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Matrosen Obgefreiter Wilhelm Alsen Signed Naval Art
Naval Art  Signatures Surnames A to C  Alsen, Wilhelm |
[UP] - Acuna, Miguel - Adams, Paul - Alsen, Wilhelm - Anson, Sir Edward - Baber, John - Baberg, Kurt - Bailey, Leslie - Baines, Edward - Barker, L P - Bennett, Bill - Bergius, Adam - Bielig, Gerhard - Blyth, Sir Charles - Bode, Thilo - Boutwood, John - Bovey, N H - Brammen, Erich - Brasack, Paul - Briggs, Ted - Bunce, Donald - Burnett, P W - Cameron, John - Cassidi, Desmond - Chaffin, Clair C - Chapman, Paul - Clark, Eric - Clayton, Arthur - Conter, Louis - Cook, Lonnie - Cowley, Alan - Cree, Malcolm - Cremer, Peter - Crosley, Mike - Cunningham, Richard |
Matrosen Obgefreiter Wilhelm Alsen
Willi Alsen joined the Kriegsmarine on 1 October 1940, his first ship was the cruiser Koln. On 1 March 1941 he was posted to join the battleship Scharnhorst and as a Seaman 1st class he was one of the ship's starboard gunners, serving a 2cm four-barrel anti-aircraft gun. He was also trained as an aircraft recognition specialist. During his service he was awarded the Iron Cross II class. Willi Alsen was the last of the thirty-six men who survived the sinking of the Scharnhorst to be rescued. He served the remainder of the war as a Prisoner of War. Any photos of him signing our prints etc were taken in April 2010 during a signing session when a representative of Cranston Fine Arts went to meet him. Alsen died on 22nd July 2012.
| Matrosen Obgefreiter Wilhelm Alsen - Signed Naval Art Naval Crew Signatures |
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The Narvik Squadron by Anthony Saunders. The Last of the heavy Cruisers built by Germany (5 in total) The picture shows Admiral Hipper making her first sortie on the 18th February 1940, accompanied by the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau on Operation Nordmark. (Search for allied convoys on the route between Britain and Norway) |
Attack on the Scharnhorst by Ivan Berryman. Swordfish of 825 Sqn led by Lt-Cdr Esmonde begin their heroic attack on the battlescruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen as they make their way up the English Channel from Brest during Operation Cerberus on 12th February 1942. Although all the aircraft were lost and no significant damage was done to the German fleet, all the pilots were decorated for their bravery and Lt-Cdr Esmonde received the first Fleet Air Arm VC to be awarded, albeit posthumously. The painting depicts the first wave of Swordfish attacking the Scharnhorst with Gneisenau taking avoiding action in the distance. A German torpedo boat has turned to confront the attacking aircraft. |
The Channel Dash by Ivan Berryman. February 1942 and Viz. Admiral Ciliaxs mighty Scharnhorst leads her sister Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen up the English Channel during Operation Cerberus, their daring breakout from the port of Brest on the French Atlantic coast to the relative safety of Wilhelmshaven and Brunsbuttel. All three ships survived what became known as the Channel Dash, not without damage, but the operation proved a huge propaganda success for Germany and a crushing embarrassment for the British. A number of torpedo boats are in attendance, including Kondor and Falke and the Z class destroyer Friedrich Ihn in the distance. |
Bismarck Entering Hamburg Harbour by Ivan Berryman Bismarck, now complete and newly painted in full Baltic camouflage, returns to Hamburg for the last time as the harsh winter of 1940/41 relents and the pride of the German Kriegsmarine prepares for real action. In the distance, the pre-Dreadnought Schleswig-Holstein awaits her next commission, the old ship alternating between vital ice-breaker and air defence duties at this time. The Bismarck would in May 1941 put to sea and engage and sink HMS Hood only to be caught by the British battleships Rodney and King George V. Bismarck was pounded into a floating wreck, finally being sunk by the torpedoes of HMS Dorsetshire. From her crew of 2300 only 110 would be rescued by HMS Dorsetshire and HMS Maori. |
Bismarck Replies to HMS Hood by Ivan Berryman. The mighty Bismarck returns fire to the fast-approaching HMS Hood a the start of a battle that would see both adversaries tragically sunk. |
Operation Cerberus, Channel Dash by Ivan Berryman. February 1942 and Viz. Admiral Ciliaxs mighty Scharnhorst leads her sister Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen up the English Channel during Operation Cerberus, their daring breakout from the port of Brest on the French Atlantic coast to the relative safety of Wilhelmshaven and Brunsbuttel. All three ships survived what became known as the Channel Dash, not without damage, but the operation proved a huge propaganda success for Germany and a crushing embarrassment for the British. A number of torpedo boats are in attendance, including Kondor and Falke and the Z class destroyer Friedrich Ihn in the distance. |
Escort to the Scharnhorst by Simon Atack When the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau entered Brest in March, 1941, between them they had sunk a total of 22 ships during their North Atlantic operations. Laying in port however, they became a target for constant air attack, Scharnhorst being damaged by bombs, and in February 1942 the decision was made to break out with the famous Channel Dash. Scharnhorst led the flotilla in a daring passage through the English Channel, heading for the sanctuary of Wilhelmshaven. They all got through but, striking two mines en-route, it was March 1943 before the Scharnhorst was able to resume battle operations when, under heavy escort, she sailed for Norway. Simon Atacks panoramic seascape depicts a scene from Operation Paderborn as Scharnhorst ploughs through a lively swell with Fw190s of I./JG5, based at Oslo Fornebu, providing fighter cover. Steaming in company with destroyers Z-28 and Erich Steinbrinck, the mighty German battleship has departed Gotenhafen and is heading towards Bogen Bay, near Narvik in Norway. But Scharnhorsts days were numbered. On 26 December 1943 the huge battleship attacked a convoy off North Cape, but in the heavy seas Scharnhorst became detached from her destroyer escort. With the British Home Fleet aware of her position, and intentions, she was intercepted, the Britishbattleship Duke of York landing a barrage of 14-inch shells on the mighty German warship. The blows were fatal, the coup-de-grace coming shortly after, when 11 torpedoes sent the magnificent but deadly battleship quickly to the bottom. There were just 36 survivors. |
Clipped Signature - Wilhelm Alsen. Joined the German Navy and within a year was a gunner on the battleship Scharnhorst. When the battleship was sunk in 1943, just 36 of a crew of almost 2,000 were rescued - Wilhelm Alsen was the 36th. He served the remainder of the war as a prisoner. |
Bismarck by Randall Wilson. Under attack by swordfish from HMS ark Royal, Bismarck heels to port as she is struck by a torpedo in the Stbd. Aft. rudder area. |
Against All Odds - Attack on the Scharnhorst by Ivan Berryman. Swordfish of 825 Sqn led by Lt-Cdr Esmonde begin their heroic attack on the battlescruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen as they make their way up the English Channel from Brest during Operation Cerberus on 12th February 1942. Although all the aircraft were lost and no significant damage was done to the German fleet, all the pilots were decorated for their bravery and Lt-Cdr Esmonde received the first Fleet Air Arm VC to be awarded, albeit posthumously. |
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This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com
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