uboat.net

Fighting the U-boats

Allied Naval officers

Captain Joe Baker-Cresswell

1902 - 1997

Captured in 1941 the first U-boat - U-110

Captain Joe Baker-Cresswell
Captain Joe Baker-Cresswell

During the first week of March 1997, Captain Joe Baker-Cresswell passed away. He was captain of the British destroyer HMS Bulldog, which captured U-110. This led to a breakthrough in the decrypting of German U-boat codes.

He was born on 2nd February, 1902 and served in the Royal Navy from 1919. Late in 1940 he was appointed captain of the destroyer Bulldog, also leading the 3rd Escort Group. In that position he captured on 9th may, 1941 the U-110 and saved some of encryption equipment. (See also our U-110 page).

He retired in 1951 and lived from then on in his native Northumberland, where he farmed.

HMS Bulldog with U-110

Bulldog setting out a cutter (on its port side) and U-110


Allied Naval Officers