(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Kommodore Friedrich Bonte
Born: 19 Oct 1896 in Potsdam
Died: 10 Apr 1940 On the Destroyer ‘Wilhelm Heidkamp’ in the Port of Narvik
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (23 Dec 1914); Leutnant zur See (13 Jul 1916); Oberleutnant zur See (28 Sep 1920); Kapitänleutnant (01 Apr 1926); Korvettenkapitän (01 Sep 1933); Fregattenkapitän (01 Apr 1937); Kapitän zur See (01 Apr 1939); Kommodore (01 Nov 1939)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett and attended Basic-Training and was on Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Vineta’ (01 Apr 1914-31 Aug 1914)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Derfflinger’ (01 Sep 1914-07 Aug 1915)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Lützow’ (08 Aug 1915-00 Apr 1916) Navigations-Course at the Naval-School in Mürwik (00 Jun 1918-00 Sep 1918)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Seydlitz’ (00 Sep 1918-18 Nov 1918)
On Board the Liner ‘Markgraf’ (19 Nov 1918-21 Jun 1919)
In British captivity (22 Jun 1919-31 Jan 1920)
Released and back in Service with the II. Naval-Brigade (01 Feb 1920-31 Mar 1920)
Watch-Officer with the I. Flotilla (31 May 1920-31 Mar 1923)
Group-Officer at the Naval-School in Mürwik (01 Apr 1923-25 Sep 1924)
Torpedo-Boat-Commandant with the 2nd Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (26 Sep 1924-29 Sep 1927)
Training-Officer on the School-Ship ‘Berlin’ (30 Sep 1927-27 Mar 1929)
Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (28 Mar 1929-23 Apr 1929)
Guidance-Officer with the Remote-Guidence-Formation (24 Apr 1929-30 Sep 1929)
Attended Subsidiary-Leadership-Course (01 Oct 1929-08 Apr 1931)
Detached to the Staff of the Commander of Reconnaissance-Forces (09 Apr 1931-30 Sep 1931)
Admiral-Staff-Officer with the Staff of the Commander of Reconnaissance-Forces (01 Oct 1931-15 Mar 1933)
1st Adjutant in the Command of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (16 Mar 1933-03 Oct 1936)
Construction-Course with the Training-Battalion of the 3rd Destroyer-Division and placed to the Command of the Leader of Torpedo-Boats (04 Oct 1936-28 Jun 1937)
Chief of the 2nd Destroyer-Division (29 Jun 1937-31 Oct 1938)
Chief of the 2nd Destroyer-Flotilla (01 Nov 1938-25 Oct 1939)
Leader of Destroyers (26 Oct 1939-10 Apr 1940)
At the same time, Leader of Torpedo-Boats (26 Oct 1939-29 Nov 1939)
At the same time, Leader of Battle-Group 1 (Narvik) for Operation ‘Weserübung’ (09 Apr 1940-10 Apr 1940)
Killed-in-Action on the Destroyer ‘Wilhelm Heidkamp’ in the Port Of Narvik (10 Apr 1940)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (37): am 17.10.1940 als Kapitän zur See und Kommodore sowie Führer der Zerstörer und Führer der Gruppe Narvik
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer: 24.10.1935
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung I. bis IV. Klasse: 02.10.1936
- Komturkreuz des Kgl. Ungar. Verdienstordens: 20.08.1938
- Spange zum EK I: 13.11.1939
- Spange zum EK II: 16.10.1939
- Zerstörer-Kriegsabzeichen
- Narvikschild
- Wehrmachtbericht: 14.04.1940; 17.04.1940


Back to ABR Homepage