Rolf Thomsen Explained
Rolf Thomsen (6 May 1915 – 26 March 2003) was a U-boat commander in the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany during World War II and later served with the Bundesmarine. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves for his command of the German submarine U-1202.
Thomsen served as a naval aviator from 1939 until early 1943. He transferred to the U-boat service on 1 January 1944 and on 27 January 1944 commissioned U-1202. During two patrols, Thomsen reported his ship's attacks on a destroyer, two corvettes, six freighters and an escort carrier, for which he received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. The loss of one of these ships, Dan Beard, was confirmed by the Allies.
Thomsen served in the Bundesmarine of West Germany since 1955, achieving the rank of Flotilla Admiral in 1966.
Awards
References
Bibliography
- Book: Busch . Rainer . Röll . Hans-Joachim . 2003 . Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939–1945 — Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 . The U-Boat War 1939–1945 — The Knight's Cross Bearers of the U-Boat Force from September 1939 to May 1945 . German . Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany . Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn . 978-3-8132-0515-2 .
- Book: Neitzel . Sönke . Sönke Neitzel . Welzer . Harald . Harald Welzer . 2012 . Soldaten: On Fighting, Killing and Dying . Simon and Schuster . 978-1-84983-949-5 .
- Book: Patzwall . Klaus D. . Scherzer . Veit . 2001 . Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II . The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 . German . Norderstedt, Germany . Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall . 978-3-931533-45-8 .
- Book: Scherzer
, Veit
. 2007 . Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives . The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives . German . Jena, Germany . Scherzers Militaer-Verlag . 978-3-938845-17-2 .