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| Signatures on this item | |
| *The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare. | |
| Name | Info |
 Alex Morrison *Signature Value : £35 | Alex Morrison was a member of the crew of Catalina D for Donald of 270 Squadron. The squadron was based for most of the war at Freetown, West Africa. He was a member of the crew when his aircraft launched a surprise attack on u-boat U-515. |
 Hans-Gunther Lange (deceased) *Signature Value : £60 (clipped) | Hans-Gunther Lange was born 28th September 1916. He joined the navy in 1937, gaining experience as an officer aboard the torpedo boat 'Jaguar' before transferring to u-boats in 1941 with U-431. In September1942 he commissioned U-711, commanding a total of eleven patrols, all of which were in Arctic waters, which included an unsuccessful attack on HMS Royal Sovereign - on loan to Russia as Archangelsk. In May 1945, Lange survived the sinking of U-711 spending the next three months in captivity. He had been awarded the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves on 29th April 1945, one month prior to being captured. He had sunk 4 ships with a total tonnage of over 15,000 tons. In October 1957 Lange joined the Bundesmarine. Here he took part in the construction of a new German U-boat weapon. For two years he commanded the 1 Uboatgeschwader and in January 1964 became commander of the entire U-boat force. Later he held several staff positions, ending his second naval career in 1972 as staff officer in the Marinedivision der Nordsee. In a branch of the German navy whose survival rate was calculated in days, Lange survived for over four years. He died on 3rd April 2014. |
  Karl-Friedrich Merten (deceased) *Signature Value : £70 (clipped) | Karl-Friedrich Merten was born in 1905, joining the navy in 1928. After a ten year stint on warships and serving on the WW1 battleship Schleswig-Holstein during the attack on the Polish Westerplatte in Septmeber 1939, Merten joined the U-boat arm on 1st May 1940. He operated all over the world, patrolling in the Atlantic, the Caribbean and the Indian Oceans. U-68 was in the U-boat wolfpack Eisbar (Polar Bear) which in the course of a few weeks during September - October 1942 sank more than 100,000 tons of shipping off South Africa. In January 1943 Merten became the commander of the 26th U-boat Flotilla in Pillau. There the new U-boat crews received their final training before going to the front. In March 1943 Merten moved to the 24th U-Boat Flotilla in Memel where he also was the flotilla commander. This was the training flotilla for future Commanders. After Merten gave up command of U-68, the boat had 4 commanders during the next 15 months. On April 10th 1944 U-68 was sunk off Madeira, Portugal by aircraft from the carrier USS Guadalcanal. A lookout survived. The remaining 56 crew members went down with the boat. After the war Merten salvaged sunken ships in the Rhine river along with another famous former U-boat commander, Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock. Later he wroked in the shipbuilding industry. In his time commanding U-68 he sank 27 ships - over 170 thousand tons of shipping, making him the 7th most successful u-boat Ace. He was awarded the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves. Karl-Friedrich Merten died 2nd May 1993. |
  Otto Kretschmer (deceased) *Signature Value : £70 (clipped) | Otto Kretschmer was born in May 1912, joining the navy in 1930, and transferring to u-boats in 1936. He was the Watch Officer aboard U-35 from 3rd November 1936 to 30th July 1937. He briefly took command of U-35 after the death of the Captain, Hermann Michahelles, assuming command until 15th August 1937, after which he was Watch Officer once again until 30th September 1937. During this time, U-35 was involved in the Spanish Civil WarHe was in command of U-23 at the outbreak of war in 1939, and had successful patrols with U-23 which included the sinking of HMS Daring, before taking command of U-99 in April 1940. In March 1941, Kretschmer was captured after scuttling U-99 due to damage suffered from depth charges from British destroyer HMS Walker. After his capture, Kretschmer was imprisoned until December 1947. Despite his capture early in the war, Kretschmers total tonnage sunk of over 273 thousand tons was enough to make him the top scoring u-boat Ace of the war. Kretschmer was awarded the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Otto Kretschmer died 5th August 1998. |
 Sydney Hillier *Signature Value : £40 | Sydney Hiller was a member of the crew of Catalina D for Donald of 270 Squadron. The squadron was based for most of the war at Freetown, West Africa. He was a member of the crew when his aircraft launched a surprise attack on u-boat U-515. |
| The Aircraft : | |
| Name | Info |
