Ernst Mengersen
Encyclopedia
Ernst Mengersen was German
naval officer who reached the rank of Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine
during 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.
in 1933 and served on the pocket battleship and on the torpedo boat
Tiger before transferring to the U-boat force in April 1939. He commanded the , , and , and sank twelve ships, including the SS Gairsoppa
and HMS Broadwater
, on eleven patrols, for a total of of Allied shipping. The Gairsoppa carried 7,000,000 ounces of silver, which was worth £600,000 at the time of sinking. Two Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients served as watch officers under Mengersen's command. Egon-Reiner von Schlippenbach
served as first watch officer on U-101's fourth patrol under Mengerson. Karl-Heinz Marbach
was Mengerson's second watch officer on U-101. In June 1943 he became commander of 20th U-boat Flotilla (15 June 1943 – 24 February 1945) in Pillau, and during the last three months of the war Mengersen served with 25th U-boat Flotilla. In April 1945 he was selected to command the new 15th U-boat Flotilla.
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...
naval officer who reached the rank of Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
during 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 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
Mengersen joined the ReichsmarineReichsmarine
The Reichsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Weimar Republic and first two years of Nazi Germany. It was the naval branch of the Reichswehr, existing from 1918 to 1935...
in 1933 and served on the pocket battleship and on the torpedo boat
German torpedoboats of World War II
The German torpedoboats of World War II were armed principally, if not exclusively, with torpedoes and varied widely in size. They should not be confused with the larger destroyers, nor with the smaller, torpedo-armed Schnellboote .-Raubvogel and Raubtier :The six Raubvogel class torpedo boats were...
Tiger before transferring to the U-boat force in April 1939. He commanded the , , and , and sank twelve ships, including the SS Gairsoppa
SS Gairsoppa
The SS Gairsoppa was a British steam merchant ship that saw service during the Second World War. She sailed with several convoys, before joining Convoy SL 64. Running low on fuel, she left the convoy and headed for Galway, Ireland, but was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat...
and HMS Broadwater
USS Mason (DD-191)
USS Mason was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was later transferred to the Royal Navy as HMS Broadwater .-As USS Mason:...
, on eleven patrols, for a total of of Allied shipping. The Gairsoppa carried 7,000,000 ounces of silver, which was worth £600,000 at the time of sinking. Two Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients served as watch officers under Mengersen's command. Egon-Reiner von Schlippenbach
Egon-Reiner von Schlippenbach
Egon-Reiner Freiherr von Schlippenbach was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and commander of U-121 and U-453...
served as first watch officer on U-101's fourth patrol under Mengerson. Karl-Heinz Marbach
Karl-Heinz Marbach
Karl-Heinz Marbach was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
was Mengerson's second watch officer on U-101. In June 1943 he became commander of 20th U-boat Flotilla (15 June 1943 – 24 February 1945) in Pillau, and during the last three months of the war Mengersen served with 25th U-boat Flotilla. In April 1945 he was selected to command the new 15th U-boat Flotilla.
Awards
- Spanish CrossSpanish CrossThe Spanish Cross was an award of Germany given to Germans who participated in the Spanish Civil War, fighting for Franco.- History :With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Germany sent the Condor Legion to give military aid to Francisco Franco's nationalist forces.On April 14, 1939, Germany...
in Bronze with Swords (23 October 1940) - 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 (27 January 1940)
- 1st Class (10 December 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) (25 February 1942) - 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...
on 18 November 1941 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-101 - Mentioned 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 3 December 1940 - 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...
- 2nd Class (1 September 1944)
- 1st Class (31 January 1945)
Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht
| Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, 3 December 1940 | ...The submarine led by Lieutenant Mengersen contributed with the sinking of five ships of 41 000 tons as a leading participant to this success. |