Korvettenkapitän Heinrich Bleichrodt - German U-boat Commanders of WWII - The Men of the Kriegsmarine (2024)

U-boat Commands

After first serving on the training ship Gorch Fock and the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper, Kapitänleutnant 'Ajax' Bleichrodt began his U-boat career in October 1939. Following standard training, his first posting was the small type IIB U-boatcoastal boat U-8. During June/July 1940 he completed one patrol as IWO on U-34, serving under the future Knights Cross holder Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Rollmann. They sank eight ships with a total of 22,434 tons.

In August 1940 he took command of U-48, and on 8 September 1940 he began his first patrol as a commander. Aboard as his IWO was Teddy Suhren, who was to later win the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Together they sank eight ships with a total of 36,189 tons.

On 21 September, 1940 the daily Wehrmachtsbericht announced:

Das unter Führung von Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt stehende Unterseeboot hat neun Dampfer mit insgesamt 51.862 BRT versenkt.

The U-boat under the command of Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt sank nine merchant ships with a total of 51,862 tons.

[Note that this is a case of a wartime claim differing from a postwar-verified figure.]

'Ajax' Bleichrodt's second patrol on U-48 in October 1940 was also a great success, with eight ships sunk totalling 43,106 tons.

On 18 October 1940 the daily Wehrmachtsbericht announced:

Ein Unterseeboot unter Führung vom Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt ..., hat auf seiner letzten Unternehmung insgesamt 42.000 BRT feindlichen Handelsschiffraum versenkt.

A U-boat under the command of Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt sank a total of 42,000 tons of enemy shipping on his most recent patrol.

Three days before the end of that patrol U-48 received a radio transmission regarding the award of a Knights Cross. When Bleichrodt learned that it was for him, he refused to wear his new medal until his IWO, Oberleutnant z. S. Teddy Suhren, hadalso been awarded one, since Suhren had overseen all surface action on previous missions. On 3 November 1940 Suhren became the first IWO to receive the Knights Cross for his "outstanding part in the sinking of more than 200,000 tons".

In Autumn 1940 Bleichrodt left U-48 and in January 1941 commissioned U-67. In June 1941 he took over command of U-109. During six patrols he sank 13 ships with a total of some 80,000 tons, and was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross. After five months in the 27th (Training) Flotilla Bleichrodt served one year in the 2nd ULD (U-boat training division) as a tactical instructor, starting in July 1943. From July 1944 to the end of the war he was Chief of the 22nd Flotilla .

Sources

Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1998). German U-boat commanders of World War II.
Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1997). Der U-Bootkrieg 1939-1945 (Band 2).

Patrol info for Heinrich Bleichrodt

Ships hit by Heinrich Bleichrodt

Date	U-boat	Commander		Name of ship	Tons	Nat.		Convoy
15 Sep 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		HMS Dundee (L 84)	1,060		br	SC-3
15 Sep 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Alexandros	4,343		gr	SC-3
15 Sep 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Empire Volunteer	5,319		br	SC-3
18 Sep 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		City of Benares	11,081		br	OB-213
18 Sep 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Marina	5,088		br	OB-213
18 Sep 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Magdalena	3,118		br	SC-3
21 Sep 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Blairangus	4,409		br	HX-72
21 Sep 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Broompark (d.)	5,136		br	HX-72
11 Oct 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Brandanger	4,624		nw	HX-77
11 Oct 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Port Gisborne	8,390		br	HX-77
12 Oct 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Davanger	7,102		nw	HX-77
17 Oct 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Languedoc	9,512		br	SC-7
17 Oct 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Scoresby	3,843		br	SC-7
18 Oct 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Sandsend	3,612		br	OB-228
20 Oct 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Shirak	6,023		br	HX-79
23 Jan 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Thirlby	4,887		br	SC-66
1 Feb 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Tacoma Star	7,924		br
5 Feb 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Montrolite	11,309		ca
6 Feb 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Halcyon	3,531		pa
20 Apr 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Harpagon	5,719		br
1 May 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		La Paz (d.)	6,548		br
3 May 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Laertes	5,825		nl
7 Aug 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Arthur W. Sewall	6,030		nw
11 Aug 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Vimeira	5,728		br	E-6
3 Sep 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Ocean Might	7,173		br	OS-37
6 Sep 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Tuscan Star	11,449		br
17 Sep 1942	U-109	Heinrich Bleichrodt		Peterton	5,221		br	OG-80
					164,004
25 ships sunk (152,320 tons) and 2 ships damaged (11,684 tons). Legend We have a picture of this vessel. (d.) means the ship was damaged.

About ranks and decorations
Special thanks to Fernando Almeida for data on ranks and decorations.