Ulrich Folkers was a German

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 in 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...

 and 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...

. U-125 was fatally damaged at 52°30′N 45°20′W by the British destroyer HMS Oribi

HMS Oribi (G66)

HMS Oribi was an O-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. Following the style of her sister ships she was named with a word beginning with O...

 and gunfire from the British corvette HMS Snowflake.

The crew of U-125 scuttled their boat with 5 explosive charges while almost alongside the HMS Snowflake and waited in the water to be rescued. Another corvette HMS Sunflower did reach the scene about this time. The commander of the corvette radioed the escort commander, Robert Sherwood, RN, in HMS Tay but was given the reply:

"Not approved to pick up survivors"

The corvettes HMS Sunflower and HMS Snowflake then turned back to protect the convoy leaving the men in the water. Kptlt. Folkers and his crew of 54 men died during that night.

Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Friday, 22 May 1942	Bei den Erfolgen in amerikanischen Gewässern haben sich Boote unter Führung der Kapitänleutnante Thurmann, Würdemann und Folkers besonders ausgezeichnet.	Boats under the commands of the Kapitänleutnants Thurmann Karl Thurmann Karl Thurmann was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross... , Würdemann Erich Würdemann Erich Würdemann was a German U-boat commander in World War II and 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.-Career:Würdemann joined the Kriegsmarine in April 1933... und Folkers distinguished themselves in the success in the American Waters.