WW2 U-boat commander Heinz Franke signed 5 x 4 inch b/w photo. Knights Cross winner. U-262 U-Boat captain. Rudolf ...

WW2 U-boat commander Heinz Franke signed 5 x 4 inch b/w photo. Knights Cross winner. U-262 U-Boat captain. Rudolf Heinz Franke joined the Kriegsmarine in April 1936 and was part of the Olympia Crew. He served for more than two years on the battle cruiser Gneisenau and was onboard during her two combat sorties in 1939 (Busch & Roll, 1999). He transferred to the U-boat force in October 1940 and after attending Baubelehrung (U-boat Construction Familiarization) for the type VIIB U-boat U-84, he served as her First Watch Officer (IWO), before taking over his first command, the school boat U-148, at the start of 1942 (Busch & Roll, 1999). In October 1942 he took command of U-262, and on his first patrol sank the Norwegian corvette Montbretia (Rohwer, 1998). In May 1943 Franke was sent on a mission to the Gulf of St. Lawrence to collect escaped POW U-boat men, but the planned breakout didn't succeed and U-262 returned home without them. After Kptlt Franke left U-262 at the start of 1944 he was attached to the BdU org staff. After serving in several other senior staff positions, including Chief of training for a midget submarine unit, he took command of the type XXI Elektro U-boat U-3509 in March 1945. When that U-boat was damaged on 4 April 1945 he transferred to U-2502, another type XXI, which he commanded until she was surrendered at Horten, Norway on 9 May 1945 (Busch & Roll, 1999). After the war he spent six months in Krageroe POW camp, Norway, and then served in a minesweeper unit (Busch & Röll, 1999). In 1957 he joined the Bundesmarine (Federal German Navy) and served in the Armed Forces Amt für Militärkunde (Department of Military Science). He retired in March 1972 with the rank of Fregattenkapitä. Good condition. All autographs come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £5.99, EU from £7.99, Rest of World from £9.99