Jost Metzler


Jost Metzler was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II, commander of the U-boats and, and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Career

Metzler joined the Kriegsmarine in October 1933, after spending eight years in the merchant marine. He served on the torpedo boat T-196 and on several minesweepers. After 13 patrols on the minesweeper Grille, he transferred to the U-boat arm in April 1940, commissioning in November 1940.
On his first patrol, sailing from Kiel to St. Nazaire in early 1941, he sank three ships for a total of. On his second patrol south-west of Iceland, he sank a single ship of and damaged another. Metzler's third patrol on U-69 was the most successful. He laid 16 mines in the harbour of Lagos, Nigeria, where they later sank a British steamer. He then sank another five ships for a total of.
Metzler developed renal colic a few days after leaving St. Nazaire on his fourth patrol in August 1941, forcing the U-boat to return to port. After two months in hospital he served as the leading training officer in 25th and 27th U-boat Flotilla until February 1943.
Metzler commanded from February to June 1943 without sailing on any patrols, and was appointed temporary locum commander of 5th U-boat Flotilla for two months before serving as commander of 19th U-boat Flotilla from October 1943 until the end of war.
In 1954 Metzler published a memoir The Laughing Cow: The Story of U-69. The title is derived from the time when U-69 was first assigned to 7th U-boat Flotilla and the crew were instructed to paint Günther Prien's snorting bull insignia on the U-boat's conning tower. No illustration was enclosed, so U-69s First Watch Officer, Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Jürgen Auffermann instructed a shipyard worker to copy the head of laughing cow which appeared on the packaging of a popular French dairy product instead. This naturally proved to be a source of great amusement.

Summary of career

Ships attacked

As commander of Jost Metzler is credited with sinking ten ships for a total of, further damaging one ship of and damaging one ship of so severely that it had to be considered a total loss.

DateShipNationalityTonnageFate
17 February 1941MV Siamese Prince8,456Sunk
19 February 19415,693Sunk
23 February 1941SS Marslew4,542Sunk
30 March 1941SS Coultarn3,759Sunk
3 April 1941Thirlby4,877Damaged
21 May 19414,999Sunk
21 May 1941SS Tewkesbury4,601Sunk
31 May 1941MV Sangara5,445Total loss
3 June 1941barge Robert Hughes2,879Sunk
27 June 19417,603Sunk
27 June 1941SS River Lugar5,423Sunk
3 July 1941SS Robert L. Holt2,918Sunk

Awards