(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Vizeadmiral August Thiele
Born: 26 Aug 1893 in Berlin-Charlottenburg
Died: 31 Mar 1981 in Mölln
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (12 Apr 1913); Leutnant zur See (22 Mar 1915); Oberleutnant zur See (25 Dec 1917); Kapitänleutnant (01 Jun 1922); Korvettenkapitän (01 Oct 1930); Fregattenkapitän (01 Oct 1935); Kapitän zur See (01 Apr 1937); Konteradmiral (01 Apr 1941); Vizeadmiral (01 Apr 1943)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett, Basic-Training and on Board the Heavy Cruiser 'Vineta' (01 Apr 1912-31 Mar 1913)
Naval-School Mürwik and Special-Briefings (01 Apr 1913-03 Aug 1914)
On Board the Small Cruiser 'Gazelle' (04 Aug 1914-22 Jan 1915)
On Board the Liner 'Preußen' (23 Jan 1915-00 Mar 1915)
On Board the Liner 'Deutschland' (00 Mar 1915-30 Nov 1916)
Flag-Lieutenant with the Staff of the II. Squadron (01 Dec 1916-14 Aug 1917)
Flag-Lieutenant with the Staff of the Commander of the Security-Formation of the Western Baltic Sea (15 Aug 1917-24 Jan 1918)
Flag-Lieutenant with the Staff of the Commander of Security of Baltic Sea (24 Jan 1918-15 Mar 1920)
Placed to the Disposal of the Leader of Minesweepers of the Baltic Sea and Commandant of the Minesweeper 'M 111' (16 Mar 1920-30 May 1920)
Adjutant of the Commander Kiel (03 Jun 1920-16 Jun 1920)
Ships-Cadre 'Medusa' (17 Jun 1920-16 Jul 1920)
Watch-Officer on the Cruiser 'Medusa' (17 Jul 1920-29 Sep 1922)
Detached for Service to Naval Command (30 Sep 1922-13 Apr 1925)
Company-Leader at the Naval-School Mürwik (14 Apr 1925-26 Sep 1928)
First Officer on the Survey-Ship 'Meteor' (27 Sep 1928-29 Sep 1929)
Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of Naval Command (03 Oct 1929-02 Jul 1930)
Navigation-Officer on the Cruiser 'Emden' (03 Jul 1930-23 Sep 1932)
1st Adjutant with the Staff of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (24 Sep 1932-26 Sep 1934)
Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea, Detached on to the Sailing-School-Ship 'Deutschland' (27 Sep 1934-26 Mar 1935)
Commandant of the Sailing-School-Ship 'Gorch Fock' (27 Mar 1935-16 Sep 1936)
Commandant of the Sailing-School-Ship 'Horst Wessel' (17 Sep 1936-27 Jan 1939)
Placed to the Disposal of the Inspection of Training-Affairs of the Navy (28 Jan 1939-20 Feb 1939)
Placed to the Disposal of the Commanding Admiral of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (21 Feb 1939-29 Mar 1939)
Fortress-Commandant of the Pomeranian Coast (30 Mar 1939-05 Oct 1939)
Placed to the Disposal of the Admiral of the Kriegsmarine-Service-Office Hamburg (06 Oct 1939-29 Nov 1939)
Commandant of the Heavy Cruiser 'Lützow' (30 Nov 1939-18 Apr 1940)
Commandant of Sea-Fortifications Drontheim (19 Apr 1940-26 Apr 1940)
Admiral of the Norwegian North-Coast (27 Apr 1940-19 Jun 1941)
Chief Of Staff, Fleet Command (30 Jun 1941-15 Feb 1943)
At the same time, Acting Admiral Northern Waters (28 Aug 1942-00 Sep 1942)
Commander of the Battle-Group (19 Feb 1943-12 Mar 1943)
Commander of Training-Formation of the Fleet (13 Mar 1943-19 Sep 1944)
Commander of the II. Battle-Group (28 Jul 1944-22 Mar 1945)
Commander of Battle-Group Thiele (23 Mar 1945-27 Apr 1945)
Commanding Admiral Eastern Baltic Sea (28 Apr 1945-12 May 1945)
In Captivity (12 May 1945-02 Dec 1946)
Released (02 Dec 1946)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (35): am 18.01.1941 als Kapitän zur See und Kommandant der Schwerer Kreuzer „Lützow“
- Eichenlaub (824): am 14.04.1945 als Vizeadmiral und Befehlshaber der Kampfgruppe „Thiele“
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 09.03.1945 als Vizeadmiral und Befehlshaber der Kampfgruppe 2
- 1914 EK I: 26.06.1919
- 1914 EK II: 08.01.1916
- Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz: 30.05.1918
- Kgl. Preuss. Rettungsmedaille am Bande: 30.06.1926
- Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis II. Klasse
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung I. Klasse: 05.03.1937
- Spange zum EK II: 14.04.1940
- Spange zum EK I: 15.04.1940
- Flottenkriegsabzeichen: 00.00.1940
- Marinefrontspange in Bronze: 12.04.1945


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