GOETZ: K-597 Battle against convoys in the Arctic Waters

cacheman

K-597 BATTLE AGAINST CONVOYS IN THE ARCTIC WATERS, 1942, Cast AE, 98.0mm, Wt. 309.3g, Edge-incuse punch, UNC RR

On the occasion of the German U-Boat and plane attacks against convoys to Russia. The fastest route was through the Norwegian and Arctic waters to Murmansk. These convoys were highly vulnerable to attacks and about 25% of all ships using this route in 1942 were sunk by the Germans.

Obverse: German eagle and Russian bear battle in Arctic seas with inscription “288,400 tons sunk.”

Reverse: German planes and U-boats attacking ships

This is a little-known later Goetz piece missing from many advanced collections.

boz

Nice one!

Askari

One thing I've never gotten used to is Goetz's often rather childish renderings of ships and aircraft when he was obviously capable of better.

AuldFartte

Wonderful medal, Cacheman

lordmarcovan

What Askari said.

It's kind of strange to see representations of sailing ships. Those might not have been out of place in a WWI convoy, but in 1942? No wonder they're getting sunk!

It has a cartoonish look to it. Mind you, I still think it is a very interesting piece.

Aethelred

Why is that bear covering his nipples?

lordmarcovan

Dude, it's the Arctic. Even if you have fur, your nipples probably get cold as hell.

cosmicdebris

Great piece!

MadMuffin

Another impressive Goetz . I like the dramatic reverse.

Marcel

oldshep

LordM had the same question as I did, hmmm...sailing ships? A very impressive piece!!
Shep

theboz11

Submarines and sailing ships are certainly not of the 1942 era,,more like SS Hunley and Ramming with a torpedo. Interesting that he would place them as late as WW2, must be some symbology that I missed.

PuddlePirate

History Lesson

1942 folks, granted "most" of the people posting here did not take part in WWII or were children at the time. Me I came along between Korea and Vietnam. My father was in the USN Pacific Fleet Submarine Fleet. I grew up hearing about unrestricted submarine warfare from someone who had actually been there.

In 1942 England and Russia were struggling to survive, Russia was virtually cut off from the world. German Forces occupied Norway and part of Finland and all of Western Europe. Murmansk was the only all season seaport of consequence open to Russia and the "Allies" poured in war material and supplies. The "Old USSR" down played the role of Allied supply to Russia's survival but without that aide Russia would have fallen. In '42 the Russian Army was starting to see women in the front line combat units, Operation Barbarossa (invasion of Russia) crushed the Russian Standing Army and by the onset of winter several German units were within visual distance of Moscow. Winter did what the Russian Army could not accomplish, and it forced a partial withdrawl of the more advanced german units and the Russians were able to recover. What many do not realize was that the Russians dismantled entire factories and shipped them North and West. Yes the Russian Army was what met the Germans on the ground, but they recieved ammunition, airplanes, tanks, trucks, jeeps, rifles, food, medical supplies, fuel, uniforms provided by the Allies, through the Murmansk Runs.

At Sea, The "Battle of the Atlantic" was showing stunning results in favor of the German U-boat forces, hundreds of thousands of tons of shipping went to the bottom EVERY MONTH. In the North Atlantic the situation was so critical that at one point England had less than two weeks of supplies and the possibility of England having to sue for peace was becoming very real. Shipping losses in the North and South Atlantic were so severe that the United States did what no one else could do. It started The Liberty Ship Program in earnest. These transports were launched in incredible numbers and were instrumental in winning the war.

The convoy system was adapted to offset the German U-Boat tactics and when the US started sending Aircraft Carriers and Battlegroups with the convoys the tide turned, but that success was not to occur until mid 1943.

In 1942 The Murmansk runs lost around one ship in three. German Naval forces sortied from Norway along with aircraft and u-boats. Had the Bismark not been sunk, she would have been stationed with her sister Ship the Tirpitz in Norway and been another predator for the Murmansk Run Convoys to deal with. Many allied sailors considered a Murmansk Run the equivalent of a death sentence.

In Germany a land victory over the soviets seemed assured.

The medal, shows the German Eagle attacking the Russian Bear. The "technological advantages" of Germany are represented as modern weapons, the enemy as "archaic" and backward (hence the sailing ships). The medal is a war propaganda peice showing one of the many Victories Germany was to achieve before the "high water mark" was reached. They never succeeded in stopping the Murmansk Runs and that failure cost them the war.

1942 Germany was still on its way to "victory", the High water mark will not come until the end of 43.

1jester

Powerful piece!