Years of service 1933–45 Name Wirich Gartzen | Rank Korvettenkapitan | |
Born 20 August 1909
Gut Daudiek at the Lower Elbe ( 1909-08-20 ) Allegiance Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany Service/branch Reichsmarine
Kriegsmarine Unit SSS Niobe
Konigsberg
cruiser Nurnberg
destroyer Z18 Hans Ludemann, Z29 Commands held Torpedoboot T-25
10. Torpedobootflottille Died December 4, 1993, Kochel, Germany Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Battles and wars Battles of Narvik, Channel Dash | ||
Wirich Giselbert Bruno von Gartzen (20 August 1909 – 4 December 1993) was a Korvettenkapitan with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and a 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.
Von Gartzen took command of torpedo boat T-25 on 15 April 1943.
Von Gartzen was part of a 4. Torpedo Boat Flotilla, under the command of Franz Kohlauf, task force consisting of five torpedo boats T-23, T-26, T-27, T-22 and T-25 in a night battle on 22/23 October 1943 in which the Germans sunk the British cruiser Charybdis and escort destroyer Limbourne.
On 28 December 1943, Von Gartzen as commander of T-25 fought in the Battle of the Bay of Biscay. The battle, which was fought as part of the Allied Operation Stonewall, intercepted the German blockade runners off the west coast of France. In the confused action that followed the two British cruisers HMS Enterprise and HMS Glasgow respectively sank T-26, together with her sister ship T-25 and the destroyer Z27. On 29 December, U-505 rescued 35 survivors, including Von Gartzen.