Hans Erdmenger

Hans Erdmenger
File:Erdmengerh.jpg Hans Erdmenger
Born	(1903-10-29)29 October 1903 Gersthofen
Died	Bay of Biscay
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1922–43
Rank	Kapitän zur See
Unit	SSS Niobe light cruiser Berlin light cruiser Emden
Commands held	destroyer Z21 Wilhelm Heidkamp destroyer Z28
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Battles of Narvik Battle of the Bay of Biscay
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Kapitän zur See Hans Otto Erdmenger (29 October 1903 – 28 December 1943) was a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Erdmenger was killed in action on 28 December 1943 in the Battle of the Bay of Biscay () as chief of the 8. Zerstörerflottille on board the destroyer Z27 which was sunk in combat with the British cruisers HMS Glasgow and HMS Enterprise.

Early life and career

On 10 January, he was posted to the light cruiser Emden (20 November 1925 – 1 January 1929). He sailed on Emden's first training cruise, which started on 14 November 1926 from Wilhelmshaven. The journey took him and her crew to the Atlantic, Cape Town to the Cocos Islands. Here, on 15 March 1927, the crew conducted a service in commemoration at the sinking site of SMS Emden which was lost on 9 November 1914. The trip continued to Japan, Alaska, Cape Horn, Rio de Janeiro, the Azores and Spain before they returned home on 14 March 1928.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (28 October 1939)
  • 1st Class (15 November 1939)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 November 1940 as Korvettenkapitän and commander of destroyer Wilhelm Heidkamp (Z-21)
• Destroyer War Badge (1940)
• Narvik Shield (1940)
• Italian Officers Cross of the Order of the Crown (11 March 1941)
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 31 December 1943

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
31 December 1943	Wie durch Sondermeldung bekanntgegeben, erlitt die britische Marine bei den vorgestern gemeldeten mehrtägigen Gefechten in der Biskaya durch die deutschen Seestreitkräfte schwere Verluste. Unsere unter der Führung des Kapitän zu See Erdmenger stehenden Zerstörer und Torpedoboote beschädigten in harten und lang andauernden Kämpfen die britischen Kreuzer "Glasgow" und "Enterprise" und schossen einen von ihnen in Brand.	As announced by special announcement, the Royal Navy suffered heavy losses by German naval forces in the day before yesterday reported several days lasting battles in the Bay of Biscay. Our under the leadership of Captain at Sea Erdmenger destroyers and torpedo boats damaged in severe and prolonged combat the British cruiser "Glasgow" and "Enterprise" and shot one of them on fire.

References

Bibliography

• Herausgeber Deutsches Marine-Institut mit Unterstützung des MGFA (1984). Der Marineoffizier als Führer im Gefecht – Vorträge auf der Historisch-Taktischen Tagung der Flotte 1983 (in German). Herford, Germany: E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0185-6.

External links

• Hans Erdmenger @ Deutsche Marinesoldaten
• Hans Erdmenger @ Geocities at the Wayback Machine (archived October 29, 2009)

Military offices
Preceded by Kapitän zur See Gottfried Pönitz	Chief of the 8. Zerstörerflottille 18 March 1943 – 28 December 1943	Succeeded by Kapitän zur See Georg Langheld