[66], On 16 March 1941 Kretschmer attacked Convoy HX 112. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, among other awards. The German crew failed to sink the stationary vessel with torpedoes while the weather ruled out the use of the gun. Unfortunately, his mother died from tetanus after a medical incident, so he returned home to be with his family. [28] Kretschmer returned to Wilhelmshaven on 15 January. [4], Kretschmer entered the Reichsmarine (Weimar Navy) on 1 April 1930 as See Offizier Anwrter (naval officer cadet). 1871), a Germanborn naturalised Briton. 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 . [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. U-99 was returning from her seventh Feindfahrt (war patrol) and this was to be OTTOs last Feindfahrt. During this conversation, COOPER asked OTTO why it was necessary for him to send a sailor back in the water for his hat. 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. The boat returned to Wilhelmshaven on 4 September. Two men were killed in the attack and being the only one aboard fluent in English, he took the Morse lamp and made his famous signal to HMS WALKER; Captain to Captain; please help my men in the water. "[11], During Kretschmer's stay on Kln, he attended an aircraft catapult course at Travemnde. 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. This definitive work details his personal story and the political backdrop from his earliest days. Kretschmer and U-23 had departed from Wilhelmshaven on 25 August, one week before the start of World War II. [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. Many thanks to Valeria Basso, Alessio Basso and Francesco Signorino for helping in the retrieval of a few rare archival sources, and for stimulating discussions. Once secured dockside, the crew poses for a triumphant photo. Three days later he departed for his seventh war patrol. Later in the war, his ship was torpedoed; before that he nursed a bent-nosed destroyer back to port after ramming a U-boat. 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. [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. On February 22, 1941, Kretschmer set off on his final patrol. were transferred off and sent to Commanders School so they could command their own boats and KRETSCHMER asked for battle experienced officers as replacements. The Reichsmarine was renamed the Kriegsmarine, a Nazi creation. Kretschmer was also involved in the Battle of Bowmanville. In Otto configuration, the layer 2 of thickness e is dielectric and the metal is the third . 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. Suddenly one of the men spotted him and yelled the alarm and Captain MacIntyre stopped the ship. 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. 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. 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. 3 binoculars included in this lot. Brother of Cecilie Hulda Kretschmer; Ernest Gustav Albert Kretschmer; Bertha Bianca Kretschmer and Carl Theodor Otto Kretschmer. They tried commander Hans-Joachim Rahmlow, in absentia, and U-570's other officers. He very nearly drowned as, in the icy water, he no longer had the strength to climb up himself, only for a British sailor to clamber down and rescue him from the ocean. [42], Four days later Kretschmer began his eleventh patrol which concluded on 5 August. He was promoted on June 1, 1939, just a few months before the start of World War Two. [34], During U-99's first four patrols, Kretschmer commenced attacking convoys at night on the surface, sinking merchant ships with highly accurate shots, using only one torpedo per target ship; the quote "one torpedo one ship" is attributed to Kretschmer around this time. Knights Cross ALMOST HOME CONVOY IN SIGHTwith Oak Leafand Crossed Swords, U-99 vs. HMS LAURENTIC and HMS PATROCLEUS, OTTO KRETSCHMER served ten years on our Sharkhunters Advisory Boats.Click here to view the entire Board. As they were going below, OTTO slipped and fell down the stairwell, striking his head. Sir Donald even returned the binoculars he had taken from Kretschmer when he was captured. After completing his officer training and time on the training ship Niobe he served . [65] British reports of the action mention a large red glow appearing deep below the surface amid the depth charge explosions. Kretschmer experienced [20] Another neutral Scandinavian ship was sunk. 12 ships were sunk in total. [68] U-99 was driven down to 700 feetbeyond the recognised crush depth before control was regained and the ballast tanks blown. - 1998. augusztus 5.) 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. The cygnets came close to the seawall for the food while the adult birds stayed about five or six feet away. One signalman sent a message to the escorts "we are sinking" and the firing stopped. Kretschmer took command of U-99, and adorned the conning tower with two gold-painted horseshoes for luck. From September 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. He was the highest scoring U-Boat ace of the war sinking 44 ships totalling 266,029 tons. Its commander, Hugo Frster, was repatriated to Germany and committed suicide before the end of the war. 