U-boat Commander Herbert Bruninghaus

[John R.]

He does not show up since he was enlisted, not an officer. The navigator position on a U-boat was a senior enlisted rating, called the Obersteuerman (Chief Petty Officer, Navigation).

Since you say earlier in the war, meaning after 1 September 1939, then he was a Petty Officer, not an Officer. Therefore he will not be in the officer lists until actually becoming an officer. He would not show up in the rank list until after 1941 based on the facts at hand.

So he enlisted in 1931 and did not become an officer until after 1941.

John

[rhudspith]

Solved then. Would he have gone to officer school and be in the crew intake lists?

[John R.]

He clearly qualified for NCO training and that meant a 12 year obligation in itself. The entire German selection process seemed very merit oriented during and after basic training. Those deemed qualified for officers training could do so and that obligation was at the time unlimited service obligation to age of retirement.

So it appears that as an NCO he was selected for officer's U-boat training and entered that pipeline. I am not sure if he would show up on the list upon admission to officers' training or following graduation and the status entered would be midshipman or cadet. I think upon admission.

It does appear that once the war got going, following basic training at Mürwik, which was the same for all ranks (general sailor, NCO or Officer) with heavy emphasis on infantry training, the officer cadets then went to submarine school while the enlisted submariners went to their specialty submarine courses. They then came together on training boats in the Baltic as they formed up crews.

I think there were of course many sailors that could have gone the officers/NCO route after basic training but turned it down for various reasons--meaning the difference in intellect between the Captain and the average sailor on a U-boat was probably not great if at all--this also makes training in depth possible so that if the seniors are killed or disabled, junior sailors and officers can readily take over.

[hornetsfan]

scan0120.jpg Bruninghaus on wedding day

[hornetsfan]

scan0057.jpg German leader visiting U 7 ...Is there a record of this visit anywhere ...I would like to know date .

[hornetsfan]

scan0124.jpg U-boat top brass from Bruninghaus album ...can anyone put a name / rank to these men ?

[hornetsfan]

scan0136.jpg Hopefully one to raise a smile ..I love this photo ,have it blown up large and framed on wall above the loo ...girlfriend hates it ..

[hornetsfan]

[B][SIZE="4"]In respect of previous posting ..a photo of WW1 Commander Otto Wunsche seated ..in conning tower of U-25 , can scan0422.jpgSIZE][/B

[hornetsfan]

In respect of the last photo ,I meant to ask if anyone can identify the ranks of men either side of Otto Wunsche ? many thanks
jim

[RichardT]

Jim, I've e-mailed you a summary of Herbert Bruninghaus' navy career.

Richard

[hornetsfan]

Hello richard , to which email have you sent the details ? , as I have received nothing email is throughtheireyes3@yahoo.co.uk
many thanks
jim

[Zephyrmec]

[ATTACH]1381789[/ATTACH] Hopefully one to raise a smile ..I love this photo ,have it blown up large and framed on wall above the loo ...girlfriend hates it ..

I'd happily make a donation for a good high resolution .jpg of the photo in post #22. Not for resale or any other purpose, but for a similar purpose you have it hanging in the loo. My wife would come unglued if I printed a good size copy of this one and framed it for display. PM me and I'll work out a way to send you some funds pay-pal, IMO, or whatever we can work out.
Thanks, Mike

[hornetsfan]

Big thanks to Richard who came up trumps re info on Bruninghaus .
Mike , I'm away from home pc at moment , but email me and I will send an email attachment of the photo if you want one ...alternatively I have some nice quality reprints available ..or you can have a cd with a load of other high res u-boat images .
The chap having a pee always cheers me up when i'm at the pan ...I should give him a name , he appears to be smiling , although you can only see the side of his face ...how amazed would he have been to realise that his little sprinkle captured in this image , would be on a Englishmans toilet wall 70 years after the event and then sent all over the world .
One wag on another u-boat forum site, copied this image from here and titled it " emptying the bilge "...
jim