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Sea Wolves by Nicolas Trudgian.
Captain
Erich Topp steers his Type VIIc U-Boat number U-552 Red Devil towards
the sanctuary of the base at St Nazaire after another patrol during the
gruelling Battle of the Atlantic in 1942. In the skies above, heading
back out to hostile waters is a giant Focke Wulf 200 Condor from
III/KG40 and three Ju88Ds from KGr 106 whose missions will be to search
for vulnerable Allied shipping for the submarine Wolfpacks to attack.
The third-highest scoring U-Boat ace, Captain Erich Topp sank a total of
thirty ships and damaged three more whilst commanding the Red Devil. |
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Sea Wolves by Nicolas Trudgian. (C)
Captain Erich Topp steers his Type VIIc U-Boat number U-552 Red Devil towards the sanctuary of the base at St Nazaire after another patrol during the gruelling Battle of the Atlantic in 1942. In the skies above, heading back out to hostile waters is a giant Focke Wulf 200 Condor from III/KG40 and three Ju88Ds from KGr 106 whose missions will be to search for vulnerable Allied shipping for the submarine Wolfpacks to attack. The third-highest scoring U-Boat ace, Captain Erich Topp sank a total of thirty ships and damaged three more whilst commanding the Red Devil. |
| | Item Code : DHM1685 | Sea Wolves by Nicolas Trudgian. (C) - Editions Available ***New Release !*** () |  |
| | TYPE | DESCRIPTION | SIZE | SIGNATURES | PRICE | OFFERS | PURCHASING | | PRINT | Wolfpack edition of 190 prints. | Paper size 35 inches x 23.5 inches (88cm x 60cm) |  Topp, Erich 
Schroeteler, Heinrich
Dahlmann, Kurt
Witte, Helmut
Bielig, Gerhard
Taeger, Erich
Sudel, Heinrich
Hermann, Hajo
Eick, Alfred
Oesten, Jurgen
+ Artist : Nicolas Trudgian | £365.00 | | MORE DETAILS... | GICLEE
CANVAS | Limited edition of 50 giclee canvas prints. | Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm) | none | £365.00 | | MORE DETAILS... |
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Sea Wolves by Nicolas Trudgian.
- The Signatures
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 | Oberst Hajo Hermann (deceased)
Hans-Joachim Hermann was born on August 1st 1913 in Kiel, Germany. Hans-Joachim Hermann began his military career as an infantry officer, but after his introduction to gliding – and an invitation from Herman Göring, he transferred to the newly-created Luftwaffe and was commissioned in 1935. In August 1936, Herrmann was in the first group of Germans to arrive in Spain to support General Franco's Nationalist forces. Initially Hans-Joachim Hermann flew bombing operations in the Junkers 52 before becoming a founder member of the Condor Legion, whosemain mission was to attack airfields and defensive positions near Madrid. Many more bombing operations followed, and in April 1937 he returned to Germany. When Germany invading Poland Hermann took off in his Heinkel He111 to bomb railway lines in Poland on the first day. This was the first of 18 targets that Hermann attacked before his unit moved to support the German invasion of Norway. His unit was deployed to bomb targets near Oslo and Stavanger and after the fall of Norway, Hermann's unit was re-equipped with the Junkers 88 and moved to support the German army during the blitzkrieg across the Low Countries and France. During the battle of Britain Hermann was the commander of the 7th Staffel of KG-4, and he led many bombing attacks on England. His first target was oil refineries at Thames Haven and on the night of the 7th / 8th of September 1940 he attacked London. This was his 69th operation against England, when he bombed the India Dock. By the end of the Battle of Britian Hajo Hermann had flown 21 missions over London. A formidable figure in the Luftwaffe, Hajo Hermann was originally awarded the Knight's Cross in 1940 as a bomber pilot. In February 1941 while based in Sicily, Hermann led dive-bombing attacks against airfields on Malta. He was also ordered to hold the British Fleet in check. Attacks against the Royal Navy's heaviest ships followed. On April 7th 1941 following the German advance into Greece, Hermann's unit started mining and bombing operations in the eastern Mediterranean. On one attack, against shipping in Piraeus harbour, Hermann's bomb hit Clan Fraser, which was carrying 350 tons of high explosive. The resulting explosion sank 10 other ships and closed the port for many months. Hermann flew over 320 operations with KG4. In July 1941 Hermann was appointed commander of a bomber group, initially based in France to attack targets in England, before moving to a new base in the far north of Norway. His unit attacked Allied convoys heading for Murmansk with supplies for the Russians - these artic convoys included PQ-17, which was continously attacked. PQ -17 would lose a total of 24 merchantmen and only 11 ships made it through. With II./JG30, Hermann sank a total of 12 ships and in 1942 Hermann was assigned to the general staff in Germany, where he became a close confidant of Göring. In July 1942 he was appointed to the Luftwaffe operational staff. During the summer of 1943 as the Royal Air Force carried out night bombing raids, Hermann devised the tactic of using day fighters to hunt alone rather than in packs. As a bomber man himself, his ideas initially gained little support from the Luftwaffe's night fighter staff, but Göring supported the idea. Flown by experienced night fighter pilots and ex-instructors, the fighters waited in the darkness above their Allied targets, using the light of fires below to illuminate the bombers before attacking. He was responsible for the formation of JG300 and founded the highly successful Wilde Sau (Wild Boar) tactics of free roaming Fw190 night fighters. Hermann himself flew more than 50 wild boar missions and was twice forced to bail out of his stricken fighter. In December 1943 he was appointed Luftwaffe Inspector of Aerial Defence. At the end of 1944 he led the 9th Flieger division and created the famous Rammkommando. Hermann was credited with shooting down nine RAF bombers. After being Inspector General of night fighters, Hermann was appointed to command the First Fighter Division, when he continued to fly on operations. At the end of the war he was captured by the Russians. He spent 10 years in Soviet camps and was one of the last to be released, returning to Germany on October 12th 1955. Hajo Hermann awarded the Knight's Cross, Oak Leaves and Swords. Sadly, we have learned that Hajo Hermann passed away on 5th November 2010.
