Peter-Erich Cremer


Peter-Erich Cremer was a German U-boat commander during the Second World War. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.

Biography

Peter-Erich Cremer was born in Metz, Alsace-Lorraine, on 25 March 1911. After high school, Cremer enlisted in the Reichsmarine in 1932. After serving on cruisers and destroyers, Cremer became captain in February 1940. He received the Iron Cross 2nd class. He was promoted to the rank of submarine commander in August 1940, and was given the U-152. He commanded the from 25 August 1941 to 6 October 1942 and again from 18 May 1943, to 19 July 1944. On 31 January 1942 he mistakenly attacked and sunk the ; he was court-martialed and found not guilty.
After several victorious trips, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 June 1942, and in that same year was severely wounded. He sailed again from 1943 until July 1944, before giving his boat to his lieutenant. On November 1944, Cremer, now Lieutenant Commander, aimed to convey the new submarine U-2519 Class XXI. Citing "several design flaws", Cremer scuttled the submarine at Kiel, on May 1945. As the War drew to a close, he was attached to the personal security unit of Karl Dönitz. In this role he was involved in the incident in which Kapitän zur See Wolfgang Lüth was shot to death by a German sentry.
Peter-Erich Cremer appeared in the British television documentary The World at War in the early 1970s. Later he recounted his life in his books U-333: The story of a u-boat ace and U-Boat Commander: a periscope view of the Battle of the Atlantic. He died in Hamburg on 5 July 1992.

Summary of career

Ships sunk and damaged

As commander of U-333 Cremer sank six merchant ships totalling, damaged another, and also engaged and damaged the .
DateShipNationalityTonsConvoyFate and location
22 January 1942Vassilios A. Polemis3,429ON-53Sunk at
24 January 1942Ringstad4,765ON-55Sunk at
31 January 1942Spreewald5,083Sunk at
6 May 1942Amazone1,294Sunk at
6 May 1942Halsey7,088Sunk at
6 May 1942Java Arrow8,327Damaged at
10 May 1942Clan Skene5,214Sunk at
6 October 1942925Damaged at

Awards

Citations