Albrecht Brandi
Encyclopedia
Albrecht Brandi was a German
U-boat
commander
in World War II
. Together with Wolfgang Lüth
he was the only Kriegsmarine
sailor who was awarded with the Knight's cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. Brandi was well known as a daring and aggressive U-boat commander.
During his naval career Brandi destroyed 14 ships, including one light cruiser, one minelayer and 3 destroyers. He also damaged the battleship HMS Rodney
and the two aircraft carriers HMS Illustrious
and HMS Formidable
. With these victories Brandi became the U-boat commander who destroyed the most warship
s. However, he is not the U-boat commander with the most ships sunk, that honor going to Otto Kretschmer
with 47 victories. Brandi is ranked number 24 on the top scoring list of Germany's U-boat commanders.
in 1935 and had his study as a naval officer on board on the German cruiser Emden
. After his graduation he became commander of the minesweeper M-1. During the first year of World War II, Brandi cleared various minefields in the North Sea
.
In April 1941 Brandi started his U-boat training at the U-boat training camp in Neustadt in Holstein
. From May 1941 to April 1942, Brandi was a Kommandantenschüler (Commander-in-training) aboard U-552
, which was commanded by famous commander Erich Topp
, for 3 patrols. On 9 April 1942 Brandi was given the command of his own u-boat, U-617 and completed the usual training with the new boat in the 5th U-boat Flotilla.
. To get to his destination Brandi had to traverse the heavily guarded Strait of Gibraltar
. Brandi decided to proceed through the Strait surfaced by night with engines stopped, relying on the current in the Straits (which on the surface move from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean) to propel his boat through. During this extremely dangerous trip, Brandi was discovered by a Short Sunderland
bomber which dropped two depth charge
s. The bombs missed the U-boat and Brandi succeeded in making the breakthrough.
In November 1942, U-617 was assigned to 29th U-boat Flotilla, located in La Spezia
/Toulon
and commanded by Fritz Frauenheim
. During 1943, Brandi made various patrols in the Mediterranean Sea. During these patrols Brandi targeted British
warships preying on the German and Italian supply ships that were so vital for the Afrikakorps in North Africa.
The Mediterranean Sea offered particular challenges for a U-boat captain. The often shallow waters offered little chance to dive deep and the British had air cover over the entire southern half of the Mediterranean. This, coupled with the fact that most of his victims were heavily armed or guarded warships, makes Brandis achievements remarkable.
In February 1943 Brandi destroyed the British minelayer
HMS Welshman
a few miles from the Maltese
coast. The destruction of this ship was important, as the minelayer had been an integral part of the defense of Malta. Brandi was awarded with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
for this victory. Later, in April 1943, Brandi sank a light cruiser
, 40 miles off Gibraltar
. Brandi was awarded Oak Leaves with his Knight's Cross.
In September 1943 Brandi's U-617 sank HMS Puckeridge, a Hunt class destroyer
, off Gibraltar. A few days later, on 12 September, she was attacked near the Moroccan
coast by British aircraft. While the German Flak crew managed to shoot down a bomber, three bombs hit close to the U-617. The damage was so severe that Brandi decided to abandon ship. After evacuating into rubber boats the crew sank the U-617 with demolition charges. They managed to reach the shore and were interned by Spanish
troops. Brandi was held in the officers' camp near Cadiz
. From there he succeeded in escaping back to Germany.
. Brandi completed one patrol with U-380, but then the boat was destroyed on 13 March 1944 in Toulon by a bombing raid of the 9th USAAF
. In April 1944 Brandi became commander of U-967
. During a patrol in May 1944 Brandi received the Swords to his Knights Cross with Oak Leaves.
During the next patrol with U-967 in June 1944, Brandi became seriously ill and had to return to base. Brandi then was appointed commander of all U-boats in the Eastern Baltic Sea
. During this period many ships were destroyed in the Baltic Sea and Brandi was awarded with Diamonds to his Knight's Cross, for his leadership of the U-boat fleet. In the last year of the war Brandi became chief commander of the mini submarine fleet.
After the war Brandi started a career as an architect.
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...
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...
. Together with Wolfgang Lüth
Wolfgang Lüth
Kapitän zur See Wolfgang August Eugen Lüth , was the second most successful German U-boat ace of World War II...
he was the only Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
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...
sailor who was awarded with the Knight's cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. Brandi was well known as a daring and aggressive U-boat commander.
