uboat.net

Follow us on Twitter
@uboatnet

From the Gallery

Model of U-617 at sea

Enter your search terms

uboat.net Web Submit search form

Selected Book

The U-Boat Hunters
The Royal Canadian Navy and the Offensive
Milner, Marc

Read our review

$24.99 at amazon

More books

Allied Warships

Check out our new extensive section on all the Allied Warships during WWII in all theatres of the war.
Over 21,000 ships

Ranks 7 Apr 1900   Seekadett 19 Apr 1901   Fähnrich zur See 27 Sep 1903   Leutnant zur See 30 Mar 1906   Oberleutnant zur See 10 Apr 1911   Kapitänleutnant 16 Mar 1919   Out of naval service 30 Aug 1919   Korvettenkapitän (Charakter) 15 Apr 1940   Korvettenkapitän 7 Apr 1941   Fregattenkapitän 1 Jul 1942   Kapitän zur See Decorations 25 Aug 1908   Lifesaving Medal 2 Sep 1909   Order of St. Stanislaus (Russia) 3 Oct 1912   Order of the Red Eagle   Iron Cross 2nd class   Iron Cross 1st class   Hanseatic Cross 14 May 1916   Royal House Order of Hohenzollern 12 Aug 1916   Pour le Mérite 8 Nov 1917   Order of Leopold

Notes

Walter Forstmann became a Seekadett in 1900 when entering the Kaiserliche Marine. The same year he received the Rettungsmedaille.

Forstmann became commanding officer of the U 11 and was promoted to Kapitänleutnant in 1911. He received the Roter Adler Orden the following year.

In 1914 he took over command of the U 12 and led her on several early-war missions in the North Sea. Forstmann, however, is best known for his string of successes in the Mediterranean in the U 39.

Forstman received the Pour le Mérite on the 12th August 1916 as CO of this U-boat 'for outstanding naval planning and operations, which resulted in the sinking of 261.070 BRT of Allied warships and merchant ships'.

He was also the man that sank the HMS Niger, a British gunboat on the 11th November 1914.

He would finish the war having sunk nearly 400,000 tons of shipping and ranks as the second highest scoring submarine commander of all time. In 1917 he became Chef der III U Flottille.

In 1919 he left service with the rank of Korvettenkapitän. He went into business after the war and became the director of an industrial firm.

