Germany Navy Post Card of Otto Weddigen

Otto Weddigen (1882-1915) Was the first German Naval officer to receive the Orden Pour le Mérite. At the outbreak of WW I he was in command of the U-9. In one action his ship sank three older British cruisers. For this he received the 1914 Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class. The rest of his small crew received the 1914 Iron Cross 2nd Class. At this stage of the war this was a major award. Shortly after this his ship sank another vessel and he was awarded the Knights Cross with Swords of the Hohenzollern House Order followed shortly by the PLM. He was transferred to the U-29 and this ship was rammed in March 1915 by the British battleship H.M.S. Dreadnaught and he and all hands were lost at sea.

This is a most interesting postcard. It shows the U-9 in profile. There is a large cameo of Weddigen with a Kriegsflagge flying over him. This was taken before his award of the PLM.

This was mailed as a Feldpost in February 1915 a month before his death. The message is written on both the obverse and reverse.

This item is a consignment item.