The Spreewald Incident

Sailor Steve · 12-10-08, 02:01 PM

On January 31, 1942, Peter-Erich Cremer in U-333 Torpedoed and sank what he thought was the Norwegian freighter Elg. As the ship was sinking the radio operator sent out a distress call, claiming the ship was named Brittany. Actually it was the German blockade runner Spreewald, carrying Allied prisoners from ships sunk by the merchant raider Kormoran (later famous for the sinking of HMAS Sydney). After he was informed of his mistake by U-123, which was waiting for Spreewald with an injured crewman, and u-575, which was to escort the ship to France. The three u-boats proceeded to search for survivors. Before long they were joined by four other u-boats, a total of seven.

Eighty survivors out of 152 aboard were rescued. Cremer was court-martialled, but exonerated after all the evidence was examined.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/1305.html

Did he lose 10 times the renown?:hmm:

12-10-08, 02:01 PM	#1
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	The Spreewald Incident On January 31, 1942, Peter-Erich Cremer in U-333 Torpedoed and sank what he thought was the Norwegian freighter Elg. As the ship was sinking the radio operator sent out a distress call, claiming the ship was named Brittany. Actually it was the German blockade runner Spreewald, carrying Allied prisoners from ships sunk by the merchant raider Kormoran (later famous for the sinking of HMAS Sydney). After he was informed of his mistake by U-123, which was waiting for Spreewald with an injured crewman, and u-575, which was to escort the ship to France. The three u-boats proceeded to search for survivors. Before long they were joined by four other u-boats, a total of seven. Eighty survivors out of 152 aboard were rescued. Cremer was court-martialled, but exonerated after all the evidence was examined. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/1305.html Did he lose 10 times the renown?:hmm: __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo Last edited by Sailor Steve; 12-10-08 at 02:01 PM.