Date	U-boat		Name of ship	Type of ship	Tons	Nat.
11 Nov 1914	U 12		Niger (hms)	Minesweeper	810		br
1 May 1915	U 39		Balduin	Steamer	1,059		nw
1 May 1915	U 39		Elsa	Sailing vessel	120		sw
2 May 1915	U 39		St. Louis No. 1	Trawler	211		br
2 May 1915	U 39		Sunray	Trawler	165		br
3 May 1915	U 39		Scottish Queen	Trawler	125		br
4 May 1915	U 39		Elsa	Sailing vessel	329		sw
5 May 1915	U 39		Sceptre	Fishing vessel	166		br
6 May 1915	U 39		Truro	Steamer	836		br
7 May 1915	U 39		Benington	Trawler	131		br
10 May 1915	U 39		Olga (p.)	Steamer	798		da
26 Jun 1915	U 39		Campania	Trawler	167		br
29 Jun 1915	U 39		Cambuskenneth	Sailing vessel	1,924		nw
29 Jun 1915	U 39		Kotka (d.)	Sailing vessel	952		nw
30 Jun 1915	U 39		Lomas	Steamer	3,048		br
1 Jul 1915	U 39		Caucasian	Tanker	4,656		br
1 Jul 1915	U 39		Craigard	Steamer	3,286		br
1 Jul 1915	U 39		Gadsby	Steamer	3,497		br
1 Jul 1915	U 39		Inglemoor	Steamer	4,331		br
1 Jul 1915	U 39		Richmond	Steamer	3,214		br
2 Jul 1915	U 39		Hirondelle	Sailing vessel	183		fr
2 Jul 1915	U 39		Boduognat	Steamer	1,411		be
2 Jul 1915	U 39		City Of Edinburgh (d.)	Steamer	6,255		br
3 Jul 1915	U 39		Fiery Cross	Sailing vessel	1,448		nw
3 Jul 1915	U 39		Larchmore	Steamer	4,355		br
3 Jul 1915	U 39		Renfrew	Steamer	3,488		br
4 Jul 1915	U 39		Anglo-californian (d.)	Steamer	7,333		br
2 Sep 1915	U 39		William T. Lewis (d.)	Sailing vessel	2,166		br
9 Sep 1915	U 39		Cornubia	Steamer	1,736		br
9 Sep 1915	U 39		L’Aude	Steamer	2,232		fr
9 Sep 1915	U 39		Ville De Mostaganem	steamer	2,648		fr
28 Sep 1915	U 39		H. C. Henry	Tanker	4,219		ca
29 Sep 1915	U 39		Haydn	Steamer	3,923		br
30 Sep 1915	U 39		Cirene	Steamer	3,236		it
2 Oct 1915	U 39		Sailor Prince	Steamer	3,144		br
7 Oct 1915	U 39		Halizones	Steamer	5,093		br
8 Oct 1915	U 39		Thorpwood	Steamer	3,184		br
9 Oct 1915	U 39		Apollo	Steamer	3,774		br
12 Oct 1915	U 39		Restore	Navy Drifter	93		br
30 Nov 1915	U 39		Middleton	Steamer	2,506		br
3 Dec 1915	U 39		Helmsmuir	Steamer	4,111		br
5 Dec 1915	U 39		Petrolite (d.)	Tanker	3,710		am
5 Dec 1915	U 39		Dante	Steamer	889		it
5 Dec 1915	U 39		Pietro Lofaro	Sailing vessel	517		it
6 Dec 1915	U 39		L. G. Goulandris	Steamer	2,123		gr
7 Dec 1915	U 39		Veria	Steamer	3,229		br
9 Dec 1915	U 39		Busiris	Steamer	2,705		br
9 Dec 1915	U 39		Orteric	Steamer	6,535		br
10 Dec 1915	U 39		Porto Said	Steamer	5,301		it
18 Dec 1915	U 39		Lottie Leask	Navy Drifter	94		br
22 Jan 1916	U 39		Norseman	Passenger steamer	9,542		br
31 Mar 1916	U 39		Egeo	steamer	1,787		it
31 Mar 1916	U 39		Riposto	steamer	1,003		it
2 Apr 1916	U 39		Simla	Steamer	5,884		br
3 Apr 1916	U 39		Clan Campbell	Steamer	5,897		br
4 Apr 1916	U 39		Giuseppe Padre	Sailing vessel	184		it
4 Apr 1916	U 39		MARIA CARMELLA FINDARI	Sailing vessel	42		it
6 Apr 1916	U 39		Stjerneborg	Steamer	1,592		da
6 Apr 1916	U 39		Colbert (d.)	Troopship	5,394		fr
9 Apr 1916	U 39		Caledonia	Steamer	1,815		da
13 Apr 1916	U 39		Lipari	Steamer	1,539		it
20 May 1916	U 39		Redentore	Sailing vessel	228		it
20 May 1916	U 39		Valsesia	Sailing vessel	248		it
21 May 1916	U 39		Birmania	Steamer	2,384		it
21 May 1916	U 39		ROSALIA MADRE	Sailing vessel	251		it
23 May 1916	U 39		Hercules	Steamer	2,704		it
23 May 1916	U 39		MARIA PORTO DI SALVEZZA	Sailing vessel	39		it
23 May 1916	U 39		Teresa Accame (d.)	Steamer	4,742		it
23 May 1916	U 39		Washington	Steamer	2,819		it
24 May 1916	U 39		Aurrera	steamer	2,845		sp
25 May 1916	U 39		Fratelli Bandiera	Steamer	3,506		it
25 May 1916	U 39		Rita	Sailing vessel	200		it
27 May 1916	U 39		Mar Terso	Steamer	3,778		it
27 May 1916	U 39		Trunkby	Steamer	2,635		br
28 May 1916	U 39		Lady Ninian	Steamer	4,297		br
29 May 1916	U 39		Baron Vernon	Steamer	1,779		br
29 May 1916	U 39		Elmgrove	Steamer	3,018		br
29 May 1916	U 39		Southgarth	Steamer	2,414		br
