Ulrich Folkers | |
---|---|
File:File:Ulrich Folkers.jpg | |
Born | 6 March 1915 |
Died | 6 May 1943 | (aged 28)
Place of birth | Kiel |
Place of death |
North Atlantic 52°30′N 45°20′W / 52.5°N 45.333°W |
Allegiance |
|
Service/branch |
![]() |
Years of service | 1934–1943 |
Rank | Kapitänleutnant |
Unit |
SSS Gorch Fock cruiser Emden destroyer Bruno Heinemann U-37 |
Commands held | U-125 |
Battles/wars | |
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 language: 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 / 52.5°N 45.333°W by the British destroyer HMS Oribi 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.
Summary of career[]
Ships attacked[]
As commander of U-125, Folkers is credited with the sinking of 17 merchant ships totalling 82,873 gross register tons (GRT).
Date[1] | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|
26 January 1942 | West Ivis | 5,666 | Sunk | |
23 April 1942 | Lammot Du Pont | 5,102 | Sunk | |
3 May 1942 | San Rafael | ![]() |
1,973 | Sunk |
4 May 1942 | Tuscaloosa City | 5,687 | Sunk | |
6 May 1942 | Empire Buffalo | 6,404 | Sunk | |
6 May 1942 | Green Island | 1,946 | Sunk | |
9 May 1942 | Calgarolite | ![]() |
11,941 | Sunk |
14 May 1942 | Comayagua | ![]() |
2,493 | Sunk |
18 May 1942 | Mercury Sun | 8,893 | Sunk | |
18 May 1942 | William J. Salman | 2,616 | Sunk | |
1 September 1942 | Ilorin | 815 | Sunk | |
23 September 1942 | Bruyère | 5,335 | Sunk | |
29 September 1942 | Baron Ogilvy | 3,391 | Sunk | |
30 September 1942 | Empire Avocet | 6,015 | Sunk | |
30 September 1942 | Kumsang | 5,447 | Sunk | |
8 October 1942 | Glendene | 4,412 | Sunk | |
4 May 1943 | Lorient | 4,737 | Sunk |
Awards[]
- Bulgarian Order of Military Merit 4th Class with Crown (1 November 1936)[2]
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (8 April 1938)[2]
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (15 January 1940)[3]
- U-boat War Badge (1939) (26 March 1941)[3]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 March 1943 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-125[4]
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 22 May 1942
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.[5] | Boats under the commands of the Kapitänleutnants Thurmann, Würdemann und Folkers distinguished themselves in the success in the American Waters. |
References[]
- Citations
- ↑ "Ships hit by U-125 - U-boat Successes - German U-boats - uboat.net". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u125.html. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Busch and Röll 2003, p. 338.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Busch and Röll 2003, p. 339.
- ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 314.
- ↑ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 2, p. 138.
- Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer & Röll, Hans-Joachim (2003). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939-1945 - Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 3-8132-0515-0.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
External links[]
The original article can be found at Ulrich Folkers and the edit history here.