Herbert Schneider
| Herbert Schneider | |
|---|---|
| Born |
25 June 1915 Nürnberg |
| Died |
23 February 1943 (aged 27) Middle Atlantic |
| Buried at | (31°27′N 26°22′W / 31.450°N 26.367°W) |
| Allegiance |
.svg.png){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |
.svg.png){kind=small} Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine |
| Years of service | 1934–43 |
| Rank | Kapitänleutnant |
| Unit |
AS/88 SSS Gorch Fock cruiser Emden U-123 |
| Commands held | U-522 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Herbert Schneider (25 June 1915 in Nürnberg – 23 February 1943 in the Middle Atlantic) 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. He is credited with the sinking of seven ships for a total of 45,826 gross register tons (GRT) and further damaging two ships of 12,479 GRT.
Career
Herbert Schneider began his naval career with the Reichsmarine on 8 April 1934 as a member "Crew 1934" (the incoming class of 1934).[Note 1]. After officer's training, he transferred to the Luftwaffe and received air reconnaissance training in October 1936. In early 1939 (22 February 1939 – 30 April 1939), during the Spanish Civil War, he spent a few months in Spain making eight sorties with the Aufklärungsgruppe See 88 (AS/88—88th sea reconnaissance group) of the "Legion Condor". In October 1940 he returned to the Kriegsmarine. Over the next several months he received U-boat training and became the I. Wachoffizier (1st watch officer) on the U-123. After two patrols, he left to complete commander training, and it was then that he received the commission for the U-522. During his first patrol in the North Atlantic he sank four ships, totalling 20,077 tons and damaged another vessel. During his second patrol, he sunk three ships sunk and damaged another.
Fate
U-522 was sunk by depth charges from the British cutter HMS Totland on 23 February 1943, which resulted in the loss of all hands.
Awards
- Observer Badge (1 October 1937)[1]
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (8 April 1938)[1]
- Iron Cross (1939)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 16 January 1943 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-522[3]
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 21 November 1942
Wehrmachtbericht reference
| Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, 21 November 1942 | Bei den Geleitzugkämpfen zeichnete sich das Unterseeboot unter Führung von Kapitänleutnant Schneider besonders aus.[4] | The submarine under the leadership of Captain Lieutenant Heidtmann has particularly excelled itself in combat against the convoys. |
Notes
- ↑ The German Reichsmarine which was renamed the Kriegsmarine on 1 June 1935.
References
Citations
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.
- 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.
- Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 2, 1 January 1942 to 31 December 1943] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "Herbert Schneider". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
