KRIEGSMARINE PHOTO ALBUMS.
( see above) BELONGED TO A YOUNG GERMAN SAILOR, WERNER POSEL, WHOSE NAVAL CAREER WAS TRAGICALLY CUT SHORT. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION WHEN HIS SHIP, THE GERMAN DESTROYER Z13 ERICH KOELLNER, WAS SUNK ON 13 APRIL 1940 IN NORWEGIAN WATERS BY HMS WATERSPITE IN THE SECOND BATTLE OF NARVIK.
THE \LBUM FEATURES WERNER POSEL, A MASCHINEN-OBERGERFREITE (I BELIEVE THIS MEANS THAT HE WORKED IN THE ENGINE ROOM). THIRTY EIGHT OF THE SHIP'S CREW DIED- THE SHIP INITIALLY TOOK A HIT TO THE ENGINE AND TURBINE ROOM. THE ALBUM INCLUDES PICTURES OF HIS EARLY TRAINING, SHOTS OF THE SHIP'S COMMISSION, NAVAL TOP BRASS AND THE GERMAN LEADER IN ATTENDANCE (2 PHOTOS OF AH ON SHIP). THERE ARE MANY PHOTOS ON DECK AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CREW. THE NAME OF THE SHIP IS CLEARLY SEEN ON THEIR TALLY CAPS. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE PHOTOS OF THE BATTLESHIPS 'SCHARNHORST' AND 'SCHLESIEN' PLUS PHOTOS OF TORPEDOBOOTS.
MY FAVORITE PHOTO IS OF 2 U-BOATS IN DRY DOCK, A VERY RARE IMAGE. THE FULL SIZE OF THE VESSELS IS APPARENT AND TORPEDO CHUTES CLEARLY VISIBLE. THIS IS, WITHOUT DOUBT, ONE OF THE BEST U-BOAT IMAGES I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS!
THE ALBUM ENDS WITH A NEWSPAPER CLIPPING ANNOUNCING WERNEL POSEL'S DEATH, PLACED BY HIS FAMILY AND A MEMORIAL CARD LISTING THE NAMES OF THE CREW THAT DIED. LASTLY THERE ARE THREE ORIGINAL PHOTOS OF A WOODEN CROSS THAT BEARS THE SAILORS' NAMES.
THIS IS A FASCINATING COLLECTION OF IMAGES THAT TELLS THE STORY OF THIS YOUNG MAN'S WAR. I HAVE ALSO ADDED TO THIS CD AN OUTLINE OF THE SHIP'S FINAL DAYS.