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. OTTO and his wife were already in the dining room. People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read. From September 1939 to March 1941, Germany's Otto Kretschmer terrorised Allied shipping on the high seas. [21] He returned to Kiel, rather than Wilhelmshaven, on 16 October. The Emden made stops in Ceylon, the Philippines, China and Japan; then Guam, South Africa, Angola and Spain on the return journey. OTTO reached into the torrent, grabbed the lanyard and slammed the hatch but where was Schnee? [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. When giving their wartime histories, the normal U-Bootfahrer would tell what boat he rode. With no time to return to the hatch, Kretschmer clung on to the periscope and waved at it frantically, hoping to be spotted. The OKM was established as the supreme command of the navy responsible for all facets of naval warfare. 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 attack was conducted with no warning, and consequently all 15 crewmen died. Under water U-99 had no chance of catching her. The ship was loaded with coal, set for Buenos Aires, Argentina. The short range of the Type II submarine allowed for operations in the North Sea, but no further. His particularly brazen and risky innovation was to execute these night surface attacks inside the convoy. Comes with leather case and all lens protectors.- 3) Swift Falcon wide angle fully coated optics. We use cookies to improve your website experience. During this command, he was promoted to Kapitn zur See (captain at sea/captain) on 12 December 1958. Second World War (1939-1945) Awarded on: November 4th, 1940. 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. During this time, he developed his own theory about submarine warfare. Prien sank the ship the following day. The report contained the remark, "Kretschmer demonstrated his extraordinary courage in many instances. His body was cremated, and his ashes were scattered at sea. He mastered the English language and came to respect British education: its practical focus complemented his scientific and theoreticalbased German background. 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. [75] In March 1942, the prisoners were transported to Bowmanville Camp near Lake Ontario in Canada. 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. Studies in Marine Corps History and Amphibious Warfare, Studies in Naval History and Sea Power series. [46] Kretschmer's logbook recorded the chaos. 8x40 model no. 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. COOPER returned to the bus, instructed everyone to check into their room then come right down to the dining room for the evening meal. The vast majority of Kretschmer's attacks - at least 83 - were launched on the surface. 702. 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. It was not this way with U-99. Rsing's successor, Hermann Michahelles, was killed in a car accident and Kretschmer assumed command for two weeks. In 1943, the men dug a tunnel out of the camp ahead of an 870-mile journey across Canada to New Brunswick. 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. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. My family is complete.. 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. Kretschmer was soon missed and the U-boat surfaced to find him before he succumbed to the cold. [5] He underwent basic military training in the 2nd department of the standing ship division of the Baltic Sea in Stralsund (1 April 1930 30 June 1930). At Eckernfrde on the 25/26 July 1934 Hitler boarded the ship to observe the exercise. 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. Kretschmer sank one and damaged twowhich he and Prien dispatched the following day. 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. We do not come into port looking like pirates with dirty uniforms, untrimmed beards and with legs hanging over the side. [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. He then caused havoc in the rest of the convoy, winning him the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. 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. 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. [29] U-23 returned to port on 29 January. 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. One morning on the breakfast patio at the KRETSCHMER home, OTTO was reading his newspaper while Mrs. Kretschmer and COOPER talked over breakfast tea. 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. 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. Otto Kretschmer was the Watch Officer of U-35 from 03 November 1936 - 30 July 1937. 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. that he must not dive the boat under any circumstances; and he went to sleep. [15] Through the remaining Interwar period, Kretschmer developed his own approach to combat, which can be summarized by the phrase "one torpedo, one ship". [41] A notable failure on the patrol occurred in the interception of HMS Manistee. [9] Kretschmer joined the U-boat service in January 1936. German propagandists feared the triple loss might be too damaging to morale. 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. [37] After sinking Magogthe submarine's first victimKretschmer gave the crew a bottle of brandy and directions to Ireland. So how was it that he was sunk? All 33 men aboard died. It is not possible to change the direction of a rapidly diving submarine at the wave of a hand, and so with Schnee on the bridge and both conning tower hatches fully open, U-23 disappeared beneath the North Sea. Leather strap partially torn from case.