Rolf Thomsen

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 36)


Successes
1 ship sunk for a total of 7,176 GRT

Born  6 May 1915 Berlin
Died  27 Mar 2003(87)


Kapitänleutnant. Rolf Thomsen

Ranks

3 Apr 1936Offiziersanwärter
10 Sep 1936Seekadett
1 May 1937Fähnrich zur See
1 Jul 1938Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Oct 1938Leutnant zur See
1 Oct 1940Oberleutnant zur See
1 Mar 1943Kapitänleutnant

Decorations

25 Nov 1939Iron Cross 2nd Class
17 May 1940Iron Cross 1st Class
3 Jan 1945U-boat War Badge 1939
4 Jan 1945Knights Cross
29 Apr 1945Knights Cross with Oak Leaves

U-boat Commands

U-boatFromTo
U-1202 27 Jan 1944 8 May 1945   2 patrols (118 days) 

Personal information

Rolf Thomsen
Fähnrich Rolf Thomsen in 1938

Rolf Thomsen began his naval career in April 1936. After six months on a minesweeper he transferred to the Luftwaffe in October 1938 and received training as a naval aviator.

For more than three years he served in several air squadrons, including Kampfgeschwader 26, the only air group in the Luftwaffe which was equipped with air torpedoes.

In April 1943 Thomsen left the Luftwaffe and undertook the usual training to become a U-boat commander.

On 27 January, 1944 Kptlt. Rolf Thomsen commissioned U-1202. The boat made two patrols in the North Atlantic. Thomsen attacked many ships on these patrols, but most of his reported hits and sinkings could not be confirmed after the war, and he is only credited with one ship sunk. After the surrender in May 1945 he spent eight months in British captivity.

Thomsen
The newly decorated Kptlt. Rolf Thomsen with the FdU West Kapitän z. See Rösing (middle) and the commander of the 11th Flotilla Fregkpt. Lehmann-Willenbrock on the right.

Patrol info for Rolf Thomsen


 U-boat Departure Arrival  
1. U-1202 21 Oct 1944  Kiel  24 Oct 1944  Horten   4 days
2. U-1202 26 Oct 1944  Horten  28 Oct 1944  Kristiansand   3 days
3. U-1202 30 Oct 1944  Kristiansand  1 Jan 1945  Bergen  Patrol 1,64 days
4. U-1202 4 Mar 1945  Bergen  26 Apr 1945  Bergen  Patrol 2,54 days
2 patrols, 118 days at sea

Ships hit by Rolf Thomsen


Date BoatName of shipTonsNat.ConvoyFate *
10 Dec, 1944 U-1202 Dan Beard7,176  am  
 7,176

* Unless otherwise noted the ships listed here were sunk.


Decorations and ranks information is in many cases not complete. If you can help on any of those missing that would be great.

Listing of all U-boat commanders