Gerhard Meyer

Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve


Successes
2 ships sunk, total tonnage 17,651 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,085 tons
1 warship a total loss, total tonnage 1,085 tons

Born  15 Apr 1915 Kiel
Died  12 Apr 1945(29)Norwegian Sea


If you can help with photo or any information on this Officer please contact us at gummi@uboat.net.

Ranks

1 Jul 1943 Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve

Decorations

  Iron Cross 2nd Class
  Iron Cross 1st Class
7 Feb 1945 German Cross in Gold

U-boat Commands

U-boatFromTo
U-486 22 Mar 1944 12 Apr 1945  (+)  2 patrols (55 days) 

Gerhard Meyer joined the Kriegsmarine in 1935. He served as a Watch Officer (WO) on the destroyer Z 15 Erich Steinbrinck from March 1942 to May 1943. He joined the U-boat force and went through U-boat training, including Commander courses, from May 1943 to Jan 1944 (Busch & Röll, 1999).

To prepare for his own U-boat Command he began his U-boat familiarization (Baubelehrung) in Jan 1944. On 22 March 1944 he commissioned the brand new type VIIC boat U-486 at Kiel and started his work-up training in the Baltic (Busch & Röll, 1999).

On 26 Nov 1944 he sailed from Egersund, Norway for his first war patrol (Busch & Röll, 1997). His destination was the English Channel. This was to be one of the mos successful war patrols in the last year of the war. He sank or destroyed 4 ships; including the 11,506 BRT troopship Leopoldville on 24 Dec and the British frigates HMS Affleck (K-462) and HMS Capel (K 470) on 26 Dec (Rohwer, 1998). He returned to Bergen, norway on 15 Jan 1945 after 51 days at sea (Busch & Röll, 1997).


The Belgian troopship Leopoldville sunk by U-486 (Meyer) on 24 Dec 1944.
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection.

This performance, under constant Allied sub-hunting, should have ensured a Knight's Cross for him but the Allies spread disinformation that the Leopoldville was a hospital ship and also BdU seemed oddly unaware of his exploits.

On 9 April 1945 U-486 left Bergen for its second patrol. The boat was sunk with all hands (48 men) 3 days later on 12 April by torpedoes from the British submarine HMS Tapir (Niestlé, 1998).

Sources

Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II.
Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1997). Der U-Bootkrieg 1939-1945 (Band 2).
Niestlé, A. (1998). German U-boat losses during World War II.
Rohwer, J. (1998). Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two.

Patrol info for Gerhard Meyer

 U-boat Departure Arrival  
1. U-486 6 Nov 1944  Kiel  9 Nov 1944  Horten   4 days
2. U-486 17 Nov 1944  Horten  20 Nov 1944  Egersund   4 days
3. U-486 26 Nov 1944  Egersund  15 Jan 1945  Bergen  Patrol 1,51 days
4. U-486 9 Apr 1945  Bergen  12 Apr 1945  Sunk  Patrol 2,4 days
2 patrols, 55 days at sea

Ships hit by Gerhard Meyer

Date U-boat Name of ship Tons Nat. Convoy
18 Dec 1944U-486 Silverlaurel6,142brBTC-10
24 Dec 1944U-486 Leopoldville11,509beWEP-3
26 Dec 1944U-486 HMS Affleck (K 462) (t.)1,085br
26 Dec 1944U-486 HMS Capel (K 470)1,085br
 19,821

4 ships sunk (19,821 tons).

Legend
We have a picture of this vessel.
(t.) means the ship was a total loss (included in ships & tonnage lost).

Media links


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor


amazon.co.uk
(£ 38.25)


S.S. Leopoldville Disaster

Andrade, Allan


German U-boat Commanders of World War II

Busch, Rainer and Röll, Hans-Joachim


A Night before Christmas

Sanders, Jacquin

Listing of all U-boat commanders


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