(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Vizeadmiral Kurt Utke
Born: 02 Dec 1893 in Frankfurt, Oder
Died: 30 Sep 1970 in the Alps (Accidentalt Death)
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (12 Apr 1913); Leutnant zur See (22 Mar 1915); Oberleutnant zur See (25 Dec 1917); Kapitänleutnant (01 Jan 1924); Korvettenkapitän (01 Oct 1931); Fregattenkapitän (01 Apr 1936); Kapitän zur See (01 Oct 1937); Konteradmiral (01 Mar 1942); Vizeadmiral (01 Feb 1944)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett, Attended Basic-Training and on Board the Heavy Cruiser 'Victoria Louise' (13 Apr 1912-10 Mar 1913)
Naval-School Mürwik and Special-Briefings (11 Mar 1913-11 Aug 1914)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser 'Yorck' (12 Aug 1914-04 Nov 1914)
In the 5th Sailor-Regiment of the Naval-Corps Flaunders (15 Nov 1914-00 Mar 1915)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser 'von der Tann' (00 Mar 1915-00 Mar 1917)
Submarine-Training at the Submarine-School (00 Mar 1917-00 Jun 1917)
Watch-Officer on the Submarine 'UC 71' of the U-Flotilla Flaunders (00 Jun 1917-00 Apr 1918)
Watch-Officer on the Submarine 'UC 11' of the U-Flotilla Flaunders (00 Apr 1918-26 Jun 1918)
In Captivity, Returned Home and Granted Leave (26 Jun 1918-30 May 1920)
Platoon-Leader in the Coastal-Defence-Regiment Wilhelmshaven (31 May 1920-24 Oct 1920)
Company-Leader in the Ships-Cadre-Division Of The North Sea (25 Oct 1920-08 Mar 1922)
Watch-Officer on the Cruiser 'Berlin' (09 Mar 1922-30 Sep 1924)
Company-Leader in the Coastal-Defence-Battalion IV (01 Oct 1924-24 Sep 1926)
1st Torpedo-Officer on the Liner 'Elsaß' (27 Sep 1926-23 Sep 1928)
Military Advisor with the Torpedo-Test-Institute Eckernförde (24 Sep 1928-04 Oct 1932)
Commander of the I. Battalion of the Ships-Cadre-Division of the Baltic Sea (05 Oct 1932-05 Jan 1933)
First Officer on the Cruiser 'Leipzig' (06 Jan 1933-26 Sep 1934)
Commander of the IV. Naval-Artillery-Battalion (27 Sep 1934-03 Oct 1937)
Commander of the Torpedo-School (04 Oct 1937-17 Apr 1939)
Commandant of the Liner 'Schlesien' (20 Apr 1939-16 Nov 1939)
Commandant of the Torpedo-Test-Institute Eckernförde (18 Nov 1939-17 Feb 1943)
Inspector of Torpedo-Affairs (22 Feb 1943-03 Dec 1944)
Military-Replacement-Inspector Bremen (06 Dec 1944-26 Apr 1945)
In Captivity (26 Apr 1945-17 May 1948)
Released (17 May 1948)
VAdm. a. D. Utke was missed since 30 Sep 1970. He went on a mountain tour alone and probably fell down. His corpse was found totally smashed on 06 Aug 1971 in the "Mieminger Gebirge" on the east side of the "Sonnenspitze", about 500 metres below the mountain top. The Police office in Lermoos/Tirol (Tyrol) determined his DoD: 30 Sep 1970

Decorations & Awards:
- Deutsches Kreuz in Silber: am 28.12.1943 als Konteradmiral und Inspekteur der Torpedowesens
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Kgl. Bayer. Militär-Verdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz
- U-Bootskriegsabzeichen, 1918
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern


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