Gerhard Bigalk

Gerhard Bigalk (26 November 1908 – 17 July 1942) was a Fregattenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and commander of GS U-751. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (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 GS U-14 (1936) between June and August 1940. He then took command of the newly built submarine GS 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 (D10), 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.

Ships attacked
As a U-boat commander of GS U-751 Gerhard Bigalk is credited with the sinking of five ships for a total of, further damaging one ship of and sinking one warship of 11000 MT.

Awards

 * Luftwaffe Observation Badge (2 November 1936)
 * Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (8 April 1938)
 * Cruz roja medalla de la campane (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)