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The Men - The Commander listing

Hans Benker

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 36)


Successes
3 ships sunk for a total of 18.751 GRT
2 auxiliary warships sunk for a total of 1.129 GRT

Born  21 Feb, 1917Bochum
Died  2 Jan, 1944North Atlantic

No picture of
Hans Benker
available now.


If you can get us one that would be great. If you can help with any information on this man please contact us at gummi@uboat.net.

Ranks

1 Feb, 1943Kapitänleutnant

Decorations

U-boat Commands

U-806 Oct, 1941 - 4 May, 1942  No war patrols 
U-6254 Jun, 1942 - 2 Jan, 1944 (+)  7 patrols (139 days) 

Personal information

On Jan 2, 1944 the boat was attacked by two British B-24 Liberators from Sqdn 224. Benker managed to drive the first aircraft off but ordered dive when the second bomber threatened the boat.

During the dive the Naxos wire running into the tower prevented a safe seal Benker thought and cancelled the dive and went up with another man to clear the wire and secure the boat. Sadly the order to cancel the dive was not recognised and the boat continued the dive causing Benker and the other man to drown. (Blair, Clay. 1998. Hitler's U-boat War, vol 2, page 484).


Patrol info


 U-boatDeparture Arrival  
1. U-625 1 Oct, 1942  Kiel 8 Oct, 1942  Skjomenfjord  8 days
2. U-625 4 Nov, 1942  Skjomenfjord 29 Nov, 1942  Narvik Patrol,26 days
3. U-625 30 Nov, 1942  Narvik 2 Dec, 1942  Bergen  3 days
4. U-625 23 Dec, 1942  Bergen 25 Dec, 1942  Narvik  3 days
5. U-625 30 Dec, 1942  Narvik 6 Feb, 1943  Narvik Patrol,39 days
6. U-625 7 Feb, 1943  Narvik 11 Feb, 1943  Bergen  5 days
7. U-625 17 Mar, 1943  Bergen 16 Apr, 1943  Hammerfest Patrol,31 days
8. U-625 26 Apr, 1943  Hammerfest 31 May, 1943  Narvik  36 days
9. U-625 10 Jun, 1943  Narvik 11 Jun, 1943  Hammerfest  2 days
10. U-625 21 Jun, 1943  Hammerfest 28 Jun, 1943  Narvik Patrol,8 days
11. U-625 29 Jun, 1943  Narvik 30 Jun, 1943  Trondheim  2 days
12. U-625 12 Jul, 1943  Trondheim 27 Jul, 1943  Narvik Patrol,16 days
13. U-625 4 Aug, 1943  Narvik 5 Aug, 1943  Tromsö  2 days
14. U-625 5 Aug, 1943  Tromsö 6 Aug, 1943  Hammerfest  2 days
15. U-625 7 Aug, 1943  Hammerfest 20 Aug, 1943  Narvik Patrol,14 days
16. U-625 21 Aug, 1943  Narvik 23 Aug, 1943  Trondheim  3 days
17. U-625 4 Nov, 1943  Trondheim 8 Nov, 1943  Trondheim Patrol,5 days
18. U-625 15 Nov, 1943  Trondheim 6 Jan, 1944  Brest Patrol,53 days

8 patrols, 192 days at sea

Ships hit by Hans Benker


Date BoatName of shipTonsNat.ConvoyFate *
6 Nov, 1942 U-625Chulmleigh5.445 br 
6 Nov, 1942 U-625Empire Sky7.455 br 
23 Nov, 1942 U-625Goolistan5.851 br QP-15 
 
25 Jul, 1943 U-625T-904 (No 58) [Mine]557 sj 
25 Aug, 1943 U-625ASO-1 Shkval [Mine]572 sj 
 19.880

* Unless otherwise noted the ships listed here were sunk.
[Mine] indicates the vessel was hit by a mine.


Decorations and ranks information is in many cases not complete. If you can help on any of those missing that would be great.

Listing of all U-boat commanders