Bio of Oberleutnant zur See Erich Wulff (1914-1979)

Hermann Erich Wulff

Date of Birth: 17.05.1914 - Stade, Niedersachsen (German Empire)
Date of Death: 12.01.1979 - Stade, Niedersachsen (West Germany)

Crew of 1933

Promotions:
01.10.1934 Obermatrose
01.10.1935 Stabsmatrose
01.10.1936 Bootsmannsmaat
01.05.1940 Obersteuermann
31.12.1941 Kriegsoffiziersanwärter
01.04.1942 Leutnant zur See (Kr.O.)
01.04.1943 Oberleutnant zur See

Career:
01.07.1933: II. Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung
30.09.1939: Panzerschiff "Deutschland"
27.09.1935: Unteroffizierslehrgang, I. Marine-Lehr-Abteilung
30.11.1935: Unteroffiziers-Anwärter-Ausbildung, Segelschulschiff "Gorch Fock"
02.02.1936-27.05.1936: Artillerie-Lehrgang, Schiffs-Artillerieschule Kiel-Wik
28.05.1936-20.09.1936: Unteroffizierslehrgang, II. Marine-Unteroffiziers-Lehr-Abteilung
21.09.1936: Korporalschaftsführer, Ausbildungsabteilung, 3. Zerstörer-Division
06.01.1937-13.02.1937: Lehrgang, Marinefachschule
29.06.1937: Korporalschaftsführer, Bordkommando, Zerstörer "Z 5", "Paul Jacobi"
00.08.1939: 2. Marineunteroffizierslehrabteilung
00.08.1939-03.12.1939: Bootsmannsmaat, "Z 5", "Paul Jacobi"
04.12.1939: Obersteuermannslehrgang, Steuermannsschule Gotenhafen
16.05.1940-15.03.1941: Obersteuermann, Wachoffizier - W.O., Vorpostenboot "V 206", 2. Vp Flot., Nordsee
15.03.1941-19.08.1941: Obersteuermann, Wachoffizier - W.O., 18. Vorpostenflottille
31.12.1941: Kriegsoffiziersanwärter
19.08.1941-00.02.1945: Kriegsoffiziersanwärter, Kommandant, "V 266" North of France, Channel, Skagerrak
24.02.1945-08.05.1945: Oberleutnant zur See, Kommandant, "M 266", 30. Minensuchflottille - 30. M.S.Flot.

Awards and Decorations:
01.07.1937 Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
01.12.1939 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
28.11.1940 Kriegsabzeichen für Minensuch-, U-Boots-, Jagd- und Sicherungsverbände
28.02.1941 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
26.11.1941 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
26.10.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
24.04.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant zur See and Kommandant 18. Vorpostenflotille. Awarded for his performance as a German Vorpostenboot captain. By the time Wulff had received the Ritterkreuz he had served for 5 years at sea. He and his crew had defeated multiple British torpedo boat attacks and shot down two aircraft.

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Hermann Erich Wulff was born on May 17, 1914 in Stadte. On July 1, 1933 he came to the II.Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung and completed his basic infantry training there. On September 30th, 1933 he came to the battleship "Deutschland" for practical onboard training. Later he was a cutter guest. From September 27th, 1935 Wulff went through the non-commissioned officer course at the 1st Marine Teaching Department. This was followed on 30 November the non-commissioned officer candidate training on the sail training ship "Gorch Fock". Two further courses were on the training regulations: artillery course at the ship artillery school in Kiel-Wik (February 2 - May 27, 1936) and non-commissioned officer course at the II.Marine NCO Training Department (May 28 - September 20, 1936).

From September 21, 1936, Erich Wulff was Corporal Commander in the training department of the 3rd Destroyer Division. During this time he completed another course at the Naval College (6.1.-13.2.37). On June 29, 1937, a commando on board the destroyer "Paul Jacobi" followed as a corporal commander. In August 1939 another course followed at the 2nd Naval NCO Training Department. Boatswain's mate Wulff experienced the first months of the war on "Paul Jacobi" before he was ordered to attend the first mate course at the Gotenhafen helmsman school on 4 December 1939. The promotion to first mate on May 1st, 1940 followed on May 16th. an onboard command as W.O. on the outpost boat "V 206". The operational area of the 2nd outpost flotilla was the North Sea.

On March 15, 1941, Wulff first joined the 18th picket flotilla as a watch officer. From August 19, 1941 he was commander. Until 1945 he drove countless missions in northern France, the Channel to the Skagerrak. Under his command, numerous attacks were repelled and 2 aircraft shot down. These achievements were rewarded with the German Cross in Gold (10/26/42) and the award of the Knight's Cross on 4/24/44. This award to a commander of an outpost boat was also representative of all the outpost boats that did their hard service inconspicuously. Erich Wulff became a lieutenant at sea on April 1, 1942 and finally a lieutenant at sea on April 1, 1943.

From 24.2. Erich Wulff was still deployed with the 30th minesweeper flotilla as commander of "M 266" until May 8th, 1945.

Source :
http://www.deutsches-marinearchiv.de/Archiv/1935-1945/Personen/Ritterkreuz/t-z/wulff.htm
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/15519/Wulff-Erich-18-Vorpostenflotille.htm