WWI U-boat commanders

Wilhelm Werner

Oberleutnant zur See (Crew 4/05)

Successes
61 ships sunk for a total of 130.199 GRT
5 ships damaged for a total of 25.568 GRT
2 ships taken as prize for a total of 4.616 GRT

Born:6 Jun, 1888 Apola 
Dead:14 May, 1945 Falkenau, Saxe 

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Wilhelm Werner
available now.


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Ranks

Oberleutnant zur See

Decorations

Iron Cross 2nd class
Iron Cross 1st Class
18 Aug, 1918Pour le Mérite

U-boat Commands

UB 918 Feb, 1915 - 28 Feb, 1915
UB 76 May, 1915 - 11 Apr, 1916
U 559 Jun, 1916 - 9 Aug, 1918

Notes

Took command of U55 on 9.6.1916, contrary to previous indication 1.1.17.

Received the Pour le Mérite on the same day as Kaplt. Paul Hundius. Awarded for outstanding leadership and distinguished naval planning and successful submarine operations and also given in recognition of the sinking of a total of 206.000 BRT of enemy shipping.

After the war he stood accused of a number of war crimes; Sinking without warning the Clearfield, Artist,Trevone, Torrington, Toro and attacking the hospital ships Rewa and Guildford Castle.

In the course of time this was reduced to a single charge of sinking the SS Torrington and murdering the whole crew save the captain who was taken prisoner.

He never appeared at the Leipzig trials, he fled Germany to work on a coffee plantation in Brazil. After some years he returned to Germany and even became a National Socialist member of the Reichstag.

He was placed on the retired list 1st March 1920.

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