Rudolf Bahr

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 35)

Successes
2 ships sunk, total tonnage 13,045 GRT
2 warships sunk, total tonnage 2,560 tons

Born	1 Apr 1916		Landsberg, Warthe
Died	16 Jan 1944	(27)

Ranks

5 Apr 1935		Offiziersanwärter
25 Sep 1935		Seekadett
1 Jul 1936		Fähnrich zur See
1 Jan 1938		Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Apr 1938		Leutnant zur See
1 Oct 1939		Oberleutnant zur See
1 Oct 1942		Kapitänleutnant

Decorations

1941		Iron Cross 2nd Class
1941		Fleet War Badge
Jan, 1942		U-boat War Badge 1939
10 Jun 1942		Iron Cross 1st Class
15 Jan 1944		German Cross in Gold

U-boat Commands

U-boat	From	To
U-305	17 Sep 1942	16 Jan 1944 (+)	4 patrols (167 days)

Rudolf Bahr was born on 1 Apr 1916 in Landsberg, Warthe, Brandenburg. He joined the Kriegsmarine as part of Crew 1935. He was promoted to Kplt on 1 Oct 1942. Rudolf Bahr served on the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen from Aug 1940 to Jun 1941.

He underwent U-boat training from Jul to Oct 1941. He served as First Watch Officer (IWO) on the type VIIC boat U-69 from Oct 1941 to Jun 1942.

He then attended the Commander's Course for the 24th Flotilla and U-boat Familiarization (Baubelehrung) with 3 training unit (3 KLA) from Jul to Sep 1942.

Rudolf Bahr commissioned the new type VIIC boat U-305 on 17 Sep 1942 and took her into the Baltic for work up with the 8th training Flotilla. On 1 March 1943 the boat joined the 1st combat flotilla at Brest, France.

Bahr and his U-305 was one of the most successful U-boats during this challenging period of the war for the U-boats, spending over 160 days at sea during 4 war patrols, sinking or damaging 4 ships, including two warships.

During his 4th war patrol the boat was almost certainly lost in an accidental torpedo explosion south-west of Ireland on 16 Jan 1944 (Allied and German radio stations picked up emergency radio signal describing rapidly sinking U-boat after torpedo explosion, that message almost certainly came from U-305).

Sources

Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1998). German U-boat commanders of World War II.

Patrol info for Rudolf Bahr

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-305	27 Feb 1943	Kiel	12 Apr 1943	Brest	Patrol 1,	45 days
2.	U-305	12 May 1943	Brest	1 Jun 1943	Brest	Patrol 2,	21 days
3.	U-305	23 Aug 1943	Brest	22 Oct 1943	Brest	Patrol 3,	61 days
4.	U-305	8 Dec 1943	Brest	16 Jan 1944	Sunk	Patrol 4,	40 days
4 patrols, 167 days at sea

Ships hit by Rudolf Bahr

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Tons		Convoy
17 Mar 1943	U-305	Port Auckland	8,789	br	SC-122
17 Mar 1943	U-305	Zouave	4,256	br	SC-122
20 Sep 1943	U-305	HMCS St. Croix (I 81)	1,190	ca	ON-202

7 Jan 1944	U-305	HMS Tweed (K 250)	1,370	br
			15,605
4 ships sunk (15,605 tons). Legend We have a picture of this vessel.