Robert Gysae
Encyclopedia
Robert Gysae was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine
during World War II
. He commanded and , sinking twenty-five ships on eight patrols, for a total of tons of Allied shipping, to become the fifteenth highest scoring U-Boat ace of World War II.
U-98, unusually without serving any time as either 1.WO (1. Wachoffizier, "1st Watch Officer") or Kommandantenschüler ("Commander-in-Training") on any other U-boats. After six patrols in the north Atlantic in command of U-98, in March 1942 he transferred to the Type IXD2 U-boat
U-177 for another two patrols, this time operating off South Africa
and Portuguese East Africa. He sank a total of 25 ships, including the armed merchant cruiser . In January 1944 he became commander of 25th U-boat Flotilla, a training flotilla based at Gotenhafen
. In April 1945, during the last month of the war, Gysae commanded the Marinepanzerjagd-Regiment 1, a naval anti-tank regiment. After the war he served in the Deutscher Minenräumdienst ("German Mine Sweeping Administration
") for more than two years. In 1956 he joined the Bundesmarine, serving for four years as Navy attaché
in the United States, and then three years as commander of Marinedivision Nordsee with the rank of Flottillenadmiral before retiring in 1970. He died in 1989 aged 78.
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 It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine.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 commanded and , sinking twenty-five ships on eight patrols, for a total of tons of Allied shipping, to become the fifteenth highest scoring U-Boat ace of World War II.
Career
Gysae joined the Reichsmarine in 1931 and served on torpedo boats before transferring to the U-bootwaffe ("U-boat force") in April 1940. In October 1940 he was appointed commander of the Type VIIC U-boatGerman Type VII submarine
Type VII U-boats were the most common type of German World War II U-boat. The Type VII was based on earlier German submarine designs going back to the World War I Type UB III, designed through the Dutch dummy company Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw den Haag which was set up by Germany after...
U-98, unusually without serving any time as either 1.WO (1. Wachoffizier, "1st Watch Officer") or Kommandantenschüler ("Commander-in-Training") on any other U-boats. After six patrols in the north Atlantic in command of U-98, in March 1942 he transferred to the Type IXD2 U-boat
German Type IX submarine
The Type IX U-boat was designed by Germany in 1935 and 1936 as a large ocean-going submarine for sustained operations far from the home support facilities. Type IX boats were briefly used for patrols off the eastern United States in an attempt to disrupt the stream of troops and supplies bound for...
U-177 for another two patrols, this time operating off South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
and Portuguese East Africa. He sank a total of 25 ships, including the armed merchant cruiser . In January 1944 he became commander of 25th U-boat Flotilla, a training 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...
. In April 1945, during the last month of the war, Gysae commanded the Marinepanzerjagd-Regiment 1, a naval anti-tank regiment. After the war he served in the Deutscher Minenräumdienst ("German Mine Sweeping Administration
German Mine Sweeping Administration
The German Mine Sweeping Administration was formed from former crews and vessels of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine for the purpose of mine sweeping after the Second World War, predominantly in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, and existed from June 1945 to January 1948.-History:The GMSA was formed on 21...
") for more than two years. In 1956 he joined the Bundesmarine, serving for four years as Navy attaché
Attaché
Attaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
in the United States, and then three years as commander of Marinedivision Nordsee with the rank of Flottillenadmiral before retiring in 1970. He died in 1989 aged 78.
Awards
- DienstauszeichnungWehrmacht Long Service AwardThe Wehrmacht Long Service Award was a military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a given years of military service...
4th Class (2 October 1936) - The Return of Sudetenland Commemorative Medal of 1 October 1938Sudetenland MedalThe The Sudetenland Commemorative Medal was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period.-Description:...
