Showing posts with label Wuppermann - Siegfried. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wuppermann - Siegfried. Show all posts

Sunday, October 10, 2021

Ritterkreuz Actions of Siegfried Wuppermann

Siegfried Wuppermann (15 December 1916 - 15 April 2005) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 3 August 1941 as Oberleutnant zur See and Kommandant Schnellboot "S 60" / 3.Schnellbootsflottille. The medal was awarded for the successes achieved by him and his boat on all fronts. In the Norwegian campaign he sunk a freighter with 3000 GRT. On the night of 27-28 May 1940 he sunk the French destroyer "Sirocco" and a tanker with 1000 GRT. As the deputy commander of the 3. Schnellbootsflottille, he achieved a notable success on 7 March 1941 near Great Yarmouth / Lowestoft. In three attack runs he sank two destroyers, two freighters with 5700 GRT and a tanker with 8000 GRT. Later on, in actions against the Soviets, he destroyed two armed Soviet freighters with 3577 GRT on 22 June 1941, and two days later the Soviet submarine S 3. On 27 June 1941 his and three other boats engaged with 7 Soviet destroyers and 1 torpedo boat. In a half hour fight he and his ships sunk 2 of these destroyers and also the torpedo boat.

Wuppermann received the Eichenlaub #226 for his Ritterkreuz on 14 April 1943 as Oberleutnant zur See and Kommandant Schnellboot "S 56" / 3.Schnellbootsflottille. It was achieved due to further successes as the commander of S-56. He sank a Soviet patrol vessel on 18 August 1941. Sank a British patrol vessel in the Mediterranean on 7 May 1942. Sank another British patrol vessel and a submarine chaser on 10 May 1942. Torpedoed and severely damaged the British cruiser "Newcastle" on 14 June 1942. Destroyed a number of British ships as they attempted to flee the port of Tobruk when it fell on 21 June 1942 (3 small ships with 350 GRT, 4 barges, 1 freighter with 5000 GRT that had already been damaged by the Luftwaffe, 1 steamship with 6810 GRT, 1 large and 2 smaller landing craft).


Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 101II-MW-2061-35
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/34509/Wuppermann-Otto-Joseph-Siegfried.htm

Bio of Kapitänleutnant Siegfried Wuppermann


Siegfried Wuppermann (15 December 1916 – 15 April 2005) was a captain with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later served with the Bundesmarine. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany.

Siegfried Wuppermann was born on 15 December 1916 in Berlin. He joined the Kriegsmarine in 1936 and was transferred to the Schnellboot service in March 1939, where he took command of a boat in the 1. Schnellbootflottille. During the Invasion of Poland he participated on patrols in the North Sea, Baltic Sea and in the English Channel.

In early November 1940 he took charge of a Gruppe in the 3. Schnellbootflottille and took command of Schnellboot "S 60" on 21 December 1940. Siegfried saw action with this boat near Boulogne. In February 1941 he became acting commander of the 3. Schnellbootflottille because Friedrich Kemnade was on vacation. Wuppermann led a patrol on 7 March 1941 against Allied convoys.

On S 60 he participated in Operation Barbarossa. On the night of 21/22 June 1941, just after hostilities with the Soviet Union began, S 60 together with S 59 sank the cargo ship Gaisma off Ventspils,[1] while on the night of 26/27 June, the 3. Schnellbootflottille clashed with Soviet naval forces on minelaying duties, with S 60 being credited (along with S 35) with sinking the Soviet minesweeper T208.[2] Wuppermann received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 August 1941 during these battles.

After the 3. Schnellbootflottille was transferred to the Mediterranean to guard the Axis convoys to North Africa. Wuppermann received the coveted Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 14 April 1943.

Kapitänleutnant Wuppermann helped establish the 21. and 22. Schnellbootflottillen in Eckernförde in May 1943 and was then transferred to the Stab of the Führer der Schnellboote. In March 1945 he took command of the 1. Schnellboot Division and fought with this unit in the Adriatic Sea.

After the war he joined the Bundesmarine. Siegfried Wuppermann died on 15 April 2005 in Osnabrück.

Awards
Iron Cross 2nd Class (20 April 1940) and 1st Class (28 May 1940)
Fast Attack Craft War Badge (16 December 1940) with Diamonds (10 June 1943)
War Cross for Military Valor with Swords (Italy, 10 May 1942)
Bronze Medal of Military Valor (Italy, 21 May 1942)
Silver Medal of Military Valor (Italy, 24 January 1943)
Knight's Cross on 3 August 1941 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of "S-60" in the 3. Schnellbootflottille
226th Oak Leaves on 14 April 1943 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of "S-56" in the 3. Schnellbootflottille


Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 101II-MW-2061-35
http://das-ritterkreuz.de/index_search_db.php4?modul=search_result_det&wert1=7198&searchword=wuppermann
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegfried_Wuppermann
http://www.historicalwarmilitariaforum.com/topic/6937-ritterkreuztr%C3%A4ger-photos-in-color-thread/page-3
http://www.s-boot.net/englisch/sboats-kriegsmarine-knights-crosses.html