Herbert Schultze Captain Herbert Schultze ( 24 July 1909 – 3 June 1987 ) , was a German U - boat commander of the Kriegsmarine during World War II . He commanded for eight patrols during the early part of the war , sinking and earning him eighth place on the Aces of the Deep list . Due to several incidents of openly broadcasting his sinkings to alert the Allies of the plight of the crews , he became quite a celebrity even on the allied side . He was also a recipient of the Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves ( ) . The Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership . It was Germany ' s highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Herbert Schultze . Biography . Schultze was born in Kiel and joined the Reichsmarine in April 1930 . On 9 October 1930 he became a " Seekadett " . Serving aboard the cruisers and with other future U - boat aces , including Heinrich Lehmann - Willenbrock . In May 1937 , with a rank of Oberleutnant zur See , Schultze transferred to the U - boat force , taking command of the Type IIA U - boat on 31 January 1938 . The " U - 2 " was assigned to the U - Bootschulflottille ( U - boat school flotilla ) , and Schultze spent the next year and a half training with the sub . On 22 April 1939 Schultze commissioned , a Type VIIB U - boat . " U - 48 " was later to become the most successful submarine of the war . " U - 48 " was assigned to 7th U - boat Flotilla , and spent the next four months in training . On 1 June 1939 Schultze was promoted to Kapitänleutnant . World War II . Soon after the war started on 1 September 1939 Schultze took " U - 48 " out on its first patrol . On 11 September 1939 he sank the British freighter " Firby " . After the sinking he sent the plain language radio message " " cq - cq - cq - transmit to Mr . Churchill . I have sunk the British steamer " Firby " . Posit 59 . 40 North and 13 . 50 West . Save the crew , if you please . German submarine . " " This message , addressed to the First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill directly , made Schultze famous , both in Germany and Great Britain . He sank two more ships for during the first patrol . After returning to base Schultze gave an interview to William L . Shirer , an American reporter , on 29 September 1939 . During the interview it was established that Schultze had sunk another British ship , the " Royal Sceptre " and similarly as the " Firby " had arranged for the crew to be rescued by another allied ship . The interview was recorded and broadcast both in the United States and Great Britain . Now something of a media celebrity , Schultze left for four more successful patrols . On 1 March 1940 he was awarded the Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross for his successes . On 20 May 1940 Schultze handed command of the " U - 48 " over to Hans Rudolf Rösing due to illness stemming from a stomach and kidney disorder . Schultze spent five months in hospital recuperating . From October 1940 Schultze took up duties as Second in Command of the 7th U - boat Flotilla , now based in St Nazaire , France . On 17 December 1940 Schultze resumed command of the " U - 48 " , relieving Heinrich Bleichrodt . He led " U - 48 " on three more patrols , and continued sinking enemy shipping at a great rate . Thus Schultze was awarded the " Oak Leaves " to his Knight ' s Cross on 12 June 1941 . On 27 July 1941 Schultze left the " U - 48 " to take command of 3rd U - boat Flotilla operating from La Rochelle . He served in this capacity until March 1942 , when he was assigned to the staff of " Marinegruppe Nord " as Admiral Staff Officer for U - boats . In December 1942 he was assigned to Admiral Karl Dönitz staff . On 1 April 1943 he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän . In March 1944 he was assigned as commander of Department II , Marineschule Mürwik , where he served to the end of the war . After the war . " from the corresponding article in the German Wikipedia " In August 1945 he was employed by the Allies as commander of the Naval Academy Mürwik and the Heinz Krey - bearing . In November 1945 , now a civilian , he took the job of manager of the naval facilities in Flensburg - Mürwik until October 1946 . In 1956 Schultze joined the Bundesmarine of West Germany and served in a string of staff positions . He became commander of the 3rd Ship home department , served as Staff Officer Personnel ( A1 ) on the command staff of the naval base , was commander of convoy ships , teaching group leader at the Naval Academy Mürwik and head of the volunteer adoption headquarters of the Navy until his retirement on 30 September 1968 with the rank of captain . Schultze died on 3 June 1987 in London and was buried in Wilhelmshaven ; amongst others , former U - boat ace and Bundesmarine admiral Otto Kretschmer spoke at his funeral : " " Deeply respected by friend and foe , revered by his crew , Herbert Schultze was an exemplary naval officer in the best tradition . " " Summary of military career . " From the corresponding article in the German Wikipedia " Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine Promotions . " from the corresponding article in the German Wikipedia " Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine Bundesmarine