(20 December 1939) - 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 - 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 (31 May 1940)
- 1st Class (15 April 1941)
- Italian Knight's Cross of the Order of the Crown (11 March 1941)
- 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) (31 May 1941)- with Diamonds
- Croce di GuerraCroce di GuerraThe Croce di Guerra al Valor Militare is an Italian decoration for military valour.- Past recipients :* Edouard Izac, Lieutenant, United States Navy* Douglas MacArthur, General, United States Army...
with Swords (25 May 1943) - Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
(1939) in Black (25 June 1943) - 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 with Swords (1 September 1944) - U-boat Front ClaspU-boat Front ClaspThe U-boat Front Clasp or U-boat Combat Clasp, as it is better known, was a German badge that was awarded to holders of the U-boat War Badge to recognize continued combat service and valor during World War II.-History:...
in Bronze (1 October 1944) - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak LeavesKnight'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...
- Knight's Cross (31 December 1941) as commander of U-98
- 250th Oak Leaves (31 May 1943) as commander of U-177
- 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 23 May 1941 - Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
(United States of America) - Cross of MeritBundesverdienstkreuzThe 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
Ships attacked
During his career Gysae sunk 24 commercial ships for , one auxiliary warship of , and damaged one ship for .| Date | Name of Ship | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-98 | ||||
| 27 March 1941 | Koranton |  United Kingdom |
6,695 | Sunk at 59°N 27°W |
| 4 April 1941 | Helle |  Norway |
2,467 | Sunk at 59°06′N 24°12′W |
| Welcombe | United Kingdom |
5,122 | Sunk at 59°09′N 23°40′W | |
| 9 April 1941 | Prins Willem II |  Netherlands |
1,304 | Sunk at 59°50′N 24°25′W |
| 13 May 1941 | United Kingdom |
10,549 | Sunk at 59°04′N 38°15′W | |
| 20 May 1941 | Rothermere | United Kingdom |
5,356 | Sunk at 57°48′N 41°36′W |
| 21 May 1941 | Marconi | United Kingdom |
7,402 | Sunk at 58°N 41°W |
| 9 July 1941 | Designer | United Kingdom |
5,945 | Sunk at 42°59′N 31°40′W |
| Inverness | United Kingdom |
4,897 | Sunk at 42°46′N 32°45′W | |
| 16 September 1941 | Jedmoor | United Kingdom |
4,392 | Sunk at 59°N 10°W |
| 15 February 1942 | Biela | United Kingdom |
5,298 | Sunk at 42°55′N 45°40′W |
| U-177 | ||||
| 2 November 1942 | Aegeus |  Greece |
4,538 | Sunk at 32°30′S 16°00′E |
| 9 November 1942 | Cerion | United Kingdom |
2,588 | Damaged at 35°58′S 26°37′E |
| 19 November 1942 | Scottish Chief | United Kingdom |
7,006 | Sunk at 30°39′S 34°41′E |
| 20 November 1942 | Pierce Butler |  United States |
7,191 | Sunk at 29°40′S 36°35′E |
| 28 November 1942 | Nova Scotia | United Kingdom |
6,796 | Sunk at 28°30′S 33°00′E |
| 30 November 1942 | Llandaff Castle | United Kingdom |
10,799 | Sunk at 27°20′S 33°40′E |
| 7 December 1942 | Saronikos | Greece |
3,548 | Sunk at 24°46′S 35°30′E |
| 12 December 1942 | United Kingdom |
6,408 | Sunk at 26°15′S 34°40′E | |
| 14 December 1942 | Sawahloento | Netherlands |
3,085 | Sunk at 31°02′S 34°00′E |
| 28 May 1943 | Agwimonte | United States |
6,679 | Sunk at 34°57′S 19°33′E |
| Storaas | Norway |
7,886 | Sunk at 34°57′S 19°33′E | |
| 6 July 1943 | Jasper Park |  Canada |
7,129 | Sunk at 32°52′S 42°15′E |
| 10 July 1943 | Alice F. Palmer | United States |
7,176 | Sunk at 26°30′S 44°20′E |
| 29 July 1943 | Cornish City | United Kingdom |
4,952 | Sunk at 27°20′S 52°10′E |
| 5 August 1943 | Efthalia Mari | Greece |
4,195 | Sunk at 24°21′S 48°55′E |