Post by flakstruk on Jul 23, 2024 10:30:07 GMT
Gunther Lutjens first naval posting was the armoured cruiser Freya in 1907 and had advanced to the rank of first lieutenant by 1914 and took command of the torpedo boat T-68. By 1916 he commanded a squadron of torpedo boats on raids against French ports and engaging French and British destroyers at sea. He alternated between torpedo boat commands and ashore posting until 1933 when he reached the rank of Captain at Sea, and commanded the cruiser Karlsrhue international training voyages in 1933 and 1934 followed by a staff position as the chief of the Personnel office, not enforcing racial directives while there and returning to command of destoyers at the rank of Konter Admiral in 1937. At the beginning of world war two he was commander of scouting forces. When germany attack norway, Lutjens was flying his flag on the battleship Gneisenau which briefly duel with the Royal Navy battleship Renown while covering the landings at Narvik. Assisting with the planning for the later aborted operation Berlin, lutjens now as fleet commander engaged on the long raiding voyage codenames Operation Berlin with his flagship again on the Gneisenau, sinking 22 merchant ships before making for the captured french port of Brest. Lutjens was then to command a following operation initially intended to combined battleship strength of the kreigsmarine, but in actuality on the battleship Bismark and cruiser Prinz Eugen. After the defeat and destruction the pride of the royal navy, HMS Hood. Guther Lutjens was killed along with over two thousand sailors and officers when caught and engaged by the Royal Navy's home fleet.
