Unno von Fischel

Unno von Fischel
Birth name	Unno Ulrich Max Albert von Fischel
Birth date	5 November 1915(1915-11-05)
Place of birth	Kiel, Province of Schleswig-Holstein, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date	⚔ 12 January 1942 (aged 26)
Place of death	Mediterranean Sea
Allegiance	Weimar Republic National Socialist Germany
Service/branch	Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1934–1942
Rank	Oberleutnant zur See
Commands held	U 374
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Iron Cross

Unno Ulrich Max Albert von Fischel (5 November 1915 – 12 January 1942) was a German naval officer, finally Oberleutnant zur See (1st Lieutenant at Sea) and U-boat commandant (U-Boot-Kommandant) of the Kriegsmarine in World War Two. During three patrols (Feindfahrten) and 79 days at sea, von Fischel sank three British ships, the "Rose Schiaffino" (3,349 GRT) and two auxiliary warships of the Royal Navy, the HMS "Lady Shirley" (477 GRT) and the HMS "Rosabelle" (515 GRT).

Military career (chronology)

U 374 (tower), e.g. with the commandant Oberleutnant z. S. Unno von Fischel

• 8.4.1934 Joined the Reichsmarine as an officer candidate
• 8.4.1934 to 14.6.1934 Basic training at the II. Schiffsstammabteilung der Ostsee, Stralsund
• 15.6.1934 to 26.9.1934 Board training on the sail training ship GORCH FOCK
• 27.9.1934 to 26.6.1935 Board training on the light cruiser KARLSRUHE
• 27.6.1935 to 30.3.1936 Main course for officer cadets (Hauptlehrgang für Fähnriche) with subsequent main officer examination at the naval school, Flensburg-Mürwik
• 31.3.1936 to 30.9.1936 Fähnrichs courses
• 1.4.1939 to 31.3.1940 On the training ship SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN
• 1.4.1940 to 30.6.1940 U-boat training at the U-School, Neustadt/Pillau
• 1.7.1940 to 31.7.1940 Torpedo course for submarine torpedo officers at the torpedo school, Flensburg-Mürwik
• 1.8.1940 to 13.8.1940 Blockade course (Sperrlehrgang) for U-watch officers at the blockade school, Kiel-Wik
• 14.8.1940 to 27.9.1940 Construction instruction (Baubelehrung) for U 97 at U-Boote Ostsee, Kiel
• 28.9.1940 to 26.4.1941 I. Watch officer (I.WO) on U 97
• 27.4.1941 to 21.5.1941 Kommandanten course. Kommandanten shooting course at the 24th Submarine Flotilla, Memel
• 22.5.1941 to 20.6.1941 Building instruction for U 374 at the Warship Building Training Department U-Baltic Sea, Kiel
• 21.6.1941 to 12.1.1942 Kommandant of U 374
  • 21 June 1941 to 31 August 1941 5. Flottille (training)
  • 1 September 1941 to 13 December 1941 1. Flottille (active service)
    • 16 October 1941 to 2 November 1941 U 374 operated with the Wolfpack "Mordbrenner"
  • 14 December 1941 to 12 January 1942 29. Flottille (active service)

Death

After shadowing convoy SC-42 for a day, U 374 was discovered by the Canadian escort corvette HMCS "Buctouche" (K 179) on 2 November 1941, which dropped six depth charges, causing only minor damage. The British destroyer HMS "Legion" and the Dutch destroyer HrMs "Isaac Sweers" depth-charged U 374 on 10 January 1942. She escaped, but was left damaged and unable to submerge. U-374 was ambushed and sunk with torpedoes (4 Mark VII) two days later on 12 January by the British submarine HMS "Unbeaten" in the Mediterranean Sea northeast of Catania (Sicily) / southwest of Cape Spartivento, in position 37.50N, 16.00E (37°50' Nord - 16°00' Ost). Kommandant Unno von Fischel and 41 had fallen, seaman Hans Ploch survived and was recovered by the HMS "Unbeaten".

Family

Unno was the second child and only son of Admiral Hermann von Fischel and his wife Dorothea Marie Adelheid Elisabeth, née Borckenhagen (1853–1892). His paternal grandfather was Admiral à la suite Max von Fischel, most recently Chief of the Admiralty of the Navy, who was elevated to the hereditary Prussian nobility in 1908. His maternal great-uncle was Admiral Friedrich Ludwig Wilhelm Carl Borckenhagen.

Promotions

• 8.4.1934 Offiziersanwärter (Officer Candidate) of the Crew 1934
  • This crew of the Reichsmarine started with 291 officer cadets.
• 26.9.1934 Seekadett (Cadet at Sea)
  • As of 1 June 1935, von Fischel as a member of the Kriegsmarine.
• 1.7.1935 Fähnrich zur See (Officer Cadet)
• 1.1.1937 Oberfähnrich zur See (Senior Officer Cadet)
• 1.4.1937 Leutnant zur See (2nd Lieutenant at Sea)
• 1.4.1939 Oberleutnant zur See (1st Lieutenant at Sea)

Awards and decorations

• Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th Class
• Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 8 March 1941
  • 1st Class on 14 November 1941
• U-boat War Badge 1939 (U-Boot-Kriegsabzeichen) on 14 April 1941

External links

• Unno von Fischel, U-Boot-Archiv Wiki
• Unno von Fischel, uboat.net