Max-Martin Teichert

Max-Martin Teichert
Born 31 January 1915(1915-01-31)
Kiel
Died 12 May 1943(1943-05-12) (aged 28)
North Atlantic
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Kriegsmarine
Years of service 1934–1943
Rank Kapitänleutnant
Unit 6th U-boat Flotilla
11th U-boat Flotilla
1st U-boat Flotilla
Commands held U-456
(18 September 1941–12 May 1943)
Battles/wars

World War II
Awards Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class
U-boat War Badge
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Max-Martin Teichert (31 January 1915 in Kiel—12 May 1943 in the North Atlantic) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and posthumous recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.[1]

Contents

Career

Teichert joined the Kriegsmarine in April 1934. He first served on the torpedo boat Iltis, and then the destroyer Z14 Friedrich Ihn. In June 1940 he transferred to the U-boat force, and served as 1.WO (second-in-command) to Herbert Kuppisch aboard the Type VIIC U-boat U-94 for two patrols.[1]

In September 1941 he commissioned U-456 and completed nine patrols in the Arctic Sea during 1942. He sank three ships, including the naval trawler HMS Sulla, a staggler of Convoy PQ 13, and seriously damaged the British Town class light cruiser HMS Edinburgh, which was sunk some days later. In December 1942 U-456 was transferred to 1st U-boat Flotilla, and operated in the northern Atlantic, sinking another four merchant vessels.[1]

Teichert died on 12 May 1943, during his 11th patrol, when U-456 was lost with all hands in the North Atlantic, in position . The U-boat surfaced after being hit by a Fido homing torpedo dropped by a British Liberator aircraft from No. 86 Squadron RAF. When the O-class destroyer HMS Opportune arrived the U-boat dived, but almost certainly immediately sank to the ocean floor.[2]

Ships attacked [1]
Date Ship Tons Nationality Fate
30 March 1942 HMS Sulla 251  United Kingdom Sunk
30 April 1942 HMS Edinburgh 11,500  United Kingdom Damaged
5 July 1942 Honomu 6,977  United States Sunk
22 August 1942 Chaika 80  Soviet Union Sunk
2 February 1943 Jeremiah Van Rensselaer 7,177  United States Sunk
3 February 1943 Inverilen 9,456  United Kingdom Sunk
23 February 1943 Kyleclare 700  Ireland Sunk
11 May 1943 Fort Concord 7,138  United Kingdom Sunk

Awards

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b c d "Kapitänleutnant Max-Martin Teichert". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/men/teichert.htm. Retrieved 7 May 2010. 
  2. ^ "The Type VIIC U-boat U-456". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/boats/u456.htm. Retrieved 7 May 2010. 
  3. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 738.
Bibliography
  • Busch, Rainer & Röll, Hans-Joachim (2003). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939-1945 - Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 3-8132-0515-0.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Huß, Jürgen & Viohl, Armin (2003). Die Ritterkreuzträger des Eisernen Kreuzes der preußischen Provinz Schleswig-Holstein und der Freien und Hansestadt Lübeck 1939-1945 (in German). VDM Heinz Nickel. ISBN 3-925480-79-X.
  • Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-88740-748-X.
  • Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-87943-355-0.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links