Alfred Manhardt von Mannstein

Fregattenkapitän (Crew 25)


Successes
3 ships sunk, total tonnage 23,117 GRT
2 ships damaged, total tonnage 6,908 GRT

Born  9 Mar 1908 Laurut, Galicia, Poland
Died  13 May 1943(35)North Atlantic


KrvKpt. Alfred Manhardt von Mannstein at La Pallice on 25 June 1942

Ranks

16 Nov 1925 Seekadett
1 Apr 1927 Fähnrich zur See
1 Oct 1929 Leutnant zur See
1 Jul 1931 Oberleutnant zur See
1 Sep 1935 Kapitänleutnant
1 Nov 1939 Korvettenkapitän
1 May 1943 Fregattenkapitän

Decorations

U-boat Commands

U-boatFromTo
U-753 18 Jun 1941 13 May 1943  (+)  7 patrols (252 days) 

Alfred Manhardt von Mannstein joined the Reichsmarine in 1925. He was a Naval Signals Officer (South) from March 1938 to June 1940, and then in the South-West zone from July to Oct 1940. He went through U-boat training from Oct 1940 to May 1941 (Busch & Röll, 1999).

In May 1941 Alfred Manhardt von Mannstein began U-boat construction familiarization (Baubelehrung) in preparation for his own command, and on 18 June 1941 he commissioned the new type VIIC U-boat U-753 at Wilhelmshaven (Busch & Röll, 1999). The next six months were spent working up boat and crew in the Baltic.

First War Patrol

On 24 Dec 1941 von Mannstein brought the boat out for its first war patrol. During the next 18 months he went on seven patrols, spending 252 days at sea (Busch & Röll, 1997). He sank three ships (23,117 GRT) and damaged two (6,908 GRT) (Rohwer, 1998).

Black May 1943

Alfred Manhardt von Mannstein and his entire crew of 47 were lost when the boat was sunk on 13 May 1943 by by depth charges from the Canadian corvette HMCS Drumheller, the British frigate HMS Lagan and from a Canadian Sunderland flying boat (RCAF Sqdn. 423/G) (Niestlé, 1998). This was during the massive convoy battles in the North Atlantic in May 1943 when the fortunes of war turned decisively against the U-boats, never to return.

Sources

Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II.
Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1997). Der U-Bootkrieg 1939-1945 (Band 2).
Niestlé, A. (1998). German U-boat losses during World War II.
Rohwer, J. (1998). Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two.

Patrol info for Alfred Manhardt von Mannstein

 U-boat Departure Arrival  
1. U-753 24 Dec 1941  Kiel  30 Dec 1941  Kiel  Patrol 1,7 days
2. U-753 17 Jan 1942  Kiel  1 Feb 1942  St. Nazaire  Patrol 2,16 days
3. U-753 26 Feb 1942  St. Nazaire  26 Mar 1942  La Pallice  Patrol 3,29 days
4. U-753 22 Apr 1942  La Pallice  25 Jun 1942  La Pallice  Patrol 4,65 days
5. U-753 1 Sep 1942  La Pallice  4 Sep 1942  La Pallice  Patrol 5,4 days
6. U-753 20 Sep 1942  La Pallice  8 Dec 1942  La Pallice  Patrol 5,80 days
7. U-753 28 Jan 1943  La Pallice  10 Mar 1943  La Pallice  Patrol 6,42 days
8. U-753 5 May 1943  La Pallice  13 May 1943  Sunk  Patrol 7,9 days
7 patrols, 252 days at sea

Ships hit by Alfred Manhardt von Mannstein

Date U-boat Name of ship Tons Nat. Convoy
20 May 1942U-753 George Calvert7,191am
22 May 1942U-753 E.P. Theriault (d.)326br
25 May 1942U-753 Haakon Hauan (d.)6,582nw
27 May 1942U-753 Hamlet6,578nw
 
22 Feb 1943U-753 N.T. Nielsen-Alonso9,348nwON-166
 30,025

3 ships sunk (23,117 tons) and 2 ships damaged (6,908 tons).

Legend
We have a picture of this vessel.
(d.) means the ship was damaged.

Media links


German U-boat Commanders of World War II

Busch, Rainer and Röll, Hans-Joachim

Listing of all U-boat commanders


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