Type: IX-B
Built by: AG Weser (Bremen)
Launched: 9 March, 1940
Commissioned: 11 June, 1940
Feldpost Nr.: M00412
Date sunk: 2 April, 1943
Sunk by: HMS STONECROP (CV), HMS BLACK SWAN (SL)
Location sunk: West of Oporto
Position sunk: 41.02N x 15.39W
(all hands, 53 men, were lost)

This was a very successful boat under two Skippers, and one of the best known German U-Boats of the War years and even today. But first, let's see how this boat came to be the EDELWEISSBOOT.

When U-64 was sunk at Rombaksfjord by British aircraft (700 Sqdn) flying off the battleship HMS WARSPITE on 20 September, 1939 only a handful of survivors made it to shore where they were helped by men of the GEBERGSJÄGER (mountain troops), and the emblem worn on their caps was an Edelweiss blossom. They were ready to help the survivors leave the area, but the Skipper WILHELM SCHULZ (162-+-1986) insisted they remain at the shore.

Photo shows SCHULZ (at left) on the tower of U-124.

He was certain that more of his men would come up from the cold water of the fjord. The troops argued with him, said there was no hope for anyone in the sunken boat. SCHULZ remained firm and would not move from the spot.

Soon they began to pop up in the water - one man after another until almost the entire crew of U-64 was on the shore with their Skipper. Only 8 men did not make it out of the boat, of a crew of about 55. SCHULZ decided that his next boat would wear the EDELWEISS on her tower to remember the mountain troops who came to the aid of his men in U-64.

U-124 had only two Skippers. Her 1st was KPLT WILHELM SCHULZ (162-+-1986). He was replaced by Kplt. Johann Mohr on 26 August, 1941. When Mohr took command, he had a giant green frog added as the conning tower emblem, but he left the giant EDELWEISS on the sides of the tower as they were. His giant green frog was painted on the forward portion of the tower.

While there were only two Skippers of U-124, and both well-known during the War years and after, many other well-known Skippers rode this boat either as Skippers in training or I.W.O. (1st Watchkeeping Officer) who later took command of their own boat.

* * REINHARD HARDEGEN (102-L-1985) rode U-124 two Feindfahrten (War Patrols) as KOMMANDANTSCHULER (Commander Schoolboy; or Commander in Training)

* * Werner Henke was I. W. O. and took command of U-515; was sunk by USS GUADALCANAL Task Force

* * Heinz Eck was I.W.O. then took command of U-852; was sunk and captured by the British and tried in sort of a 'kangaroo court' of killing men in the water, and shot by firing squad just before Christmas 1945. It was an attempt to make Eck swear that GrossAdmiral Dönitz ordered men killed in the water, which he did not do.

* * Peter Czhech was I.W.O. then became 2nd Skipper of U-505, which is now in Chicago. During a severe depth charge attack, Czhech shot himself in the head with his own gun & committed suicide and in effect, deserting his boat and his men in battle.

U-124 was assigned to the famous 2nd U-Boot-Flotilla, based at Lorient, France. This boat had five war patrols in the North Atlantic; she operated off Freetown (Africa) in March and April of 1941; then joined the original 'PAUKENSCHLAG' boats off the east coast of the USA, operating off Cape Hatteras in March of 1942. It was during this time that Mohr wrote this poem:

"The new moon night is black as ink;
Off Hatteras the tankers sink;
While sadly Roosevelt counts the score;
Some fifty thousand tons - by Mohr"

U-124 also operated off British Guiana and off Trinidad & Tobago over December 1943 to January 1943; in the South Atlantic where she sank the British light cruiser HMS DUNEDIN with one of the longest torpedo shots on record. They fired three torpedoes from more than THREE MILES distance! The run time was 5 minutes, 23 seconds.

Photo of U-124 shot from the deck of one of the 'heavies'

U-124 was one of the boats helping in the rescue of German survivors of the raiders ATLANTIS and PYTHON where hundreds of men were towed in dozens of lifeboats behind several submarines from the South Atlantic all the way back to France, from 24 Nov to 18 Dec. of 1941.

U-124 took on fuel from the supply ship CORRIENTES in the Canary Islands 4 March, 1941

(HARRY'S NOTE - We have in file, a memo from US Army Intelligence which states that several tankers of the Standard Oil Fleet were making the run from the Lago Refinery on the Island of Aruba in the Caribbean to the Canary Islands and were supplying German tankers and supply ships.).

She took on fuel from the raider Schiff 41 (KORMORAN) which was accompanied by the heavy cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER over 16 through 19 March 1941 in the South Atlantic; and also a rendezvous with the pocket battleships GNEISENAU and SCHARNHORST for combined action against an Allied convoy on 6 March 1941.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-124 UNDER SCHULZ

25.08.40 STAKESBY Brit stmr 3,900 GRT (this ship was damaged, not sunk)
25.08.40 HARPALAYCE Brit stmr 5,169 GRT
25.08.40 FIRECREST Brit stmr 5,394 GRT
16.10.40 TREVISTA Cana stmr 1,813 GRT
20.10.40 CUBANO Norw stmr 5,810 GRT
20.10.40 SULACO Brit stmr 5,389 GRT
31.10.40 RUTLAND Brit stmr 1,437 GRT
11.01.40 EMPIRE BISON Brit stmr 5,612 GRT
06.01.41 EMPIRE THUNDER Brit stmr 5,965 GRT
08.03.41 NARDANA Brit stmr 7,974 GRT
08.03.41 HINDPOOL Brit stmr 4,897 GRT
08.03.41 TIELBANK Brit stmr 5,084 GRT
08.03.41 LANORE Brit stmr 5,304 GRT
30.03.41 UMONA Brit stmr 3,767 GRT
04.04.41 MARLENE Brit stmr 6,507 GRT
07.04.41 PORTADOC Brit stmr 1,746 GRT
08.04.41 TWEED Brit stmr 2,697 GRT
11.04.41 AEGEAN Grk stmr 5,285 GRT
12.04.41 ST. HELENA Brit stmr 4,313 GRT
13.04.41 CORINTHIC Brit stmr 4,823 GRT
12.05.42 MOUNT PARNES Grk stmr 4,371 GRT
12.05.42 CRISTALES Brit stmr 5,389 GRT

Photo is the famous EDELWEISS blossom of SCHULZ.

SCHULZ had sunk 19 ships (88,986 GRT) and damaged one of 3,900 GRT; had received his KNIGHTS CROSS; went on to be Chief of the 6th U-Boot-Flotille at St. Nazaire; and finally went on to U-Boat Staff. Jochen Mohr, said to be the most handsome of the U-Boat Skippers, was about to take over U-124. He won the KNIGHTS CROSS with OAK LEAF CLUSTER.

U-124 Continued (#114)