Wirich von Gartzen

Wirich von Gartzen
File:Wirich von Gartzen.jpg
Born	(1909-08-20)20 August 1909 Gut Daudiek at the Lower Elbe
Died	Kochel
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1933–45
Rank	Korvettenkapitän
Unit	SSS Niobe Königsberg cruiser Nürnberg destroyer Z18 Hans Lüdemann, Z29
Commands held	Torpedoboot T-25 10. Torpedobootflottille
Battles/wars	World War II Battles of Narvik Operation Cerberus Battle of the Bay of Biscay Battle of Sept-Îles Battle of the Ligurian Sea
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Wirich Giselbert Bruno von Gartzen (20 August 1909 – 4 December 1993) was a Korvettenkapitän 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.

File:KerlogueT25T26.jpg

A sketch from Z27 of T-25 and T-26 being shelled during the battle (National Maritime Museum of Ireland)

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.

Awards

• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (4 October 1937)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 November 1939)
  • 1st Class (28 June 1940)
• Destroyer War Badge (19 October 1940)
• Narvik Shield (10 November 1940)
• Minesweeper War Badge (20 February 1941)
• German Cross in Gold on 30 October 1943 as Korvettenkapitän on Torpedoboot T-25/4. Torpedobootflottille
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 June 1944 as Korvettenkapitän and chief of the 10. Torpedobootflottille

References

Bibliography

Works

External links

• Wirich von Gartzen in the German National Library catalogue