Peter-Erich Cremer

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Peter-Erich Cremer
Peter-Erich Cremer.jpg
Nickname(s)Ali
Born(1911-03-25)25 March 1911
Metz, Alsace-Lorraine
Died5 July 1992(1992-07-05) (aged 81)
Hamburg, Germany
AllegianceFlag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Nazi Germany
Service/branchWar ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine
Years of service1932–45
Rank Korvettenkapitän
Unit cruiser Köln
Panzerschiff Deutschland
destroyer Theodor Riedel
Commands held U-152
U-333
U-2519
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Peter-Erich Cremer (25 March 1911 – 5 July 1992) was a German U-boat commander during the Second World War. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.

Contents

Biography

Peter-Erich Cremer was born in Metz, Alsace-Lorraine, on 25 March 1911. After high school, Cremer enlisted in the Reichsmarine in 1932. After serving on cruisers and destroyers, Cremer became captain in February 1940. He received the Iron Cross 2nd class. He was promoted to the rank of submarine commander in August 1940, and was given the U-152. He commanded the U-333 from 25 August 1941 to 6 October 1942 and again from 18 May 1943, to 19 July 1944. On 31 January 1942 he mistakenly attacked and sunk the SS Spreewald; he was court-martialed and found not guilty.

After several victorious trips, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 5 June 1942, and in that same year was severely wounded. He sailed again from 1943 until July 1944, before giving his boat to his lieutenant. In November 1944, Cremer, now Lieutenant Commander, aimed to convey the new submarine U-2519 Class XXI. Citing "several design flaws", Cremer scuttled the submarine at Kiel, in May 1945. As the War drew to a close, he was attached to the personal security unit of Karl Dönitz. In this role he was involved in the incident in which Kapitän zur See Wolfgang Lüth was shot to death by a German sentry.

Peter-Erich Cremer appeared in Episode 10: 'Wolf Pack: U-Boats in the Atlantic' of the British television documentary The World at War in the early 1970s. Later he recounted his life in his books U-333: The story of a U-boat ace and U-Boat Commander: a periscope view of the Battle of the Atlantic. He died in Hamburg on 5 July 1992.

Summary of career

Ships sunk and damaged

Map all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap

As commander of U-333 Cremer sank six merchant ships totalling 26,873  GRT, damaged another 8,327  GRT, and also engaged and damaged the 925 long tons (940 t) Flower-class corvette HMS Crocus.

DateShipNationalityTonsConvoyFate and location
22 January 1942 Vassilios A. Polemis Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece 3,429ON-53Sunk at 42°32′N52°38′W / 42.533°N 52.633°W / 42.533; -52.633 (Vassilios A. Polemis (ship))
24 January 1942 Ringstad Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4,765ON-55Sunk at 45°50′N51°04′W / 45.833°N 51.067°W / 45.833; -51.067 (Ringstad (ship))
31 January 1942 Spreewald Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Nazi Germany 5,083Sunk at 45°12′N24°50′W / 45.200°N 24.833°W / 45.200; -24.833 (Spreewald (ship))
6 May 1942 Amazone Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1,294Sunk at 27°21′N80°04′W / 27.350°N 80.067°W / 27.350; -80.067 (Amazone (ship))
6 May 1942 Halsey Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,088Sunk at 27°14′N80°03′W / 27.233°N 80.050°W / 27.233; -80.050 (Halsey (ship))
6 May 1942 Java Arrow Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 8,327Damaged at 27°35′N80°08′W / 27.583°N 80.133°W / 27.583; -80.133 (Java Arrow (ship))
10 May 1942 Clan Skene Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,214Sunk at 31°43′N70°43′W / 31.717°N 70.717°W / 31.717; -70.717 (Clan Skene (ship))
6 October 1942 HMS Crocus Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 925Damaged at 07°52′N14°57′W / 7.867°N 14.950°W / 7.867; -14.950 (HMS Crocus (ship))

Awards

Promotions

15 August 1932:Offiziersanwärter (Officer Candidate)
1 January 1934:Fähnrich zur See (Officer Cadet)
1 September 1935:Oberfähnrich zur See (Senior Ensign)
1 January 1936:Leutnant zur See (Second Lieutenant)
1 October 1937:Oberleutnant zur See (First Lieutenant)
2 February 1940:Kapitänleutnant (Captain Lieutenant)
11 July 1944:Korvettenkapitän (Corvette Captain)

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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.
  • 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.