Allegiance Nazi Germany Service/branch Kriegsmarine Name Gerhard Bigalk | Rank Korvettenkapitan Years of service 1934–42 | |
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Born 26 November 1908
Berlin-Niederschonhausen ( 1908-11-26 ) Buried at (45°14′N 12°22′W / 45.233°N 12.367°W / 45.233; -12.367 (Gerhard Bigalk (death))) Battles/wars Spanish Civil War
World War II
Battle of the Atlantic Died July 17, 1942, Atlantic Ocean Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Battles and wars Spanish Civil War, Battle of the Atlantic, World War II Unit SMS Schleswig-Holstein, 24th U-boat Flotilla, 7th U-boat Flotilla Commands held German submarine U-14, German submarine U-751 | ||
Gerhard Bigalk (26 November 1908 – 17 July 1942) was a captain with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and commander of U-751. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.
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Career
Bigalk spent some years in the merchant marine before joining the Kriegsmarine in April 1934. He initially trained as an observer in the naval air force, and saw service during the Spanish Civil War, making 21 combat flights in 1937. He joined the U-boat force in November 1939. He trained into 1940, taking command of the school boat U-14 between June and August 1940. He then took command of the newly built submarine U-751 when it commissioned in January 1941.
Between June 1941 and July 1942 Bigalk commanded U-751 on seven combat patrols, sinking six ships totalling 32,412 tons, and damaged one ship of 8,096 tons. This included the 11,000 ton British escort carrier HMS Audacity from convoy HG 76, sunk on 21 December 1941 during his fourth patrol, for which Bigalk was awarded the Knight's Cross.
Bigalk died on 17 July 1942 when U-751 was sunk with all hands by depth charges dropped by a Whitley bomber from No. 502 Squadron RAF and a Lancaster bomber from No. 61 Squadron RAF in the North Atlantic north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain.
Bigalk received a posthumous promotion to Korvettenkapitän on 5 April 1945.
Ships attacked
As commander of U-751 Gerhard Bigalk is credited with the sinking of five ships for a total of 21,412 gross register tons (GRT), further damaging one ship of 8,096 GRT and sinking one warship of 11,000 long tons (11,000 tonnes).