Kriegsmarine Lunch with a Grey Wolf.

[Gordon Williamson]

Well, my disappointment in not being able to make it to Kassel this year was made up for by being able to spend this afternoon with U-Boat veteran Max Quietsch and his son Paul.

Max was Obermaat on U-732 when she was sunk by HMS Douglas and HMS Imperialist. Max was rescued after some hours in the water but his relief in being rescued was spoiled by the fact that one of the British sailors stole his U-Boat Badge.

Fortunately, the superb quality of the original photos Max still retails allowed his badge to be positively identified as a GWL.

Fortunately. Max still has his original Iron Cross but as he pointed out, any serviceman could win the EK2, but only a U-Boat man could get the U-Boat War Badge. The loss of his treasured U-Boat badge has bothered Max for decades.

[Gordon Williamson]

But no longer. I was recently able to pick up a nice original GWL U-Boat Badge at a reasonable price and this afternoon had the great pleasure and privilege of presenting it as a gift to Max to replace the one stolen from him back in 1943.

[Guest Darrell]

But no longer. I was recently able to pick up a nice original GWL U-Boat Badge at a reasonable price and this afternoon had the great pleasure and privilege of presenting it to Max to replace the one stolen from him back in 1943.

Great gift Gordon. I can just bet how much he was beaming when you gave it to him At least it will take a little of the sting out of his loss for his remaining years ....

[Gordon Williamson]

After hearing Max describe being attacked by aircraft at night equipped with "Leigh Lights", being attacked with "Hedgehog" projectiles and a heavy depth-charge attack which saw U-732 plunge to the sea bed in nearly 200 metres of water, in a scene reminiscent of that in "Das Boot", I couldn't but be impressed at the fortitude of these "Grey Wolves". The Royal Navy commander claimed U-732 as sunk and was awarded the DCS for the action.

U-732 wasn't finished yet however, and whilst she sat on the bottom desperately trying to lift off of the sea bed, Max astonished me by recalling that his commander, Oberleutnant Peter Carlsen, was busy thinking, not of whether he might survive, but rather was ordering one more torpedo loaded into the bow tubes so they could attack any enemy in the vicinity as soon as they reached the surface.

In the event when they got to the surface there was no enemy in sight. Believing it safe, Carlsen ordered the diesel motors started, only to be detected immediately by HMS Douglas which was sitting quietly in the darkness with her engines stopped. U-732 came under heavy fire, rendering her unfit to dive. Carlsen ordered "abandon ship" and Max drew the dangerous job of going down below to open all the flood valves to ensure the boat went to the bottom and couldn't be captured. Fortunately he made it and after a spell in POW camp in Canada, came to Scotland where he made his permanent home.

[David Gregory]

Gordon,

I am sure that most members will appreciate your gesture and the importance of meeting a man who was awarded an item that so many of us seek to own.

Thank you for enabling us to share in a real moment of living history.

David

[Guest Darrell]

Here are a few tidbits on the U732 and the Commander Carlsen:

[Stogieman]

Hi Gordon, that's one of the best threads I have seen in forever. hats off!

[Dave B]

Typical Scottish...meet up in a pub!!

Nice one Gordon,really nice gesture mate!

I bet he had many interesting stories to tell.

Dave

[VtwinVince]

Gordon, that's a really great story, and a fabulous gesture on your part to find a badge for this gentleman. Coincidentally, today I was watching a DVD of Das Boot, which really gives a vivid impression of life for these brave men. Incidentally, wasn't HMS Walker also responsible for capturing Otto Kretschmer?

[Gordon Williamson]

Incidentally, wasn't HMS Walker also responsible for capturing Otto Kretschmer?

Sorry, mis-type on my part. As mentioned in post #1, it was HMS Douglas and HMS Imperialist. It was Imperialist who made the first attack and Douglas who was waiting for U-732 when she surfaced. Walker was indeed the destroyer that got Kretschmer.

Here are a couple of shots. Imperialist was an anti-submarine trawler and Douglas a destroyer.

[J Temple-West]

Superb, G. My cap is doffed.

[JimZ]

Gordon

Gentlemen.... pray, raise your kegs to Gordon!

To Gordon To Gordon To Gordon To Gordon To Gordon To Gordon

Jim

[Chris Liontas]

Outstanding gesture!

I never realized just how prized these badges were to U-boat men until I read Steel Boat, Iron Hearts by Hans Goebeler. He makes a point several times to describe the feeling of earning and wearing the U-boat badge, and how such an accomplishment was seen by the general public. Great job Gordon!

[Guest Darrell]

Outstanding gesture!

I never realized just how prized these badges were to U-boat men until I read Steel Boat, Iron Hearts by Hans Goebeler. He makes a point several times to describe the feeling of earning and wearing the U-boat badge, and how such an accomplishment was seen by the general public. Great job Gordon!

I agree ... a picture in Angolia's "For Fuhrer and Fatherland" illustrates the point as clear as anything. The guy has been just awarded his Uboot badge AND the EK2. Look at what's he's the most proud of !!

[John Burchell]

Simply having the pleasure of even meeting and talking with one of these fine gentlemen who survived is an honour in itself, aside from a great personal learning experience. Being able to compensate for such a privilege by restoring one of his badges is honourable, indeed.

By the way, did you learn the name of the POW Camp in Canada where he was interned?

John

Edited November 4, 2006 by John Burchell

[Kev in Deva]

Simply having the pleasure of even meeting and talking with one of these fine gentlemen who survived is an honour in itself, aside from a great personal learning experience. Being able to compensate for such a privilege by restoring one of his badges is honourable, indeed.

By the way, did you learn the name of the POW Camp in Canada where he was interned?

John

Gentlemen

while Mr. Williamson made a nice gesture to an old sub-mariner, Mr. Max Quietsch, lets not forget under whose flag he was sailing at the time, also badges of captured enemy personel were routinely removed from P.O.W. and it was not considered a crime.

Also, I doubt if any members of the Merchant Marine, would have, during the U-boat "Happy Times" of WW2 or directly afterwards, considered members of the German Submarine service to have been gentlemen.

Sometimes it seems our interest with "eye-candy" overshadows what had to be done to earn them, and what they were given out for.

While the Nazi u-boat personel suffered heavy casualties, here under is figure given for:

Allied Merchant Navy Personnel:

Of 30,000 Merchant Navy personnel casualities, 23,000 were the result of U-Boat action.

Most of whom have no known grave. And who have rated very little in the way of commemoration for their sacrifice in helping to stop the III reich.

Kevin in Deva.

[Herr General]

Well done Gordon, you are a true gentleman!

[Flak88]

Gordon,

After the week I spent with Max last year I am happy to see him with the badge. He kept telling me how sad he had been that he never got it back. Thanks so much for doing this and for posting the photos of my old friend. I was lucky enough to get many hours on tape with him and I am working (should i say badgering) the history Channel into doing a piece on Max. Hopefully they will come around. The one missing piece they want is a UK navy crewman and being in the US I haven't been able to locate a vet that might do the show...

Marc