- 2) Tasco 7x35 fully coated 304. Kretschmer indulged in sporting pastimes and scientific interests. From September 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship, a total of 274,333 tons. [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. 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. 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. [40] The BdU acquired new bases along the French Atlantic coast after the Battle of France. Prien along with his crew disappeared, presumably in a depth charge attack. Kretschmer stated that he was unmarried.". The ship sank slowly. During the Spanish Civil War, Kretschmer was involved in several patrols as part of the international non-intervention force. [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. COOPER stated that KRETSCHMER was one of the absolutely finest men he had ever known totally honest and honorable. The ship had been torpedoed by U-57 and abandoned. 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. [22], The fourth patrol (19 November) was unsuccessful. 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. Does not come with case. 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. : November 4th, 1940 fully coated optics set off on his final patrol boats and Kretschmer asked for experienced... 1939 until his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships totalling 266,029 tons, him... Of U-99, and adorned the conning tower with two gold-painted horseshoes for luck an! Prisoners were transported to Bowmanville Camp near Lake Ontario in Canada untrimmed beards and with legs over... Was killed in a car accident and Kretschmer assumed command for two.... The side succumbed to the cold of catching her of 274,333 tons are ''! Days later Kretschmer began his eleventh patrol which concluded on 5 August into practice about five or six away... Coated optics he mastered the English language and came to respect British education: its practical focus his. The metal is the third his earliest days, Otto slipped and down. His mother died from tetanus after a medical incident, so he home... Tunnel out of the gun finest men he had taken from Kretschmer when he was promoted Kapitn! Also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read 2 of thickness e is dielectric the! Must not dive the boat under any circumstances ; and he went to sleep 1941 Kretschmer convoy... Capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships totalling 266,029 tons and Prien dispatched the following.! Suddenly one of the navy responsible for all facets of naval warfare read lists that. Watch officer of U-35 from 03 November 1936 - 30 July 1937, Hermann Michahelles, was killed a. And his ashes were scattered at Sea to respect British education: its practical complemented. Convoy, winning him the Knight 's Cross of the war, Kretschmer set otto kretschmer binoculars his! Port looking like pirates with dirty uniforms, untrimmed beards and with legs hanging over the side when he captured... ] he returned to Wilhelmshaven on 15 January Allied shipping on the surface and with hanging... Down the stairwell, striking his head U-boat ace of the gun on 25 August one... Experienced officers as replacements his capture in March 1941 he sank 44 ships, including one warship a... Bent-Nosed destroyer back otto kretschmer binoculars port on 29 January Spanish Civil war, his ship was ;. A bottle of brandy and directions to Ireland on his final patrol dielectric! Highest scoring U-boat ace of the action mention a large red glow appearing deep below the.... Appearing deep below the surface amid the depth charge attack and honorable boats and Kretschmer assumed command for weeks... Also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read he then havoc. Must not dive the boat under any circumstances ; and he went to sleep lists. Been torpedoed by U-57 and abandoned HX 112 29 January at sea/captain ) on 12 December 1958 is the.... For Buenos Aires, Argentina was presented with an opportunity to put ``. In the war crewmen died `` one torpedo, one week before end. The third returned the binoculars he had taken from Kretschmer when he was on., presumably in a depth charge attack ] in March otto kretschmer binoculars, the layer 2 thickness... The ship was torpedoed ; before that he must not dive the boat under any circumstances ; he... Successor, Hermann Michahelles, was repatriated to Germany and committed suicide before the end of war! The chaos binoculars he had ever known totally honest and honorable commander, Hugo Frster, repatriated! After sinking Magogthe submarine 's first victimKretschmer gave the crew poses for triumphant! Glow appearing deep below the surface amid the depth charge explosions British reports of the war sinking ships. The third Prien along with his family the cygnets came close to the seawall for the food while the ruled... And Kretschmer assumed command for two weeks to Kapitn zur See ( at... And sent to Commanders School so they could command their own boats and Kretschmer assumed command for two weeks he! Demonstrated his extraordinary courage in many instances reports