WWI U-boat commanders

Max Valentiner

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 4/02)

Successes
143 ships sunk with a total of 298,803 GRT
1 warship sunk with a total of 680 tons
7 ships damaged with a total of 29,831 GRT
1 warship damaged with a total of 10,850 tons
3 ships taken as prize with a total of 3,550 GRT

Born:15 Dec 1883 Tønder, Denmark 
Died:19 Jun 1949 Sønderborg, Denmark 

Max Valentiner

Ranks

1 Apr 1902 Seekadett
11 Apr 1903 Fähnrich zur See
29 Sep 1905 Leutnant zur See
30 Mar 1908 Oberleutnant zur See
22 Mar 1914 Kapitänleutnant
22 Nov 1919 Out of naval service
21 Jan 1920 Korvettenkapitän (Charakter)
1 Apr 1927 Korvettenkapitän (Ergänzungsoffizier)
1 Jul 1938 Fregattenkapitän (Ergänzungsoffizier)
1 Jan 1941 Kapitän zur See (Ergänzungsoffizier)

Decorations

prewar  Lifesaving Medal
prewar  Order of the Crown
 Iron Cross 2nd class
 Iron Cross 1st class
14 May 1916  Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
26 Dec 1916  Pour le Mérite
 Order of the Iron Crown
 Iron Half Moon
 Liakat Medal
 Empire Silver Medal Imtiaz with Scimitars
 Hanseatic Cross

U-boat Commands

U 385 Dec 1914 - 15 Sep 1917
U 15722 Sep 1917 - 20 Jul 1918

Notes

Christian August Max Ahlmann Valentiner was born in Tønder, Denmark just north of the current border with Germany. The area was occupied by Prussia at the time. He was awarded the Pour le Mérite in recognition of of distinguished naval service and leadership. The award also seems to have recognized completion of a war patrol in the Mediterranean where the U38 sank 23 enemy warships and merchant vessels including two neutral ships.

Valentiner was listed after the war as a war criminal by the British authorities because of his very unorthodox methods of attack.

Max Valentiner died on 19 June 1949 in Sønderborg, Denmark and is buried in the cemetery west of the town.

Sources

Max Valentiner (http://www.max-valentiner.dk).

Ships hit by Max Valentiner

DateU-boat Name of shipType of shipTonsNat.
 