| Catalina | Built by the Consolidated Aircraft Company and designed by Isaax M Ladden. the Catalina first flew on the 28th march 1935. and first flew with the US Navy in October 1936. In 1935 the cost of each Catalina was $90,000 and just over 4,000 were built. The Catalina was used in various maritime roles. but it was designed initially as a maritime patrol bomber. Its long range was intended to seek out enemy transport and supply ships. but was eventually used in many roles including Convoy escort,, anti submarine warfare and search and rescue. In its role as a search and rescue aircraft it probably is best remembered for many thousands of aircrews shot down in the Pacific and less extend in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The Catalina was the most successful flying boat of the war and even served in a military role until the early 1980's some are still used today in aerial firefighting. |
| Artist Details : John Wynne Hopkins | ||||||
| Click here for a full list of all artwork by John Wynne Hopkins | ||||||
 John Wynne Hopkins John Wynne Hopkins was born in 1954 in Dafen, Llanelli, Wales and his family emmigrated to Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) when he was five weeks old. He was brought up in Africa but returned to Wales to be educated at Llandovery College, Cardiff College of Art and Trinity College Carmarthen, where he trained as an art teacher. Taught in the 'Beacon School', Buckinghamshire before returning to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He completed a regular army commissioning course at the Rhodesian Army, School of Infantry, Gwelo and served in the 1st Battalion Rhodesian African Rifles. His first military commissions were produced at the height of the Rhodesian bush war and were for the 1st Bn. Rhodesian Light Infantry, and the 1st Battalion Rhodesian African Rifles before he joined the Rhodesian Army. John returned to Wales in 1982 and for many years has painted wildlife, military and aviation scenes and enjoys painting Welsh landscape in plein air. Attained a Bachelor of Education Degree in 1988. For many years John was Head of the Art Department at Pen Y Bryn Senior Special School until taking early retirement to paint professionally. John Wynne Hopkins was commissioned by Cranston Fine Arts over a period of several years to produce a number of paintigns including a series of the British Army in Northern Ireland and has also produced numerous paintings for the Army Air Corps and in many cases numerous paintings for single regiments. These commissions have also meant him travelling to a number of trouble spots in the world including Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Kosovo. His commissions have included, 1 Regiment Army Air Corps., 4 Regt Army Air Corps, 7 Regt Army Air Corps., 9 Regt Army Air Corps, 5 Regt Army Air Corps (Northern Ireland) , R Sqn 22 SAS, A Coy 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Wales, The 1st Battalion the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, The Royal Netherlands Marine Corps, 2nd Battalion The Rifle Regiment, 1 Transport Regiment Royal Logistics Corps and the 4/7th Royal Dragoon Guards. In 2006 he completed a commission for 9 Regiment Army Air Corps of the latest attack helicopter the Apache AH1. 2009 the 4/7th Royal Dragoon Guards commissioned a painting of their latest MC winner Sgt C.P.Richards MC, Charge of the Knights, Basra Iraq, 4th April 2008. In 2010 Col John Waddy of Arnhem fame commissioned a painting of the drop of the 4th Parachute Brigade, Gienkle Heide, 18th September 1944, Arnhem, during Operation Market Garden. John spent a week with Col John Waddy and the Military Academy course looking at the battlefield. At one stage John was mistaken for Directing Staff on the course but the old soldier had plenty to say. John was invited back to Arnhem in 2011. Military Aviation Artist John Wynne Hopkins was invited back to Arnhem for the ceremonies to do with the momentous battles of the 1st Airborne Division, during Operation Market Garden, in 1944. At a presentation and showing of the latest documentary DVD of the drop of the 4th Parachute Brigade at Ginkle Heath, 18th September 1944. The presentation took place at Cinemec, the cinema in Ede. Images of his painting were used on the cover of the DVD and the huge display boards on the cinema. John was asked to present framed copies of his latest Arnhem print to the Burgomaster of Ede, Mr Van der Kemp and the Commanding Officer of the 11th Airmobile Brigade, Bgen van Wiggen. Copies of the print were then presented to a number of Arnhem Veterans of the battle who were present. The prints depict the drop of the 4th Parachute Brigade on Ginkle Heath, on the 18th September 1944 and was commissioned by Col John Waddy who was the Officer Commanding B Company 156th Parachute Battalion during that momentous drop and subsequent battles. John took this opportunity to do more research for his next large painting commission for Brigadier Mike Dauncey DSO, a famous Glider Pilot and Arnhem Veteran, who is going to present the painting to the Glider Pilot Regiment Association. 2012 should see John painting in Helmand province, Afghanistan with the British Army, sketching and painting the daily life of soldiers and their ongoing operations, gathering information for future paintings of this campaign.
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This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com |
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Kretschmer, Otto 
(clipped)
Hillier, Sydney (signed in person)
(clipped)
