Germany - Third Reich: A Battle of the Atlantic U-Boat casualty, Norwegian Campaign Iron Cross 2nd Class, Minesweeping Badge, and Battle of the Atlantic U-Boat Badge and Iron Cross 1st Class document grouping awarded to Obermaschiniesten Walter Kloeber who having seen service aboard the Fishing Security Boat ‘Elbe’ would serve during the Norwegian Campaign most likely aboard Minesweepers being awarded an Iron Cross 2nd Class on 17th June 1940. He would go on to be awarded the Minesweepers Badge in January 1941, before joining the U-Boat service in February or March 1941. Kloeber would then serve aboard U-563 during the Battle of the Atlantic coming under fire from Allied aircraft on a number of occasions, whilst being involved in the sinking of the Destroyer HMS Cossack to the west of Gibraltar and then subsequently three allied merchant ships as well as damaging a further two. This included damaging the 7,261 ton Fresno City and sinking the 7,117 ton Pacific Grove and 2,666 ton Dutch Merchant ship Ulysses all in one action on 12th April 1943. He would be aboard U-563 when it was sunk by two Halifax aircraft and a Sunderland flying boat on 31st May 1943, the U-Boat being lost with 49 of its crew including Kloeber.
Award Certificates:
1) Wehrmacht 4 Year Long Service Medal awarded in Wilhelmshaven on 1st January 1939 as a Maschinenmaaten of the Fischereischutzboot ‘Elbe’. Signed by correctness by a Korvettenkapitan under Kommandeur.
2) Iron Cross 2nd Class awarded in Oslo on 17th June 1940 as a Machine Mate. Signed by Boehm as Admiral und Commanding Admiral of Norway.
Boehm received the German Cross in Gold on 20th November 1941.
3) Minesweeper Badge awarded at Wilhelmshaven on 3rd January 1941 as Maschinenobermaaten. Signed by Bohmer as a Kapitan zur See and Commander of Minesweeping Flotilla Nord.
Bohmer was awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross on 6th October 1940 as Kapitan zur See and Chief of Staff of the Security Forces of the North Sea.
4) U-Boat Badge awarded on 17th January 1943 as an Obermaschinist. Signed in ink by Donitz as Admiral and Commander of U-Boats
5) Iron Cross 1st Class awarded on 25th April 1943 as an Obermaschinisten. Signed by Rosing as Kapitan zur see und Commander of U-Boat Command West.
Rosing was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 29th August 1940 as Chief of the 7th U-Boat Flotilla and Commander of U-48.
Certificates and other documents:
Kennkarte issued to Hermann Daniel Kloeber (brother?) in Diedenhofen on 31st August 1942 with a photograph of Kloeber in civilian clothes and stating he was born in Katernberg near Essen.
Death Certificate for a Heroes Death on 31st May 1943 as an Obermaschinist. Issued in the West on 12th May 1944 and signed for correctness by a Korvettenkapitan und Flotillenchef.
Fieldpost Letter from Feldpost Nr. 06153 dated 12th May 1944 forwarding the above death certificate.
A photograph of Kloeber in his uniform.
Walter Kloeber was born on 25th May 1915 and having joined the Navy initially saw service aboard the Fishing Security Boat ‘Elbe’ and would be still serving there when he was awarded his 4 Year Long Service Medal on 1st January 1939. He would go on to see service during the Norwegian Campaign most likely as part of the Minesweeping Flotilla, and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class for an act of gallantry during the campaign In Norway on 17th June 1940.
The German Kriegsmarine suffered significant damage to its forces during the invasion of Norway, including to capital ships and a large number of its destroyers in a campaign which considerably damaged the effectiveness of its surface fleet.
He would still be serving with Minesweepers on 3rd January 1941 when he would receive the Minesweeping Badge for his service with the Minesweeping Flotilla North.
Kloeber would go on to join U-563 shortly afterwards most likely around the time of its launch and commissioning during February and March 1941.
U-563s first patrol was from Kiel in Germany, she then headed for the Atlantic Ocean via the gap separating the Faroe and Shetland islands and would arrive at Brest in occupied France on 10th September 1941.
Having lest Brest on 4th October 1941, U-563 was unsuccessfully attacked by a Bristol Blenheim a day later whilst serving west of Brittany. She would then sink the British Destroyer HMS Cossack west of Gibraltar on 24th October 1941, but was attacked by another British ship, the corvette HMS Heliotrope west of Cape St. Vincent on the 25th. Although forced to submerge, the boat did not sustain any damage.
U-563 would again by attacked on 30th November 1941 by a Whitely of No.502 Squadron, Royal Air Force in the Bay of Biscay. The damage was serious enough that the submarine could not dive and the commander was wounded, obliging the boat to return to Germany for repairs.
For her fourth sortie-U-563 again went into the Atlantic, sailing west of Ireland. She then turned northeast for the gap between the Faroe and Shetland Islands. She arrived at Bergen in Norway on 3rd February 1942. Her fifth patrol, following short trips to Hamburg and Kiel, was in many respects, her fourth outing in reverse, starting in Kiel and finishing in Brest.
She departed Brest on 9th December 1942 and sank the Bretalda about 330 nautical miles (610km; 380 miles) west northwest of Cape Finisterre (northwest Spain) on the 18th. The boat returned to Brest on 14th January 1943.
U-563 was attacked by a Bristol Beaufighter on 22nd March 1943 which caused only slight damage, The U-Boat then attacked and damaged Sunoil with a torpedo on 5th April, this ship was subsequently sunk by U-530. U-563 was then attacked on the seventh by a B-24 Liberator of 86 Squadron. Damage was slight, but two men were lost when the submarine crash-dived.
On her most successful day, 12th April 1943, the boat sank the Pacific Grove and damaged the Fresno City was sunk later that day by U-706. U-563 also sank the Dutch ship Ulysses in the same area.
The boat left Brest for the last time on 29th May 1943. On the 31st she was sunk by two British Handley Page Halifaxes of 58 Squadron and an Australian Sunderland flying boat of No.10 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force and a Sunderland from No. 228 Squadron, Royal Air Force.
Forty nine men including Kloeber were lost in the sinking of U-563.
