Welcome to the WWII Forums! Log in or Sign up to interact with the community.

Spanish Cross and U-boat men

Discussion in 'Submarines and ASW Technology' started by Kai-Petri, Mar 16, 2003.

  1. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Messages:
    26,461
    Likes Received:
    2,207
    http://uboat.net/men/decorations/spanish_cross.htm

    The Spain Cross was given for outstanding service during the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939. It was only lend on the 6 June, 1939. On this day the Legion Condor paraded in front of Hitler in Berlin. The Spanish Cross was awarded in all classes a total of 26,117 times. The highest class, the Spanienkreuz mit Schwertern in Gold mit Brillanten was given only 29 times mostly for pilots like the later aces Galland, Mölders and Oesau. The Spanish Cross was awarded in four
    classes with swords and two classes without swords.

    More then 50 U-boat men wore the Spanish Cross, but most of them earned the Cross not on U-boats. So received for example Kaptlt. Gerhard Bigalk his Spanish Cross with Swords for 31 sorties on a reconnaissance aircraft. Also a lot of Crosses were awarded for duty on great ships like the Deutschland, Admiral Scheer and several torpedo boats.


    But also a few U-boats took part on this prewar incidents during the so called operation Ursula. Only a handful of U-boat men were decorated for service on U-boats in Spanish waters. The officers from the following boats received on 6 June, 1939 the Spanish Cross in Bronze without Swords:

    U-25 Kptlt. Günther Frauenheim
    U-31 Oblt. Claus Korth
    U-28 Oblt. Fritz-Julius Lemp
    U-27 Oblt. Wolfgang Lüth
    U-33 Kptlt. Wilhelm Schulz
    U-26 Fähnr. (Ing) Erich Zürn

    It had been said, that the commander of U-34 Kptlt. Harald Grosse sank on the 12th December, 1936 the Spanish Republican submarine C 3 and therefore became the only German Navy officer to receive the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords, but there is no confirmation for either fact (?)

    ( As well read the next text on this )

    -------------
    http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/3042/hojas/liali.html

    The Operation Ursula design

    On 2 November the OKM developed a plan for sending two long range submarines to the Spanish coasts. Despite of the political risks it was thought that this action would be a good trainign exercise for the boats as well as for their crews in the event of a future Franco-German war.

    The operation was designed as a training exercise and was named Ursula, tha name of cpatain Karl Dönitz's daughter, the commander of the German submarine fleet. The operation orders arrived on 6 november and Admiral Boehm was appointed as the operation commander and the liasson officer between the OKM and the submarines. Boehm should coordinate the German submarine actions with those from the Italian ones, stablishing two-weeks patrols and alternating the two countries' boats. The orders were to attack to the Republican warships, mainly battleships and cruisers. All the actions would be conducted in the highest secret.

    For this mission, the submarines assigned were U-33 and U-34, both Type VIIA, that belong to the 2nd Flotilla "Saltzwedel" (Wilhelmshaven), and their regular commanders, Ottoheinrich Junker and Ernst Sobe, were replaced by more experienced submariners, the liutenants Kurt Freiwald and Harald Grosse. Grosse had already sailed in Spanish waters in 1931, during the trials of the E-1, a submarine designed by Yngenieurs Kontor voor Scheepsbouw from the Netherlands, a company finnanced by the Kriegsmarine, and built in the Spanish shipyards of Horacio Echevarrieta.

    On 17 November the commanders Lange and Heye were sent to Rome to coordinate with the admirals Pini and Di Giamberino the submarine operations. In this meeting was agreed that the Italian submarines would patrol their areas up to 29 November, coming back after to their bases. On 30 November the german submarines would arrive to their patrol areas. On 11 December the german submarines would retire and be replaced by Italian ones. As a security, during the relief night none could launch torpedoes to another submarine. Furthermore, nobody but the operation involved officers should be informed. This point included the Nationalist government, this is the reason for which a great part of these operations have remained hidden until now. The German submarines, in an emergency, could use the Italian submarine base of La Maddalena, to which must come in under the Italian flag.

    On 20 November both the U-33 and the U-34 leave the Elba. Both boats must be unseen, even from German ships. Thus, the should erase all the identification elements and to lower the flags until their return. If any of them were seen, she should withdraw inmediatly. The crews were instructed to maintain the maximum secrecy for all their lives under pain of death.

    They pass through the English Channel on 22 November and the Straigth of Gibraltar on the night of 27-28 November, where saw a Republican destroyer which did not discovered them. At their arrival to the Mediterranean Sea, they wait for the Italian submarines to retire from their patrol areas. During this time, the U-34 was diverted to the Malaga waters in search of opportunity targets.

