Gerhard Bigalk

Gerhard Bigalk
Bigalk at St. Nazaire, 15 June 1942
Born	(1908-11-26)26 November 1908 Berlin-Niederschönhausen
Died	North Atlantic
Buried
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1934–42
Rank	Korvettenkapitän
Unit	Schleswig-Holstein tender Saar Condor Legion A/88 24th U-boat Flotilla 7th U-boat Flotilla
Commands held	U-14 U-751
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Battle of the Atlantic
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Gerhard Bigalk (26 November 1908 – 17 July 1942) was a Fregattenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and commander of U-751. He was also a 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.

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.

Summary of career

Ships attacked

As a U-boat 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 metric tons (11,000 long tons; 12,000 short tons).

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate
14 June 1941	St. Lindsay	United Kingdom	5,370	Sunk
21 December 1941	HMS Audacity	Royal Navy	11,000	Sunk
2 February 1942	Corilla	Netherlands	8,096	Damaged
4 February 1942	Silveray	United Kingdom	4,535	Sunk
7 February 1942	Empire Sun	United Kingdom	6,952	Sunk
16 May 1942	Nicarao	United States	1,445	Sunk
19 May 1942	Isabela	United States	3,110	Sunk

Awards

• Luftwaffe Observation Badge (2 November 1936)
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (8 April 1938)
• Cruz roja Medalla de la Campaña (1 June 1939)
• Spanish Cross in Silver with Swords (1 June 1939)
• The Return of Sudetenland Commemorative Medal of 1 October 1938 (1 December 1939)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (30 November 1940)
  • 1st Class (26 December 1941)
• U-boat War Badge (1939) (7 July 1941)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 December 1941 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-751
• Mentioned three times in the Wehrmachtbericht (22 December 1941, 23 December 1941 and 24 December 1941)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Monday, 22 December 1941 (Extra)	Ein im Atlantik operierendes Unterseeboot unter Führung von Kapitänleutnant Bigalk torpedierte einen englischen Flugzeugträger. Das Schiff ist gesunken.	A in the Atlantic operating submarine under the command of Captain Lieutenant Bigalk torpedoed an English aircraft carrier. The ship has sunk.
Tuesday, 23 December 1941	Wie durch Sondermeldung bekanntgegeben, griff ein Unterseeboot unter Führung von Kapitänleutnant Bigalk im Atlantik einen britischen Flugzeugträger an, der zur Sicherung eines Geleitzuges eingesetzt war. Das Unterseeboot machte den Flugzeugträger durch Torpedotreffer in die Schraube manövrierunfähig. Nach zwei weiteren Torpedotreffern im Vorschiff und in der Mitte ist der Flugzeugträger über das Vorschiff gesunken.	As announced by special bulletin, attacked a submarine under the command of Captain Lieutenant Bigalk in the Atlantic a British aircraft carrier, which was deployed to secure a convoy. The submarine made the aircraft carrier by torpedo hit in the screw incapable of maneuvering. After two further torpedo hits, one in the bow and one in the middle section, the aircraft carrier sunk over the bow.
Wednesday, 24 December 1941	Das durch das Unterseeboot des Kapitänleutnants Bigalk versenkte britische Kriegsschiff ist inzwischen als der Flugzeugträger "Unicorn" festgestellt worden. Es handelt sich hierbei um das neuste, erst während des Krieges fertiggestellte Schiff der Gattung, das in den britischen Flottenlisten als Flugbootträger geführt wird.	The British warship sunk by the submarine of Captain Lieutenant Bigalk has now been identified as the aircraft carrier "Unicorn". It is the newest, only just completed during the war, ship of her class, which is listed in the British fleet list as a seaplane carrier.

Promotions

1 July 1934:	Fähnrich zur See (Officer Cadet)
1 April 1936:	Oberfähnrich zur See (Senior Ensign)
1 October 1936:	Leutnant zur See (Second Lieutenant)
1 June 1938:	Oberleutnant zur See (First Lieutenant)
21 January 1938:	Oberleutnant zur See with rank age dated 1 October 1937
1 June 1939:	Kapitänleutnant (Captain Lieutenant)
5 April 1945:	Korvettenkapitän (Corvette Captain), effective as of 1 July 1942