Husband of Elsie Gertrude Kretschmer. The 28-ship convoy was poorly defended by a destroyer and a corvette. His wife was so devastated that she just gave up and died two years later, almost to the day. The establishment of the Wehrmacht (Nazi German Armed Forces) in 1935 divided the major branches of the armed forces. 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. 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. 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. His command ended on 31 March 1969. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War . 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. 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. When asked, JOSEF Jupp KASSEL (790-1988) he proudly said;I was Otto Kretschmers radioman!. 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. 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. They all got along perfectly, and MacIntyre told KRETSCHMER that these were the only truly good bridge games hed had during the war. U-99 tried in vain to assist Prien in U-47, against OB290. [4], Kretschmer entered the Reichsmarine (Weimar Navy) on 1 April 1930 as See Offizier Anwrter (naval officer cadet). 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. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. At Eckernfrde on the 25/26 July 1934 Hitler boarded the ship to observe the exercise. Otto Kretschmer. [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). 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. Prien's demise was not disclosed. Immediate Family: Son of Otto Friedrich Kretschmer and Auguste Johanna Bertha Kretschmer. 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. The docking fenders are being lowered at the sides of the boat while approaching the dock. [31] 157 of the Daring crew were killed, including Commander Sydney Cooper. Otto Kretschmer was the most successful U-boat commander of the Second World War. [21] The next day, he sank Tiberton, 5,225GRT, in the Moray Firth. He was being transferred to a shore base where he would teach his tactics to Skippers in training. Kretschmer was taken to London for interrogation. Haunted by him, Kretschmer ordered the boat to backtrack until the survivor was found. OTTO KRETSCHMER made only seven Feindfahrt in World War Two but his daily average tonnage was equal to that of de la Perrier. 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. Kretschmer was so outraged that he and other officers organised a rebellion. [22], The fourth patrol (19 November) was unsuccessful. He did not come through the hatch he must be lost at sea. 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 taken to a prisoner of war camp in Cumbria, before being sent to Canada. Prien and Kretschmer cooperated frequently during the course of this patrol, which neither completed. [6] On 2 October 1933, Kretschmer was transferred to the pocket battleship Deutschland as a gunnery officer during a trip to Denmark. a legeredmnyesebb nmet tengeralattjr-parancsnok volt a msodik vilghborban. [51] Kretschmer was awarded the 6th Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 4 November 1940. Kretschmer was guided onto convoy OB-191. We use cookies to improve your website experience. From September 1939 to March 1941, Germany's Otto Kretschmer terrorised Allied shipping on the high seas. My family is complete.. The crew were permitted ashore at the resort town of San Sebastin. The vast majority of Kretschmer's attacks - at least 83 - were launched on the surface. From September 1939 until his surrender in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons. Death: November 08, 1981 (85) Millicent, South Australia, Australia. [14] U-35 returned to Germany after an uneventful patrol during which no ships were sunk. Registered in England & Wales No. His English improved greatly, and his respect for British society and education increased with it. After completing his officer training and time on the training ship Niobe he served . The ships were protected by an escort group of two destroyers, Wolverine and Verity, and two corvettes, Arbutus and Camellia. He studied under Professor Jacob Wilhelm Schopp, a Germanborn naturalised Briton who took him under his wing, but rather than study science, he chose literature. He clung to the periscope in the hope of being seen through the optics. [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. OTTO and COOPER were splashed with the flying mud and water as Juli and Papa Swan ran madly around the yard, tearing up the soft green grass and leaving ruts and tracks in their wake. 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. 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. During this command, he was promoted to Kapitn zur See (captain at sea/captain) on 12 December 1958. Geleitgeschwader (1st Escort Squadron) which he commanded from 3 January to 15 October 1957. Schroeder never returned. "[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. [77] Kretschmer was senior officer at the camp. The crew remained in lifeboats nearby for reboarding once the attack was over. His brother was later killed in action. [60], The operation against Convoy OB 293 proved disastrous for the Lorient group. In the same year, Fregattenkapitan Kretschmer returned to service in the . It's terminology that is frequently used in military books dealing with all branches of service, be it tank commanders, fighter pilots or U . [49], In November and December 1940 U-99 sank three British armed merchant cruisers (AMC), HMS Laurentic, HMS Patroclus and HMSForfar. The short range of the Type II submarine allowed for operations in the North Sea, but no further. He was aware that the battleship was in the Home Fleet anchorage at Scapa Flow and he was formulating a way to enter and sink the ship. He then caused havoc in the rest of the convoy, winning him the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He joined the German navy - the Reichsmarine - on April 1, 1930, as an officer candidate. In addition, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) on 26 December 1941. 