During his naval career Brandi destroyed 14 ships, including one light cruiser, one minelayer and 3 destroyers. He also damaged the battleship HMS Rodney
HMS Rodney (1925)
HMS Rodney was one of two s built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1920s. She was named for Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney...
and the two aircraft carriers HMS Illustrious
HMS Illustrious (R87)
HMS Illustrious , the fourth Illustrious of the British Royal Navy, was an aircraft carrier which saw service in World War II, the lead ship of the Illustrious-class of carriers which also included Victorious, Formidable, and Indomitable.-Construction:Illustrious was built by Vickers-Armstrongs at...
and HMS Formidable
HMS Formidable (R67)
HMS Formidable was an Illustrious class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy during World War II. She was constructed by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, and launched on 17 August 1939...
. With these victories Brandi became the U-boat commander who destroyed the most warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
s. However, he is not the U-boat commander with the most ships sunk, that honor going to Otto Kretschmer
Otto Kretschmer
Flotilla Admiral Otto Kretschmer was a German U-boat commander in the Second World War and later an admiral in the Bundesmarine. From September 1939 until being captured in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak...
with 47 victories. Brandi is ranked number 24 on the top scoring list of Germany's U-boat commanders.
Early years
Brandi joined the German 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 1935 and had his study as a naval officer on board on the German cruiser Emden
German cruiser Emden
The German light cruiser Emden was the only ship of its class. The third cruiser to bear the name Emden was the first new warship built in Germany after World War I....
. After his graduation he became commander of the minesweeper M-1. During the first year of World War II, Brandi cleared various minefields in the North Sea
North 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...
.
In April 1941 Brandi started his U-boat training at the U-boat training camp in Neustadt in Holstein
Neustadt in Holstein
Neustadt in Holstein is a town in the district of Ostholstein, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated on the Bay of Lübeck , approx...
. From May 1941 to April 1942, Brandi was a Kommandantenschüler (Commander-in-training) aboard U-552
Unterseeboot 552
German submarine U-552 was a Type VIIC U-Boat built for the German Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 1 December 1939 at Blohm & Voss in Hamburg and went into service on 4 December 1940. U-552 was nicknamed the Roter Teufel after its mascot of a grinning devil which...
, which was commanded by famous commander Erich Topp
Erich Topp
Rear Admiral Erich Topp was the third most successful of German U-Boot Experten commanders of World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
, for 3 patrols. On 9 April 1942 Brandi was given the command of his own u-boat, U-617 and completed the usual training with the new boat in the 5th U-boat Flotilla.
War in the Mediterranean Sea
During his first patrol, Brandi destroyed four merchant ships. On his second patrol, he sank one destroyer and damaged one tanker. On 4 November 1942, Brandi was ordered to patrol the Mediterranean SeaMediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. To get to his destination Brandi had to traverse the heavily guarded Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
. Brandi decided to proceed through the Strait surfaced by night with engines stopped, relying on the current in the Straits (which on the surface move from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean) to propel his boat through. During this extremely dangerous trip, Brandi was discovered by a Short Sunderland
Short Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
bomber which dropped two depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s. The bombs missed the U-boat and Brandi succeeded in making the breakthrough.
In November 1942, U-617 was assigned to 29th U-boat Flotilla, located in La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
/Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
and commanded by Fritz Frauenheim
Fritz Frauenheim
Fritz Frauenheim was a German U-boat commander of the Second World War. From September 1939 until retiring from front line service in December 1940, he sank 19 ships for a total of , and damaged two others. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross , among other commendations...
. During 1943, Brandi made various patrols in the Mediterranean Sea. During these patrols Brandi targeted British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
warships preying on the German and Italian supply ships that were so vital for the Afrikakorps in North Africa.
The Mediterranean Sea offered particular challenges for a U-boat captain. The often shallow waters offered little chance to dive deep and the British had air cover over the entire southern half of the Mediterranean. This, coupled with the fact that most of his victims were heavily armed or guarded warships, makes Brandis achievements remarkable.
In February 1943 Brandi destroyed the British minelayer
Minelayer
Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...
HMS Welshman
HMS Welshman (M84)
HMS Welshman was an of the Royal Navy. During World War II she served with the Home Fleet carrying out minelaying operations, before being transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in mid-1942 for the Malta Convoys. She also saw service during "Operation Torch"...
a few miles from the Maltese
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
coast. The destruction of this ship was important, as the minelayer had been an integral part of the defense of Malta. Brandi was awarded with 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...
for this victory. Later, in April 1943, Brandi sank a 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...
, 40 miles off Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. Brandi was awarded Oak Leaves with his Knight's Cross.
