(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Vizeadmiral Ernst Schirlitz
Born: 07 Sep 1893 in Christburg, West Prussia (Westpreußen)
Died: 27 Nov 1978 in Glücksburg, Ostsee
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (12 Apr 1913); Leutnant zur See (22 Mar 1915); Oberleutnant zur See (21 Aug 1919); Kapitänleutnant (01 Apr 1923); Korvettenkapitän (01 Dec 1930); Fregattenkapitän (01 Apr 1936); Kapitän zur See (01 Oct 1937); Konteradmiral (01 Mar 1942); Vizeadmiral (01 Apr 1943)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett, Basic-Training and on Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Hertha’ (01 Apr 1912-07 Mar 1913)
Naval-School and Special-Briefings (08 Mar 1913-03 Aug 1914)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Freya’ (04 Aug 1914-27 Aug 1914)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Friedrich Carl’ (28 Aug 1914-17 Nov 1914)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Fürst Bismarck’ (28 Nov 1914-00 Jan 1915)
Watch-Officer on Board the Airships ‘L 7’, ‘L 20’ and ‘L 33’ with the Naval-Airship-Battalion (00 Jan 1915-24 Sep 1916)
In Captivty (24 Sep 1916-03 Dec 1919)
Released and with the Coastal-Defence-Battalion Cuxhaven, then with Land-Command and Detached to the Ships-Cadre-Division of the North Sea (04 Dec 1919-31 Mar 1921)
Adjutant of the I. Battalion of the Ships-Cadre-Division of the North Sea (01 Apr 1921-19 Mar 1922)
Company-Leader in the I. Battalion of the Ships-Cadre-Division of the North Sea (20 Mar 1922-27 Sep 1922)
Watch and Roll Officer on the Liner ‘Braunschweig’ (28 Sep 1922-15 Mar 1925)
1st Adjutant of the Commander Wilhelmshaven (16 Mar 1925-01 Oct 1927)
Company-Chief in the II. Naval-Artillery-Battalion (02 Oct 1927-25 Sep 1929)
Watch-Officer on the Liner ‘Schleswig-Holstein’ (26 Sep 1929-24 Feb 1930)
Watch-Officer on the Liner ‘Hannover’ (25 Feb 1930-30 Sep 1930)
Advisor in the Naval-Defence-Department, Naval Command (01 Oct 1930-28 Sep 1934)
First Officer on the Armoured-Ship ‘Deutschland’ (29 Sep 1934-20 Sep 1936)
Chief Of Staff of the II. Admiral of the North-Sea-Station, on 01 Jan 1938 renamed 2nd Admiral of the North Sea, and at the same time, Leader of the Processing-Office of the Kriegsmarine (23 Sep 1936-16 May 1938)
Chief Of Staff of the Inspection of Training-Affairs of the Navy (08 Jun 1938-23 Sep 1939)
At the same time, Acting-Inspector of Training-Affairs of the Navy (01 Aug 1938-20 Aug 1938)
Chief Of Staff of the Commander of Security of the Baltic Sea (24 Sep 1939-27 Oct 1939)
Chief Of Staff of the Inspection of Training-Affairs of the Navy and with Operation ‘Seelöwe’, Designate Leader of Escort-Convoy 2 of Transport-Flotilla B (28 Oct 1939-14 Apr 1942)
At the same time, Acting-Inspector of Training-Affairs of the Navy (01 Apr 1940-25 Aug 1940)
Placed to the Disposal of the Commanding Admiral of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (15 Apr 1942-13 May 1942)
Placed to the Disposal of the Naval-Commander West France (14 May 1942-15 Jun 1942)
Commandant of Sea-Fortifications of Brittany (16 Jun 1942-28 Feb 1943)
Commanding Admiral Atlantic-Coast (01 Mar 1943-09 May 1945)
At the same time, Fortress-Commandant La Rochelle (20 Aug 1944-09 May 1945)
In Captivity (09 May 1945-13 Oct 1947)
Released (13 Oct 1947)

Decorations & Awards:
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (01 Dec 1944)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (11 Mar 1945)


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