Harald Gelhaus

Harald Gelhaus (24 July 1915 in Göttingen – 2 December 1997 in Bochum) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. As commander of U-143 and U-107 Harald Gelhaus is credited with the sinking of 19 ships (including SS Clan Alpine) for a total of 100,373 gross register tons (GRT) and further damaging one ship of 10,068 GRT.

Harald Gelhaus
Born	24 July 1915 Göttingen
Died	2 December 1997 (aged 82) Bochum
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1935–45
Rank	Kapitänleutnant
Unit	cruiser Karlsruhe battleship Gneisenau
Commands held	U-143 U-107
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Atlantic
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Summary of career

Ships attacked

As commander of U-143 and U-107 Gelhaus is credited with the sinking of 19 ships for a total of 100,373 gross register tons (GRT) and further damaging one ship of 10,068 GRT.

Date	U-boat	Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate
23 August 1941	U-143	Inger	Norway	1,409	Sunk at 58°58′N 07°50′W
31 January 1942	U-107	San Arcadio	UK	7,419	Sunk at 38°10′N 63°50′W
6 February 1942	U-107	Major Wheeler	USA	3,431	Sunk at east of Cape Hatteras
21 February 1942	U-107	Egda	Norway	10,068	Damaged at 41°12′N 52°55′W
29 May 1942	U-107	Western Head	UK	2,599	Sunk at 19°57′N 74°18′W
1 June 1942	U-107	Bushranger	Panama	4,536	Sunk at 18°15′N 81°25′W
7 June 1942	U-107	Castilla	Honduras	3,910	Sunk at 20°15′N 83°18′W
8 June 1942	U-107	Suwied	USA	3,249	Sunk at 20°00′N 84°48′W
10 June 1942	U-107	Merrimack	USA	2,606	Sunk at 19°47′N 85°55′W
19 June 1942	U-107	Cheerio	USA	35	Sunk at 18°02′N 67°40′W
26 June 1942	U-107	Jagersfontein	Netherlands	10,083	Sunk at 31°56′N 54°48′W
3 September 1942	U-107	Hollinside	UK	4,172	Sunk at 38°00′N 09°00′W
3 September 1942	U-107	Penrose	UK	4,393	Sunk at 38°00′N 09°00′W
7 October 1942	U-107	Andalucia Star	UK	14,943	Sunk at 06°38′N 15°46′W
22 February 1943	U-107	Roxborough Castle	UK	7,801	Sunk at 38°12′N 26°22′W
13 March 1943	U-107	Oporto	UK	2,352	Sunk at 42°45′N 13°31′W
13 March 1943	U-107	Marcella	UK	4,592	Sunk at 42°45′N 13°31′W
13 March 1943	U-107	Sembilangan	Netherlands	4,990	Sunk at 42°45′N 13°31′W
13 March 1943	U-107	SS Clan Alpine	UK	5,442	Sunk at 42°45′N 13°31′W
1 May 1943	U-107	Port Victor	UK	12,411	Sunk at 47°49′N 22°02′W

Awards

• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (5 April 1939)[1]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (31 October 1940)[2]
  • 1st Class (24 February 1941)[2]
• U-boat War Badge (1939) (31 December 1940)[2]
• U-boat Front Clasp in Bronze (1 October 1944)[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1943 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-107[3][4]
• War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords (1 September 1944)[2]

Dates of rank

1 July 1936:	Fähnrich zur See
1 January 1938:	Oberfähnrich zur See
1 April 1938:	Leutnant zur See
1 October 1939:	Oberleutnant zur See
1 April 1942:	Kapitänleutnant

References

Citations

1. Busch & Röll 2003, p. 328.
2. Busch & Röll 2003, p. 329.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 193.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 331.

Bibliography

• 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] (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 978-3-8132-0515-2.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• 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] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "Harald Gelhaus". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 May 2014.