Wilhelm Rollmann
| Wilhelm Rollmann | |
|---|---|
| Born | 5 August 1907 Wilhelmshaven |
| Died | 5 November 1943 (aged 36) South Atlantic 10°09′S 18°00′W / 10.15°S 18°W |
| Allegiance |  Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |  Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine |
| Years of service | 1926–1943 |
| Rank | Fregattenkapitän |
| Unit | SSS Niobe cruiser Emden Meteor Hessen Karlsruhe aviso Grille |
| Commands held | U-34 U-848 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Wilhelm Rollmann (5 August 1907 – 5 November 1943) was a Fregattenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II, in which he commanded the U-boats U-34 and U-848. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Rollmann joined the Reichsmarine in April 1926, serving on several ships, including the light cruiser Karlsruhe. In May 1937 he transferred to the U-boat arm, taking command of the Type VIIA U-boat U-34 in October 1938. In seven successful combat patrols, he sank 19 merchant ships (including the neutral, clearly marked and fully lit, Greek merchantman Eleni Stathatou and the neutral Petsamo of Finland, with a cargo of maize, sailing from neutral Rosario to neutral Cork), as well as the British destroyer HMS Whirlwind, the submarine HMS Spearfish, and the Norwegian minelayer HNoMS Frøya. Rollmann left the U-boat in September 1940, and became an instructor in 2. Unterseeboots-Lehr-Division ("2nd U-boat Training Division"). In February 1943 he commissioned the Type IXD U-boat U-848, sinking one merchant ship on his first and only patrol, bringing his career total to 20 merchant ships sunk for a total of 96,562 GRT, three warships sunk (2,365 GRT) and two ships captured for a total of 4,957 GRT.[1]
[edit] Death
Wilhelm Rollmann and his entire crew were killed in action on 5 November 1943 when U-848 was sunk by depth charges from three Liberator and two Mitchell aircraft from the United States Navy Squadron VB-107 and the US Army 1st Composite Squadron south-west of Ascension Island.[2]
[edit] Awards
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (26 September 1939)
- 1st Class (7 February 1940)
- U-boat War Badge (1939) (12 November 1939)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (31 July 1940)
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 29 July 1940 and 2 August 1940
[edit] References
- Notes
- ^ "Fregattenkapitän Wilhelm Rollmann". uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/men/rollmann.htm. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
- ^ "The Type IXD2 U-boat U-848". uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/u848.htm. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
- Bibliography
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-88740-748-X.
- Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-87943-355-0.