In September 1943 Brandi's U-617 sank HMS Puckeridge, a Hunt class destroyer
Hunt class destroyer
The Hunt class was a class of Destroyer escort of the Royal Navy. The first vessels were ordered early in 1939, and the class saw extensive service in World War II, particularly on the British East Coast and Mediterranean convoys. They were named after British fox hunts...
, off Gibraltar. A few days later, on 12 September, she was attacked near the Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
coast by British aircraft. While the German Flak crew managed to shoot down a bomber, three bombs hit close to the U-617. The damage was so severe that Brandi decided to abandon ship. After evacuating into rubber boats the crew sank the U-617 with demolition charges. They managed to reach the shore and were interned by Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
troops. Brandi was held in the officers' camp near Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
. From there he succeeded in escaping back to Germany.
Brandi as a leader
In January 1944 Brandi returned to Toulon and took command of U-380Unterseeboot 380
German submarine U-380 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for the German Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. Her wartime career consisted of 11 patrols and resulted in 2 ships sunk for 14,063 GRT, 1 ship damaged, and another of 7,178 GRT that was later declared a total loss.-Construction:U-380...
. Brandi completed one patrol with U-380, but then the boat was destroyed on 13 March 1944 in Toulon by a bombing raid of the 9th USAAF
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
. In April 1944 Brandi became commander of U-967
German submarine U-967
German submarine U-967 was a German Type VIIC/41 U-boat of the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid down on 16 May 1942 by Blohm + Voss of Hamburg, Germany. She was commissioned on 11 March 1943 with Oberleutnant zur See Herbert Loeder in command...
. During a patrol in May 1944 Brandi received the Swords to his Knights Cross with Oak Leaves.
During the next patrol with U-967 in June 1944, Brandi became seriously ill and had to return to base. Brandi then was appointed commander of all U-boats in the Eastern Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. During this period many ships were destroyed in the Baltic Sea and Brandi was awarded with Diamonds to his Knight's Cross, for his leadership of the U-boat fleet. In the last year of the war Brandi became chief commander of the mini submarine fleet.
After the war Brandi started a career as an architect.
Achievements
- 8 ships sunk for a total of 25.879 GRT
- 1 auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 810 GRT
- 3 warships sunk for a total of 5.000 tons
| Date | U-boat | Name of Ship | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 September 1942 | U-617 | Tor II |  Faroe Islands |
292 | sunk |
| 23 September 1942 | U-617 | Athelsultan |  British |
8,882 | sunk |
| 23 September 1942 | U-617 | Tennessee | British |
2,342 | sunk |
| 24 September 1942 | U-617 | Roumanie |  Belgian |
3,563 | sunk |
| 28 December 1942 | U-617 | HMS St. Issey (W25) | British |
810 | sunk |
| 15 January 1943 | U-617 | Annitsa |  Greek |
4,324 | sunk |
| 15 January 1943 | U-617 | Harboe Jensen |  Norwegian |
1,862 | sunk |
| 1 February 1943 | U-617 | HMS Welshman (M84) HMS Welshman (M84) HMS Welshman was an of the Royal Navy. During World War II she served with the Home Fleet carrying out minelaying operations, before being transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in mid-1942 for the Malta Convoys. She also saw service during "Operation Torch"... |
British |
2,650 | sunk |
| 5 February 1943 | U-617 | Corona | Norwegian |
3,264 | sunk |
| 5 February 1943 | U-617 | Henrik | Norwegian |
1,350 | sunk |
| 6 September 1943 | U-617 | HMS Puckeridge (L108) | British |
1,050 | sunk |
| 5 May 1944 | U-967 | USS Fechteler (DE-157) USS Fechteler (DE-157) USS Fechteler , a of the United States Navy, was named in honor of Augustus Fechteler, a Rear Admiral serving in the United States Navy during World War I.... |
 American |
1,300 | sunk |
Awards
- U-boat Front ClaspU-boat Front ClaspThe U-boat Front Clasp or U-boat Combat Clasp, as it is better known, was a German badge that was awarded to holders of the U-boat War Badge to recognize continued combat service and valor during World War II.-History:...
- U-boat War Badge in Gold with DiamondsU-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...
- Medaglia d'Argento al Valor MilitareSilver Medal of Military ValorThe Silver Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal for gallantry.Italian medals for valor were first instituted by Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia on May 21, 1793, with a gold medal, and, below it, a silver medal...
- Eisernes KreuzIron 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....
2. and 1. Class - Ritterkreuz des Eisernen KreuzesKnight'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...
mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten- Ritterkreuz (21 January 1943)
- 224th Eichenlaub (11 April 1943)
- 66th Schwertern (9 May 1944)
- 22nd Brillanten (24 November 1944)
- Mentioned twice in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....