Ritterkreuzträger of 7. Unterseebootsflottille (7th U-boat Flotilla)

The 7. Unterseebootsflottille, also known as the 7th U-boat Flotilla, was one of the most formidable and active units of the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. Formed in 1940 and primarily based at St. Nazaire on the French Atlantic coast after the fall of France, the flotilla played a central role in the Battle of the Atlantic, sending dozens of Type VII and Type IX U-boats into the treacherous waters to target Allied convoys. Under successive commanders including Kapitänleutnant Herbert Sohler and later Korvettenkapitän Ernst Mengersen, its submarines achieved significant successes in disrupting supply lines to Britain, with notable aces such as Otto Kretschmer and Erich Topp serving within its ranks and earning prestigious awards like the Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Despite suffering heavy losses as Allied anti-submarine measures intensified from 1943 onward, the 7. Unterseebootsflottille remained operational until the final months of the war, embodying the aggressive submarine doctrine of Großadmiral Karl Dönitz while enduring the brutal attrition that ultimately contributed to Germany's defeat at sea.

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ENGELBERT ENDRASS (U-46)
Kapitänleutnant Engelbert Endrass (1911-1941) was one of the most successful commanders of the Kriegsmarine U-Boot-Waffe during the Second World War, having first gained fame as the 1. Wachoffizier aboard U-47 under Günther Prien during the daring penetration of Scapa Flow and the sinking of the British battleship HMS Royal Oak in October 1939. After taking command of U-46 on 22 May 1940, Endrass quickly demonstrated exceptional aggressiveness and tactical skill in the Battle of the Atlantic. During his first two war patrols as commander, he sank numerous Allied merchant vessels and two large British auxiliary cruisers, HMS Carinthia and HMS Dunvegan Castle, inflicting heavy losses on Allied shipping despite operating under difficult conditions, including damage to his attack periscope. These successes, which totaled more than 60,000 GRT of enemy shipping destroyed within a few months, earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 5 September 1940 as Oberleutnant zur See and Kommandant of U-46. Endrass continued his successful convoy operations throughout late 1940 and the first half of 1941, participating in attacks against convoys such as SC 7 and HX 79 and steadily increasing his sinking record. In recognition of his sustained combat achievements, leadership, and repeated successes against heavily escorted Atlantic convoys, he received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 10 June 1941 as Kapitänleutnant and Kommandant of U-46, becoming the 14th member of the German armed forces to receive that distinction. After relinquishing U-46 in September 1941, he assumed command of U-567, but his career ended during operations against Convoy HG 76 when his submarine was sunk by British escort vessels on 21 December 1941 northeast of the Azores, with the loss of all hands. His final tally: 19 ships sunk, with the total tonnage of 81,164 GRT.



GÜNTHER PRIEN (U-47)
Korvettenkapitän Günther Prien (1908-1941), one of the most celebrated commanders of the Kriegsmarine’s U-Bootwaffe, gained legendary status during the early years of World War II as the captain of U-47. On the night of 14 October 1939, Prien executed a daring penetration of the heavily defended British naval base at Scapa Flow, where he torpedoed and sank the battleship HMS Royal Oak, resulting in the loss of over 800 British sailors. This bold operation made him an instant hero in Germany and earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 18 October 1939, making him the first U-boat commander to receive the prestigious award, which was personally presented by Adolf Hitler. Prien continued his successful career in the Atlantic, sinking numerous Allied ships, and on 20 October 1940 he was further honored with the Eichenlaub (Oak Leaves) to his Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for his outstanding achievements and a total tonnage exceeding 200,000 tons sunk. His career ended tragically when U-47 was lost with all hands on 7 March 1941, likely sunk by British escorts in the North Atlantic.

HERBERT SCHULTZE (U-48)
Korvettenkapitän Herbert Schultze (1909-1987) was one of the most successful and widely known U-Boot commanders of the Kriegsmarine during the early years of the Second World War, achieving fame as the commander of U-48, one of Germany’s most successful submarines. After taking command of U-48 in 1938, Schultze began a remarkable combat career in the Atlantic, where his aggressive yet often highly publicized adherence to traditional naval prize rules brought him international attention. During the opening months of the war he sank numerous Allied merchant vessels, including Royal Sceptre, Winkleigh, Firby, and many others, while conducting a series of highly successful patrols that resulted in tens of thousands of tons of enemy shipping destroyed. His growing record of success, leadership, and effectiveness in disrupting British maritime supply lines led to the award of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 1 March 1940. Schultze continued his operational achievements throughout 1940 and early 1941, eventually reaching a total of more than 169,709 gross register tons of 26 Allied shipping sunk, making him one of the leading U-Boot aces of the period. In recognition of these continued successes while commanding U-48, as well as his sustained contribution to the Battle of the Atlantic and exemplary leadership within the U-Boot-Waffe, he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 12 June 1941 as the sixth U-Boot commander to receive that distinction. Shortly afterward he was withdrawn from frontline patrol duty and assigned to command the 3. U-Flottille at La Rochelle, later serving in several important staff positions under Großadmiral Karl Dönitz.

OTTO KRETSCHMER (U-99)
Fregattenkapitän Otto Kretschmer (1912-1945), one of the most distinguished commanders within the Kriegsmarine, earned his reputation as the highest-scoring U-boat ace of World War II by sinking 47 ships for a total of 274,333 gross register tons. Due to his exceptional tactical successes while commanding U-23 and U-99, he was recognized with the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 4 August 1940, followed by the Eichenlaub on 4 November 1940, and the Schwerter on 26 December 1941. These honors, specifically the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern, were awarded to acknowledge his profound impact on the Battle of the Atlantic and his leadership during numerous hazardous patrols. After his capture in March 1941, his final wartime tally remained a record for the U-boot-Waffe throughout the remainder of the conflict.



JOACHIM SCHEPKE (U-100)
Kapitänleutnant Joachim Schepke (1912-1941) was a prominent U-boat commander in the Kriegsmarine who earned his reputation as one of the most successful submarine officers during the early years of the war. As the commander of U-100, a Type VIIB boat, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 September 1940 for his successful military leadership and effectiveness against Allied shipping. Following his continued successes, he became the seventh recipient of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 1 December 1940. Throughout his career, Schepke was credited with sinking 36 ships, though he famously claimed 37 vessels for a total of 213,310 gross register tons, a figure often viewed with skepticism by his peers due to a tendency to exaggerate his tonnage reports. His service ended on 17 March 1941 when U-100 was forced to the surface by depth charges from HMS Walker and HMS Vanoc and subsequently rammed by the latter during an attack on Convoy HX-112, resulting in his death.

Source :
https://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2023/05/foto-7-unterseebootsflottille-7th-u.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_U-boat_Flotilla