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 | Oberleutnant Heinrich Sudel (deceased)
Having joined the Luftwaffe in 1937, Heinrich Sudel was an experienced Observer in He111s by the time war broke out. He flew a total of 408 combat missions in Heinkels, both in the West over France and England, and on the Eastern Front. In September 1940 whilst over England, his aircraft was badly damaged by RAF fighters, but his pilot managed to reach the safety of the French coast on one engine. He finished the war commanding L/KG55, and had been awarded the Knights Cross, the Iron Cross I and II, and the German Cross in Gold. Heinrich Sudel passed away on 12th August 2011.
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 | Alfred Eick
Alfred Eick joined the Kriegsmarine in 1937, first serving on the destroyer Hermann Beitzen during the frist year of the war. In November 1940 he joined the u-boats, first sailing on two trips on U-176. He bacame commander of U-510 in May 1943, patrolling the Brazilian Waters on his first u-boat patrol. His second patrol was on U-510 as a Monson Boat which was a Wolfpack operating far away from Germany out of Japanese bases in Indonesia at Jakarta, Penang and Sebang. U-510 operated in the Indian Ocean until January 1945 when they were ordered back to Germany, taking with them important materials including tin. U-510 was re-supplied with fuel from U-861 but ran out of fuel in the North Atalnatic, finally managing to reach St Nazaire in April 1945. His awards were as follows: 12th Janaury 1940 Iron Cross 2nd Class, 1st August 1943, Iron Cross 1st Class, 16 March 1944 German Cross in Gold, 31st March 1944 Knights Cross.
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 | Jurgen Oesten (deceased)
Jurgen Oesten joined the Kriesgmarine in April 1933. He first served on the Admiral Graf Spee and Karlsruhe but transfered to U-Boats in May 1937. In October 1937 he became Watch Officer on U-20 and in August 1939 he joined the new U-Boat U-61 which he served on for 8 patrols, sinking 6 ships during his mine laying patrols. In November he joined U-106. During her first patrol U-106 sank two ships on her way to her new base at Lorient. Jurgen Oesten was awarded the Knights Cross on his second patrol, off Africa where he sank eight ships. During this attack he torpedoed and damaged the British attleship HMS Malaya. In March 1942 he became Admiralstabsoffizier in Norway with Admiral Nordmeer and directed U-boat operations in the Arctic. In September he again joined the U-boats and joined U-861 and in April 1944 she joined the Monson Boats which was a special Wolfpack operating far away from germany, out of japanese bases in Indonesia at Jakarta, Penang and Sebang, sinking two ships on her way to Penang. U-861 operated at sea for five months, after which she was ordered back to Germany with vital supplies. On the 15th January 1945 U-861 left Soerabaya in Indonesia. On the return journey off Greenland Oesten struck an Iceburg but managed to reach Trondheim on 19th April 1945. His awards were as follows: 6th June 1939, The Spanish Cross, 3rd December 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class, 27 February 1940, Iron Cross 1st Class, 26th March 1941 Knights Cross. Sadly, Jurgen Oesten passed away on 5th August 2010.
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 | Erich Taeger (deceased)
Erich Taeger was born on August 5th 1919 in Bismarckhütte Kreis Beuthen/Opplen/Schlesien. After his military service, Erich Taeger volunteered for the Luftwaffe. After being trained at the Kriegsschule and his pilot course to Flugzeugführer, he was promoted to Leutnant and went to France with the Kampfgeschwader Hindenburg 1 in 1940. On August 8th 1940 he recieved the Iron Cross II Class and Iron Cross 1st Class on 13th November 1940, awarded for sinking two ships with a total of 5000 BRT and damaging two others. As Staffeloffizier of the 7.Staffel within the III.Gruppe he flew on bombing missions against England. On April 20th 1942 after 166 flights, he received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold after which he was promoted to Staffelkapitän of the 7.Staffel Kampfgeschwader Hindenburg 1. Until his recommendation for the Knights Cross he flew 329 missions of which 278 on the Eastern Front. In the summer of 1942 Taeger was promoted Oberleutnant, he was appointed to tot Technischen Offizier der III Gruppe des KG1 Hindenburg. From October 1st 1944 until April 16th 1945 he was appointed to the Luftkriegsakademie Berlin-Gatow and after that he worked with the I.Gruppe des Lehrgeschwader 1 until the end of the war. Erich Taeger passed away on 20th May 2011.
