Heinrich Schuch

Fregattenkapitän (Crew 25)

Successes
6 ships sunk, total tonnage 37,641 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,546 tons

Born	28 Aug 1906		Berlin
Died	21 Jan 1968	(61)

Ranks

16 Nov 1925		Seekadett
1 Apr 1927		Fähnrich zur See
1 July 1928		Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Oct 1929		Leutnant zur See
1 Jul 1931		Oberleutnant zur See
1 Sep 1935		Kapitänleutnant
1 Nov 1939		Korvettenkapitän
1 Sep 1943		Fregattenkapitän

U-boat Commands

U-boat	From	To
U-37	4 Aug 1938	24 Sep 1939	1 patrol (28 days)
U-38	15 Jul 1941	6 Jan 1942	2 patrols (78 days)
U-105	7 Jan 1942	30 Sep 1942	3 patrols (71 days)
U-154	7 Oct 1942	8 Feb 1943	1 patrol (88 days)

Heinrich Schuch joined the Reichsmarine in 1925. In August 1938 he commissioned the long range type IX U-37, and he was on patrol when war broke out.

Schuh became an adviser (Referent) at OKM (Naval High Command) in Sep 1939. He was promoted to Korvettenkapitän in Nov 1939, and returned to active service on 15 July 1941, when he took command of the successful U-38, another type IX. He took the boat out on two patrols, sinking the small Panamanian merchant Longtaker on 18 Aug 1941. This was the last ship U-38 sank before being retired as a school boat. Schuch delivered the boat to Stettin on 29 Nov 1941.

Heinrich Schuch then took command of the veteran U-105 (once again a type IX) from Geoerg Schewe on 7 Jan 1942. He sank a British warship, HMS Culver (Y 87), on the first patrol.

On 12 June 1942 U-105 was severely damaged in an attack by a Sunderland in the Bay of Biscay and had to seek shelter in neutral Spain before returning to France (Blair, 1996). The boat needed months of repairs, and on 7 Oct 1942 Schuch took command of his fourth long range U-boat, U-154. He only took her on one patrol, but sank three vessels totalling almost 18,000 GRT.

From Feb 1943 Krvtkpt. Schuch served in staff positions, and commanded Waffenabteilung II BdU (Torpedo Armaments Section, U-Boat Command) from March 1943. He was promoted in Sep 1943, to end the war as a Fregettenkapitän (Commander).

Sources

Blair, C. (1996). Hitler’s U-boat War. The Hunters, 1939-1942.
Busch, R and Röll, H-J. (1998). German U-boat commanders of World War II.

Patrol info for Heinrich Schuch

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-37	19 Aug 1939	Wilhelmshaven	15 Sep 1939	Wilhelmshaven	Patrol 1,	28 days
2.	U-38	6 Aug 1941	Lorient	14 Sep 1941	Lorient	Patrol 2,	40 days
3.	U-38	15 Oct 1941	Lorient	21 Nov 1941	Bergen	Patrol 3,	38 days
4.	U-38	23 Nov 1941	Bergen	29 Nov 1941	Stettin		7 days
5.	U-105	25 Jan 1942	Lorient	8 Feb 1942	Lorient	Patrol 4,	15 days
6.	U-105	25 Feb 1942	Lorient	15 Apr 1942	Lorient	Patrol 5,	50 days
7.	U-105	7 Jun 1942	Lorient	12 Jun 1942	El Ferrol	Patrol 6,	6 days
8.	U-105	28 Jun 1942	El Ferrol	30 Jun 1942	Lorient		3 days
9.	U-154	12 Oct 1942	Lorient	7 Jan 1943	Lorient	Patrol 7,	88 days
7 patrols, 265 days at sea

Ships hit by Heinrich Schuch

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Tons		Convoy
18 Aug 1941	U-38	Longtaker	1,700	pa

31 Jan 1942	U-105	HMS Culver (Y 87)	1,546	br	SL-98
25 Mar 1942	U-105	Narragansett	10,389	br
27 Mar 1942	U-105	Svenør	7,616	nw
8 Nov 1942	U-154	D´Entrecasteaux	7,291	br
9 Nov 1942	U-154	Nurmahal	5,419	br
18 Nov 1942	U-154	Tower Grange	5,226	br
			39,187
7 ships sunk (39,187 tons). Legend We have a picture of this vessel.