Utke, Kurt

Date of birth:: December 2nd, 1893 (Frankfurt/Oder, Germany)
Date of death:: September 30th, 1970 (ivo Leermos, Tyrol)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Promotions:

Seekadett: 13 April 1912
Fähnrich zur See: 12 April 1913
Leutnant zur See: 22 March 1915 (Patenting reserved)
Leutnant zur See: 12 October 1916 (Patent 22 March 1915)
Oberleutnant zur See: 25 December 1917
Kapitänleutnant: 1 January 1924
Korvettenkäpitan: 1 October 1931
Fregattenkapitän: 1 April 1936
Kapitän zur See: 1 October 1937
Konteradmiral: 1 March 1942
Vizeadmiral: 1 February 1944
Commands & Assignments:

13 April 1912: Entered the Imperial German Navy as a Sea Cadet.
13 April 1912-10 March 1913: Initial training aboard the protected cruiser Victoria Louise.
11 March 1913-11 August 1913: Naval School Mürwick and Special Course.
12 August 1913-4 November 1914: Assigned to the armored cruiser Yorck. [On 4 November 1914, Utke survived the sinking of the Yorck after it struck a mine off the Jade with the loss of 336 crewmembers.]
15 November 1914-March 1915: Assigned to the 5. Matrosen-Regiment of the Marinekorps in Flanders.
March 1915-March 1917: Assigned to the battlecruiser von der Tann. [Assigned to Vizeadmiral Franz Hipper’s I Scouting Group, the von der Tann took part in the epic Battle of Jutland against the British Grand Fleet, 31 May-1 June 1916.
March 1917-June 1917: Submarine training at the U-boat School.
June 1917-April 1918: Watch Officer aboard the submarine UC 71 in the Flanders Flotilla.
April 1918-26 June 1918: Commander of the submarine UC 11 in the Flanders Flotilla.
26 June1918-30 May 1920: Prisoner of war when the UC 11 sank after apparently striking one of its own mines in the North Sea (Kurt Utke was the only survivor); returned to Germany and on leave.
31 May 1920-24 October 1920: Platoon Leader in Coast Defense Regiment Wilhelmshaven.
25 October 1920-8 March 1922: Company Leader in the North Sea Schiffsstammdivision [Ship’s Cadre Division].
9 March 1922-30 September 1924: Watch Officer aboard the light cruiser Berlin.
1 October 1924-24 September 1926: Company Leader in Coast Defense Battalion IV.
27 September 1926-23 September 1928: First Torpedo Officer aboard the pre-dreadnought battleship Elsaß.
24 September 1928-4 October 1932: Military Consultant at the Eckernförde Torpedo Development and Proving Institute.
6 January 1933-26 September 1934: First Officer of the light cruiser Leipzig.
27 September 1934-3 October 1937: Commander of the IV. Naval Artillery Battalion.
4 October 1937-17 April 1939: Commander of the Torpedo School.
20 April 1939-16 November 1939: Commander of the pre-dreadnought battleship (cadet school ship) Schlesien. [Utke’s ship bombarded Polish fortifications on the Hela peninsula in September 1939].
18 November 1939-17 February 1943: Commander of the Eckernförde Torpedo Development and Proving Institute.
22 February 1943-3 December 1944: Inspector of Torpedo Matters.
6 December 1944-26 April 1945: Inspector, Regional Recruitment Inspectorate Bremen.
27 April 1945-17 May 1948: Prisoner of war in British captivity.
9th January 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from Camp 1
15th January 1948 transferred to Camp 99
12th May 1948 transferred to Camp 186 for repatriation