Heinz Franke

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 36)


Successes
3 ships sunk for a total of 13,010 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 925 tons

Born  30 Nov 1915 Berlin-Steglitz
Died  5 Apr 2003(87)


Kapitänleutnant Heinz Franke

Ranks

3 Apr 1936Offiziersanwärter
10 Sep 1936Seekadett
1 May 1937Fähnrich zur See
1 Jul 1938Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Oct 1938Leutnant zur See
1 Oct 1940Oberleutnant zur See
1 Apr 1943Kapitänleutnant

Decorations

23 Feb 1940Iron Cross 2nd Class
21 Nov 1941U-boat War Badge 1939
12 Dec 1941Iron Cross 1st Class
30 Nov 1943Knights Cross
24 Jan 1945U-boat Front Clasp

U-boat Commands

U-boatFromTo
U-148 16 Jan 1942 19 Oct 1942   No war patrols 
U-262 26 Oct 1942 25 Jan 1944   5 patrols (222 days) 
U-3509 15 Mar 1945 9 Apr 1945   No war patrols 
U-2502 12 Apr 1945 8 May 1945   No war patrols 

Personal information


Kapitänleutnant Heinz Franke

Heinz Franke joined the Kriegsmarine in April 1936 and was a member of the so called Olympia-Crew. He served for more than two years on the battle cruiser Gneisenau and was on board during her two patrols in 1939.

In October 1940 he transferred to the U-boat force and after the usual training he became first watch officer (I WO) on U-84. After three patrols he left the boat in December 1941 and took over the school boat U-148 which he commanded for 10 months in the Baltic Sea.

In October 1942 he became commander of the front boat U-262 and just one month later on his first patrol he sank the Norwegian corvette Montbretia (925 tons). In May 1943 Franke was to pick up some captured U-boat men who planned to escape in the Gulf of St. Lorenz, but the breakout failed and he returned home without them.


Heinz Franke

In January 1944 Heinz Franke left U-262 and was attached to the BdU org staff. After serving in several other staff positions and in a midget U-boat unit, he took command of U-3509 in March 1945. When the U-boat was damaged on 4 April, 1945 he transferred to U-2502, which he commanded to the end of the war.

After the war he spent six months in captivity, then served in a minesweeper unit.

In 1957 he joined the Bundesmarine, where he worked in the Amt für Militärkunde (department for military subjects). He retired in March 1972 as Fregattenkapitän.

Heinz Franke passed away on 5 April, 2003 suffering from advanced Alzheimers disease.

Patrol info for Heinz Franke


 U-boat Departure Arrival  
1. U-262 5 Nov 1942  Narvik  9 Dec 1942  La Pallice  Patrol 1,35 days
2. U-262 16 Jan 1943  La Pallice  15 Feb 1943  La Pallice  Patrol 2,31 days
3. U-262 27 Mar 1943  La Pallice  25 May 1943  La Pallice  Patrol 3,60 days
4. U-262 24 Jul 1943  La Pallice  2 Sep 1943  La Pallice  Patrol 4,41 days
5. U-262 14 Oct 1943  La Pallice  7 Dec 1943  La Pallice  Patrol 5,55 days
5 patrols, 222 days at sea

Ships hit by Heinz Franke


Date BoatName of shipTonsNat.ConvoyFate *
18 Nov, 1942 U-262 HNoMS Montbretia (K 208)925  nw  ONS-144 
26 Nov, 1942 U-262 Ocean Crusader7,178  br  HX-216 
 
6 Feb, 1943 U-262 Zagloba2,864  po  SC-118 
31 Oct, 1943 U-262 Hallfried2,968  nw  SL-138 
 13,935

* Unless otherwise noted the ships listed here were sunk.


Decorations and ranks information is in many cases not complete. If you can help on any of those missing that would be great.

Listing of all U-boat commanders