On September 22, 1914, Captain Weddigen commanding the submarine U-9, sank three British cruisers, Aboukir, Hogue, and Cressy, with a loss of 62 officers and 1,397 British sailors. In the lower picture, one of the British cruisers is already sinking, stern first, the second has been hit, and the third follows behind. U-9's periscope breaks the surface in the foreground.
The upper half of the postcard shows U-29 stopping an English merchant ship sailing under a neutral foreign flag.
In the upper half is a portrait of Weddigen in an oval wreath.

Upper image:

U-29 stellt ein unter fremder Flagge fahrendes, englisches Handelsschiff

U-29 halts an English merchantman sailing under a foreign flag.



Lower image:

22 September, 1914, Das Unterseeboot U-9 (KapitänLeutnant Weddigen) vernichtet die 3 englischen Panzerkreuzer Aboukir, Hogue, und Cressy.

22 September, 1914, The submarine U-9 (Lieutenant Weddigen) destroys the three British armored cruisers Aboukir, Hogue, and Cressy.



Caption:

Aus dem Heldentaten des KapitänLeutnant Weddigen

From the exploits of Lieutenant Weddigen



Reverse:

Postmarked Rostock, 22.5.15

Other views: Larger, Back

Britain's confidence in its command of the high seas was shaken on September 22, 1914, when the German submarine U-9 under the command of Lieutenant Weddigen sank the three British armored cruisers Aboukir, Hogue, and Cressy.

The British home base of Scapa Flow had no anti-submarine protection. In November 1914, responding to a report of a periscope, the Fleet redeployed out of the North Sea, first to the west of Scotland, and then west of Ireland, finally returning to North Sea in 1915. In its absence, German submarines shelled the British coastal towns of Whitby and Scarborough.

Date: 1914-09-22