Date of birth:

January 15th, 1914 (Karlsruhe/Baden-Württemberg, Germany)

Date of death:

September 27th, 1943 (near Salvador da Bahia, Brasil)

Nationality:

German

Albrecht Achilles began his naval career in April 1934. He then served on the school ship Schleswig-Holstein and on the battleship Gneisenau. After a year at the Marineschule Mürwik instructing future officers, he transferred to the U-boat force in April 1940.
After the usual training he made three patrols on U-66 under Korvkpt. Richard Zapp. He left the boat in November 1941 and in January 1942 took command of the IXC boat U-161. He operated mostly in the Caribbean, but also in Brazilian and African waters. In March 1942 he sank the US Coast Guard ship Acacia and in October of that year damaged the British light cruiser Phoebe (5,450 tons).
Albrecht Achilles died when U-161 was sunk with all 53 hands lost in September 1943 by a US Navy aircraft Catalina VP-74 / P-2, South Atlantic near Salvador da Bahia at 12° 30' s. Br., 35° w. L.

Promotions:
26th September 1934: Seekadett;
1st October 1934: Obermatrose;
1st January 1935: Oberstabsmatrose;
1st July 1935: Fähnrich zur See;
?: Oberfähnrich zur See;
16th April 1937: Leutnant zur See;
13th April 1939: Oberleutnant zur See;
14th August 1941: Kapitänleutnant;
5th April 1945: Korvettenkapitän (posthumous).

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant zur See

Unit:

Schlachtschiff Gneisenau

Awarded on:

April 8th, 1938

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant zur See

Unit:

U-66 der 2. Unterseebootsflottille

Awarded on:

August 7th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant zur See

Unit:

U-66 der 2. Unterseebootsflottille

Awarded on:

August 7th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Kapitänleutnant

Unit:

Kommandant U-161 der 2. Unterseebootsflottille

Awarded on:

April 5th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandant U 161 / 2.Unterseebootsflottille

Awarded on:

January 16th, 1943

The following newspaper excerpt (dated 23./24.01.1943) describes why Achilles received the Knight’s Cross…

“Kapitänleutnant Achilles has sunk 14 merchant ships (with 77000 GRT) and a destroyer while serving as a U-Boat commander. He achieved his successes in waters that were particularly difficult to navigate; important examples of which include the times where he entered into the ports of Port of Spain (Trinidad), Puerto Limon (Costa Rica) and Banana (Congo).”

Post-war records reveal that, by this time, he had actually sunk a total of 11 ships (with 53817 GRT) and damaged a further 6 ships (with 41122 GRT) as commander of U-161. The latter total included the British cruiser HMS Phoebe.

• Photo: Wilco Vermeer
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