Date of birth:

September 21st, 1914 (Wilhelmshaven/Hannover, Germany)

Date of death:

June 3rd, 2000 (Wuppertal/North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Günther Krech his first assignment was as Wachoffizier on the U 100 under the command of Schepke. On 20th January 1941 he commissioned the U 558 as its commander. His first success was the British ms Otaio (10.298 BRT) on 28th August 1941. His following successes were the Vancouver Island (9.472 BRT) and the sinking of the W.C. Teagle (9.442 BRT) and H.M.S. Gladiolus (corvette) during an attack on Convoy SC-48. During attacks on Convoy ONS-67 in February 1942 he sank the Invarder (tanker), the Eidanger (tanker) and three other ships. In May and June 1942 he sunk the sub-chaser Bedfordshire and six more ships. After refilling the U 558 was operational again in August and by 16th September had destroyed another five vessels. The last victim of U 558 was the Empire Norseman (9.811 BRT tanker) on 23rd February 1943. On 21st July 1943 the U 558 was severely damaged by air bombardments. Krech ordered the ship to be sunk by its own crew. He and his crew were then taken prisoner.
During his career he sunk 21 ships with a total of 119.229 BRT.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

February 26th, 1942

As announced by special bulletin, German submarines sunk in the mid-Atlantic in days of tenacious fighting from a heavily protected convoy seven ships, including two large tankers, with a total of 52 000 GRT. Another six large ships, including a tanker were so badly damaged that their loss can be assumed.
In these attacks, the submarine under the command of Lieutenant Captain Krech particularly distinguished itself.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Kapitänleutnant

Unit:

Kommandant "U 558"

Awarded on:

September 17th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 26th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 9th, 1940

Awarded on:

September 3rd, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 26th, 1940

• Photo 1: Willi Schumacher
• Photo: Willi Schumacher collection
  
• - DIXON, JEREMY, The U-boat Commanders, Naval Institute Press, 2019.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
  - Kurlowski F., Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd, 1995, ISBN 9780887407482