Max-Martin Teichert
Encyclopedia
Max-Martin Teichert was a German
U-boat
commander in World War II
and posthumous recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
in April 1934. He first served on the torpedo boat
Iltis, and then the destroyer Z14 Friedrich Ihn
. In June 1940 he transferred to the U-boat force, and served as 1.WO (second-in-command) to Herbert Kuppisch
aboard the Type VIIC
U-boat
for two patrols.
In September 1941 he commissioned and completed nine patrols in the Arctic Sea during 1942. He sank three ships, including the naval trawler
HMS Sulla, a staggler of Convoy PQ 13, and seriously damaged the British Town class
light cruiser
, which was sunk some days later. In December 1942 U-456 was transferred to 1st U-boat Flotilla, and operated in the northern Atlantic, sinking another four merchant vessels.
Teichert died on 12 May 1943, during his 11th patrol, when U-456 was lost with all hands in the North Atlantic, in position 46°39′N 26°54′W. The U-boat surfaced after being hit by a Fido homing torpedo dropped by a British Liberator
aircraft from No. 86 Squadron RAF
. When the O-class destroyer
arrived the U-boat dived, but almost certainly immediately sank to the ocean floor.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
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 in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and posthumous recipient of 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...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career
Teichert joined the KriegsmarineKriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
in April 1934. He first served on the torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
Iltis, and then the destroyer Z14 Friedrich Ihn
German destroyer Z14 Friedrich Ihn
Z14 Friedrich Ihn was a built for the German Navy in the mid-1930s. It was named after German naval officer Friedrich Ihn.-External links:*...
. In June 1940 he transferred to the U-boat force, and served as 1.WO (second-in-command) to Herbert Kuppisch
Herbert Kuppisch
Herbert Kuppisch was a Kapitänleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and commander of U-58, U-94, U-516 and U-847...
aboard the Type VIIC
German Type VII submarine
Type VII U-boats were the most common type of German World War II U-boat. The Type VII was based on earlier German submarine designs going back to the World War I Type UB III, designed through the Dutch dummy company Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw den Haag which was set up by Germany after...
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...
for two patrols.
In September 1941 he commissioned and completed nine patrols in the Arctic Sea during 1942. He sank three ships, including the naval trawler
Naval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
HMS Sulla, a staggler of Convoy PQ 13, and seriously damaged the British Town class
Town class cruiser (1936)
The Town-class was a 10-ship class of light cruisers of the Royal Navy. The Towns were designed to the constraints imposed by the London Naval Treaty of 1930....
light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
, which was sunk some days later. In December 1942 U-456 was transferred to 1st U-boat Flotilla, and operated in the northern Atlantic, sinking another four merchant vessels.
Teichert died on 12 May 1943, during his 11th patrol, when U-456 was lost with all hands in the North Atlantic, in position 46°39′N 26°54′W. The U-boat surfaced after being hit by a Fido homing torpedo dropped by a British Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
aircraft from No. 86 Squadron RAF
No. 86 Squadron RAF
No. 86 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force during World War II. Attached to Coastal Command the unit flew reconnaissance and air-sea rescue missions, anti-shipping strikes, and anti-submarine patrols.-Formation:No...
. When the O-class destroyer
O and P class destroyer
The O and P class was a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy. Ordered in 1939, they were the first ships in the War Emergency Programme, also known as the 1st and 2nd Emergency Flotilla, respectively...
arrived the U-boat dived, but almost certainly immediately sank to the ocean floor.
| Date | Ship | Tons | Nationality | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 March 1942 | HMS Sulla | 251 |  United Kingdom |
Sunk |
| 30 April 1942 | 11,500 | United Kingdom |
Damaged | |
| 5 July 1942 | Honomu | 6,977 |  United States |
Sunk |
| 22 August 1942 | Chaika | 80 |  Soviet Union |
Sunk |
| 2 February 1943 | Jeremiah Van Rensselaer | 7,177 | United States |
Sunk |
| 3 February 1943 | Inverilen | 9,456 | United Kingdom |
Sunk |
| 23 February 1943 | Kyleclare | 700 |  Republic of Ireland |
Sunk |
| 11 May 1943 | Fort Concord | 7,138 | United Kingdom |
Sunk |
Awards
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
(1939)- 2nd Class (15 December 1939)
- 1st Class (7 June 1941)
- U-boat War BadgeU-boat War BadgeThe U-Boat War Badge was a German war badge that was awarded to U-boat crew members during World War I and World War II.-History:The U-boat War Badge was originally instituted during the First World War on February 1, 1918. It was awarded to recognize U-boat crews who had completed three war patrols...
(1939) (7 June 1941) - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe 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...
on 19 December 1943 (posthumous) as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-456