WWI U-boat commanders

Max Valentiner

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 4/02)

Successes
143 ships sunk with a total of 298,803 GRT
1 warship sunk with a total of 680 tons
7 ships damaged with a total of 29,831 GRT
1 warship damaged with a total of 10,850 tons
3 ships taken as prize with a total of 3,550 GRT

Born:	15 Dec 1883	Tønder, Denmark
Died:	19 Jun 1949	Sønderborg, Denmark

Ranks

1 Apr 1902		Seekadett
11 Apr 1903		Fähnrich zur See
29 Sep 1905		Leutnant zur See
30 Mar 1908		Oberleutnant zur See
22 Mar 1914		Kapitänleutnant
22 Nov 1919		Out of naval service
21 Jan 1920		Korvettenkapitän (Charakter)
1 Apr 1927		Korvettenkapitän (Ergänzungsoffizier)
1 Jul 1938		Fregattenkapitän (Ergänzungsoffizier)
1 Jan 1941		Kapitän zur See (Ergänzungsoffizier)

Decorations

18 Oct 1902		Lifesaving Medal
12 Jul 1908		Order of the Crown
		Iron Cross 2nd class
		Iron Cross 1st class
14 May 1916		Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
26 Dec 1916		Pour le Mérite
		Order of the Iron Crown
		Iron Half Moon
		Liakat Medal
		Empire Silver Medal Imtiaz with Scimitars
		Hanseatic Cross

U-boat Commands

U 38	5 Dec 1914	-	15 Sep 1917
U 157	22 Sep 1917	-	20 Jul 1918

Notes

Christian August Max Ahlmann Valentiner was born in Tønder, Denmark just north of the current border with Germany. The area was occupied by Prussia at the time. He was awarded the Pour le Mérite in recognition of of distinguished naval service and leadership. The award also seems to have recognized completion of a war patrol in the Mediterranean where the U38 sank 23 enemy warships and merchant vessels including two neutral ships.

Valentiner was listed after the war as a war criminal by the British authorities because of his very unorthodox methods of attack.

Max Valentiner died on 19 June 1949 in Sønderborg, Denmark and is buried in the cemetery west of the town.

Sources

Max Valentiner (http://www.max-valentiner.dk).

