Ortwin Hensellek

Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve (entry, Jahrgang 39)



No ships sunk or damaged.


Born  16 Jun 1911 Saalfeld/Mohrungen


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Ranks

1 Nov 1941 Leutnant zur See der Reserve
1 Apr 1943 Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve

Decorations

1940 Iron Cross 2nd Class
27 Oct 1941 Iron Cross 1st Class
  Minesweeper War Badge
6 May 1943 U-boat War Badge 1939
4 Oct 1944 U-boat Front Clasp

U-boat Commands

U-boatFromTo
U-298 1 Dec 1943 21 Dec 1943   No war patrols 

Ortwin Hensellek served as a watch officer on the U-460 from 29 Oct 1942 to 7 July 1943 (3 patrols, 137 days at sea). He then went to commander training and then commissioned the U-298 on 1 Dec 1943.

While at Gdansk there were some morale problems on his boat which was assigned to the 8th Flotilla (training), and while drunk Hensellek's boat collided with sister boat U-297 in Dec 1943. Hensellek was then removed from command pending court martial. He was sent to 5th Flotilla while trial was prepared. On 24 Feb 1944 his trial for military disobedience took place where he was sentenced to 3 months in prison. The sentence was confirmed on 19 May 1944 by FdU Court. He served his sentence in Graudenz prison from 21 June to 1 August 1944.

He then seems to have been sent to the front lines as an infantryman. The last known unit he was assigned to was the Panzergrenadierersatz- und Ausbildungsbataillon 465. His unit had several skirmishes with allied aircraft. He is listed as missing after that.

Information on loss of command and following events courtesy of Mr. Fernando Almeida.

Patrol info for Ortwin Hensellek

This commander did not go out on patrols with his boats.

Media links


German U-boat Commanders of World War II

Busch, Rainer and Röll, Hans-Joachim

Listing of all U-boat commanders


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