Ernst Mengersen | |
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Born | 30 June 1912 Bremke |
Died | 6 November 1995 Detmold |
(aged 83)
Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
Service/branch | Kriegsmarine |
Years of service | 1933–1945 |
Rank | Korvettenkapitän |
Unit | SSS Gorch Fock cruiser Karlsruhe Schleswig-Holstein Admiral Scheer |
Commands held | U-18 U-143 U-101 U-607 |
Battles/wars | |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Ernst Mengersen (30 June 1912 – 6 November 1995) 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 (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
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Mengersen joined the Reichsmarine in 1933 and served on the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer and on the torpedo boat Tiger before transferring to the U-boat force in April 1939.[Note 1] He commanded the U-18, U-143, U-101 and U-607, and sank twelve ships, including the SS Gairsoppa[1] and HMS Broadwater, on eleven patrols, for a total of 68,071 gross register tons (GRT) 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.[2]
Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
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Tuesday, 3 December 1940 | ... An diesem Erfolg ist das unter Führung von Kapitänleutnant Mengersen stehende Unterseeboot mit der Versenkung von fünf Schiffen mit zusammen 41 000 BRT führend beteiligt.[5] | ...The submarine led by Lieutenant Mengersen contributed with the sinking of five ships of 41 000 tons as a leading participant to this success. |