Heinz Sieder

Heinz Sieder
Born (1920-06-28)28 June 1920
Munich
Died 20 August 1944(1944-08-20) (aged 24)
Bay of Biscay
Buried at (48°16′N 05°33′W / 48.267°N 5.550°W / 48.267; -5.550 (U-984 (U-boat)))
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Kriegsmarine
Years of service 1938–44
Rank Oberleutnant zur See
Unit SSS Gorch Fock
Schlesien
Scharnhorst
U-440
Commands held U-984
Battles/wars

Spanish Civil War
World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Heinz Sieder (28 June 1920 – 20 August 1944) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

U-984 was sunk with all hands lost on 20 August 1944 in the Bay of Biscay west of Brest by depth charges from the Canadian destroyers HMCS Ottawa, Kootenay and Chaudière.

Career

Sieder was born on 28 June 1920 in Munich. He joined the Kriegsmarine on 1 October 1938 as a member of "Crew 1938" (the incoming class of 1938). He underwent basic military training in the 2nd company of the 7th standing ship department of the Baltic Sea in Stralsund (1 October 1938 – 27 February 1939).[Tr 1][Tr 2] Sieder was then transferred to the training ship Gorch Fock (28 February 1939 – 1 July 1939) and attained the rank of Seekadett (midshipman) on 1 July 1939. He then boarded Schlesien (2 July 1939 – 14 October 1939) for further ship based training. He then took the main cadet training course at the Naval Academy Mürwik in Flensburg-Mürwik (15 October 1939 – 1 March 1940). During this training period he advanced in rank to Fähnrich zur See (officer cadet) on 1 December 1939.[1]

In January 1942, he became first watch officer on the newly commissioned U-440 and served on four patrols. He left U-440 in April 1943 just one month before U-440 was sunk; and commissioned the Type VIIC U-boat U-984 in June 1943.

Summary of career

Ships attacked

As a U-boat commander of U-984 Heinz Sieder is credited with damaging one merchant ship of 7,240 gross register tons (GRT), damaging one warship for a total loss of 1,300 metric tons (1,300 long tons; 1,400 short tons), and damaging three ships for a total loss of 21,550 GRT.

DateShipNationalityTonnageFate
25 June 1944 HMS Goodson  Royal Navy 1,300 Total loss
29 June 1944 Edward M. House  United States 7,240 Damaged
29 June 1944 H.G. Blasdel  United States 7,176 Total loss
29 June 1944 John A. Treutlen  United States 7,198 Total loss
29 June 1944 James A. Farrell  United States 7,176 Total loss

Awards

Translation notes

  1. ↑ 2nd company—2. Kompanie
  2. ↑ standing ship department—Schiffsstammabteilung

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Busch & Röll 2003, p. 455.
  2. ↑ Busch & Röll 2003, p. 456.
  3. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 400.
  4. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 704.

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (2003). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939–1945 — Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [The U-Boat War 1939–1945 — The Knight's Cross Bearers of the U-Boat Force from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 978-3-8132-0515-2. 
  • Debus, Marc and Nell, Alfred (2008). Das letzte Geleit - vom Vorpostenboot zur U-Boot Flotte(the story of a boatmember U-984 from Heinz Sieder). Monsenstein und Vannerdat. ISBN 978-3-86582-677-0.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-88740-748-2. 
  • Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Navy]. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-87943-355-1. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 

External links

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