Kptlt. Otto Kretschmer (sitzend) mit Besatzungsmitgliedern von "U-99" nach der Verleihung des Ritterkreuz (RK) in einem franz?ssischen Hafen am 8.8.1940
Following the Knight???s Cross ceremony, Kretschmer and his crew retired to the foredeck of U99 for a well-earned bottle of beer each. / INCREDIBLE IMAGES illustrating the career of the most successful submarine commander of any navy during the Second World War are due to be published as part of a new book, giving a rare insight into the deadliest war in human history from the German perspective. Images from ???Otto Kretschmer: The Life of Germany???s Highest Scoring U-boat Captain??? by Lawrence Paterson show Kretschmer, who was responsible for the sinking of 47 vessels in the space of just 18 months, with a nervous look on his face as he is presented an award by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. Further images from the book show Kretschmer sharing a beer with colleagues following a successful mission, with another seeing him barking out instructions to his crew ahead of one of his many dives / Greenhill Books / mediadrumworld.com