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 | Kurt Dahlmann
Kurt Dahlmann was born on the 4th of March 1918 in Konigsberg, moving to Danzig in 1925 where Dahlmann went to school. Dahlman took up flight training in 1936 at the Fliegerübungsstelle (flight training center) at Marienburg in Elbing. Following obligatory service in the Reichsarbeitsdienst Dahlamnn was inducted into the Luftwaffe in November 1937 and furthered his flight training at Luftkriegsschule Wildpark-Werder, in 1939 shortly before the start of the war. Dahlmann received his commission as a Lieutenant. Dahlmann became bomber and ground attack pilot flying both Junkers Ju88 and Fw190 aircraft in that role. He participated in the Polish Campaign, the Battle of Britain, the campaign against France as well as the North African Campaign under Rommel flyign Ju88s. Dahlmann later specialized in solo night bombing attacks against specific high value targets. Some of these missions included weapons factories in Britain, British airfields, and later in the war attacking the Remagen bridge. Dahlmann was also personally assigned a specially stripped down, high speed, Fw190 for target marking, pathfinding, missions. He flew over 350 combat missions between September 1940 and 5 May 1945 and was awarded the Knights Cross (No. 711) for flying 200 missions and subsequently the Oak leaves for having successfully completed 300 combat missions becoming the highest decorated German Jabo pilot of the war. Dahlmann finished the war as a Major commanding I./SKG 10, III./KG 51 and NSG 20.
1940 pilot in III./KG 30.
19.01.42 awarded the Ehrenpokal.
1942 appt Staka 9./KG 30 (to 6.43).
15.02.43 Oblt., awarded DKG for prior service in III./KG 30.
11.05.43 Oblt. in III./KG 30, ordered to RLM (Gen.d.Kampfflieger – L.In.2) for temporary duty (to 11.06.43).
11.06.43 appt. Staka 1./SKG 10 (or 2./SKG 10?).
01.10.43 Oblt., appt Kdr. I./SKG 10 (to 20.10.44).
01.04.44 promo to Hptm.
01.06.44 promo to Maj.
11.06.44 Hptm., awarded Ritterkreuz, Kdr. I./SKG 10.
20.10.44 appt Kdr. III./KG 51.
31.10.44 appt Kdr. NSGr. 20 (to 08.05.45).
24.01.45 Maj., awarded the Eichenlaub (No. 711), NSGr. 20.
Settled in South Africa after the war.
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 | Erich Topp (deceased)
Born 2nd July 1914 - Died 26th December 2005. Born in Hannover, Topp joined the Kriegsmarine in 1934, serving on the cruiser Karlsruhe, before transferring to U-Boats in 1937. He was assigned to U-46 for a number of combat tours before taking command of U57 in June 1940, sinking six ships over two missions before being sunk in a collision on the 3rd of September the same year. Surviving this, Topp then commanded U-552 from December that year, sinking 30 ships, predominantly in the North Atlantic, including the first American ship of the war to be sunk, the destroyer "Reuben James". From October 1942 he commanded the 27th submarine flottilla. He also took command of two further U-Boats, these being U-3010 for about a month in 1945, and subsequently U-2513 from April 1945 until surrendering this vessel on May 8th. His highest award was the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The 3rd highest scoring U-boat Commander, Topp sank a total of 36 ships totalling almost 200,000 tons
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 | Korveitenkapitan Helmut Witte (deceased)
Born 6th April 1915 - Died 3rd October 2005. Helmut Witte joined the Kriegsmarine in 1934, joining the submarine force in July 1940 after serving on several vessels including the cruiser Koln, destroyer Z-22 and a number of torpedo boats. After training with U-Boats, he joined U-107 until July 1941. Three months later he was given command of U-159 for four patrols before leaving this boat in June 1943.
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 | Kapitanleutnant Gerhard Bielig (deceased)
Joined the Kriegsmarine in 1934, transferring to the U-boat service in 1937. He served on U-20, U-103, and finally U-177, where he saved the submarine from a depth charge attack, earning himself the Knights Cross. After this, he became an instructor. Gerhard Bielig died 29th September 2004.
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 | Kapitanleutnant Heinrich Schroeteler (deceased)
Heinrich Schroeteler was born 10th December 1915, joining the Navy in 1936 and transferring from minesweepers to u-boats in September 1941. A year later he commissioned U-667, taking the u-boat on four patrols before taking up several training posts. In February 1945 he returned to u-boats, commanding U-1023 for a few months before surrendering U-1023 in the UK, spending three years in captivity. Heinrich Schroeteler was awarded the Knights Cross. He died 19th January 2000.
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