Date of birth:

January 1st, 1909 (Friedrichstadt/Eider, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

August Eggers was born on January 1st 1909 in Friedrichstadt, Germany. He went into military service on April 1st 1929 as a Rekrut with the II.Schiffstammdivision der Ostsee. On April 1st 1931 he received his rank as Obermatrose. From October 1st he served with the Cruiser Karlsruhe until December 5th 1932. August Eggers was placed as Lehrgangsteilneimer in 1933 with respectively the Schiffsartillerieschule in Kiel, the Marineschule the same city and the trainingship Georg Fock. He was here promoted on April 1st 1933 to Matrosengefreiter. In January and February 1934 he continued his training with the Torpedo- und Nachrichtenschule as a Bootmannsmaat.
After he had done practice training with the I.Schiffstammdivision der Ostsee, he served from July 1st 1934 until Januari 31st 1935 as Rekrutenoffizier für seemännische Ausbildung on board the Boot “MT 1” with the Sperrschule in Kiel. After this August Eggers attended as Zugoffizier the Schiffsartillerieschule in Kiel, the Seeoffiziersausbildung with the Marineschule in Flensburg-Mürwick and the Fähnrichslehrgang with the Schiffsartillerieschule in Kiel. On January 1st 1936 he was promoted to Oberbootmannsmaat and on November 10th to Oberbootsmann.
His promotion to Fähnrich zur See, followed on April 1st 1939. From December 1st 1939 until February 25th 1940 he served with the Battleship “Gneisenau”( promotion on January 1st 1940 to Oberfähnrich), followed by the Flakleiterlehrgang with the Flugabwehr- und Küstenartillerieschule at Swinemünde. From May 1st 1940 (Leutnant zur See) until August 20th 1942, he served with the “M 1307” with 13.Minensuchflotille in Kiel, where he became Commanding officer on August 1st 1940 (from April 1st 1941 as Oberleutnant zur See). After this Eggers commanded the “M 131” with 7.Minensuchflotille until April 24th 1943 (promoted Kapitänleutnant on April 1st 1943). Between April 25th 1943 and January 14th 1945 he commanded the Kanonenboot “4” with the 1.Sperrbrecher. Before he was a Prisoner of War with the British from May 9th 1945 until August 16th 1945, Eggers served as Flottillenchef with the 7.Artillerieträgerflotille in Gotenhafen.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberbootsmannsmaaten

Unit:

Schiffsartillerieschule (Ships Artillry School)

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant zur See (Sub-Lieutenant)

Awarded on:

October 14th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant zur See (Luitenant ter Zee 3e Klasse)

Awarded on:

February 4th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant zur See

Awarded on:

January 8th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant zur See

Unit:

Schlagtschiff Gneisenau (Battleship Gneisenau)

Awarded on:

June 7th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Kapitänleutnant (Kapitein-luitenant)

Unit:

Kommandant des Kanonenboots 4 "Lorelei" (Commander of Gunboat 4 "Lorelei")

Awarded on:

November 18th, 1944

August Eggers received his Ehrentafelspange after two actions on October 9th and 10th 1944 as Commanding officer of the Kanonenboot K 4 “Lorelei”. Both actions were placed in the Wehrmachtsberichten as follows:
09-10-1944
“Sicherungsfahrzeug der Kriegsmarine, sunk a British MTB in front of the Dutch coast. During the following fighting’s one of the own ships was lost.”
10-10-1944
“During multiple, nightly, battles in front of the Dutch coast, Sicherungsfahrzeuge der Kriegsmarine that were mentioned in the Wehrmachtsbericht of yesterday, sunk another three British MTB’s and damaged two more, of which one supposedly sunk later.“

• - Dörr M., Einer von Dreiunddreissig, Internationales Militaria Magazine Nr 124, september-oktober 2006, Heinz Nickel Buchbetrieb, Zweibrücken
  - Ehrentafel der Deutschen Kriegsmarine dd 18-11-1944