Article about: Hi Gents, i thought i would post a few HK award documents that i have in my collection.I have posted these doc's on other fora before but as a fairly new member here i am posting them in the
i thought i would post a few HK award documents that i have in my collection.I have posted these doc's on other fora before but as a fairly new member here i am posting them in the hope that other members here also have examples of these HK doc's in their collections.
I'll start with a document from a crewman from the HK Kormoran.A rare example that was issued to the Kormoran POW's in Murchison POW camp,Australia.
The document is signed by a Major Clemens of Group,Allg,III,(German POW's in enemy lands and members of the Wehrmacht interned in Neutral Contries).
Please show your HK documents if you have them.I personally would love to see them.
They are quite rare.I have only seen a couple more examples of this type of document.
On Nov.19 1941 the Kormoran and the light cruiser HMAS Sydney sank each other off the west coast of Australia.Sadly,there were no survivors on the Sydney but there were about 320 survivors from the Kormoran,most of whom were captured and interned in Australian POW camps.
Here is another document i have from the HK Michel,Schiff 28.
It is signed on behalf of the Commander Helmut von Ruckteschell by F.Kapt,Dr Karl Bohme of the Heimastab Ausland.
An example of a document for a crewman from the HK Orion.
The document is signed by the Commander Kurt Weyher in Bordeaux on Aug.25 1941,two days after the ships return from 511 days at sea.
Here is the last one i have and definately my favorite.
It is a preliminary document for the HK award signed on 6 January 1943 in Yokohama,Japan by the Commander of the HK Thor's second cruise,Gunther Gumprich.
The Thor was destroyed by fire on the 30 November 1942 in Yokohama harbour by a series of accidental explosions from the supply/tanker ship Uckermark,that was moored along side her.
So far this is all i have in regards to HK award documents.
In the future i would really like to find examples from,
Atlantis,signed by Rogge.
Komet,signed by Eyssen.
Michel,signed by von Ruckteschell.
Pinguin,signed by Dr.Karl Bohme,most of these award doc's are posthumous.
Widder,signed by von Ruckteschell.
Thor 1,signed by Otto Kahler.
Again,if anyone has an example of the HK award document,please post it here.
Great documents Martin , these are for me the first I have ever seen. Very interesting items ,thanks for showing them and I hope you can find the examples you are looking for! Leon.
Very interesting documents Martin and great research , well done and thanks for posting !!
The gates of hell were opened and we accepted the invitation to enter" 26/880 Lance Sgt, Edward Dyke. 26th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers , ( 3rd Tyneside Irish )
1st July 1916
Thought shall be the harder , heart the keener,
Courage the greater as our strength faileth.
Here lies our leader ,in the dust of his greatness.
Who leaves him now , be damned forever.
We who are old now shall not leave this Battle,
But lie at his feet , in the dust with our leader
I think a Rogge signed Atlantis document would be the pinnacle of a Hilfskreuzer collection.
Arguably the epitome of an auxiliary cruiser with the history that accompanies her.
Looking for LDO marked EK2s and items relating to U-406.....
I think a Rogge signed Atlantis document would be the pinnacle of a Hilfskreuzer collection.
Arguably the epitome of an auxiliary cruiser with the history that accompanies her.
Thanks for the comments guys.
Adrian,i do have a few Rogge signatures but none on award document yet.
Here are a couple of them on a photo and a postcard.
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