1WO means...

[themrwho]

I often see it as 'First Watch Officer' in here, is it not First Warrant Officer?

(src: http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/1WO )

Any online reading sources will be appreciated...

[frau kaleun]

In the lingo of the German Navy, 1WO or IWO is the abbreviation for Erster Wachoffizier, "First Watch Officer," in spoken German colloquially referred to as the "Eins W O" (pronounced Eins Vay Oh).

This would be the second in line of command on a German naval vessel, subordinate only to the kommandant of the ship - a commissioned officer, and roughly equivalent to an "XO" or Executive Officer.

Other designations would be used for a Warrant or Petty Officer in German naval terminology.

Good basic overview here:

http://www.uboat.net/men/crew/

Edit: not to be confused with the designation "Nummer Eins," often used to refer to the ship's Bootsmann, a (relatively high-ranking) non-commissioned officer who had responsibility over the enlisted men in matters of day-to-day operations and discipline.

[HW3]

Here is a link to a chart showing the Kreigsmarine rank and its equivalent rank in the U.S. Navy.

http://www.feldgrau.com/kmsranks.html

You will note there are no Warrant Officers in the U.S. Navy either. The 1WO would usually be a Oberfähnrich zur See or a Leutnant zur See.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by HW3

Here is a link to a chart showing the Kreigsmarine rank and its equivalent rank in the U.S. Navy.

http://www.feldgrau.com/kmsranks.html

You will note there are no Warrant Officers in the U.S. Navy either. The 1WO would usually be a Oberfähnrich zur See or a Leutnant zur See.

I'd think those ranks would more likely be seen at the Second Watch Officer position, with an Oberleutnant at 1WO, unless of course the kommandant was still an Oberleutnant. May have been much more common though as the war went on and training time was cut short and the number of available officers overall declined.

[Platapus]

One more reference saying what everyone else already said.

http://www.uboat.net/special/abbrevat.htm

[Tessa]

Here's (yet another) source, though has some discrepencies in some of the ranks. Though probably unknown to most, SH3 completely leaves out the oberfeldwebel rank altogether with the NCO's. It would actually be possible to add all the additionally NCO and officer candidate ranks to the game; the correct ranking would go:

Feldwebel
Stabsfeldwebel
Oberfeldwebel
Stabsoberfeldwebel
Fanrich
Fanrich Zur see
Oberfanrich Zur see
-----------
Leutnant Zur see -> Comssioned Officer

That last three ranks enter a grey area that doesn't really exist anymore. To try and put into perspective of current ranks, a Fanrich would be the rank of a sailor when they go through OCS. When they wear their uniform (easiestly shown on the navy) its a blank black board with just the star, no single gold striple yet which would indicate an Ensign. In wartime sending someone to OCS for several months isn't always necessary when the sailor/soldier already has all the necessary skills (like Audie Murphy, was promoted from Sgt to Lt w/o going to OCS), and the final two being a Junior/Senior Midshipman. Though the game considers Oberfanrich Zur see to be an officer, they're really still a NCO but one thats advanced to officer training/advancement until they're ready to take an official commision.

This page gives some perfect example of (real) insignia used. You can see almost a rank by rank progression (top left to right) of fanrich/Oberfanrich Zur see/ Leutnant Zur see (Bottom row) Oberleutnant/Kaptianleutnant/Korvettenkapitan. I didn't enumerate each one since some are the same rank as the one to the left just with a qualifcation pin stuck on.

[ETR3(SS)]

Originally Posted by HW3

Here is a link to a chart showing the Kreigsmarine rank and its equivalent rank in the U.S. Navy.

http://www.feldgrau.com/kmsranks.html

You will note there are no Warrant Officers in the U.S. Navy either. The 1WO would usually be a Oberfähnrich zur See or a Leutnant zur See.

Just like to point out that those aren't US Navy ranks but more of a translation. They look like British ranks to me.

[Jimbuna]

First Watch Officer...second in command to the Kaleun

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

Edit: not to be confused with the designation "Nummer Eins," often used to refer to the ship's Bootsmann, a (relatively high-ranking) non-commissioned officer who had responsibility over the enlisted men in matters of day-to-day operations and discipline.

And that can be confusing because in the Royal Navy 'Number One' refers to the First Lieutenant, or First Mate, also the equivalent of the American 'XO'.

