3 January 1945

3 January 1945 — Memorial order for Fregattenkapitän Fritz Breithaupt

To all units of the Kriegsmarine. Fregattenkapitän Fritz Breithaupt, the distinguished commander of the 12th and 24th Minesweeping Flotillas “Karl Friedrich Brill”, holder of the Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, our “Hein Tatendrang”, passed away on 25 December 1944. He, whom greatly superior opponents at sea could not harm, died in an aircraft on his way home.

With him were his faithful command-boat commander, Oberleutnant zur See Pauli, Fähnrich (MA) Lehker and three paratroopers who had boldly escaped American captivity in an enemy landing craft. Enemy night fighters shot down the He 111 near Bastogne. It crashed and burned in no-man’s-land.

Our Fritz Breithaupt, a naval officer of the last war, a senior SA leader during the struggle and after the seizure of power, and a minesweeper since the outbreak of war, will remain our example. Loved by his officers and crews, respected and feared by the enemy, loyal to his Führer and homeland, bold and daring, tenacious and skilful, he stands before us with his shining eyes. His example should continually bind us to energy, eagerness for battle and readiness for service. His loss should only make us harder and more determined.

Full of grief, but also full of pride, we lower the flag. To honour him and the comrades who died with him, all naval forces subordinate to me and the merchant ships are to fly their flags at half-mast on 5 January 1945, from flag parade to flag parade. St Peter Port, 3 January 1945. Signed: Hüffmeier, Konteradmiral and Commander of Sea Defences, Channel Islands. [The preceding paragraphs translate the memorial order’s original rhetoric.]

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37998, Commander of Sea Defences, Channel Islands. T-1022 Roll 2422 — source scan 0772 (attachment)