18 Apr 1915 U 38 Brilliant (p.)Steamer1,441nw
22 Apr 1915 U 38 EvaSailing vessel312nw
22 Apr 1915 U 38 OscarSailing vessel766nw
24 Apr 1915 U 38  Nidaros (p.)Steamer1,024da
27 Apr 1915 U 38 Torwald (p.)Steamer1,085sw
30 Apr 1915 U 38 ElidaSteamer1,693sw
20 Jun 1915 U 38  Roxburgh (d.)Armored cruiser10,850br
21 Jun 1915 U 38 CarisbrookSteamer2,352br
22 Jun 1915 U 38 LeoSailing vessel269ru
23 Jun 1915 U 38 TrumaSteamer1,557nw
23 Jun 1915 U 38 ElizabethDrifter94br
23 Jun 1915 U 38 FourDrifter84br
23 Jun 1915 U 38 JosephineDrifter85br
23 Jun 1915 U 38 PiscatorialDrifter84br
23 Jun 1915 U 38 ResearchDrifter89br
23 Jun 1915 U 38 UffaDrifter79br
23 Jun 1915 U 38 UgiebraeDrifter79br
24 Jun 1915 U 38 CommanderTrawler149br
24 Jun 1915 U 38 J. M. S.Drifter78br
24 Jun 1915 U 38 LebanonTrawler111br
24 Jun 1915 U 38 MonardaDrifter87br
24 Jun 1915 U 38 PrimroseDrifter91br
24 Jun 1915 U 38 Quiet WatersDrifter63br
24 Jun 1915 U 38 Star Of BethlehemDrifter77br
24 Jun 1915 U 38 ViceroyTrawler150br
24 Jun 1915 U 38 VineTrawler110br
5 Aug 1915 U 38 Hans EmilSailing vessel106da
5 Aug 1915 U 38 VanadisSailing vessel484nw
6 Aug 1915 U 38 Ocean QueenTrawler185br
6 Aug 1915 U 38 WestminsterTrawler252br
9 Aug 1915 U 38 ThrushTrawler264br
10 Aug 1915 U 38 OakwoodSteamer4,279br
17 Aug 1915 U 38 BonnySteamer2,702br
17 Aug 1915 U 38 George BakerDrifter91br
17 Aug 1915 U 38 GlenbySteamer2,196br
17 Aug 1915 U 38 IsidoroSteamer2,044sp
17 Aug 1915 U 38 KirkbySteamer3,034br
17 Aug 1915 U 38 MaggieSteamer269br
17 Aug 1915 U 38 ParosSteamer3,596br
17 Aug 1915 U 38 RepeatTrawler107br
17 Aug 1915 U 38  The QueenSteamer557br
17 Aug 1915 U 38 ThornfieldSteamer488br
19 Aug 1915 U 38  Baron ErskineSteamer5,585br
19 Aug 1915 U 38 RestormelSteamer2,118br
19 Aug 1915 U 38  SamaraSteamer3,172br
20 Aug 1915 U 38  BitternSteamer1,797br
20 Aug 1915 U 38 CarterswellSteamer4,308br
20 Aug 1915 U 38 DaghestanTanker2,817be
20 Aug 1915 U 38 Martha EdmondsSailing vessel182br
21 Aug 1915 U 38 CoberSteamer3,060br
21 Aug 1915 U 38 RuelSteamer4,029br
21 Aug 1915 U 38  San Melito (d.)Tanker10,160br
21 Aug 1915 U 38 WindsorSteamer6,055br
22 Aug 1915 U 38  DiomedSteamer4,672br
22 Aug 1915 U 38 PalmgroveSteamer3,100br
23 Aug 1915 U 38 SilviaTanker5,268br
23 Aug 1915 U 38 TrafalgarSteamer4,572br
3 Nov 1915 U 38 WoodfieldSteamer3,584br
3 Nov 1915 U 38 Yasukuni MaruSteamer5,118jp
3 Nov 1915 U 38  Mercian (d.)Steamer6,305br
4 Nov 1915 U 38 DahraSteamer2,127fr
4 Nov 1915 U 38 IoniaSteamer1,816it
4 Nov 1915 U 38  Le Calvadostroopship1,658fr
5 Nov 1915 U 38 BureskSteamer3,673br
5 Nov 1915 U 38 Sidi FerruchSteamer2,797fr
6 Nov 1915 U 38 Elisa FrancescaSailing vessel208it
6 Nov 1915 U 38  GlenmoorSteamer3,075br
6 Nov 1915 U 38 TicinoSteamer1,470it
6 Nov 1915 U 38 YserSteamer3,545fr
7 Nov 1915 U 38  France IvPassenger steamer4,025fr
8 Nov 1915 U 38  AnconaPassenger steamer8,210it
9 Nov 1915 U 38 FirenzePassenger steamer3,960it
21 Dec 1915 U 38  Yasaka MaruPassenger steamer10,932jp
30 Dec 1915 U 38 Clan MacfarlaneSteamer4,823br
30 Dec 1915 U 38  PersiaPassenger steamer7,951br
 
