Allegiance Nazi Germany Rank Kapitanleutnant Battles and wars World War II Commands held German submarine U-125 | Years of service 1934–43 Name Ulrich Folkers Service/branch Kriegsmarine | |
Born 6 March 1915
Kiel ( 1915-03-06 ) Unit SSS Gorch Fock
cruiser Emden
destroyer Bruno Heinemann
U-37 Battles/wars World War II
Operation Paukenschlag Died May 6, 1943, Atlantic Ocean Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross | ||
Ulrich Folkers (6 March 1915 in Kiel – killed in action 6 May 1943 in the North Atlantic) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and 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. U-125 was fatally damaged at 52°30′N 45°20′W by the British destroyer Oribi and gunfire from the British corvette Snowflake.
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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 Sunflower did reach the scene about this time. The commander of the corvette radioed the escort commander, Robert Sherwood, RN, in 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.
Ships attacked
As commander of U-125, Folkers is credited with the sinking of 17 merchant ships totalling 82,873 gross register tons (GRT).