30 May 1916	U 39		Baron Tweedmouth	Steamer	5,007		br
30 May 1916	U 39		Dalegarth	Steamer	2,265		br
30 May 1916	U 39		Hermesberg	Steamer	2,884		it
30 May 1916	U 39		Rauma	Steamer	3,047		nw
1 Jun 1916	U 39		Dewsland	Steamer	1,993		br
1 Jun 1916	U 39		Salmonpool	Steamer	4,905		br
13 Jul 1916	U 39		Silverton	Steamer	2,682		br
14 Jul 1916	U 39		Antigua	Steamer	2,876		br
14 Jul 1916	U 39		Ecclesia	Steamer	3,714		br
15 Jul 1916	U 39		Sylvie	Steamer	1,354		br
16 Jul 1916	U 39		Euphorbia	Steamer	3,837		br
16 Jul 1916	U 39		Sirra	Steamer	3,203		it
16 Jul 1916	U 39		Wiltonhall	Steamer	3,387		br
17 Jul 1916	U 39		Angelo	Steamer	3,609		it
17 Jul 1916	U 39		Rosemoor	Steamer	4,303		br
18 Jul 1916	U 39		Llongwen	Steamer	4,683		br
20 Jul 1916	U 39		Cettois	Steamer	974		fr
20 Jul 1916	U 39		Grangemoor	Steamer	3,198		br
20 Jul 1916	U 39		Karma	Steamer	3,710		br
20 Jul 1916	U 39		Yzer	Steamer	3,538		br
21 Jul 1916	U 39		Wolf	Steamer	2,443		br
22 Jul 1916	U 39		Knutsford	Steamer	3,842		br
22 Jul 1916	U 39		Olive	Steamer	3,678		br
23 Jul 1916	U 39		Badminton	Steamer	3,847		br
24 Jul 1916	U 39		Maria	Sailing vessel	198		it
29 Jul 1916	U 39		Letimbro	Steamer	2,210		it
29 Jul 1916	U 39		Rosarina G.v.	Sailing vessel	131		it
19 Oct 1916	U 39		Penylan	Steamer	3,875		br
20 Oct 1916	U 39		Mombassa	Steamer	4,689		br
22 Oct 1916	U 39		Cluden	Steamer	3,166		br
22 Oct 1916	U 39		Nina	Steamer	3,383		it
22 Oct 1916	U 39		Ravn	Steamer	998		nw
22 Oct 1916	U 39		W. Harkess	Steamer	1,185		br
27 Nov 1916	U 39		Margarita	Steamer	1,112		gr
27 Nov 1916	U 39		Reapwell	Steamer	3,417		br
28 Nov 1916	U 39		King Malcom	Steamer	4,351		br
28 Nov 1916	U 39		Moresby	steamer	1,763		br
2 Dec 1916	U 39		Istrar	Steamer	4,582		br
3 Dec 1916	U 39		Plata		1,861		it
9 Jan 1917	U 39		Baynesk	Steamer	3,286		br
15 Jan 1917	U 39		Garfield	Steamer	3,838		br
28 Jan 1917	U 39		Amiral Magon	Passenger steamer	5,566		fr
14 Feb 1917	U 39		Torino	Passenger steamer	4,159		it
15 Feb 1917	U 39		Minas	Troopship	2,854		it
17 Feb 1917	U 39		Ala	Sailing vessel	359		it
20 Feb 1917	U 39		Rosalie	Steamer	4,237		br
21 Feb 1917	U 39		Wathfield	Steamer	3,012		br
22 Feb 1917	U 39		Ville De Bougie	steamer	508		fr
23 Feb 1917	U 39		Trojan Prince	Steamer	3,196		br
26 Feb 1917	U 39		Burnby	Steamer	3,665		br
3 Mar 1917	U 39		S. Anna S.	Sailing vessel	41		it
3 Jun 1917	U 39		Petronilla Madre	Sailing vessel	43		it
6 Jun 1917	U 39		Diane	steamer	590		fr
8 Jun 1917	U 39		Huntstrick	Steamer	8,151		br
8 Jun 1917	U 39		Isle Of Jura	Steamer	3,809		br
8 Jun 1917	U 39		Ml 540	Motor launch	37		br
8 Jun 1917	U 39		Ml 541	Motor launch	37		br
8 Jun 1917	U 39		Valdieri	Steamer	4,637		it
10 Jun 1917	U 39		Petrolite	Tanker	3,710		am
11 Jun 1917	U 39		Wera	Sailing vessel	476		ru
12 Jun 1917	U 39		Gaita	Sailing vessel	396		ru
15 Jun 1917	U 39		Espinho	Steamer	740		pt
19 Jun 1917	U 39		Kyma	Steamer	3,420		gr
20 Jun 1917	U 39		Eli Lindoe	Steamer	1,116		nw
22 Jun 1917	U 39		Toro	Steamer	1,141		ur
23 Jun 1917	U 39		Isere	Steamer	2,159		fr
29 Jul 1917	U 39		Manchester Commerce	Steamer	4,144		br
30 Jul 1917	U 39		Carlo	Steamer	5,572		it
30 Jul 1917	U 39		Ganges	Steamer	4,177		br
31 Jul 1917	U 39		Carolvore	Steamer	1,659		nw
31 Jul 1917	U 39		Ypres	Steamer	305		br
3 Aug 1917	U 39		Halldor	Steamer	2,919		nw
5 Aug 1917	U 39		Ryton	Steamer	3,991		br
27 Sep 1917	U 39		Swan River	Steamer	4,724		br
1 Oct 1917	U 39		Mersario	Steamer	3,847		br
1 Oct 1917	U 39		Normanton	Steamer	3,862		br
2 Oct 1917	U 39		Almora	Steamer	4,385		br
2 Oct 1917	U 39		Hikosan Maru	Steamer	3,555		jp
2 Oct 1917	U 39		Nuceria	Steamer	4,702		br
					422,957
150 ships sunk (392,405 tons) and 7 ships damaged (30,552 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.

As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases.