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Bonte, Friedrich (Kommodore)

Date of birth:
October 19th, 1896 (Potsdam, Germany)
Date of death:
April 10th, 1940 ("Wilhelm Heidekamp"/Narvik, Norway)
Buried on:
German Submarines Memorial
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Promotions:
01.04.1914: Seekadett
13.07.1916: Leutnant zur See
28.09.1920: Oberleutnant zur See
01.04.1926: Kapitänleutnant
01.09.1933: Korvettenkapitän
01.04.1937: Fregattenkapitän
01.04.1939: Kapitän zur See
10.02.1940: Kommodore

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Unit:
Adjudant, Kommandeur, Baltische See Kommando
Awarded on:
October 24th, 1935
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Luitenant ter Zee 1e Klasse)
Unit:
Adjudant der Kommandeur Baltische See Kommando
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Luitenant ter Zee 1e Klasse)
Unit:
Adjudant der Kommandeur Baltische See Kommando
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  3.Klasse, 12 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Luitenant ter Zee 1e Klasse)
Unit:
Adjudant der Kommandeur Baltische See Kommando
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  2. Klasse, 18 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Luitenant ter Zee 1e Klasse)
Unit:
Adjudant der Kommandeur Baltische See Kommando
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  1.Klasse, 25 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Fregattenkapitän (Commander)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 2. Zerstörerflottille
Awarded on:
August 20th, 1938
Magyar Érdemrend Középkeresztje
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitän zur See (Captain Royal Navy)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 2. Zerstörerflottille
Awarded on:
October 16th, 1939
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitän zur See (Captain Royal Navy)
Unit:
Kommandeur der Zerstörer
Awarded on:
November 13th, 1939
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitän zur See (Captain Royal Navy)
Unit:
Kommandeur der Zerstörer
Awarded on:
April 14th, 1940
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitän zur See (Captain Royal Navy)
Unit:
Kommandeur der Zerstörer
Awarded on:
April 17th, 1940
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitän zur See (Captain Royal Navy)
Unit:
Führer, Zerstörer und Kampfgruppe 'Narvik'
Awarded on:
October 17th, 1940
Awarded for his achievements during the Norwegian Campaign. He was the man who led Gruppe Narvik in one of the most contentious engagements of this particular theatre. He had the most difficult mission of all the German naval groups, being tasked with carrying General Dietl and his Gebirgsjäger on a 1200 knot journey through the British-dominated North Sea and into Narvik. He was able to land these men near Narvik successfully, but later he went down during the subsequent naval combat with the British fleet.

Awarded Posthumously.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
March 1941
Zerstörer-Kriegsabzeichen
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
April 9th, 1941
Narvikschild in Gold

Sources

Photo