What a very interesting, historical thread
Nick
"In all my years as a soldier, I have never seen men fight so hard." - SS Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm Bittrich - Arnhem
In a previous post, I posited the possibility that the so-called John Bull artifacts might not have been made from the U-Deutschland’s metal, but were made from metal taken from either the U-152 or 53. Here is a contrary view sent to me by an old friend and colleague.
The photos from the Illustrated, Official Guide to the Deutschland that you used to support your theory, might have been taken inside either the U-152 or 53 shortly after the British received the boats at the end of the war. The photos in the Illustrated, Official Guide to the Deutschland, which include engine room and torpedo room photos, could have been acquired from the Royal Navy and used so that the customers who toured the U-Deutschland could see what the empty spaces looked like before they were gutted. The fact that the U-155 did not have internal torpedo tubes would have been unknown to the tourists, so the photos would have appeared to be factual.
My friend and colleague has raised a good point, but the problem with his argument is that the exterior photos of the Deutschland-class boat published under the auspices of John Bull, and purporting to be the U-Deutschland/U155, clearly have the torpedo tubes below the waterline. And in the photo of the boat being towed, there are no openings in the casing for the tubes, which would have been just below the upper deck and well above the waterline. See below
Any comments—please. Dwight
Luke: There are 10 including two anthologies. The topics range from the US Navy's 1925 attempt to make a non-stop flight from San Francisco to Hawaii; the first months of the war in the Pacific, (Loss of the USS Langley and the destruction of Patrol Wing Ten); the only mass POW escape by American POWs in Germany in WWI; ASW by all the WWI belligerents; The U-Deutschland/U-155; and a compilation of all German U-Boat losses by cause in WWI. Excepting the two anthologies, the Naval Institute Press published all my books. The Merchant U-Boat is probably available through Amazon.com and/or bookfinder.com Dwight
I have a silver Napkin Ring with the Deutschland on it.
Rudolph: Excellent. Where did you get it, and can you post a photo of it. Thanks. Dwight
Sorry, one of the shots is out of focus, difficult to photograph shiny things!
It's silver plate and I bought it on ebay six or seven years ago, also have Koenig's book Voyage of Deutschland and a couple of postcards. I collect Submarine badges or Sweetheart Brooches but saw this and thought the story fascinating.
Rudolph: Thanks for posting the photos, and that's a nice looking piece. There is nothing like it in the John Bull catalog, so I wonder if that's something that the ship breakers, Robert Smith & Sons made in 1921. Is there anything stamped on the ring saying that they made it? On my tray it reads, "Made From Ex German Submarine Deutschland Broken Up By Robert Smith & Sons, Birkenhead." On the items from the John Bull catalog there is, "Guaranteed Made From Deutschland Metal." Thanks aging for posting. Dwight
Hi Dwight, No marks or writing on it, only the 'Deutschland' between the masts on the sub.
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