Erich Topp RIP - Page 3

01-31-06, 07:46 PM

U-552 "Red Devil Boat" commanded by Kapitanleutnant Erich Topp. 35 ships totalling 192,600 tons. St Nazaire was his main base. Awarded Knights Cross in June 1941. An interesting fact is that his crew presented him with a hand made knights cross to celebrate the award, but they replaced the swastika with the prancing devil emblem. He was one of a handfull of commanders to win the oakleaves with Swords added to his Knights Cross.

He was also lept to the defence of Das Boot when the film, and book, was criticised by some U-Boat veterans.

His first patrol as commander was from Bergen in U-57 which lasted 10 days in which he sunk a Swedish boat and the Brocklebank liner "Manipur" off Cape Wrath (part of Convoy HX55) with the loss of 14 hands (64 survivors).

On his second patrol he sank the "Atos", another Swedish vessel, before taking U-57 to the L'Orient.

His third patrol was more successfull ....but you'll have to look all that up on the web.

On a more depressing note, does anyone have any more details on Topp's attack on the American coaster "David H. Atwater" ? In the book called "The Real Cruel Sea" it mentoins that he attacked it with deck gun and machine gun. Only 3 survivors out of 26 were found and the ship's second lifeboat was "riddled with machine gun holes".

Cheers,

Dantenoc · 01-31-06, 11:58 PM

Rest in peace.

He had a full life, I'd say, not just a long one but a very eventfull one.

01-31-06, 07:46 PM	#31
Uber Gruber Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	U-552 "Red Devil Boat" commanded by Kapitanleutnant Erich Topp. 35 ships totalling 192,600 tons. St Nazaire was his main base. Awarded Knights Cross in June 1941. An interesting fact is that his crew presented him with a hand made knights cross to celebrate the award, but they replaced the swastika with the prancing devil emblem. He was one of a handfull of commanders to win the oakleaves with Swords added to his Knights Cross. He was also lept to the defence of Das Boot when the film, and book, was criticised by some U-Boat veterans. His first patrol as commander was from Bergen in U-57 which lasted 10 days in which he sunk a Swedish boat and the Brocklebank liner "Manipur" off Cape Wrath (part of Convoy HX55) with the loss of 14 hands (64 survivors). On his second patrol he sank the "Atos", another Swedish vessel, before taking U-57 to the L'Orient. His third patrol was more successfull ....but you'll have to look all that up on the web. On a more depressing note, does anyone have any more details on Topp's attack on the American coaster "David H. Atwater" ? In the book called "The Real Cruel Sea" it mentoins that he attacked it with deck gun and machine gun. Only 3 survivors out of 26 were found and the ship's second lifeboat was "riddled with machine gun holes". Cheers,

01-31-06, 11:58 PM	#32
Dantenoc Captain Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ensenada, B.C., Mexico Posts: 504 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Rest in peace. He had a full life, I'd say, not just a long one but a very eventfull one.