Type: IX-C
Built by: AG Weser (Bremen)
Launched: 31 December, 1940
Commissioned: 22 March, 1943
Feldpost Nr.: M40082
Sunk: 3 July, 1943
Sunk by: RAF A/C
Location sunk: NW of Cape Ortegal
Position sunk: 46.02N x 11.23W (all 55 men lost)

U-126 (foreground) in Lorient on 3.7.43 and U-131 (background)

Skippers of U-126 were Kplt Ernst Bauer (KNIGHTS CROSS winner) who later became Chief of the 27th and 26th U-Bootflottille; on 7 January, 1943 command passed to Oblt. Siegfried Kietz.

U-126 was assigned to the 2nd U-Bootflottille, based at Lorient, France and she operated in the North Atlantic then west of Gibraltar over August 1941; off Freetown October 1941; in the Gulf of Guinea November 1941 and again over October - November 1942; in the Caribbean in March of 1942 as part of Operation ‘NEULAND’; and in the area of Trinidad and northeastern Brazil over May thru July 1942.

U-126 was returning from a patrol off Freetown when she was sunk.

U-126 also participated in the rescue of the survivors of the raiders ‘ATLANTIS’ & ‘PYTHON’ over 22 - 24 November, 1941.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-126 UNDER BAUER
27.07.41	ERATO	Brit stmr	1,335 GRT
27.07.41	INGA I	Norw stmr	1,304 GRT
Bauer fired all four bow tubes at a group of ships in Convoy OG.69. They claimed one ship exploded and a smaller ship astern of the first was hit. They then fired the two stern tubes and claimed hits on two additional ships - one hit amidships and one hit aft. They claimed observing one of these sinking. Only these two ships have been confirmed.
04.08.41	ROBERT MAX	Brit trwlr	172 GRT
10.10.41	NAILSEA MANOR	Brit stmr	4,926 GRT
19.10.41	LEHIGH	Amer stmr	4,983 GRT
20.10.41	INDRA	Pana stmr	2,032 GRT
11.11.41	PERU	Brit mtrshp	6,961 GRT
02.03.42	GUNNY	Norw stmr	2,362 GRT
05.03.42	MARIANA	Amer stmr	3,110 GRT
07.03.42	NORTHERN PRINCESS	UK Trlr	655 GRT
07.03.42	CARDONIA	Amer stmr	5,104 GRT
09.03.42	HANSEAT	Pana mtrshp	8,241 GRT
12.03.42	TEXAN	Amer stmr	7,005 GRT
12.03.42	OLGA	Amer stmr	2,496 GRT
03.06.42	HöEGH GIANT	Norw tnkr	10,990 GRT
15.06.42	NEUVA ALTA GRACIA	Domin sail	30 GRT
16.06.42	ANKANSAN	Amer stmr	6,997 GRT
16.06.42	KAHUKA	Amer stmr	6,062 GRT
A survivor of this ship was rescued; brought aboard U-126 for medical treatment where he remained until recovered.
27.06.42	LEIV ERIKSSON	Norw tnkr	9,952 GRT
.06.42	MONA MARIE	Cana sail	126 GRT
01.07.42	WARRIOR	Amer stmr	7,551 GRT
01.11.42	GEORGE THATCHER	Amer stmr	7,176 GRT
04.11.42	OUED GROU	Brit stmr	792 GRT
05.11.42	NEW TORONTO	Brit stmr	6,568 GRT
SHIPS SUNK BY U-126 UNDER KIETZ
30.03.43	FLORA MacDONALD	Amer tnkr	7,177 GRT
This ship was damaged and beached in the hopes of repairing her, but she was declared a total loss.
08.03.42	ESSO BOLIVAR	Pana tnkr	10,389 GRT
11.03.42	HALO	Amer tnkr	6,986 GRT
This ship was damaged, not sunk and it is not clear if it was U-126 that fired upon this steam tanker, but it is assumed.
13.03.42	COLABEE	Amer stmr	5,518 GRT
COLABEE was beached and later salvaged
03.07.42	GULFBELLE	Amer tnkr	7,104 GRT
SHIPS DAMAGED BY U-126 UNDER KIETZM
02.06.43	STANDELLA	Brit tnkr	6,197 GRT