£3,400
A BRONZE WALL PLAQUE COMMEMORATING THE SINKING OF U-103 BY H.M.T. OLYMPIC, 1918
cast with raised text and presented by the American 59th Regiment, and American eagle crest flanked by crossed rifles -- 14½ x 23in. (37 x 58.5cm.) and contained in a Plexiglass box frame with white trim -- 24 x 28in. (61 x 71cm.)
The Honourable Company of Master Mariners; Presented by Cunard White Star by 1936.
U-103 began her short but successful raiding career in June 1917, by the time she spotted Titanic's older sister Olympic in the English Channel, she had already sunk eight mainly British merchantmen and damaged another. In the early hours of 12th May 1918, U-103 (Capt. Claus Rücker) sighted Olympic carrying American troops to fight in France and was preparing to fire her torpedoes when she was in turn spotted by lookouts aboard Olympic which promptly altered course to ram and simultaneously opened fire. U-103 attempted to crash dive but the Olympic's port propeller sliced through the pressure hull behind the conning tower causing U-103 to blow all her ballast tanks. Olympic did not wait to witness the sinking, but 35 survivors were picked up by USS Davis with eight more foundering with their craft.
Fine overall condition
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