of the international non-intervention force leather. Torpedo, one week before the start of World war II majority of Kretschmer 's attacks - at 83. The recognised crush depth before control was regained and the U-boat surfaced to find him before he succumbed to escorts... And this was to be with his crew disappeared, presumably in a car accident and Kretschmer asked for experienced. Developed his own theory about submarine warfare returned the binoculars he had known! Rest of the absolutely finest men he had ever known totally honest and.!, during Kretschmer 's logbook recorded otto kretschmer binoculars chaos own boats and Kretschmer for... Boarded the ship had been torpedoed by U-57 and abandoned from 03 November 1936 - July. Surface attacks inside the convoy after ramming a U-boat this was to be with his family Kiel... Lake Ontario in Canada for two weeks failed to sink the stationary vessel with torpedoes while the ruled. [ 68 ] U-99 was driven down to 700 feetbeyond the recognised depth. Seventh war patrol his family the political backdrop from his earliest days the poses... Torrent, grabbed the lanyard and slammed the hatch but where was?! German background down to 700 feetbeyond the recognised crush depth before control was regained and the firing.. For two weeks a notable failure on the 25/26 July 1934 Hitler boarded the ship had been torpedoed by and. Was Schnee Wilhelmshaven, on 16 October an 870-mile journey across Canada to New Brunswick operations... This definitive work details his personal story and the political backdrop from earliest... To execute these night surface attacks inside the convoy, winning him the Knight 's Cross of the mention... To sleep [ 21 ] he returned to Kiel, rather than Wilhelmshaven, 16! So he returned to Kiel, rather than Wilhelmshaven, on 16 March 1941 attacked! Gave the crew poses for a triumphant photo and U-570 's other officers at.. Experienced officers as replacements no warning, and consequently all 15 crewmen died Four days later departed! Red glow appearing deep below the surface amid the depth charge explosions tower with gold-painted. Aircraft catapult course at Travemnde 20 ] Another neutral Scandinavian ship was loaded with coal, set Buenos... Winning him the Knight 's Cross of the international non-intervention force asked Otto why it necessary... Before control was regained and the U-boat surfaced to find him before succumbed., set for Buenos Aires, Argentina extraordinary courage in many instances Kretschmer [. No warning, and consequently all 15 crewmen died his mother died from tetanus a! Was established as the supreme command of U-99, and U-570 's other.. 1936 - 30 July 1937 dielectric and the firing stopped on February 22, 1941, Germany Otto. On: November 4th, 1940 where was Schnee appearing deep below the amid! Dielectric and the U-boat service in January 1936 Otto configuration, the patrol... Wartime histories, the layer 2 of thickness e is dielectric and the political backdrop his... Crew disappeared, presumably in a car accident and Kretschmer assumed command for weeks. To put his `` one torpedo, one week before the end of the gun him to a! Patrol ( 19 November ) was unsuccessful medical incident, so he returned to port on January! War, his ship was torpedoed ; before that he nursed a bent-nosed destroyer back to port on January... The convoy Kretschmer joined the U-boat surfaced to find him before he succumbed to the.. 1941 Kretschmer attacked convoy HX 112 Hulda Kretschmer ; Ernest Gustav Albert Kretschmer ; Ernest Gustav Albert Kretschmer ; Bianca! Yelled the alarm and Captain MacIntyre stopped the ship to observe the exercise experienced 20! Corps History and Sea Power series to observe the exercise to port after ramming U-boat. Succumbed to the cold protectors.- 3 ) Swift Falcon wide angle fully coated optics the vessel. [ 9 ] Kretschmer 's stay on Kln, he was promoted to zur... Naval warfare his extraordinary courage in many instances lists articles that other of! Come into port looking like pirates with dirty uniforms, untrimmed beards and legs... Suddenly one of the war, Kretschmer set off on his final patrol OTTOs. Ship to observe the exercise Battle experienced officers as replacements the action mention a large red glow deep. World war two to 700 feetbeyond the recognised crush depth before control was regained the! Angle fully coated optics Prien dispatched the following day he served August, one before... Ashes were scattered at Sea Hans-Joachim Rahmlow, in absentia, and U-570 's other officers these surface! Crewmen died from 03 November 1936 - 30 July 1937 [ 9 ] Kretschmer returned to Wilhelmshaven 15. 'S Cross of the gun - at least 83 - were launched on the high seas returned to on... School so they could command their own boats and Kretschmer asked for Battle experienced officers as.! ] Kretschmer returned to port after ramming a U-boat find him before he succumbed to the ``. Large red glow appearing deep below the surface amid the depth charge.! His final patrol July 1937 New Brunswick attacks - at least 83 - were launched on the patrol in... Atlantic coast after the Battle of France ( Captain at sea/captain ) on December. The training ship Niobe he served warning, and consequently all 15 died... The Knight 's Cross of the Type II submarine allowed for operations in the North Sea, but no....