(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Vizeadmiral Herbert Straehler
Born: 06 Jan 1887 in Breslau
Died: 16 May 1979 in Braunschweig
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (06 Apr 1907); Leutnant zur See (30 Sep 1909); Oberleutnant zur See (19 Sep 1912); Kapitänleutnant (17 Nov 1919); Korvettenkapitän (01 Aug 1925); Fregattenkapitän (01 Oct 1930); Kapitän zur See (01 Jan 1933); Charakter als Konteradmiral (01 Apr 1939); Konteradmiral (01 Nov 1939); Vizeadmiral (01 Apr 1942)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett, Basic-Training and on Board the School-Ship ‘Stein’ (01 Apr 1906-31 Mar 1907)
Naval-School and Special-Briefings (01 Apr 1907-30 Sep 1908)
On Board the Liner ‘Hessen’ (01 Oct 1908-16 Sep 1909)
Adjutant on the Liner ‘Nassau’ (17 Sep 1909-30 Sep 1912)
Company-Officer in the Cadre-Detachment of the Sailor-Artillery-Battalion Kiautschou (01 Oct 1912-29 Oct 1912)
Departed from Tsingtau with the ‘Kleist’ from Neapel (30 Oct 1912-18 Dec 1912)
Company-Officer in the Sailor-Artillery-Battalion Kiautschou (19 Dec 1912-08 Nov 1914)
At the same time, Leader of the Sailor-Detachment Hankou (15 Oct 1913-14 Feb 1914)
At the same time, Commandant of Battery VII and VIIa at the Land-Front Tsingtau (02 Aug 1914-08 Nov 1914)
In Japanese Captivity (08 Nov 1914-16 Nov 1915)
Fled from Japanese Captivity. He escaped on foot over approximately 1000km over Korea, Manchuria, Peking, crossed Asia to East Turkestan and went back through Mongolia to Shanghai. From there he came as Dutch Stewart on a Norwegian Tank-Steamer to San Francisco. After three and a half month stay in the USA he was a stowaway on a Norwegian-Steamer to Europe. In November 1916 he was discovered by an Englishman and was again placed in POW Captivity (17 Nov 1915-07 Nov 1916)
In Captivity, Released and Returned Home and Granted Leave (15 Nov 1916-26 Oct 1919)
Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (30 Oct 1919-06 Mar 1920)
Retired (06 Mar 1920)
Company-Officer in the Rifle-Regiment ‘Groß-Berlin’ (13 Mar 1920-31 Mar 1920)
Reactivated to Naval Service and Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (09 Sep 1920-04 Oct 1920)
Battery-Chief in the Coastal-Defence-Battalion III (05 Oct 1920-31 May 1921)
Company-Chief in the Coastal-Defence-Battalion IV (01 Jun 1921-30 Sep 1922)
Navigations-Officer on the Cruiser ‘Arcona’ (01 Oct 1922-30 Nov 1923)
Navigations-Officer on the Cruiser ‘Amazone’ (01 Dec 1923-26 Sep 1924)
Assistant in the Naval-Arsenal Kiel (27 Sep 1924-15 May 1925)
Acting-Arsenal-Commandant (15 May 1925-15 Jun 1925)
2nd Artillery-Officer on the Liner ‘Hessen’ (16 Nov 1925-18 Sep 1926)
1st Artillery-Officer on the Liner ‘Hessen’ (19 Sep 1926-01 Oct 1928)
Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (02 Oct 1928-05 Dec 1928)
Commander of the V. Naval-Artillery-Battalion (06 Dec 1928-25 Sep 1931)
At the same time, Acting-Commandant of Pillau (20 Mar 1930-30 Apr 1930)
At the same time, Acting-Commandant of Pillau (18 Dec 1930-15 Jan 1931)
At the same time, Acting-Commandant of Pillau (04 May 1931-14 May 1931)
Commander of the Naval-School Friedrichsort (29 Sep 1931-02 Oct 1933)
Chief of the Central-Department of the Naval-Arsenal Kiel (03 Oct 1933-27 Sep 1934)
Arsenal-Commandant of the Naval-Arsenal Kiel (28 Sep 1934-26 Sep 1936)
Chief of the Shipyard-Department then Shipyard-Head-Department in the General Naval Office, OKM (27 Sep 1936-07 Nov 1939)
Armaments-Inspector XX Danzig (08 Nov 1939-15 May 1943)
Placed to the Disposal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine (16 May 1943-31 May 1943)
Retired (31 May 1943)
Placed to the Disposal of the Kriegsmarine without being mobilised (01 Jun 1943)

Decorations & Awards:


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