Ships hit by Max Valentiner

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Type of ship	Tons

18 Apr 1915	U 38	Brilliant (p.)	Steamer	1,441	nw
22 Apr 1915	U 38	Eva	Sailing vessel	312	nw
22 Apr 1915	U 38	Oscar	Sailing vessel	766	nw
24 Apr 1915	U 38	Nidaros (p.)	Steamer	1,024	da
27 Apr 1915	U 38	Torwald (p.)	Steamer	1,085	sw
30 Apr 1915	U 38	Elida	Steamer	1,693	sw
20 Jun 1915	U 38	Roxburgh (d.)	Armored cruiser	10,850	br
21 Jun 1915	U 38	Carisbrook	Steamer	2,352	br
22 Jun 1915	U 38	Leo	Sailing vessel	269	ru
23 Jun 1915	U 38	Truma	Steamer	1,557	nw
23 Jun 1915	U 38	Elizabeth	Drifter	94	br
23 Jun 1915	U 38	Four	Drifter	84	br
23 Jun 1915	U 38	Josephine	Drifter	85	br
23 Jun 1915	U 38	Piscatorial	Drifter	84	br
23 Jun 1915	U 38	Research	Drifter	89	br
23 Jun 1915	U 38	Uffa	Drifter	79	br
23 Jun 1915	U 38	Ugiebrae	Drifter	79	br
24 Jun 1915	U 38	Commander	Trawler	149	br
24 Jun 1915	U 38	J. M. S.	Drifter	78	br
24 Jun 1915	U 38	Lebanon	Trawler	111	br
24 Jun 1915	U 38	Monarda	Drifter	87	br
24 Jun 1915	U 38	Primrose	Drifter	91	br
24 Jun 1915	U 38	Quiet Waters	Drifter	63	br
24 Jun 1915	U 38	Star Of Bethlehem	Drifter	77	br
24 Jun 1915	U 38	Viceroy	Trawler	150	br
24 Jun 1915	U 38	Vine	Trawler	110	br
5 Aug 1915	U 38	Hans Emil	Sailing vessel	106	da
5 Aug 1915	U 38	Vanadis	Sailing vessel	484	nw
6 Aug 1915	U 38	Ocean Queen	Trawler	185	br
6 Aug 1915	U 38	Westminster	Trawler	252	br
9 Aug 1915	U 38	Thrush	Trawler	264	br
10 Aug 1915	U 38	Oakwood	Steamer	4,279	br
17 Aug 1915	U 38	Bonny	Steamer	2,702	br
17 Aug 1915	U 38	George Baker	Drifter	91	br
17 Aug 1915	U 38	Glenby	Steamer	2,196	br
17 Aug 1915	U 38	Isidoro	Steamer	2,044	sp
17 Aug 1915	U 38	Kirkby	Steamer	3,034	br
17 Aug 1915	U 38	Maggie	Steamer	269	br
17 Aug 1915	U 38	Paros	Steamer	3,596	br
17 Aug 1915	U 38	Repeat	Trawler	107	br
17 Aug 1915	U 38	The Queen	Steamer	557	br
17 Aug 1915	U 38	Thornfield	Steamer	488	br
19 Aug 1915	U 38	Baron Erskine	Steamer	5,585	br
19 Aug 1915	U 38	Restormel	Steamer	2,118	br
19 Aug 1915	U 38	Samara	Steamer	3,172	br
20 Aug 1915	U 38	Bittern	Steamer	1,797	br
20 Aug 1915	U 38	Carterswell	Steamer	4,308	br
20 Aug 1915	U 38	Daghestan	Tanker	2,817	be
20 Aug 1915	U 38	Martha Edmonds	Sailing vessel	182	br
21 Aug 1915	U 38	Cober	Steamer	3,060	br
21 Aug 1915	U 38	Ruel	Steamer	4,029	br
21 Aug 1915	U 38	San Melito (d.)	Tanker	10,160	br
21 Aug 1915	U 38	Windsor	Steamer	6,055	br
22 Aug 1915	U 38	Diomed	Steamer	4,672	br
22 Aug 1915	U 38	Palmgrove	Steamer	3,100	br
23 Aug 1915	U 38	Silvia	Tanker	5,268	br
23 Aug 1915	U 38	Trafalgar	Steamer	4,572	br
3 Nov 1915	U 38	Woodfield	Steamer	3,584	br
3 Nov 1915	U 38	Yasukuni Maru	Steamer	5,118	jp
3 Nov 1915	U 38	Mercian (d.)	Steamer	6,305	br
4 Nov 1915	U 38	Dahra	Steamer	2,127	fr
4 Nov 1915	U 38	Ionia	Steamer	1,816	it
4 Nov 1915	U 38	Le Calvados	troopship	1,658	fr
5 Nov 1915	U 38	Buresk	Steamer	3,673	br
5 Nov 1915	U 38	Sidi Ferruch	Steamer	2,797	fr
6 Nov 1915	U 38	Elisa Francesca	Sailing vessel	208	it
6 Nov 1915	U 38	Glenmoor	Steamer	3,075	br
6 Nov 1915	U 38	Ticino	Steamer	1,470	it
6 Nov 1915	U 38	Yser	Steamer	3,545	fr
7 Nov 1915	U 38	France Iv	Passenger steamer	4,025	fr
8 Nov 1915	U 38	Ancona	Passenger steamer	8,210	it
9 Nov 1915	U 38	Firenze	Passenger steamer	3,960	it
21 Dec 1915	U 38	Yasaka Maru	Passenger steamer	10,932	jp
30 Dec 1915	U 38	Clan Macfarlane	Steamer	4,823	br
30 Dec 1915	U 38	Persia	Passenger steamer	7,951	br