    On the evening of 29 November, the Italian submarines went back to their bases. The U-33 headed to the east of Cape Palos, patrolling from this point to the north, up to Cape Nao. The patrol area for the U-34 was from the west of Cape Palos to Cartagena. On the evening of 30 November both boats were on their stations, ready for action.

    During the following days, the confusion prevailed between the submarines' skippers, the liasson officer Boehm and the OKM. The orders arrived slowly and the operation rules wre often changed due to the political risks. The submarines just only received orders by the night, when going away twenty miles far from the coast to surface and recharge their batteries. On that moment, Boehm unknew which orders were vailed for his commanders.

    On the twighlight of 1 December, the U-34 attacked to a republican destroyer that was on patrol off the port of Cartagena. The torpedo failed, went to the coast and exploded. Nobody was worried to search the causes of that explosion, thus the operation secret remained. In the following night, Grosse initiated another attack but was canceales by a British destroyer. At dawn on 5 December, a new torpedo was launched to an Almirante Antequera class destroyer, without reaching her. On 8 December a new attack to a destroyer and a new failure. The rest of the day, the German torpedo boat Wolf patrolled off the port of Cartagena avoiding new attacks.

    The U-33 had not better luck. Her operating area show less traffic and, thus, less attack opportunities. On 2 December a convoy was seen but the escorting destroyer avoided the attack. On 5 December a darkened destroyer was seen without identifying her and not being attacked. On the next night, Freiwald saw to the Méndez Núñez cruiser and two destroyers but he was unable to identify them.

    On 11 December both boats leave their patrol areas and began to come back. On 12 December, the U-34 was again diverted to Malaga.

    The Republican submarine C-3 was sailing on surface in front of the coas of Malaga. After the luch, the sailormen de la Orden and Lizón went up to the deck in order to throw away the food wastes. In the conning tower were the commander, Antonio Arbona, and the Merchant Navy Captain, Agustín García. At 1419 a big explosion took place broadside. The sailormen on the deck were projected to the sea, as well as the Captain García. The boat break in two and sunk quickly, dragging down the rest of the crew. The U-34 was hitted her first target. The sinking of the C-3 was first imputed to a foreign submarine, but the forwarding research determined that the cause was an incidental explosion. How far were the researchers from the truth! Once again, the presence of German submarines remained hidden.

    On 15 December the German submarines went back home. On 1939, their commanders and crews were awarded by Hitler.

    The Operation Ursula cannot be considered as a military success due to the shortage of practical results. The special characteristics of the operation and the secrecy under it was developed avoided a grater effectiveness of the submarines. Nevertheless, it served as a training for the incoming war in the next years.

    ------------

    :eek:
     
  2. Friedrich

    Friedrich Expert

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2002
    Messages:
    6,548
    Likes Received:
    52
    Definately a very beautiful medal:

    [​IMG]
     
  3. C.Evans

    C.Evans Expert

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2000
    Messages:
    25,883
    Likes Received:
    857
    Great post Kai, I had not seen this before. Also--as I like to say--I just wrinkled something new. I had not known that Wolfgang Luth had a Spanish Cross. :D
     
  4. PzJgr

    PzJgr Drill Instructor

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2000
    Messages:
    8,386
    Likes Received:
    890
    Location:
    Jefferson, OH
    Yes, this is interesting. You learn something new everyday. Did not know the Kriegsmarine had participants in the Spanish Civil War.
     
  5. C.Evans

    C.Evans Expert

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2000
    Messages:
    25,883
    Likes Received:
    857
    I had heard that an Admiral from the KM had been in Spain but, I dont remember why he was there but he also got some high appreciation award. I dont remember who he was though.
     
  6. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Messages:
    26,461
    Likes Received:
    2,207
    Just another blast from the past...


    ;)
     
  7. Liberator

    Liberator Ace

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2006
    Messages:
    1,206
    Likes Received:
    77
    Location:
    UK
    Wolfgang Luth died on 14 May 1945, he was shot by mistake by one of his own sentrys. The caisson carrying Luth's casket was preceded by a cushion laid with his decorations: the Spanish Cross, the Italian War Cross, and the Knight's Cross.
     
  8. Jan7

    Jan7 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2007
    Messages:
    611
    Likes Received:
    55
    Tuve ocasión de ver por el canal temático Docu TVE el reportaje dedicado al submarino C-3. Os presento mis impresiones.

