This Date in History: October 5

 

The U-109 returned to action on October 5, 1941, departing from Lorient for operations off Newfoundland, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Heinrich “Ajax” Bleichrodt, and remaining at sea for over six weeks before returning to Lorient on November 18, 1941.  It was a lengthy patrol, but one without confirmed success.  Again the U-109 experienced mechanical problems.  (Dönitz’s Crews: Germany’s U-Boat Sailors in World War II)

**********

Karl-Heinz Warmbrunn was born on October 15, 1924 in Nürnberg in the Middle Franconia district of Bavaria.  During the Kursk Offensive, he served as the gunner in Tiger 1301 in the Headquarters Platoon of the 13th (Heavy) Company; he has been credited for destroying eighteen enemy tanks during this battle.  With the opportunity for work difficult in immediate post-war Germany, Karl-Heinz Warmbrunn assumed the fighting name of Robert “Bobby” Warmbrunn and became a professional heavyweight boxer.  He lost on points in his first bout against Heinz Seelisch on October 26, 1947 at the Zirkus Apollo in Düsseldorf.  Over his sixteen-year career he had 14 wins, 49 losses and 5 draws.  A club-level fighter, he lost his last sixteen bouts before hanging up the gloves on October 5, 1963 after losing to Adolf Mensinger by knockout at the Fellbacher Stadthalle in Fellbach, a small village outside of Stuttgart.  (Waffen-SS Tiger Crews at Kursk: The Men of SS Panzer Regiments 1, 2 & 3 in Operation Citadel, July 5-15, 1943)