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Important family purchased grouping to Obersteuermann W. serving on U-74, U-552. U-264, U-218. Never available on the market before.
1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class (unmarked). Case to the 1st Class Iron Cross with missing inlay.
A very nice silver U-Boot Front Clasp. Zinc. Schwerin maker marked. Nice silver finish.
Two postwar pins.
His personal sextant in original wooden case. Clear sight. Working.
His personal Kriegsmarine officer's dagger with period time applied portpee. Eickhorn marked blade. Etched blade.
Light dents to the scabbard. Signs of wear and age.
Certificate to the Iron Cross 1st Class issued on 7.6.1943. "Führer der Unterseeboote West" stamped. Original ink signature.
Not folded
Certificate to the Iron Cross 1st Class. 7.10.41. Facsimile signature of Dönitz. "Befehlshaber der Unterseeboots - Operationsleitung" stamped. Folded once.
Certificate to the U-Boot Front Clasp in bronze. Issued on 22.10.1944. Original ink signature. "33.Unterseebootsflottille" stamped. Folded once.
Certificate to the U-Boot War Badge. 1.6.1941 dated. Facsimile signature of Dönitz. "Befehlshaber der Unterseeboots - Operationsleitung" stamped. Folded once.
The certificate to the U-Boot Front Clasp in silver surely was never issued to him!
Cap tallies:
2 x DEUTSCHE SEEMANNSSCHULE
SPERRSCHULE
DEUTSCHE HANDELSMARINE
H.A.P.A.G.
2. TORPEDOBOOTSFLOTTILLE 2
14. SCHIFFSSTAMMABTEILUNG 14
GROSSHERZOGIN ELISABETH
Most of them in full length.
RAD photo album documenting his time with the larbor service.
U-Boot album 1:
Photo album "Zur Erinnerung an meine Dienstzeit" (1. Buch vom 14. April 1939 bis 31. December 1941).
The album starts with a very nice watercolor of a German uboat with mountains in the background. It probably shows a scene in Norway. The first pages document his training with in Glückstadt from 1.4.39 - 27.9.39. The photos also show training in fieldgrey uniform.
After training, he served with "Sperrschule Kiel" on boat "M60" from 27.9. until 1.11.1939 followed by service in Gotenhafen in Spring 1940 before he was sent to U-Boot training in Plön from April until July 1940.
His actual uboat serving time started on 31.10.41 when he was commanded to U-74 (until 2.9.41) under commander Kapitänleutnant Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat. A nice portrait shows him wearing the same officer's dagger which is still part of the grouping!
Kentrat is shown on photos as well as other other officers and crew members. He nicely wrote all names underneath the photos. W. is also shows using his binoculars wearing a cap badge on his visor cap. There are great photos taken on the tower shown to the following pages.
The album continues with photos taken on the 2nd boat he served with: U-552 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Topp. "Mit dem Roten Teufelsboot auf Feindfahrt". The page holes an orginal crafted brass cap badge he had worn on his cap. Extremely rare! Topp is shown on two of the photos. A photocopy "Befristeter Ausweis".
There is a "Führerschein" document related to U-552 with an original ink signature of not only Topp but also his LI and other crew members.
This album is am amazing treasure trove of U-Boot history!
U-Boot album 2:
Album "Dienstzeit 2. Buch" from January 1942 unil June 1949. The album starts with photos taken on board of U-264, his 3rd boat. He served on U-264 as a Steuermann from 15.5.42 until 14.9.1943. As with the first album, he nicely subtitled the photos telling a lot of information which provide a lot of room for additional research.
He left U-264 but the album still shows a few photos describing that he was not on board anymore.
The next photos document his time with "Kommando 6. U-Flottille" from 1.9.43 until 30.6.44. in St. Nazaire.
He was then commanded to 9-U-Flottille (Brest) and served on board of U-218 (Minenleger). He left Brest on 12.8.44. He did a second mission in March 1945.
The last photos shown the return of the crew to Bergen, Norway on 8.5.1945 (group photo photocopy). His crew then brough the boat to Scapa Flow were it was sunk.
Again, a very important photo album. U-218