Robert-Richard Zapp
Robert-Richard Zapp | |
---|---|
File:Richard Zapp.jpg | |
Born | Germersheim | 3 April 1904
Died | 17 July 1964 Kiel | (aged 60)
Allegiance |
|
Service | |
Years of service | 1923–45 |
Rank | Fregattenkapitän |
Commands | |
Battles / wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Robert-Richard Zapp (3 April 1904 – 17 July 1964) was a German U-boat commander in World War II. As commander of the Type IXC U-boat U-66, he sank sixteen ships on five patrols, for a total of 106,200 tons of Allied shipping, to become the 27th highest scoring U-Boat ace of World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career
Robert-Richard Zapp joined the Reichsmarine in May 1923.[Note 1] Before joining the U-boat service in 1939, he served aboard a minesweeper and later on took command of 251 Marineflak (Naval anti-aircraft artillery). After initial training, he served on board U-46 for a short while under Oberleutnant zur See Engelbert Endrass, with whom he participated in the battle against Convoy HX 79 in October 1940.[1]
Zapp was appointed commander of U-66 in January 1941. U-66 was one of the boats that participated in the first wave of attacks in "Operation Drumbeat". On the first patrol of this operation, he sank five vessels, totalling 33,456 tons. On his second patrol off the eastern seaboard of the USA he sank six vessels totaling 43,946 tons. They included the 7,988 GRT Canadian passenger liner RMS Lady Hawkins on 19 January, whose final death toll was 251.[2] Zapp was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 April 1942.[1]
In June 1942 he was posted ashore to become commander of 3rd U-boat Flotilla, based at La Rochelle, France. On 1 January 1945 he was promoted to Fregattenkapitän. In the last three months of the war, he became commander of Marine-Regiment Zapp and defended the U-boat base at La Rochelle until the very end of the war in May 1945. He spent over two years in a French captivity and was released on 7 July 1947.[1]
Summary of career
Ships attacked
As a U-boat commander of U-66 Zapp is credited with the sinking of 16 ships for a total of 106,200 gross register tons (GRT), and damaging one further ship, the Geo. W. McNight, of 12,502 GRT.
Date | Ship | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|
29 June 1941 | George J. Goulandris | Greece | 4,345 | Sunk |
29 June 1941 | Kalypso Vergotti | Greece | 5,686 | Sunk |
30 June 1941 | Saint Aslem | United Kingdom | 5,614 | Sunk |
19 July 1941 | Holmside | United Kingdom | 3,433 | Sunk |
26 July 1941 | I. C. White | Panama | 7,052 | Sunk |
18 January 1942 | Allan Jackson | United States | 6,635 | Sunk |
19 January 1942 | RMS Lady Hawkins | Royal Canadian Navy | 7,988 | Sunk |
22 January 1942 | Olympic | Panama | 5,335 | Sunk |
24 January 1942 | Empire Gem | United Kingdom | 8,139 | Sunk |
24 January 1942 | Venore | United States | 8,017 | Sunk |
14 April 1942 | Korthion | Greece | 2,116 | Sunk |
16 April 1942 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 7,329 | Sunk |
17 April 1942 | Heinrich von Riedemann | Panama | 11,020 | Sunk |
26 April 1942 | Alcoa Partner | United States | 5,513 | Sunk |
29 April 1942 | Harry G. Siedel | Panama | 10,354 | Sunk |
2 May 1942 | Sandar | Norway | 7,624 | Sunk |
3 May 1942 | Geo. W. McNight | United Kingdom | 12,502 | Damaged |
Awards
- U-boat War Badge (14 May 1941)[3]
- Iron Cross (1939)
- War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords (30 January 1945)[4]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 April 1942 as Korvettenkapitän and commander of U-66[5][6]
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 27 January 1942 and 7 May 1942
Wehrmachtbericht references
Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
---|---|---|
Tuesday, 27 January 1942 | [Wie durch Sondermeldung bekanntgegeben, versenkten deutsche Unterseeboote an der nordamerikanischen und kanadischen Küste in Fortsetzung ihrer Angriffe auf die feindliche Schiffahrt in diesen Gewässern weitere zwölf Handelsschiffe mit zusammen 103 000 BRT, darunter sechs große Tanker. Bei diesen Angriffen war das Unterseeboot des Korvettenkapitäns Zapp besonders erfolgreich.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)[7] | As announced by special bulletin, German submarines at the North American and Canadian coast in continuation of their attacks against enemy shipping in these waters, sank further twelve merchant ships totaling 103,000 GRT, including six large tankers. In these attacks the submarine of Lieutenant Commander Zapp was particularly successful. |
Thursday, 7 May 1942 | [Bei den Erfolgen deutscher Unterseeboote zeichnete sich das Unterseeboot unter Führung des Korvettenkapitäns Zapp besonders aus.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)[8] | In the success of German submarines, the submarine under the command of Lieutenant Commander Zapp distinguished itself from the rest. |
Notes
- ^ The German Reichsmarine which was renamed the Kriegsmarine on 1 June 1935.
References
- Notes
- ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "Fregattenkapitän Richard Zapp". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur (1995–2014). "Lady Hawkins - Ships hit by U-boats". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ a b c Busch & Röll 2003, p. 210.
- ^ Busch & Röll 2003, p. 211.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 802.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 455.
- ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, p. 20.
- ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, p. 106.
- Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (2003). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939–1945 — Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 978-3-8132-0515-2.
{{cite book}}
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suggested) (help) - Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
{{cite book}}
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suggested) (help) - Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-88740-748-2.
- Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-87943-355-1.
{{cite book}}
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suggested) (help) - Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
{{cite book}}
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suggested) (help) - Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.
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External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "Robert-Richard Zapp". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
- 1904 births
- 1964 deaths
- German prisoners of war
- Kriegsmarine personnel
- Military personnel referenced in the Wehrmachtbericht
- People from Germersheim
- People from the Palatinate (region)
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- Recipients of the War Merit Cross, 2nd class
- Reichsmarine personnel
- U-boat commanders
- World War II prisoners of war held by France