Walter Forstmann

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 4/00)

Successes
148 ships sunk with a total of 390,797 GRT
1 warship sunk with a total of 810 tons
7 ships damaged with a total of 30,552 GRT
1 ship taken as prize with a total of 798 GRT

Born:	9 Mar 1883	Essen-Werden
Died:	2 Nov 1973	Essen

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

U-boat Commands

U 12	1 Aug 1914	-	9 Feb 1915
U 39	11 Feb 1915	-	14 Oct 1917

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.

Ships hit by Walter Forstmann

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Type of ship	Tons

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.