EK 1914 Award photo,U-9.

[Martin W]

Hi everyone,

just picked up this nice photo/postcard,thought i'd share it with you.It appears to be an award ceremony photo of the crew of U-9 after receiving their "Eisernen Kreuz".

Maybe someone could kindly give a better translation of the text.

Many thanks,Martin.

[Martin W]

The reverse of the card.

[taucher]

Translation

Our heroes

The crew of the submarine U9 white the iron cross and their commanders

captain weddigen

I will try to give translation of the back of card later.

taucher

[Martin W]

Taucher,

many thanks.I was wondering if the crew received their EK's for a single action or patrol.I found some info on Otto Weddigen.He commanded U-9 and U-29 and was killed 18-03-1915.

Again thanks,Martin.

[taucher]

Martin,

It looks like you picked a "gem"

your card is written by a crewmember of U9.It is written in the port of Wilhelmshaven Germany.

He is writting to his unkel after returning from campaign.

He writes

"Dear unkel"

"we are back after a succesfully trip during witch we have sunk "HAWKE""

The rest is a bitt of talk about the family,he thanks his unkel for something and sends his greetings to al of the family

HMS Hawke was sunk by U9 on 15 october 1914 in the northsea.

Her captain was Hugh Williams.

Your card is stamped 3 november 1914,thats a little month after the sinking.

On 20 september 1911 Hawke had a collision with RMS olympic.

To answer your question about recieving the iron cross.

The crew recieved their iron cross after the very succesful campaign in witch the U9 sunk 3 warships.

Crew of U boots where seen as heroes in those years so it was not uncommon that the whole crew recieved the iron cross.

So Martin you can spend your time for research after the crewmember.

taucher

[VtwinVince]

Really great card. Weddigen sank three cruisers in the North Sea in one day in September, 1914, for which the entire crew was decorated. I've always been interested in him, since his nephew was my family's lawyer for many years.

[Martin W]

Taucher,

thank you so much for the information.I realy appreciate it and i will do some more research on the U-9.It is hard for me to read,is there any indication as to the name of the writer?

Vince,i picked this card up in a Military antique shop in Victoria,B.C last week for $15.00.I asked the owner if he had any Kreigsmarine photo's or postcards,my area of interest,he said no but i do have this WW1 photo.Great photo,so i took it.

Thank you both,Martin.

Edited August 26, 2007 by mwestley

[taucher]

Martin,

His unckels name is R. Schuschke and its looks like he is a maschinist.

A maschinist is a ships engineer or a stoker.

He lives in Thorn,gerstenstrasse 9a

If you are lucky,this is his fathers brother so the name would be the same.

If not it is his mothers brother so you are in for a search.

Thorn is a fortress town in Germany, in the Prussian province of West Prussia.

taucher

[VtwinVince]

Martin, I'm in Victoria visiting family often, what antique store did you find it at?

[Martin W]

Vince,

sent you a PM.

Taucher,

went to a couple of U-Boat sites and no luck on the name Schuschke under WW1 crewlists.I'll keep trying.

Best regards,Martin.

[Guest Rick Research]

The uncle was probably a factory machinist.

Unfortunately the sender has written his name upside down exactly where the cancellation stamps are:

"Abs. Ob.Hzr. ....." Sender Oberheizer (= Leading Stoker ....). I think the name may start with a "T" because the srcibble looks like how he started the city "Thorn."

Too bad he did not mark an "X" on himself! I can't make out many sleeve insignia on the ratings, but he would have a Gefreiter type chevron at that rank. NOT the two (presumably) senior Petty Officers seated on either side of the visor cap wearing Deck Officers (buttons on cuffs), Weddigen, or the Engineer (dark collar). The man lying on the ground on the right also shows a Maat (Petty Officer 3rd Class) sleeve anchor, so he's another one NOT the sender.

Normally, engineering personnel wore rather silly Napoleon III/"Three Musketeers" mustaches and goatee beards-- like the engineer. So if the sender isn't clean shaven, likely he is one of the ones with that facial fur in back.

[Martin W]

Great information Rick.Thanks.I've been over the picture with a magnifier and unfortunately i cannot make out the name.It does seem to begin with a "T" as you suggest.Maybe he was close to his Uncle so no need to mark the front of the photo?

Thanks and regards,Martin.

[taucher]

Martin,

The guy who send the card.

Oberheizer Schuschke standing in the backrow.

The fourth guy from the left.

[Martin W]

Taucher,

thanks for the information.Did you figure it out from his rank chevron?

Regards,Martin.

[taucher]

No Martin,that would be the wet finger work.

I got his name from a German book with the picture from the crew.

taucher

Edited September 4, 2007 by taucher

[Gordon Williamson]

Here's the Iron Cross which was awarded to the boat, as opposed to the crew. U-9 was given the right to bear the Iron Cross each side of its conning tower.

(U-9 survived the war to be scrapped after the end of hostilities) This piece is in the collection of the U-Boot Archiv.

The subsequent U-9, a Type II, which served in the Kriegsmarine, carried on the tradition.

[Martin W]

Taucher and Gordon,

thanks very much for the additional information.Much appreciated.What a coincidence,i just pcked up a copy of Wolfgang Luth's biography.Read the part about Weddigen and the U-9 and how it became the "Iron Cross Boat".

I will look to see what books are available about Weddigen and the U-9,if any.

Thanks and regards,Martin.