The Dreadnought Project

[tone]

I scanned a small souvenir album I had from the "Zeebrugge Museum". It contains photographs taken by a German U-boat officer stationed in Zeebrugge and records his encounters in his U-boat at sea, the aftermath of the raid on Zeebrugge, and the attempt to blockade Ostend.

Go check it out here

Top marks to he who can identify the U-boat, as it seems likely that the photographer was her commander.

tone

[tone]

Some help from people on uboat.net has helped me determine more about the album's photographer.

First, it prominently features the torpedoing of a large American ship, S.S. Illinois. This ship was torpedoed by UC 21 operating out of Flandern on Mar 19, 1917. The UC 21 was a very successful boat, sinking 95 vessels. She had an 88mm gun and 133 rounds for it, and 2 external tubes forward and one aft with a total of 7 torpedoes carried.

If we take the description in the back of the album at face value, there is a fairly strong implication that the "officer" whose photos are in the book was the commander of UC 21, Oberleutnant zur See Reinhold Saltzwedel. He died on Dec 2, 1917 when his UB 81 hit a mine and stood on end in shallow water. If I recall the story accurately from a recent book, the men opened the bow torpedo tube doors and a man was able to climb out onto a small platform hastily rigged. However, when a British patrol boat came close, it accidentally nudged the U-boat, tipping it far enough over that the sea poured into the torpedo tube, killing everyone aboard except (if I recall correctly) the single man outside the tube.

However, the presence of images from the raids on Zeebrugge and Ostend (April and May of 1918) indicate that either the photographs were actually from a number of sources or that another person on UC 21 was the source -- someone who did NOT die on UB 81.

However, it is worth pointing out that the images that follow those of the UC 21 (and possibly other submarines) are of a type that would have been widely circulated, and perhaps these were added to round out a small collection of photos from Oberleutnant zur See Reinhold Saltzwedel.

edit: I see mention here that the Museum referred to by this album ceased to exist in the 1970s and that its collections have been scattered to the winds. I'll inquire further.

tone

[Adrian Dobb]

Thanks for sharing these with us Tone - an excellent collection.

[Regulus1]

Hi Tone,

About this story and the photo's. You have one of the few originals left that were sold in the museum, great find ! Personally I have them also in my collection, but not as originals.
About these photo's, they probably were taken by a Belgian photographer who was forced to work for the Germans. Some of them were possibly taken by a German photographer as well. The man who made a lot of these was the late Arthur Brusselle. You may see the initials in a monogram on some photo's AB.
Anyway he kept indeed copies from all the photo's, that is correct info.

Here you find a few of my photo's :

http://skynetphotoservice.wistiti.be/Skynet-Id-473751:Regulus

You can choose between the various albums via Uw Albums, just pick a number... I think some of these may interest you also !

Thanks and best from Johan
_________________
Researching the Marinekorps Flandern, the German bomberunits and WW I in the air over West-Flanders

http://germanairservice.blogeiland.nl/

[tone]

Your albums number 2 and 4 are very interesting to me (some have photos in common with my album). Do you only sell images, or would you be willing to allow me to host some at a higher resolution?

I am particularly interested in the UB and UC boats and the torpedo boats.

tone

[Regulus1]

Hi Tone,

Selling of the images is not done by me, it's just a possibility that Skynet offers. I can scan them at higher resolution. Your book on the torpedoboats is also very interesting, just added two comments. Perhaps we can swap some photo's for use ?

Johan
_________________
Researching the Marinekorps Flandern, the German bomberunits and WW I in the air over West-Flanders

http://germanairservice.blogeiland.nl/

[tone]

I'd gladly swap. I scanned mine at 200 DPI (I think?) and they are online as you see -- clicking on each will give you the best resolution I have in digital form at the moment. I am not sure that going higher will give more usable detail or not.

How could I get some images from you, and would I be welcome to post them online as I have done for the albums I have there now?

I'd certainly link back to your site.

tone
[/i]

[Regulus1]

The ones I have online are also scanned at 200 dpi, however a very good quality is 600 dpi, which can also be used for publications. You get a lot more detail also, it sometimes really did amaze me !
You are most welcome to post them here on line. Personally the most important thing is that these photo's do not get lost and are kept for the generations to come and to remember.
I will take some better quality scans but it will take me some time, as I have a forummeeting to guide next weekend, which is timeconsuming next to my work.
_________________
Researching the Marinekorps Flandern, the German bomberunits and WW I in the air over West-Flanders

http://germanairservice.blogeiland.nl/

[tone]

Your attitude is much like mine.
I can also get higher resolution scans of mine for you in exchange. Contact me when you are ready and I'll give you some FTP upload credentials.

tone

[Regulus1]

Tone,

Ok will do so !

Johan
_________________
Researching the Marinekorps Flandern, the German bomberunits and WW I in the air over West-Flanders

http://germanairservice.blogeiland.nl/