|
Date: |
|
Description: | obverse design : Zeppelin, "P" type, L19, half-submerged in sea. A group of figures cling to the unsubmerged portions of
the airship, their arms raised in the direction of a small one-funnelled vessel steaming from right to left at extreme left of horizon.
Partly obscured by the horizon is the shining sun bearing on its face the ornate characters "1L9" (sic)
reverse design : eye of Providence, the "all-seeing eye", within a triangle which is surrounded by rays. Below the triangle six lines of
embossed text. At the base of the design a pair of scales and date, "2.2.1916"
reverse text : "FLVCH.DEN.BRITEN ZVR.SEE.FLVCH.EVREM SCHLECHTEN.GEWISSEN HILFESVCHENDE.SCHIFF.BRVECHIGE.HABEN.VNTER GEHEN
MVESSEN"
In this 1916 medal Goetz honours the crew of the destroyed German Zeppelin, L19 and condemns as criminal the actions of
the skipper of the English fishing trawler, 'King Stephen'. During its return from a bombing raid on the Midlands of England on the night
of 31 January-1 February 1916, the L19, experienced serious engine problems which forced it to ditch in the North Sea. The Zeppelin, with
her surving crew was spotted by the trawler 'King Stephen' who approached the sinking wreckage. The trawler's captain refused to take on
board the German airmen, arguing that if he allowed the Germans on board they would outnumber his own crew and take charge of his vessel.
The 'King Stephen' ran for port to raise Royal Naval assistance. By the time assistance had been sumoned the L-19 had sunk and her entire
crew had perished. Goetz's bleak comment on the event (reverse text) is translated as 'Cursed be the Britons at sea, cursed be their bad
conscience. Shipwrecked people seeking help were left to sink'. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Subjects: | North Sea & Zeppelin Offensive against Britain & L19 satirical HM trawler King Stephen Royal Navy commemorative First World War Destruction of & 2/2/1916 DE.N & German Naval Airship Service & L19 | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Goetz, Karl | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
-
-
-
-
Medal cast
Commemorative medal Two casts, obverse…
-
recording
German officer served as navigating…
-
-
-
-
|