# Gerhard Bigalk
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{{Short description|World War 2 German Submarine Captain}}
{{unreliable sources|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Gerhard Bigalk
|birth_date={{birth date|1908|11|26|df=y}}
|death_date={{death date and age|1942|7|17|1908|11|26|df=y}}
|birth_place=[Berlin](/source/Berlin)-Niederschönhausen
|death_place={{GS|U-751||2}}, [North Atlantic Ocean](/source/North_Atlantic_Ocean), off [Cape Ortegal](/source/Cape_Ortegal), Spain
|burial_coordinates = {{coord|45|14|N|12|22|W|name=Gerhard Bigalk (death)}}
|image=Bundesarchiv Bild 101II-MW-6433-39, St. Nazaire, Kommandant Bigalk.jpg
|caption=Bigalk at St. Nazaire, 15 June 1942
|nickname=
|allegiance={{flag|Nazi Germany}}
|branch={{navy|Nazi Germany}}
|service_years=1934–42
|rank=''[Korvettenkapitän](/source/Korvettenkapit%C3%A4n)''
|commands={{GS|U-14|1936|2}}
{{GS|U-751||2}}
|unit={{SMS|Schleswig-Holstein||2}}
tender ''Saar''
[Condor Legion](/source/Condor_Legion) A/88
''[24th U-boat Flotilla](/source/24th_U-boat_Flotilla)''
''[7th U-boat Flotilla](/source/7th_U-boat_Flotilla)''
|battles=[Spanish Civil War](/source/Spanish_Civil_War)
----
[World War II](/source/World_War_II)
*[Battle of the Atlantic](/source/Battle_of_the_Atlantic)
|awards=[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross](/source/Knight's_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross)
|other_work=
}}
'''Gerhard Bigalk''' (26 November 1908 – 17 July 1942) was a captain with the ''[Kriegsmarine](/source/Kriegsmarine)'' during [World War II](/source/World_War_II) and commander of {{GS|U-751||2}}. He was a recipient of the [Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross](/source/Knight's_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross) of [Nazi Germany](/source/Nazi_Germany).
==Career==
Bigalk spent some years in the [merchant marine](/source/merchant_marine) before joining the ''Kriegsmarine'' in April 1934. He initially trained as an [observer](/source/Air_observer) in the [naval air force](/source/Marineflieger), and saw service during the [Spanish Civil War](/source/Spanish_Civil_War), making 21 combat flights in 1937. He joined the U-boat force in November 1939. He trained into 1940, taking command of the school boat {{GS|U-14|1936|2}} between June and August 1940. He then took command of the newly built submarine {{GS|U-751||2}} when it commissioned in January 1941.[{{Cite web
|url= http://uboat.net/men/bigalk.htm
|title=''Korvettenkapitän'' Gerhard Bigalk
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|access-date=24 May 2010
}}]
Between June 1941 and July 1942 Bigalk commanded ''U-751'' on seven combat patrols, sinking six ships totalling 32,412 tons, and damaged one ship of 8,096 tons.[{{Cite web
|url= http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/u751.html
|title=War Patrols by German U-boat ''U-751''
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|access-date=24 May 2010
}}] This included the 11,000 ton British [escort carrier](/source/escort_carrier) {{HMS|Audacity|D10|6}} from [convoy HG 76](/source/convoy_HG_76), sunk on 21 December 1941 during his fourth patrol, for which Bigalk was awarded the Knight's Cross.