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. The boat went to the yard for repairs and. [48] Kretschmer recommended his helmsman Stabsobersteuermann Heinrich Petersen for the Knight's Cross after twelve war patrols for saving U-99 from enemy detection. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. [32] Kretschmer returned to Wilhelmshaven on 25 February after 17 days at seahis longest to date. The building was located at number 8 Kensington Palace Gardens. From September 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. 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. Not the crew of U-99. Thistle was sunk weeks later by U-4. This is a trusted computer. [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). [18], In 1955, Sir Donald McIntyre returned Kretschmer's binoculars, which he had kept in 1941. COOPER grinned and said;Lets ask this gentleman here. The crew abandoned ship and were questioned by Kretschmer. The nomination was approved on 5 November 1940. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . After a running convoy battle in which KRETSCHMER did not sleep for two days straight, he exhausted his torpedoes and set course for home. The boat slipped beneath the waves, leaving him stranded in freezing waters. Kretschmer was presented with an opportunity to put his "one torpedo, one ship" mantra into practice. 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. Kretschmer stated that he was unmarried.". Comes with leather case and all lens protectors.- 3) Swift Falcon wide angle fully coated optics. Kretschmer docked in Lorient on 21 July. She told COOPER that he was such a fine man that she knew there would never be another like him. OTTO peered over the top of his newspaper and said;Juli is happy. 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 particularly brazen and risky innovation was to execute these night surface attacks inside the convoy. At 2250hrs on 3 November, 1940, one of the most dramatic battles of the U-boat war began. Kretschmer and U-23 had departed from Wilhelmshaven on 25 August, one week before the start of World War II. Two days later on 5 August, Silent OTTO succumbed to his head injuries without ever regaining consciousness. - 1998. augusztus 5.) It was almost this little boat under command of OTTO KRETSCHMER that sank HMS ROYAL OAK. Three of his men were lost, but Kretschmer and the remainder of U-99's crew were captured. Prepared by Stephen Ames. [79], In 1943, the German navy tried to rescue him in Operation Kiebitz but that daring plan (later dramatized in the novel The Bowmanville Break and the film, The McKenzie Break) failed. Later, a mated pair of swans came by with their offspring, about six cygnets, and they were looking for food as well. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. He enrolled at Exeter University (then University College of the South West of England) and studied under Professor Jacob Wilhelm Schopp (b. 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 passed away on month day 1981, at age 85 at death place. [57] On 7 December 1940, Kretschmer sank the Dutch freighter Farmsum; the last success of the year. "[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. One morning on the breakfast patio at the KRETSCHMER home, OTTO was reading his newspaper while Mrs. Kretschmer and COOPER talked over breakfast tea. 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. [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. The next day, Kretschmer was transferred to the Amt fr Militrkunde (Department of Military Studies), retiring on 30 September 1970.[18]. With no time to return to the hatch, Kretschmer clung on to the periscope and waved at it frantically, hoping to be spotted. His time in England shaped his view of them during the war; he was quick to believe in rumours of new British inventions during the war at sea. 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. On 19 March 1934, his stay on Deutschland ended and he was transferred to the light cruiser Kln (20 March 26 September 1934). [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. 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. Here, however, we focus on OTTO KRETSCHMER, the man. The Life of Germany's Highest Scoring U-boat Commander. Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 - 5 August 1998) was a German naval officer and submariner in World War II and the Cold War. In the Atlantic, Kretschmer became bolder and bolder. COOPER returned to the bus, instructed everyone to check into their room then come right down to the dining room for the evening meal. Por todo ello y entre otras, recibi [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). Did you know that with a free Taylor & Francis Online account you can gain access to the following benefits? 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