    Submarino C-3

    El próximo 12 de Diciembre del presente año 2007, se cumplirán 71 años del torpedeamiento y hundimiento del sumergible republicano C-3 y que llevaron a la muerte a 37 de sus tripulantes.
    Ocean Proyect, una empresa dedicada a la investigación y conservación del patrimonio sumergido español nos presenta uno de sus trabajos., se nos ofrece la crónica de la Guerra Civil Española que se extiende hasta nuestros días personificado en las historias de los familiares sus tripulantes.
    Se nos presentan de una manera brillante el desarrollo de los primeros meses de la Guerra Civil en el Mar, sus patrullas, el incidente, su comunicación al público, los trabajos en el pecio sumergido a 70 metros en las costas de Málaga, las investigaciones consiguientes sobre las causas. Se refieren también a las sucesivas operaciones que realizó la Armada Española sobre el mismo. Todo ello con el hilo conductor de las palabras de Diego Quevedo Carmona, Profesor de la Escuela de Submarinos de Cartagena que de una forma muy didáctica nos presenta estos hechos de tan triste recuerdo.

    http://www.fotosdebarcos.com/viewtopic.php?t=5782
    http://www.fotosdebarcos.com/viewtopic.php?t=1155
    http://www.u-historia.com/uhistoria/foro/viewtopic.php?t=251
    http://www.forosegundaguerra.com/viewtopic.php?p=42295
    http://www.garaje.ya.com/pcurto/serie_c.html
    http://www.telecable.es/personales/submarinos/ctresa/ctresa.htm
    http://www.memoriahistorica.org/alojados/periquete/paginas/c3.html
    http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/macslog/SpanishTheSinkingoftheSpa.html
    http://www.oceanproject.net/C3.htm
    http://perso.wanadoo.es/pfcurto/serie_c.html#c3
    Documental El Submarino C-3 en Docu TVE de Digital + 15 de Abril 2007
    http://www.u-historia.com --> Historia --> Historial U-Boots --> U34

    Título: Submarino C-3
    Título original:
    Duración: 52 minutos
    Año: 2006
    Sistema: Color
    Nacionalidad: España
    Idioma: Español
    Director: Carlos Menor
    Productor: Carlos Menor
    Guión: Carlos Menor, Franjo Tejeda, Lorena Martín
    Imagen: Carlos Bustamante, Carlos Menor, Esteban García, Héctor Ripollés, Juanjo Company, Ocean Proyect,
    Montaje: Carlos Menor
    Grafismo: Ana B. Villaplana, David Izquierdo
    Musicalización: Ana B. Villaplana
    Locución: Rafa Ordóñez
    Sonido: Carlos Sancho
    Agradecimientos: Artvisual, Diego Quevedo, Encarna Pardo, Indigomedia, José Castro, Mariano Aznar, Ministerio Defensa, Ocean Proyect, World Films
     
  9. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Aquila non capit muscas

    Joined:
    May 12, 2003
    Messages:
    8,809
    Likes Received:
    372
    Location:
    Portugal
    Yo, Jan7, ever heard of Babelfish? I read Spanish perfectly well, but please have pity on the rest of the forum members :D

    By the way, what happened on Jan 7th? ;)
     
  10. Jan7

    Jan7 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2007
    Messages:
    611
    Likes Received:
    55
    Translate by kostenlose automatische kostenlose übersetzung französisch deutsch franzoesisch übersetzungsbüro and correct

    Its a documentary for TV. There are my impresions:


    C-3 submarine

    Next day 12 of December of present year 2007, will be fulfilled 71 years of the attack and sunk of the republican submersible C-3 and that took to the death to 37 of their crew.
    Ocean Proyect, a company dedicated to the investigation and conservation of the submerged patrimony Spanish presents/displays one to us of its works., offers the chronicle to us of the Spanish Civil War that extends to the present time personified in histories of the relatives its crew.
    They appear of a way shining the development of the first months of the Civil War in the Sea, its patrols, the incident, its communication to the public, the works in submerged wreck to 70 meters in the coasts of Málaga, the consequent investigations on the causes. They also talk about the successive operations that the Spanish Navy conducted on she himself. All it with the wire of the words of Diego Quevedo Carmona, Professor of the Submarine school of Cartagena that of a very didactic form presents/displays these facts to us of so sad memory.


    [​IMG]Za Rodinu:
    My nick is Jan= Juan, my real name
    7 = 1+9+6+0 The sume at the ciphers of my birth and year too: 1960
     
  11. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Aquila non capit muscas

    Joined:
    May 12, 2003
    Messages:
    8,809
    Likes Received:
    372
    Location:
    Portugal
    That's better Juan :)

    That makes you 4 years younger than me ;)
     

Share This Page