Ritterkreuzträger of 2. Räumbootsflottille

The 2. Räumbootsflottille of the Kriegsmarine was formed on 12 September 1938 with the Räumboote R 25 to R 32 of the 1937–43 type and the tender Brommy as Begleitschiff, initially under the command of Kapitänleutnant later Korvettenkapitän Gert von Kamptz until February 1941. From the outbreak of war until April 1940 the flotilla performed Minensuchaufgaben in the Nordsee before taking part in Unternehmen Weserübung as part of Kriegsschiffgruppe 10, securing the Danish North Sea ports of Esbjerg, Nordby and Fanö. With the start of the Westfeldzug it transferred via Holland to the Ärmelkanal, establishing bases in the Dünkirchen area and carrying out continuous minesweeping, Geleit- und Sicherungsdienst along the French Channel coast under successive Flottillenchefs Korvettenkapitän Hans John, Korvettenkapitän Jost Brökelmann and from December 1942 Korvettenkapitän Georg Pinkepank. Additional boats including R 74, R 77, R 84, R 86, R 113–R 116, R 125, R 129 and R 169 joined the unit to replace losses, while temporary reinforcements such as R 167–R 173 served briefly in 1941; the shallow-draught wooden Räumboote proved highly effective in coastal waters for clearing minefields, escorting convoys and providing Flak protection. After the Allied invasion of Normandy and the loss of the Channel ports the flotilla was disbanded on 15 August 1944. It was re-formed on 15 January 1945 in the Ostsee with the newer boats R 412 to R 417 under Kapitänleutnant Hans-Joachim Merks and performed Sicherungsdienst until the end of the war, thereafter continuing mine-clearance duties under the German Mine Sweeping Administration until final dissolution.

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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER


Kapitän zur See Gerhard von Kamptz (1902-1998) was born on 27 December 1902 in Kopaschütz, Kreis Schroda in the Province of Posen, the son of Paul Wilhelm August von Kamptz, estate owner, and Hedwig Josephine Emilie Schmekel; he entered the Reichsmarine in 1923 and rose steadily through the ranks, becoming Leutnant zur See in 1927, Oberleutnant zur See in 1929, Kapitänleutnant on 1 April 1935, Korvettenkapitän on 1 April 1939, Fregattenkapitän on 1 April 1943 and finally Kapitän zur See on 1 July 1943. Early in his career he commanded the newly recommissioned Zieten as Oberleutnant zur See from October 1933 to September 1935 and later served as company leader in the V. Marineartillerie-Abteilung at Pillau; in November 1938 he was appointed Chef of the newly formed 2. Räumbootsflottille, a post he held until January 1941. During operations in the North Sea and especially in the Norwegian campaign of 1940 his flotilla performed with distinction under his personal leadership, repeatedly exceeding assigned objectives through his courage, skill and determination in overcoming every difficulty; for these achievements he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 6 October 1940 while still Korvettenkapitän and Chef of the 2. Räumbootsflottille. From mid-March 1941, with brief interruptions, until March 1943 he commanded the newly established 8. Räumbootsflottille (also referred to as 8. Minensuchflottille), under whose escort more than 400,000 BRT of shipping reached port without loss; for the outstanding leadership of this unit, which accomplished all its tasks in an exemplary manner, he received the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz (the 225th award) on 14 April 1943 as Fregattenkapitän and Chef of the 8. Räumbootsflottille. He subsequently served as Chef of the short-lived 4. Geleitflottille at La Spezia, directed special operations in Italy, commanded the Sperrschule at Sønderborg from December 1943 to October 1944, and worked as Abteilungschef in the Wehrgeistigen Führungsstab of the OKM before becoming Inselkommandant of Bornholm in March–April 1945 as successor to Robert Moraht. Ordered to surrender only to Western forces, he refused Soviet demands after the partial German capitulation of 4 May 1945, leading to Soviet air attacks on Rønne and Nexø; the island was finally handed over on 9 May, after which he spent nearly nine years in Soviet captivity until his release on 1 January 1954. He settled in Kiel, where he died on 16 May 1998 at the age of 95 and was buried in the Kieler Nordfriedhof.

Source :
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Sicherungsflott/RFlottillen/2RFlottille.html