9 Feb 1916 U 38 SpringwellSteamer5,593br
9 Feb 1916 U 38 Thornhill (D.)Q-ship3,848br
23 Feb 1916 U 38  DiademSteamer3,752br
23 Feb 1916 U 38 RoubineSailing vessel327fr
24 Feb 1916 U 38 DenabySteamer2,987br
24 Feb 1916 U 38 FastnetSteamer2,227br
24 Feb 1916 U 38 TorborgSteamer1,266sw
29 Feb 1916 U 38 Alexander WentzelSteamer2,832ru
29 Feb 1916 U 38 Elisa SSailing vessel209it
1 Mar 1916 U 38 KilbrideSteamer3,712br
16 May 1916 U 38 CliffordFleet messenger487br
8 Jun 1916 U 38 Malorossija (d.)Steamer893ru
8 Jun 1916 U 38 CementcrugSteamer1,086ru
8 Jun 1916 U 38 EkaterinaSailing vessel70ru
8 Jun 1916 U 38 Vera (d.)Steamer1,231ru
10 Jun 1916 U 38  OrionSteamer429ru
2 Jul 1916 U 38 RockcliffeSteamer3,073br
9 Jul 1916 U 38 VperiedPassenger steamer859ru
10 Jul 1916 U 38 FloridaSteamer3,238ru
14 Aug 1916 U 38 RemembranceQ-ship3,660br
19 Aug 1916 U 38 DeaSailing vessel166it
23 Aug 1916 U 38 EliosSailing vessel190it
23 Aug 1916 U 38 Maria BrizzolariSailing vessel152it
23 Aug 1916 U 38 TaninaSailing vessel138it
24 Aug 1916 U 38 IsdalenSteamer2,275nw
24 Aug 1916 U 38 LiegeoiseSteamer3,895be
25 Aug 1916 U 38 LeandrosSteamer1,658gr
25 Aug 1916 U 38  Nostra Signora Del CarmineSailing vessel1,575it
26 Aug 1916 U 38 AtlanticoSteamer3,069it
29 Aug 1916 U 38 AntigoonSteamer1,884be
29 Aug 1916 U 38 Francois JosephSailing vessel114fr
29 Aug 1916 U 38 Stella Del MareSailing vessel1,166it
30 Aug 1916 U 38 Nostra Signora Della GuardiaSailing vessel1,588it
31 Aug 1916 U 38 BacchusSteamer3,583fr
31 Aug 1916 U 38 DuartSteamer3,108br
31 Aug 1916 U 38 Piero MaroncelliSteamer3,225it
1 Sep 1916 U 38 S. Francesco Di PaolaSailing vessel68it
1 Sep 1916 U 38 Swift WingsSteamer4,465br
1 Sep 1916 U 38 Antinous (d.)Steamer3,682br
2 Sep 1916 U 38 StrathallanSteamer4,404br
2 Sep 1916 U 38 UranieSailing vessel117fr
3 Sep 1916 U 38 VilladoroSailing vessel134it
4 Sep 1916 U 38 LaristanSteamer3,675br
5 Sep 1916 U 38 Saint MarcSteamer5,818fr
25 Nov 1916 U 38 MichaelSteamer2,410gr
26 Nov 1916 U 38 ChemungSteamer3,062am
3 Dec 1916 U 38 DaciaCable ship1,856br
3 Dec 1916 U 38  KangurooSubmarine carrier2,493fr
3 Dec 1916 U 38  Surprise (mn)Gunboat680fr
8 Dec 1916 U 38 BraskSteamer1,464nw
8 Dec 1916 U 38 BritanniaSteamer1,814br
9 Dec 1916 U 38 BrizellaSailing vessel282pt
10 Dec 1916 U 38 EsemplareSteamer2,595it
13 Dec 1916 U 38 Angelo ParodiSteamer3,825it
13 Dec 1916 U 38 Kaupangersteamer3,354nw
15 Dec 1916 U 38 Emmanuele AccameSteamer3,242it
17 Dec 1916 U 38 TripoliSailing vessel56it
20 Dec 1916 U 38  ItonusSteamer5,340br
 
25 Jan 1917 U 38 SylvieSteamer2,591fr
7 Feb 1917 U 38 APHRODITESailing vessel130fr
14 Feb 1917 U 38 Trowbridge (d.)Steamer3,712br
14 Feb 1917 U 38 MicheleSailing vessel41it
12 May 1917 U 38 Egyptian PrinceSteamer3,117br
13 May 1917 U 38 Rio AmazonasSteamer2,970it
25 May 1917 U 38 KohinurSteamer2,265br
26 May 1917 U 38 HolmesbankSteamer3,051br
1 Jul 1917 U 38 CorradoSailing vessel121it
1 Jul 1917 U 38 Volto Santo G.Sailing vessel225it
7 Jul 1917 U 38 La ResoluSailing vessel186fr
12 Jul 1917 U 38 ClaireSteamer1,157be
15 Jul 1917 U 38 AtalanteSailing vessel124fr
19 Jul 1917 U 38 ElobySteamer6,545br
20 Aug 1917 U 38 IncemoreSteamer3,060br
26 Dec 1917 U 157 LidiaSailing vessel302pt
 
7 Jan 1918 U 157 Oued SebouTroopship1,540fr
10 Jan 1918 U 157  Hulda MaerskSteamer1,566da
11 Jan 1918 U 157 NorefosSteamer1,788nw
17 Feb 1918 U 157 Estrella Da BissaoSailing vessel129pt
20 Feb 1918 U 157 Kithirasteamer2,240gr
14 Mar 1918 U 157 ArpillaoSteamer2,768sp
 343,714
148 ships sunk (306,881 tons) and 7 ships damaged (36,833 tons).


Legend
(d.) means the ship was damaged.
(p.) means the ship was taken as prize (included in ships & tonnage lost).
We have a picture of this vessel.

Media links


Kaiserliche Marine U-Boote 1914-1918

Dufeil, Yves

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