9 Feb 1916	U 38	Springwell	Steamer	5,593	br
9 Feb 1916	U 38	Thornhill (D.)	Q-ship	3,848	br
23 Feb 1916	U 38	Diadem	Steamer	3,752	br
23 Feb 1916	U 38	Roubine	Sailing vessel	327	fr
24 Feb 1916	U 38	Denaby	Steamer	2,987	br
24 Feb 1916	U 38	Fastnet	Steamer	2,227	br
24 Feb 1916	U 38	Torborg	Steamer	1,266	sw
29 Feb 1916	U 38	Alexander Wentzel	Steamer	2,832	ru
29 Feb 1916	U 38	Elisa S	Sailing vessel	209	it
1 Mar 1916	U 38	Kilbride	Steamer	3,712	br
16 May 1916	U 38	Clifford	Fleet messenger	487	br
8 Jun 1916	U 38	Malorossija (d.)	Steamer	893	ru
8 Jun 1916	U 38	Cementcrug	Steamer	1,086	ru
8 Jun 1916	U 38	Ekaterina	Sailing vessel	70	ru
8 Jun 1916	U 38	Vera (d.)	Steamer	1,231	ru
10 Jun 1916	U 38	Orion	Steamer	429	ru
2 Jul 1916	U 38	Rockcliffe	Steamer	3,073	br
9 Jul 1916	U 38	Vperied	Passenger steamer	859	ru
10 Jul 1916	U 38	Florida	Steamer	3,238	ru
14 Aug 1916	U 38	Remembrance	Q-ship	3,660	br
19 Aug 1916	U 38	Dea	Sailing vessel	166	it
23 Aug 1916	U 38	Elios	Sailing vessel	190	it
23 Aug 1916	U 38	Maria Brizzolari	Sailing vessel	152	it
23 Aug 1916	U 38	Tanina	Sailing vessel	138	it
24 Aug 1916	U 38	Isdalen	Steamer	2,275	nw
24 Aug 1916	U 38	Liegeoise	Steamer	3,895	be
25 Aug 1916	U 38	Leandros	Steamer	1,658	gr
25 Aug 1916	U 38	Nostra Signora Del Carmine	Sailing vessel	1,575	it
26 Aug 1916	U 38	Atlantico	Steamer	3,069	it
29 Aug 1916	U 38	Antigoon	Steamer	1,884	be
29 Aug 1916	U 38	Francois Joseph	Sailing vessel	114	fr
29 Aug 1916	U 38	Stella Del Mare	Sailing vessel	1,166	it
30 Aug 1916	U 38	Nostra Signora Della Guardia	Sailing vessel	1,588	it
31 Aug 1916	U 38	Bacchus	Steamer	3,583	fr
31 Aug 1916	U 38	Duart	Steamer	3,108	br
31 Aug 1916	U 38	Piero Maroncelli	Steamer	3,225	it
1 Sep 1916	U 38	S. Francesco Di Paola	Sailing vessel	68	it
1 Sep 1916	U 38	Swift Wings	Steamer	4,465	br
1 Sep 1916	U 38	Antinous (d.)	Steamer	3,682	br
2 Sep 1916	U 38	Strathallan	Steamer	4,404	br
2 Sep 1916	U 38	Uranie	Sailing vessel	117	fr
3 Sep 1916	U 38	Villadoro	Sailing vessel	134	it
4 Sep 1916	U 38	Laristan	Steamer	3,675	br
5 Sep 1916	U 38	Saint Marc	Steamer	5,818	fr
25 Nov 1916	U 38	Michael	Steamer	2,410	gr
26 Nov 1916	U 38	Chemung	Steamer	3,062	am
3 Dec 1916	U 38	Dacia	Cable ship	1,856	br
3 Dec 1916	U 38	Kanguroo	Submarine carrier	2,493	fr
3 Dec 1916	U 38	Surprise (mn)	Gunboat	680	fr
8 Dec 1916	U 38	Brask	Steamer	1,464	nw
8 Dec 1916	U 38	Britannia	Steamer	1,814	br
9 Dec 1916	U 38	Brizella	Sailing vessel	282	pt
10 Dec 1916	U 38	Esemplare	Steamer	2,595	it
13 Dec 1916	U 38	Angelo Parodi	Steamer	3,825	it
13 Dec 1916	U 38	Kaupanger	steamer	3,354	nw
15 Dec 1916	U 38	Emmanuele Accame	Steamer	3,242	it
17 Dec 1916	U 38	Tripoli	Sailing vessel	56	it
20 Dec 1916	U 38	Itonus	Steamer	5,340	br

25 Jan 1917	U 38	Sylvie	Steamer	2,591	fr
7 Feb 1917	U 38	APHRODITE	Sailing vessel	130	fr
14 Feb 1917	U 38	Trowbridge (d.)	Steamer	3,712	br
14 Feb 1917	U 38	Michele	Sailing vessel	41	it
12 May 1917	U 38	Egyptian Prince	Steamer	3,117	br
13 May 1917	U 38	Rio Amazonas	Steamer	2,970	it
25 May 1917	U 38	Kohinur	Steamer	2,265	br
26 May 1917	U 38	Holmesbank	Steamer	3,051	br
1 Jul 1917	U 38	Corrado	Sailing vessel	121	it
1 Jul 1917	U 38	Volto Santo G.	Sailing vessel	225	it
7 Jul 1917	U 38	La Resolu	Sailing vessel	186	fr
12 Jul 1917	U 38	Claire	Steamer	1,157	be
15 Jul 1917	U 38	Atalante	Sailing vessel	124	fr
19 Jul 1917	U 38	Eloby	Steamer	6,545	br
20 Aug 1917	U 38	Incemore	Steamer	3,060	br
26 Dec 1917	U 157	Lidia	Sailing vessel	302	pt

7 Jan 1918	U 157	Oued Sebou	Troopship	1,540	fr
10 Jan 1918	U 157	Hulda Maersk	Steamer	1,566	da
11 Jan 1918	U 157	Norefos	Steamer	1,788	nw
17 Feb 1918	U 157	Estrella Da Bissao	Sailing vessel	129	pt
20 Feb 1918	U 157	Kithira	steamer	2,240	gr
14 Mar 1918	U 157	Arpillao	Steamer	2,768	sp
				343,714
148 ships sunk (306,881 tons) and 7 ships damaged (36,833 tons). Legend (d.) means the ship was damaged. (p.) means the ship was taken as prize (included in ships & tonnage lost). We have a picture of this vessel.