Karl-Heinz Moehle
Encyclopedia
Karl-Heinz Moehle was a German
U-boat
commander
of the Second World War. From September 1939 until retiring from front line service in June 1941, he sank 21 ships for a total of . For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, among other commendations. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
, East Frisia
. He entered the navy in April 1930 at the age of 19 and spent his initial training aboard the school ship
. He transferred to the U-boat force in March 1936 and by 1 June was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See. He took command of his first boat, on 1 October 1937 and commissioned her for sea. On 1 April 1939 he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant and on the outbreak of the Second World War, took U-20 on his first war cruise.
. He was moderately successful, sinking eight allied ships. He left U-20 on 17 January 1940 and took command of , which was to become one of the most famous U-boats of the war. He took command on 30 May 1940 and took her on her first patrol on 21 September, where he went on to achieve a high rate of kills. His first patrol sank six merchants, including four on 19 October from the ill-fated convoy SC-7
. His second patrol was also highly successful, when on the morning of 23 November he attacked convoy OB-244 in the North Atlantic. He sank five ships over a period of five hours, for a combined total of 23,084 tons. During these operations, U-123 collided with a sunken ship, sustaining damage which forced her to return to base after just 15 days at sea.
Moehle carried out another four patrols, sinking another five ships. On 24 October 1940 he received the Iron Cross 1st Class
and on 26 February 1941 he was awarded the Knight's Cross
. He stepped down as commander of U-123 on 19 May 1941, handing over command to Kptlt. Reinhard Hardegen
, who would also go on to have notable success aboard her. Moehle became the commander of 5th U-boat Flotilla and was also appointed to command the U-boat base at Kiel
from June 1941, a post he held until the end of the war. On 1 March 1943 he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän.
to the U-boat commanders under his command. He was found guilty and sentenced to five years imprisonment, but was released in November 1949. Little is known about his activities after this. Moelhe died on 17 November 1996 at the age of 86.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of the Second World War. From September 1939 until retiring from front line service in June 1941, he sank 21 ships for a total of . For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, among other commendations. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Early life
Moehle was born on 31 July 1910 in NordenNorden, Lower Saxony
Norden is a town in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the North Sea shore, in East Frisia.-External links:* *...
, East Frisia
East Frisia
East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
. He entered the navy in April 1930 at the age of 19 and spent his initial training aboard the school ship
School ship
A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is especially used for ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house classrooms....
. He transferred to the U-boat force in March 1936 and by 1 June was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See. He took command of his first boat, on 1 October 1937 and commissioned her for sea. On 1 April 1939 he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant and on the outbreak of the Second World War, took U-20 on his first war cruise.
Wartime career
He eventually made six patrols in U-20, operating in the North SeaNorth Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. He was moderately successful, sinking eight allied ships. He left U-20 on 17 January 1940 and took command of , which was to become one of the most famous U-boats of the war. He took command on 30 May 1940 and took her on her first patrol on 21 September, where he went on to achieve a high rate of kills. His first patrol sank six merchants, including four on 19 October from the ill-fated convoy SC-7
Convoy SC-7
SC-7 was the code name for a large Allied World War II convoy of 35 merchant ships and six escorts which sailed eastbound from Sydney, Nova Scotia for Liverpool and other United Kingdom ports on 5 October 1940. While crossing the Atlantic, the convoy was intercepted by one of the German Navy's...
. His second patrol was also highly successful, when on the morning of 23 November he attacked convoy OB-244 in the North Atlantic. He sank five ships over a period of five hours, for a combined total of 23,084 tons. During these operations, U-123 collided with a sunken ship, sustaining damage which forced her to return to base after just 15 days at sea.
Moehle carried out another four patrols, sinking another five ships. On 24 October 1940 he received the Iron Cross 1st Class
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
and on 26 February 1941 he was awarded the Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. He stepped down as commander of U-123 on 19 May 1941, handing over command to Kptlt. Reinhard Hardegen
Reinhard Hardegen
Lieutenant Commander Reinhard Hardegen is a German U-boat Commander who sank 22 ships, amounting to sunk, ranking him as the 24th most successful Commander in World War II. After the war, he spent a year in British captivity before running a successful oil company and serving in Bremen's...
, who would also go on to have notable success aboard her. Moehle became the commander of 5th U-boat Flotilla and was also appointed to command the U-boat base at Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
from June 1941, a post he held until the end of the war. On 1 March 1943 he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän.
Post war
After the surrender of Germany, Moehle was arrested. He was tried in the autumn of 1946 for passing on the Laconia OrderLaconia Order
The Laconia Order was issued by German Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz during World War II as a result of the Laconia incident....
to the U-boat commanders under his command. He was found guilty and sentenced to five years imprisonment, but was released in November 1949. Little is known about his activities after this. Moelhe died on 17 November 1996 at the age of 86.