FdU West
FdU Norwegen
FdU Italien/Mittelmeer
The very first FdU West had actually come into being in August 1939 as Germany appeared on the brink of war with the Western Allies. In Wilhelmshaven Dönitz had appointed Kapitänleutnant Hans Ibbeken (commander of the "Saltzwedel" Flotilla) to the post of FdU West, with Kapitänleutnant Looff (commander "Weddigen") his deputy. The post was short-lived however as Dönitz arrived as FdU to take personal command of the western U-boats from his command ship Erwin Wassner. The office of FdU West as we know it was established in July 1942 in Paris. Later during 1943 the FdU West moved to Angers until forced to evacuate late in 1944 to Norway after the Allied invasion of western France. FdU West was responsible for disciplinary and judicial matters within its region as well as the U-boats themselves while they were within their French ports and in transit to and from the western edge off Biscay. While the boats were outside of these areas they remained directly under BdU command.
FdU: Kapitän zur See Hans-Rudolf Rösing
1st Admiralty Staff Officer: Korvettenkapitän Daublebsky von Eichhain
Chief Engineering Officer: Fregattenkapitän (Ing.) Scheel
Chief Medical Officer: MOStA Dr. Wagner (September 1943 to September 1944).
Flotillas: 1st UF; 2nd UF; 3rd UF; 6th UF; 7th UF; 9th UF; 10th UF; 12th UF
Formed in January 1943, stationed in Narvik. FdU Norwegen was answerable to Marinegruppenkommando Nord. Upon the arrival of FdU West in Bergen during October 1944, FdU Norwegen was renamed FdU Nord. FdU Norwegen (or FdU Nord), unlike Rösing's command, exercised complete operational control over boats within its allocated area.
FdU: Kapitän zur See Rudolf Peters (January 1943 to May 1944)
Fregattenkapitän Reinhard Suhren (May 1944 to May 1945)
1st Admiralty Staff Officer: (Org) Fregattenkapitän Hans Eckermann (January 1943 to November 1944)
(Op.) Kapitänleutnant Juergen Oesten (January 1943 to June 1943)
Kapitänleutnant Reche (June 1943 to May 1945)
Chief Engineering Officer: Korvettenkapitän (Ing.) Rudolf Wahl (January 1943 to October 1943)
Korvettenkapitän Ebell (October 1943 to May 1945)
Chief Medical Officer: MOStA Dr. Wagner (November 1942 to April 1943)
MOStA d. R. Dr Kruse (April 1944)
Flotillas: 11th UF; 13th UF; 14th UF.
Formed in November 1941 as the FdU Italien. FdU Italien was answerable to Marinekommando Italien. Renamed FdU Mittelmeer (Mediterranean) in August 1943, the headquarters was relocated from Rome, Italy, to Toulon/Aix de Provence in the south of France. This command disbanded in September 1944 after the successful Allied Anvil landings in southern France, three U-boats still in operation in the the eastern Mediterranean grouped under the command of Admiral commanding the Aegean.
FdU: Korvettenkapitän Oehrn (November 1941 to February 1942)
Konteradmiral Kreisch (February 1942 to January 1944)
Kapitän zur See Werner Hartmann (January 1944 to September 1944)
1st Admiralty Staff Officer: Korvettenkapitän Oehrn (Noevember 1941 to May 1942)
Korvettenkapitän Schewe (May 1942 to September 1944)
Chief Engineering Officer: Korvettenkapitän (Ing.) Gottwald (February 1943 to February 1944)
Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) Zschetzschig (February 1944 to July 1944)
Flotillas: 23rd UF; 29th UF.