Karl-Heinz Kramer

We have just been informed by JIM HOOD (5310-199?) that this U-boat officer was killed in 1944. The harbor and his U-boat came under attack from a Royal Air Force air raid and he ducked under a nearby bridge for protection. The bombs missed his U-boat, but destroyed the bridge - killing him.

No Flowers on a Seaman's Grave

Many Members have come through with an answer to the question by Captain ROBERT CUSICK (4335-1995) and we thank each and every one. However, here we quote the words sent by HERMANN KUMPF (3508-1994) and the song goes:

Auf einem Seemannsgrab
da bluhen keine Rosen.
Auf einem Seemannsgrab
da bluht kein Blumelein.
Der einz'ge Schmuck fur uns,
das sind die weissen Moven
und heisse Tranen,
die ein kleines Madchen weint.

So mancher von uns ging verloren,
doch niemals hat einer geweint.
Wir sind fiir die Seefahrt geboren,
solange die Sonne uns scheint!

Es holten die eiskalten Wogen
den Besten von uns uber Bord.
Er wurd' in die Tiefe gezogen,
die Wellen, sie risen ihn fort.

Der erste Vers wird jetzt wiederholt.

Thanks HERMANN. Members helping Members.

Valves - What For?

GASPAR BONGIOVANI (1886-1991) asks about two valves found in front of the conning tower on U-85. One has a square handle with 5 notches and the other is round with 5 notches.

What were they used for? Which one did what? U-bootfahrer - please help with this answer. Vielen Dank.

Personal Military History

WERNER HARDT-STREMAYR (6173-2000) is working on a very detailed chronology and history of various U-bootfahrer, and he would like information on these men - on all aspects of their time in the U-Bootwaffe, their friends, their duties - everything.

Oberleutnant (Ing.) Kurt Graf, Engineering Division
Oberleutnant zur See Erich Krempl, killed with his U-548
Leutnant zur See Karl Theodor Mayer, died recently in Austria
Oberleutnant zur See Kurt Freiberger
Leutnant (Ing) Friedrich von Schifner, died in Hamburg, 1972
Leutnant zur See Harald Zimmerl, killed with his U-212

Any and all information on these men would be greatly appreciated.

Japanese - British Submarines?

New Member KEITH GLASGOW has this question for our Far Eastern Representative YOYA KAWAMURA (1739-LIFE-1991)

"I read with interest an article by Yoya Kawamura regarding the Japanese building of Holland Class submarines. Is it also true that the Japanese, possibly Kawasaki, also built some British C (--'lass submarines after purchase of two complete boats and engines for a further 3 from Vickers Sons and Maxim Limited around 1908? "

Well YOYA, anything on this? Anyone else with answers? (Question & Answers continued on next page)

U-35

WALTER GODINHO (5514-1998) has this far HANS MAIR (5664-1998) about U-35:

”U-35 was a type VII boat built in Kiel and commissioned on 11 November 1936. It was commanded by Kplt Werner Lott from September 1938 to 29 November 1939; made three war patrols and sank 4 ships (7,850 gross tons) plus one damaged. On 29 November 1939 the boat was sunk by depth charge attacks of three RN destroyers (HMS ICARUS, HMS KASHMIR and HMS KINGSTON) off the coast of Norway. All 43 men survived and were captured by the British.

Supply Ship in Vigo

WALTER again comes through with this information for DOUGLAS ADAMS (5002-1996) about this ship. He says: “In addition to the information provided in KTB #147 by LEE TALLAKSEN (2217-1992), the following might be added Supply ship BESSEL was built in 1925 with 1,878 gross tons and owned by Neptune Lines. BESSEL remained in Vigo until 1945 when the war ended, and she was handed over to the British who put her into service as EMPIRE COMISTAN." BESSEL helped a lot of U-boats remain longer on patrol.

Neil von Krieg

This is going to be a bit more difficult, as DUANE LUETHRUBIN (5821-1999) needs information about World War I U-boats and about this man in particular. This is probably the officer's graduation photo and DUANE thinks that he served two years in the Kaiserlichtmarine and died aboard UC-83 which was sunk in the North Sea in February 1917. DUANE also believes that von Krieg spent time in the German Merchant Marine prior to his military service and that he knew the steamer lanes, helping him locate steamers as targets.

DUANE would like any and all information on von Krieg and also on UC'-83. As we said - it will be tough, but SHARKHUNTERS Members can do it.

POW Aboard WILLIAM THORNTON

WALTER LUIKART (5855-1999) is trying to locate someone.

He says that this person he is looking for was a U-boat Skipper and after the war, he was working cargo on the ship WILLIAM THORNTON in La Pallice. WALTER believes this to be in the time frame of 6/8/1946 to 7l3111946 and again 8127/1946 to 9/27/1946. Help please. Who was this man? What happened to him after the war'? Is he alive today'? Where is he?

Depth Charge Data

JAVIER DROPEZ (5903-1999) is trying desperately to locate information on the depth charges used in World War II. He needs all information including what was the depth setting for each type of charge, when was it changed, by how much etc. He actually needs just everything he can find on depth charges. Help please.

U-Boats in the Med 1944

BOB McALEER (6026-2000) has this from KTB #145 "The only U-boats that I know of that were on patrol in the Med in June 1944 were U471 (Friederich Klovekorn), U-586 (Hans Gotze) and U-952 (Oskar Curio)."