THE GERMAN KRIEGSMARINE IN WORLD WAR II: all these images are available from Jim Payne, on CD - ebay account "throughtheireyes2" - or, throughtheireyes3@yahoo.co.uk or 07809 831411

Jim Payne says "There are just over 100 images within this album covering a young German sailor's short and tragic naval career.  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 Warspite in the second battle of Narvik.

The album features sailor Werner Posel, a Maschinen-Obergerfreite.  I think this means he worked in the engine room.  (Only 38 of the ship's crew died - ship initially took a hit to the engine and turbine room.)  There are 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).  Many photos on deck, other members of the crew, name of the ship is clearly seen on their tally caps.  There are photos of the battleships Scharnhorst and Schlesien, photos of torpedoboots.

My favourite 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, one of the best U-boat images I have come across.

The album ends with a newspaper clipping announcing Werner Posel's death, placed by his family, a memorial card listing the names of the crew that died, and finally there are 3 original photos of a wooden cross that bears the sailors' names.

A 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."

The images here are very low resolution only, on the CD they print out to A4 and A3 really well. Jim is doing an amazing job, buying in these albums at auctions etc, and rather than keeping them to himself in his own collection, he is making them easily available to all, costs ?? with p&p, less than a £ tenner - an amazing buy. The more you buy off him, the more albums he will get and so the the more you will get, so do it!! I have because I want to see more.

ebay account "throughtheireyes2" - or, throughtheireyes3@yahoo.co.uk or 07809 831411

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