In the US Navy some quirk of etymology eliminated the 'Boatswain' (pronounce "Bosun" - the German 'Bootsmann') from the picture altogether. There are 'Boatswain's Mates', but the senior of them is the 'Chief Boatwain's Mate', never a Bosun himself. But what makes it confusing to an American is that the Chief Of the Boat, or COB, is called "Chief", the translation given to the LI in Das Boot. And the 1WO is translated as "Number One" in the movie, whereas in the book that title was appropriately given to the senior enlisted man.

Originally Posted by ETR3(SS)

Just like to point out that those aren't US Navy ranks but more of a translation. They look like British ranks to me.

Yes, those are without question RN ranks, not US. Funny thing is that when I was in (1970) we did have Warrant Officers, since to a Chief Petty Officer the rank of Ensign could hardly be considered a step up.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

But what makes it confusing to an American is that the Chief Of the Boat, or COB, is called "Chief", the translation given to the LI in Das Boot. And the 1WO is translated as "Number One" in the movie, whereas in the book that title was appropriately given to the senior enlisted man.

Which is one reason I think I started trying to figure out what the characters were calling each other in German, rather than relying on dubbing or subtitles. Because I remember the scene where the guy who is clearly the second in command talks to the Bootsmann and addresses him as "Nummer Eins" which I knew in German meant "Number One"... and I thought, well, if he's called "Number One" then this other guy can't be called that as well in general parlance.

That and I couldn't figure out what it was Der Alte kept calling the Chief Engineer ("Ell-ee") and it was repeated often enough that I knew it was some form of standard address and I didn't think it would be his actual name or nickname. And of course the "Herr Kaleun" which I knew couldn't be his name and had to be some reference to his rank but I had to look it up to find out.

Just another thing that makes the movie a continuing source of fascination - so many things are just "there" because that's the way it was and they don't beat you over the head with explaining those little details, you just have to figure it out from the context or look it up if you're that curious... which obviously I am, lol. I guess it might be different for someone intimately familiar with the language since there's no confusion caused by clumsy dubbing or subtitles that are a little too Anglicized.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

And that can be confusing because in the Royal Navy 'Number One' refers to the First Lieutenant, or First Mate, also the equivalent of the American 'XO'.

Well this must be right because that's the way Picard does it.

[Tessa]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

In the US Navy some quirk of etymology eliminated the 'Boatswain' (pronounce "Bosun" - the German 'Bootsmann') from the picture altogether. There are 'Boatswain's Mates', but the senior of them is the 'Chief Boatwain's Mate', never a Bosun himself. But what makes it confusing to an American is that the Chief Of the Boat, or COB, is called "Chief", the translation given to the LI in Das Boot. And the 1WO is translated as "Number One" in the movie, whereas in the book that title was appropriately given to the senior enlisted man.

Something that's been bugging me for a long time since someone made another comment about it, what is the chief's rank in Das Boot? At the beginning of the movie when he's wearing the black coat he's got 2 strikes and an officer hat. From that it looks like he's an Oberleutnant Z.s. He dines with the officers so he's got to be an Oberleutnant or a senior NCO rank (US equivalent like a senior chief petty officer or master chief petty officer) which would be fanrich/oberfanrich Z.s. in German.

They're aren't many shots of him where you can see his shoulder boards, they look like line officer boards with 1 pip, the board is too wide to be a Fanrich Z.s. but he isn't singled out as an officer like the #1 and 2 are but is treated and given the repsect like a good #1 would, or the senior NCO of a high rank.

[Markus Witt]

Which is one reason I think I started trying to figure out what the characters were calling each other in German, rather than relying on dubbing or subtitles. Because I remember the scene where the guy who is clearly the second in command talks to the Bootsmann and addresses him as "Nummer Eins" which I knew in German meant "Number One"... and I thought, well, if he's called "Number One" then this other guy can't be called that as well in general parlance.

Isn't this guy also reffered to as "obersteuermann" in the movie. This confused me as it sounds like the first officer.
During the diner scenes in the movie you see the kaleun, Li, and two watch officers at the dinner table. Seeing that let me conclude that apparently the obersteuermann was on the bridge at that time and was in fact the first officer.
This would make sense as the first officer (chief mate) is on duty during dinner time. At least that's what I'm used too in the merchant fleet (1ON taking the 04-08 and 16-20 watch)

However in the movie in other scenes it becomes apparent that the "obersteuermann" is not an officer but an NCO. But if this is the case, then who is on the bridge during dinner?
You would surely expect an officer in charge of the bridge watch.
I would expect 3 watch officers on a U-boat to cover all the conventional watches, but if the obersteuermann is an NCO, then in Das Boot apparently they only have two. This still confuses me.

