Erik Krogh Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Among my U-Boat photo albums are two from the 2nd U-Flottille: U-103 (Type IXB) and U-116 (Type XB Minelayer). Both of these albums contain some common photos as well as portions of what appear to be packaging that featured the 2nd Flottille insignia in gold. I recently attended the SOS in Louisville and purchased an example of the source of these images: what I believe to be a complete set of Viktor Sch?tze's Christmas "gift photos". I would assume that these sets would have been handed out to the entire Flottille.The photo set consists of two identical (except for size) packets: the large set measures 13 x 18 cm and contains 8 photos (including the famous one of Kaptlt. Johann Mohr); the small set measures 13 x 9 cm and contains 30 photos. The small set contains a message from Sch?tze commemorating the Flottille's successes on the occasion of Christmas 1942 ("4. Kriegsweihnachtsfest").Here is a small sampling of some of the pictures as displayed in the U-103 and U-116 photo albums. U-103 album page, with Sch?tze's message:
Erik Krogh Posted February 28, 2008 Author Posted February 28, 2008 Another page from the U-116 album with 3 of the "small" pictures.
nesredep Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 Hello!ErikFantastic "Gift".Never seen this before.Very nice Photos and informative.Congratulation and thanks fo sharing. All the bestNesredep
Martin W Posted February 29, 2008 Posted February 29, 2008 Erik.the photographs from the albums are great but those "gift photo" packages are something i have never seen before,excellent.As you mentioned i am sure they were printed for Flottilla crewmembers.Thanks for showing.One of the officers on the Hilfskreuzer Atlantis,Ulrich Mohr, had a nicely illustrated book published in 1944 that was given to the crewmembers and their families titled "Die Kreigsfahrt des Hilfskreuzers Atlantis".Regards,Martin.
Erik Krogh Posted February 29, 2008 Author Posted February 29, 2008 (edited) Nesredep, Martin, and Richard: thank you for your comments!Here are some of the "small" individual pictures grouped into 3s and 4s. The subject matter is interesting: many "daily life" shots of Saltzwedelkaserne, the U-Bootheim, officer's quarters, etc. The first batch of shots include (clockwise, from top left): U-103 entering port, entrance to the Lorient Arsenal, arrival of the Japanese submarine I30 on 5 August 1942, and the entrace to the Saltzwedelkaserne.The I30 arrival was chronicled on page 161 in Lawrence Paterson's "Second U-Boat Flotilla": "Lorient received an unusual visitor , the huge 2,584-ton Japanese Kaigun/B1 class long-range submarine I30 arriving in France after four months journeying from Japan. Commanded by Chu-sa (Commander) Shinobu Endo, the huge submarine (thirty-four meters longer than a Type IXC) eased into Lorient carrying vital cargo for the Wehrmacht. The entire 2nd and 10th U-Flotilla staffs, headed by both D?nitz and Raeder, turned out to greet the Japanese crew as I30 slowly edged into its moorings against the Isere before transferring to the relative safety of the Scorff bunker." Edited February 29, 2008 by Erik Krogh
Erik Krogh Posted February 29, 2008 Author Posted February 29, 2008 (edited) Some more "small" photos. from top: Sch?tze's Christmas message, U-Bunker, bunkers and quarters. Edited February 29, 2008 by Erik Krogh
Erik Krogh Posted February 29, 2008 Author Posted February 29, 2008 More "small" photos of living quarters and messhall.
Erik Krogh Posted February 29, 2008 Author Posted February 29, 2008 More "small" photos. Clockwise from top left: Wall hanging in Saltzwedelkaserne, map of the Trocadero, military traffic presumably in Lorient, officer's Wohnbunker in "Louis Chapelle" (as identified in my U-103 photo album).
RichardT Posted February 29, 2008 Posted February 29, 2008 Absolutely great albums and pictures Erik and what can be said about the gift packages other than that they are "WOW".Richard
nesredep Posted February 29, 2008 Posted February 29, 2008 Absolutely great albums and pictures Erik and what can be said about the gift packages other than that they are "WOW".RichardHello!I agree "WOW". All the bestNesredep
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