General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
Re: Skipper of U-805
Posted by:
Kurt Ulmer
()
Date: December 24, 2001 08:55AM
<HTML>My late father, Kurt Ulmer was Maschinen Obermaat E-Anlage, (Chief Petty Officer Electrical) on U-805.
Richard Bernardelli (22 Nov. 1908 -21 Feb. 1986)
Richard Bernardelli was born on 22 November 1908 in Wilhelmshaven to Leutnant Walter Bernardelli and his wife Wilhelmine nee Bennitt. After attending the local high school for nine years and matriculation, he entered the Reichsmarine service 1 October 1925 as an ordinary sailor. He was one of the “100,000 men army†allowed Germany under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. His first posting was to a coastal defence unit for 12 months followed by service on a North Sea shore recruit base until January 1927. He served aboard a vessel for the first time from then until October 1928 as Able Seaman on the torpedo boats “T155†and “Greifâ€.
Bernardelli commenced his formal navy education in the Marineschule Friedrichsort until April 1929. He went to sea again for three months aboard the sale training ship Niobe. He attended a ship’s artillery course for gun crew leaders between June and September at the Schiffsartillerieschule. He returned to the recruitment base where he undertook further training courses until the early December when as a newly promoted boatswain’s mate he was posted back to Niobe until mid February 1930. He served in a Baltic base until the middle of 1930 and spent the summer on Niobe. He trained as a Signalgast (signalman) and had become very competent as shown by the many pennants and badges he won in service competitions. He was transferred to the cruiser Emden in October and took part in a year-long overseas cruise to Spain, the Mediterranean, East Asia, Japan, Indian Ocean, South Africa, West Africa and Atlantic Islands returning home for Christmas 1931.
Bernardelli returned to Niobe and served from December until the fateful 26 July 1932....
More in my forthcoming book on "Endgame" the detailed account of "Gruppe Seewolf"....which includes the history of U-805 based on primary American, British and German archival sources including Bernardelli's and U-805's war diaries, interviews with U-805 crew members and crew of the American destroyer escort Otter (DE 210).
By the way, Bernardelli handed over his boat on 12 May 1945 near Cape Race Newfoundland about 8 AM. The English term "surrender" applies inasmuch as Bernardelli handed over (surrendered) his boat. He did not surrender, meaning capitulate. The German Government under Dönitz did.
The caption under the U-805 photo in this site is incorrect. U-805 arrived under escort at first by Otter and Varian from Newfoundland, then 40 miles off Portsmouth by the Coast Guard Cutters Argo and Dione at Portsmouth NH on 15 May. The other ship in the photo is a navy tug. The "surrender" had taken place off Newfoundland when Lt. White of the Otter declared U-805 the property of the United States and her crew prisoners of war.
Bernardelli was at Portsmouth Naval Prison overnight and taken to Fort Hunt VA for interrogation (transcripts exist). He spent time also at Camp Dermott in Arkansas until his release.
Kurt Ulmer
Researcher and author
U-805 Honorary Boat Historian.</HTML>
Richard Bernardelli (22 Nov. 1908 -21 Feb. 1986)
Richard Bernardelli was born on 22 November 1908 in Wilhelmshaven to Leutnant Walter Bernardelli and his wife Wilhelmine nee Bennitt. After attending the local high school for nine years and matriculation, he entered the Reichsmarine service 1 October 1925 as an ordinary sailor. He was one of the “100,000 men army†allowed Germany under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. His first posting was to a coastal defence unit for 12 months followed by service on a North Sea shore recruit base until January 1927. He served aboard a vessel for the first time from then until October 1928 as Able Seaman on the torpedo boats “T155†and “Greifâ€.
Bernardelli commenced his formal navy education in the Marineschule Friedrichsort until April 1929. He went to sea again for three months aboard the sale training ship Niobe. He attended a ship’s artillery course for gun crew leaders between June and September at the Schiffsartillerieschule. He returned to the recruitment base where he undertook further training courses until the early December when as a newly promoted boatswain’s mate he was posted back to Niobe until mid February 1930. He served in a Baltic base until the middle of 1930 and spent the summer on Niobe. He trained as a Signalgast (signalman) and had become very competent as shown by the many pennants and badges he won in service competitions. He was transferred to the cruiser Emden in October and took part in a year-long overseas cruise to Spain, the Mediterranean, East Asia, Japan, Indian Ocean, South Africa, West Africa and Atlantic Islands returning home for Christmas 1931.
Bernardelli returned to Niobe and served from December until the fateful 26 July 1932....
More in my forthcoming book on "Endgame" the detailed account of "Gruppe Seewolf"....which includes the history of U-805 based on primary American, British and German archival sources including Bernardelli's and U-805's war diaries, interviews with U-805 crew members and crew of the American destroyer escort Otter (DE 210).
By the way, Bernardelli handed over his boat on 12 May 1945 near Cape Race Newfoundland about 8 AM. The English term "surrender" applies inasmuch as Bernardelli handed over (surrendered) his boat. He did not surrender, meaning capitulate. The German Government under Dönitz did.
The caption under the U-805 photo in this site is incorrect. U-805 arrived under escort at first by Otter and Varian from Newfoundland, then 40 miles off Portsmouth by the Coast Guard Cutters Argo and Dione at Portsmouth NH on 15 May. The other ship in the photo is a navy tug. The "surrender" had taken place off Newfoundland when Lt. White of the Otter declared U-805 the property of the United States and her crew prisoners of war.
Bernardelli was at Portsmouth Naval Prison overnight and taken to Fort Hunt VA for interrogation (transcripts exist). He spent time also at Camp Dermott in Arkansas until his release.
Kurt Ulmer
Researcher and author
U-805 Honorary Boat Historian.</HTML>
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
Skipper of U-805
|
Guy Garofano | 12/23/2001 03:23PM |
|
Re: Skipper of U-805
|
Webmaster@U-35.com | 12/23/2001 07:04PM |
|
Re: Skipper of U-805
|
FAlmeida | 12/23/2001 11:58PM |
|
Re: Skipper of U-805
|
Kurt Ulmer | 12/24/2001 08:55AM |
|
Re: Skipper of U-805
|
Guy Garofano | 12/24/2001 11:23PM |
|
Re: Skipper of U-805
|
Bernardelli | 05/09/2015 03:59PM |
|
Re: Skipper of U-805
|
K. R. Ulmer | 04/10/2016 05:31AM |
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Re: Skipper of U-805
|
Kurt Ulmer | 12/24/2001 09:01AM |
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Re: Skipper of U-805
|
ted cutler | 12/24/2001 08:07PM |
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Re: Skipper of U-805
|
Kurt Ulmer | 12/25/2001 08:02AM |
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Re: Skipper of U-805
|
FAlmeida | 12/25/2001 06:04PM |
|
Re: Skipper of U-805
|
Rainer Bruns | 01/04/2002 03:55PM |