Ernst Bauer (Kapitän zur See)
Encyclopedia
Ernst Bauer was a German
U-boat
commander
of World War II
. He commanded the U-boat
s and , sinking 25 ships on five patrols, for a total of 118560 LT (120,462.9 t) of Allied shipping, to stand 22nd on the list of highest scoring U-Boat aces of World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
before transferring to the U-boat arm in 1938. He served as watch officer on and before commanding the training U-boat from April 1940. On 1 March 1941, he was given command of , and conducted 5 combat patrols, sinking 25 merchant ships for a total of 118560 LT (120,462.9 t).
On 22 November, Bauer was aboard the auxiliary cruiser in the south Atlantic, when she was sunk by the British heavy cruiser
. U-126 crash-dived, leaving her captain behind, and after Devonshire left the area, she resurfaced to pick up survivors.
From March 1943, Bauer served as training officer in 27th U-boat Flotilla based at Gotenhafen
, becoming commander of the unit in October 1944. During the last month of the war, he was transferred to command of 26th U-boat Flotilla at Warnemünde
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He commanded the U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s and , sinking 25 ships on five patrols, for a total of 118560 LT (120,462.9 t) of Allied shipping, to stand 22nd on the list of highest scoring U-Boat aces of World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career
Bauer joined the Reichsmarine on 23 September 1933. He served on the light cruiserLight cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
before transferring to the U-boat arm in 1938. He served as watch officer on and before commanding the training U-boat from April 1940. On 1 March 1941, he was given command of , and conducted 5 combat patrols, sinking 25 merchant ships for a total of 118560 LT (120,462.9 t).
On 22 November, Bauer was aboard the auxiliary cruiser in the south Atlantic, when she was sunk by the British heavy cruiser
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
. U-126 crash-dived, leaving her captain behind, and after Devonshire left the area, she resurfaced to pick up survivors.
From March 1943, Bauer served as training officer in 27th U-boat Flotilla based at Gotenhafen
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
, becoming commander of the unit in October 1944. During the last month of the war, he was transferred to command of 26th U-boat Flotilla at Warnemünde
Warnemünde
Warnemünde is a sea resort and northmost district of Rostock in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, situated on the Baltic Sea in the northeast of Germany at the estuary of the river Warnow.- History :...
.
Post-war
Bauer joined the Bundesmarine in 1955 and held several staff positions, before retiring in 1972 with the rank of Kapitän zur See. He died in 1988.Awards
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class (8 November 1939)
- 1st Class (1 August 1941)
- Destroyer War BadgeDestroyer War BadgeDestroyer War Badge is a German military decoration instituted on June 4, 1940 by admiral Erich Raeder and awarded to officers and crew for the service on Kriegsmarine destroyers...
(19 October 1940) - U-boat War BadgeU-boat War BadgeThe U-Boat War Badge was a German war badge that was awarded to U-boat crew members during World War I and World War II.-History:The U-boat War Badge was originally instituted during the First World War on February 1, 1918. It was awarded to recognize U-boat crews who had completed three war patrols...
(1939) (8 November 1939) - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(16 March 1942) number 104 of the Kriegsmarine - Mentioned twice in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
on 30 July 1941 and 15 March 1942 - War Merit CrossWar Merit CrossThe War Merit Cross was a decoration of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel...
1st Class with Swords- 2nd Class (20 April 1944)
- 1st Class (1 April 1945)
- BundesverdienstkreuzBundesverdienstkreuzThe Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
1st Class (10 November 1971)