Antique Real Photo Postcard, circa pre-1920. A young boy whose name written on the back appears to read Viele Guispe Herbert. He is wearing a naval cap with the name Weddigen inscribed on the hat band. See our closeup image. Otto Eduard Weddigen was a German U-boat commander during World War I. Divided back, unused. Condition: This is an original real photo postcard, not a copy or reproduction. It is in excellent condition. Comments: In 1910 Weddigen was given command of one of the first German submarines, U-9. In the Action of 22 September 1914, while patrolling in the region of the southern North Sea known to the British as the "Broad Fourteens", U-9 intercepted the three warships of the Seventh Cruiser Squadron. Weddigen fired off all six of his torpedoes, reloaded while submerged, and in less than an hour sank the three British armoured cruisers HMS Aboukir, HMS Hogue and HMS Cressy. Sixty two officers and 1,397 men were killed, only 837 survived. Weddigen was awarded the Iron Cross, second and first class. After sinking HMS Hawke and some merchant ships, Weddigen received Prussia's highest military order, the Pour le Mrite. He also received the highest military honours of the other kingdoms of the German Empire: The Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph of the Bavaria (making him one of only six non-Bavarians to receive this), the Knight's Cross of Saxony's Military Order of St. Henry and the Knight's Cross of Wrttemberg's Military Merit Order. Weddigen died while commanding the submarine U-29. On 18 March 1915 U-29 was rammed by the British battleship HMS Dreadnought in the Pentland Firth.