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Erich Topp Signed Naval Art
Naval Art  Signatures S to Z  Topp, Erich |
Erich Topp
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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| Knights Cross | Oak Leaves | Swords |
| Erich Topp - Signed Naval Art Naval Crew Signatures |
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| Text for the above items : |
U-269 by Ivan Berryman. This limited edition print depicts the Type VIIC U-Boat U269 during an engagement in the English Channel with a B24 Liberator from 224 Squadron based at St Eval in Cornwall. |
U-203 Under Cover of Darkness by Anthony Saunders. October 1941, U203 approaches her mooring on the western bank at the French port of Brest. Her fate would be sealed by depth charges from the destroyer HMS Pathfinder and aircraft from the escort carrier HMS Biter while attacking the convoy ONS 4 south of Greenland on April 25th 1943. |
Dawn Rendezvous by Anthony Saunders. Germanys U-boat fleet had almost brought Britain to its knees in the First World war, twenty years later the story was very similar. the German U-boat arm came perilously close to cutting the lifeline that crossed the Atlantic between North America and Britain. in the early years of the war Donitz realised that keeping his U-boats at sea for as long as possible would greatly increase their chances of success. here U-93 (left) and U-94 take fuel from the auxiliary cruiser Kormoran whilst in the mid-Atlantic during 1941 |
Wolves at Saint Nazaire by Anthony Saunders. Portrayed in the southern lock at the French port of Saint Nazaire during the Autumn of 1941 are from left: U552, commanded by Kapitanleutnant Erich Topp, U567, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Engelbert Endrass and U93, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Horst Elfe. Saint Nazaire was home for two U-boat flotillas: 7. U-Flotille, the Wegener Flotilla and 6.U-Flotille, the Hundius Flotilla. It produced some of the top U-boat commanders including Topp, Endrass, Prien and Kretschmer. The base reached a peak of activity in mid 1943, however, by the end of the war the entire port had been flattened by the allied air forces. The only buildings to survive the onslaught were the bomb proof U-bunkers which can still be seen to this day. |
Das Boote by Anthony Saunders. Lother Gunther Buchheim based his famous novel The Boat on his voyage aboard U96 in the early days of World War Two. During this operation on 13th February 1941, U96 sank the straggling tanker, Arthur F Conwin, which had dropped back from the westbound convoy, HX106, after being hit by another U-boat, U103. |
U-201 Deadly Chase by Anthony Saunders. 17th February 1943, U-201 with U-69 were ordered to intercept the westbound convoy ONS165. With fuel low U-201 was eventually forced to surface following a depth charge attack and rammed by the Destroyer HMS Fame. |
Operation Drumbeat by Anthony Saunders. The entry of the United States into the war opened up vast new hunting grounds for the German u-boat fleet. Operation Paukenschlag (Drumbeat in English) began in January 1942, bringing the U-boats their easiest pickings of the war. Over 300 allied vessels were sunk during the Paukenschlag along the US coastline, ranging from New York harbor, to the Straits of Florida. This period, also known as the second Happy Times to the men of the U-boats, was only brought to an end in mid 1942 by the formation of allied convoy systems. On the evening of April 5th 1942, U552, commanded by Kapitanleutnant Erich Topp, sealed the fate of the British tanker MV British Splendour east of Cape Hatteras. The U-boat was part of the fourth wave of boats of Operation Paukenschlag, she returned to Saint Nazaire on April 27th 1942 having sunk seven ships during the patrol. |
U-552 A Lonely Vigil by Robert Barbour. U-552 heads for home on the surface at sunset in the Atlantic- Summer 1943. |
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