Date of birth:

June 25th, 1915 (Nuremberg/Bavaria,Germany)

Date of death:

February 23rd, 1943 (Middle Atlantic Ocean, Southwest of Madeira)

Buried on:

German Submarines Memorial

Nationality:

German

Promotions:
08-04-1934 Offiziersanwärter
26-09-1934 Seekadett
01-07-1935 Fähnrich zur See
01-01-1937 Oberfähnrich zur See
01-07-1937 Leutnant zur See
01-04-1939 Oberleutnant zur See
01-04-1942 Kapitänleutnant

Herbert Schneider began his naval career with the Reichsmarine on 8 April 1934 as a member "Crew 1934" (the incoming class of 1934).. After officer's training, he transferred to the Luftwaffe and received air reconnaissance training in October 1936. In early 1939 (22 February 1939 – 30 April 1939), during the Spanish Civil War, he spent a few months in Spain making eight sorties with the Aufklärungsgruppe See 88 (AS/88—88th sea reconnaissance group) of the "Legion Condor". In October 1940 he returned to the Kriegsmarine. Over the next several months he received U-boat training and became the I. Wachoffizier (1st watch officer) on the U-123. After two patrols, he left to complete commander training, and it was then that he received the commission for the U-522. During his first patrol in the North Atlantic he sank four ships, totalling 20,077 tons and damaged another vessel. During his second patrol, he sunk three ships sunk and damaged another.
U-522 was sunk by depth charges from the British cutter HMS Totland on 23 February 1943, which resulted in the loss of all hands.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant zur See (Sub-lieutenant)

Unit:

3. Küstenfliegerstaffel, Küstenfliegergruppe 506, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

October 1st, 1937

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant zur See (Sub-lieutenant)

Awarded on:

April 8th, 1938

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant zur See

Awarded on:

June 11th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandant U 522, 2. Unterseebootsflottille, Kriegsmarine

Awarded on:

November 21st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandant U 522, 2. Unterseebootsflottille, Kriegsmarine

Awarded on:

December 4th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandant U 522, 2. Unterseebootsflottille, Kriegsmarine

Awarded on:

January 16th, 1943

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

“His [Achilles’] comrade Kapitänleutnant Schneider sunk 15 merchant ships (with 89000 GRT) out of the ranks of heavily escorted convoys. He also torpedoed a destroyer. He was mentioned by name in the Wehrmachtbericht of the 21.11.1942 for separating 11 merchant ships from the remainder of a convoy.”

• - DIXON, JEREMY, The U-boat Commanders, Naval Institute Press, 2019.
  - RAINER BUSCH & HANS-JOACHIM RÖLL, Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945, Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GMBH, 2003.
  - das-ritterkreuz.de
  - uboat.net
  - Die Grenz-Zeitung (Edition 22/23)
  - Herbert Schneider: German World War II U-boat commander (1915-1943) - Biography and Life
  

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