Anybody knows how many watch officers U-boats normally had and what watch system they used?

[JScones]

Originally Posted by Markus Witt

Anybody knows how many watch officers U-boats normally had and what watch system they used?

4 Watch Officers, with 3 and 4 being split between Nav and Bosun. 4 hour watches.

1WO and 2WO did 2 x 4 hour watch shifts per day <---Commissioned officers from line stream
Navigator (Oberstuermann) and Bosun 1 x 4 hour watch shift per day <---Yes, SNCOs, not commissioned officers, aka 3WO and 4WO
Lookouts came mainly from Seaman stream doing 1 x 4 hour watch shift per day

As confirmed in the first two reference books I just laid my hands on:
U-boats by Miller, David
U-boat Crewman Of WWII by Williamson, Gordon

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Markus Witt

Isn't this guy also reffered to as "obersteuermann" in the movie. This confused me as it sounds like the first officer.
During the diner scenes in the movie you see the kaleun, Li, and two watch officers at the dinner table. Seeing that let me conclude that apparently the obersteuermann was on the bridge at that time and was in fact the first officer.
This would make sense as the first officer (chief mate) is on duty during dinner time. At least that's what I'm used too in the merchant fleet (1ON taking the 04-08 and 16-20 watch)

However in the movie in other scenes it becomes apparent that the "obersteuermann" is not an officer but an NCO. But if this is the case, then who is on the bridge during dinner?
You would surely expect an officer in charge of the bridge watch.
I would expect 3 watch officers on a U-boat to cover all the conventional watches, but if the obersteuermann is an NCO, then in Das Boot apparently they only have two. This still confuses me.

The Obersteuermann was the Chief Navigator and Quartermaster for the boat and usually (in real life) the senior ranking NCO aboard (which sometimes also made him the oldest and most experienced man, even including the COs). The game does not reflect this, as the Navigation Officer is indeed treated like a commissioned officer and not a highranking enlisted man.

Very often he took the third watch. The 1WO had the first watch, and the 2WO the second. The commander of the boat did not take any particular watch, those duties belonged to his junior officers and the higher-ranking NCOs.

The guys who eat in the "officer's mess" in the movie are the commander , the chief engineer, the first watch officer, and the second watch officer, plus the "guest" - war correspondent Werner. The same space also doubled as living quarters for the LI, the 1WO, and the 2WO. The Obersteuermann would have eaten and slept in the senior NCO quarters which (on a Type VII) were located between the officer's mess and the hatch to the forward torpedo room.




In Das Boot the line officers were:

1. The Kommandant, "der Alte," "Herr Kaleun" - by rank a Kapitänleutnant, first in command
2. The First Watch Officer or 1WO/IWO, "Eins W O," the guy who came originally from Mexico and who seems to have bought into Nazi propaganda, and who gets "ordered" to play the "Tipperary song" during one of the officers' meals - an Oberleutnant zur See and second in command
3. The Second Watch Officer, who jokes (in the subtitles) that the 1WO could crack nuts in his backside and gives the fake "alarm" that sends the boat into its first practice crash dive - a Leutnant zur See and third in command

The LI or "chief" was also a commissioned officer, by rank an Oberleutnant (Ing.), in practice the guy most likely to be deferred to by the commander due to his technical expertise, but not actually in the line of command. He usually sits next to the commander at meals in the officer's mess. He's the one who tears up looking at pictures of his wife and who the commander tries to get off the ship (along with Werner, the writer) in Vigo.

Werner, the war correspondent, was a Leutnant but as an observer and "guest on board" would have had no real authority regardless of rank.

The scene early in the film where the officers are eating and the 1WO excuses himself to go to the bridge for his watch presumably shows the boat's "midday" meal, since the First Watch would have taken its second turn of the day beginning at 1200 hours. In the extended version the Obersteuermann is then shown reporting to the commander after the end of his turn on the bridge, which makes sense since he would have been in charge of the Third Watch which would have been coming off duty when the First Watch went up.

Edit: I do think there may be one instance in the film where the commander addresses his 1WO as "nummer eins" - but the 1WO definitely refers to the Bootsmann as "nummer eins" when he asks him where the medic is after the LI informs him he's got crabs crawling around in his eyebrows. The Bootsmann as "nummer eins" would be the NCO responsible for seeing to the day-to-day routine and discipline of the rest of the enlisted men. This is the guy who gave Werner the tour of the boat when they first put out to sea, and who is seen supervising the torpedo maintenance in the scene where Werner gets the oily rag thrown in his face. The Obersteuermann is a completely different guy.