Summary
Hans Heidtmann (8 August 1914 – 5 April 1976) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany
Hans Heidtmann | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 August 1914 |
| Died | 5 April 1976 (aged 61) |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany  West Germany |
| Service/ |  Kriegsmarine German Navy |
| Years of service | 1934–1942 1958–1972 |
| Rank | Kapitänleutnant (Kriegsmarine) Kapitän zur See (Bundesmarine) |
| Commands held | U-14 U-2 U-559 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
U-559 under the command of Heidtmann came under attack by several British warships and an aircraft on 30 October 1942. Fatally damaged and forced to the surface, the U-boat was abandoned after scuttling herself in the Mediterranean. A British boarding party, consisting of Lieutenant Francis Anthony Blair Fasson, Able Seaman Colin Grazier, and Canteen Assistant Tommy Brown, from destroyer HMS Petard recovered the cryptographic materials, but the U-boat sank before the Enigma cipher machine could be brought out. Eight German crewmen and two British seamen were lost, and 37 German survivors were taken prisoner of war.
Awards edit
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (8 April 1938)[1]
- Spanish Cross in Bronze with Swords (6 June 1939)[2]
- Sudetenland Medal (16 September 1939)[2]
- U-boat War Badge (1939) (26 November 1939)[2]
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (27 November 1939) & 1st Class (23 September 1941)[2]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 April 1943 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-559[3]
References edit
Citations edit
Bibliography edit
- 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.
- 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
