Hans-Joachim Horrer (6 February 1908 – 12 September 1942) was a German U-boat commander[1] in World War II.
Hans-Joachim Horrer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 6 February 1908 Dortmund, German Empire |
| Died | 12 September 1942 (aged 34) Arctic Ocean |
| Allegiance |  Weimar Republic Nazi Germany |
| Service/ |  Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine |
| Years of service | 1933–42 |
| Rank | Korvettenkapitän |
| Commands held | U-555 U-589 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Narvik Shield, Iron Cross 2nd Class, Iron Cross 1st Class |
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Hans-Joachim Horrer joined the Reichsmarine in 1933 and went through the usual officer training. He was a Gunnery Officer and Watch Officer on the destroyer Z9 Wolfgang Zenker from July 1938 to April 1940 when the destroyer was sunk during the fierce battles of Narvik, Norway. Horrer then started his U-boat officer training which lasted from July 1940 to January 1941. He was then assigned to the almost completed Type VIIC U-555 as Baubelehrung commander on 18 January, then taking command of the boat upon commission on 30 January 1941. He served on the boat until 25 August 1941 but never went on patrol. He again served as Baubelehrung commander from 26 August to 24 September 1941. He then took command of the new Type VIIC boat U-589. He went on eight patrols with the boat and was lost with his entire crew when the boat was sunk by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Faulknor.,[2] and depth charges from a Fairey Swordfish aircraft of the British escort carrier Avenger, south-west of Spitzbergen on 12 September 1942.
Summary of career edit
Ships sunk edit
| Date | U-boat | Name of ship | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May 1942 | U-589 | Tsiolkovskij |  Soviet Union |
2,847 | Sunk |
| 11 October 1942 | U-589 | Musson (No 23) | Soviet Union |
417 | Sunk |
Awards edit
References edit
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Korvettenkapitän Hans-Joachim Horrer". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
- ^ Smith 1968, pp. 138–139.
Bibliography edit
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
- Smith, Peter (1968). Destroyer Leader: The Story of HMS Faulknor. London: William Kimber & Co.