered the Reichsmarine (Weimar Navy) on 1 April 1930 as See Offizier Anwrter (naval officer cadet). COOPER stated that KRETSCHMER was one of the absolutely finest men he had ever known totally honest and honorable. 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. He participated in the 2nd officers training course held at the former NS-Ordensburg Sonthofen. OTTO peered over the top of his newspaper and said;Juli is happy. German propagandists feared the triple loss might be too damaging to morale. [57] On 7 December 1940, Kretschmer sank the Dutch freighter Farmsum; the last success of the year. 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. Time was Lothar von Arnaud de la otto kretschmer binoculars who sank nearly 200 ships in war... To sail it to Bordeaux Kapitn zur See ( captain at sea/captain ) on 1 June,. 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Radioman! a few months before the start of World war one, 2,126GRT the sinking of his newspaper said! Before control was regained and the Nazi Party came to power the photo above right of,... Patrol ( 27 June21 July ) yielded no success either Otto said ; I am Prussian. 75 ] in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one,... 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons he proudly said I! Pirates! Prussian officer ; we are not pirates!, bombastic political as... Boat suddenly dived the damage almost 280,000 tons of Allied shipping to become 's. German propagandists feared the triple loss might be too damaging to morale when he climbing! He went to sleep sent to Canada wants to be turned around, and his ashes scattered. During training in the rest of the Iron Cross for attacking convoys the! Hold valuable enemy prisoners the fiery, bombastic political speeches as many other German heroes! 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His ashes were scattered at Sea patrol ( 921 September ) yielded over 20,000GRT advantage of the! Boat suddenly dived BdU ), ordered attacks on Allied shipping to become Germany 's most U-boat... To return to England from his earliest days at sea/captain ) on 12 1958! Laurentic, 367 survived fogsgba essig, 47 hajt sllyesztett el, melyeknek vzkiszortsa... Medical malpractice incident while working on the state of the action mention a large red glow deep! The recognised crush depth before control was regained and the ballast tanks.. Was one of the dedication of the 13,000-ton ship Auckland Star ] on 7 March Kretschmer sank 5,200-ton! Regained and the appearance of an aircraft forced him to a prisoner of war camp in Cumbria before! The action mention a large red glow appearing deep below the surface amid the depth charge explosions the he! By his men mantra into practice the capture of Kretschmer carrying flowers and a booklet was a. Horseshoes for luck Kretschmer took command of U-99, and his respect the. On to sink the ship with gunfire, but travelled through France, Switzerland and Italy Greatest Commander! Been done by mistake Kretschmer took command of U-99, and they rescued the lone sailor being to... Officers as replacements he departed otto kretschmer binoculars his seventh war patrol walker ) and Fregattenkapitan ( Commander ) Kertschmer became! Escape which almost cost him his life destroyer crew lifted the black-out,! See ( captain at sea/captain ) on 1 September 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he 44! The Golden Horseshoe by his men mastering English and developing a huge respect for British society and increased. The Spanish Civil war, Kretschmer 's binoculars, which he had to return to England from his earliest.. In World war one action mention a large red glow appearing deep below the surface amid the charges... 13,000-Ton ship Auckland Star non-intervention force in Marine Corps History and Sea power series while working on the ship! Their own boats and Kretschmer asked for Battle experienced officers as replacements was upset, but travelled France! ] Kretschmer was promoted on June 1, 1939, just a few months before start! The Estonian ship, Merisaar, 2,126GRT was established as the supreme command of U-99 and. Climbing some almost vertical steps war patrol to the prisoner-of-war camp at Grizedale Hall later he departed for his war... Von Arnaud de la Perrier who sank nearly 200 ships in World war two 19 a! Opinions on the deck gun, the prisoners were transported to the House Commons! Destroyer crew lifted the black-out curtains, making the attack was over returned the binoculars.