Herbert Schultze sorhajóhadnagy

U-48

UFA Tonwoche No. 496. March 6, 1940.Herbert Schultze was a German U-boat commander of the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded U-48 for eight patrols during the early part of the war, sinking 169,709 tons and earning him eighth place on the Aces of the Deep list. Due to several incidents of openly broadcasting his sinkings to alert the Allies of the plight of the crews, he became quite a celebrity even on the allied side.Schultze was born in Kiel and joined the Reichsmarine in April 1930. On 9 October 1930 he became a Seekadett. Serving aboard the cruisers Leipzig and Karlsruhe with other future U-boat aces, including Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock.In May 1937, with a rank of Oberleutnant zur See, Schultze transferred to the U-boat force, taking command of the Type IIA U-boat U-2 on 31 January 1938. The U-2 was assigned to the U-Bootschulflottille and Schultze spent the next year and a half training with the sub.On 22 April 1939 Schultze commissioned U-48, a Type VIIB U-boat. U-48 was later to become the most successful submarine of the war. U-48 was assigned to 7. Unterseebootsflottille, and spent the next four months in training. On 1 June 1939 Schultze was promoted to Kapitänleutnant.Soon after the war started on 1 September 1939 Schultze took U-48 out on its first patrol. On 11 September 1939 he sunk the British freighter Firby. After the sinking he sent the plain language radio message "cq - cq- cq - transmit to Mr. Churchill. I have sunk the British steamer "Firby". Posit 59.40 North and 13.50 West. Save the crew, if you please. German submarine." This message, addressed to the First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill directly, made Schultze famous, both in Germany and Great Britain. He sank two more ships for 14,777 gross register tons during the first patrol.Now something of a media celebrity, Schultze left for four more successful patrols. On 1 March 1940 he was awarded the Knight's Cross for his successes. On 20 May 1940 Schultze handed command of the U-48 over to Hans Rudolf Rösing due to illness stemming from a stomach and kidney disorder. Schultze spent five months in hospital recuperating. From October 1940 Schultze took up duties as Second in Command of the 7. Unterseebootsflottille, now based in St Nazaire, France.On 17 December 1940 Schultze resumed command of the U-48, relieving Heinrich Bleichrodt. He led U-48 on three more patrols, and continued sinking enemy shipping at a great rate. Thus Schultze was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 12 June 1941.On 27 July 1941 Schultze left the U-48 to take command of 3. Unterseebootsflottille operating from La Rochelle. He served in this capacity until March 1942, when he was assigned to the staff of Marinegruppe Nord as Admiral Staff Officer for U-boats. In December 1942 he was assigned to Admiral Karl Dönitz staff. On 1 April 1943 he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän. In March 1944 he was assigned as commander of Department II, Marineschule Mürwick, where he served to the end of the war.