A FINE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WAR GERMAN NAVAL OFFICERS SWOR...

Hammer

£750

A FINE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WAR GERMAN NAVAL OFFICERS SWORD WORN BY FREGATTENKAPITAN EMIL DOHNKE. With a 74.5cm slightly curved blade with fuller and spear point, the blade sharpened for active service and etched with a battleship, Imperial Reichs Crown over a fouled anchor, all amongst scrolling foliage. The guard with double folding inner and outer sections, the larger with fouled anchor, all with further scrolling foliage, with an ivory grip with wire binding, the pommel with lion's head set with red and greed eyes. Mounted with a second World War Kriegsmarine sword knot. The leather scabbard with engraved brass mounts, with twin ring suspension loops. With a black leather sword belt and twin hangers with Reichsmarine buckle marked for A.W. & S. Berlin. The grip engraved internally 'M. Tikrem C.L.' (?) and 'Dohnka'. 89cm overall. With copied research and images of some of Dohnka's ships. Research accompanying the sword suggests that Dohnka relates to Emil Dohnke who was born on the 22nd May 1879, he joined the Imperial Navy in 1896 as an artillery mechanic being promoted to the officer's rank of Lieutenant Ordnance Specialist (Feuerwerks-Leutnenat) on the 19th July 1911. He served in the artillery department of the Imperial Shipyard (Kaiserliche Werft) in Kiel and on the 22nd March 1914 he was promoted to Feuerwerks-Oberleutnant (Lieutenant Senior Grade). Following the beginning of the First World War he was posted to the ammunition depot of the German Navy Corps in Flanders. He appears to have retired from active service on the 30th October 1915 retiring from the Navy in 1918. By July 1st 1934 he had rejoined the Reichsmarine as a Lieutenant Commander and Erganzungs-Offizer (Supplement Officer), a branch of the Navy created for specialists in Artillery, Mine Sweeping or Torpedo operation. He remained at the Naval Arsenal in Kiel rising to the rank of Fregattenkapitan (Commander Senior Grade). He seems to have left the Navy at this time and celebrated his 100th birthday in Hamburg in 1979. A photocopied report of his 100th birthday celebrations is included with copied research relating to this combatant from the First and Second World Wars . A Cites License has been applied for MUVZ2SVW *Condition: Repair to split in scabbard, part of wire grip binding lacking, some light marking to blade.