Chapman Iron Cross

[Aave Johns]

Does anyone know if Eddie Chapman's Iron Cross is in any collection or museum?

Eddie was a professional British criminal and safe breaker who was serving a sentence in an Jersey prison when the Germans invaded the Channel Islands. He was recruited and trained by the Abwehr and parachuted into Britain in December 1941. He contacted MI5 and told them his story and mission. He was codenamed Zigzag.
On his return to Germany he convinced his handlers he had carried out his allocated mission, and for this he was awarded the Iron Cross.
He was later dropped back into England and took part in the operation to misdirect V1 flying bombs. He was pardoned for his pre-war crimes after the war and passed away in 1997.

A side-note, he offered to assassinate Hitler by blowing him up with a bomb as he had experiance with explosives, but the offer was rejected by MI5, main reason was that "you couldn't trust someone who has been in the jug".

Regards;

Johnsy

[PABLO_Teale]

Can't give you an answer Johnsy, but cracking story. I wonder how many other awards were presented to people who weren't quite who the German's thought they were?!!

Regards,

Paul.

[Aave Johns]

He was by all accounts the only Brit who was ever awarded this medal. I am disappointed that it is not more widely known, though the records have only recently been unclassified by the official secrets act. It would be interesting to know if he actually kept it, even more interesting if he wore both his British medals and the Iron Cross.

Regards;

Johnsy

[byterock]

I imagine like other ill gotten gains by spys and other double agents during the war it was forfeit to the crown. The real funny thing was at one time the Double Cross System was almost totally funded by the Abwehr

I imagine being a good agent he would not of brought the medal back to UK so if he ever got it it most likely disappeared in Germany if he ever even got one.

Unfortunately there is no evidence that he was given the Iron cross. Nothing in the Abwehr files we only have his word that he got it.

We must remember that the IC was for combat troops so if he was awarded anything it was most likely the War Merit Cross which was known to be given to agents, at least German ones anyway.

here is what MI5 has release on him
MI5 released documents

Dagmar was a looker IMHO.

[Aave Johns]

Thanks for the link. It is possible that the Abwehr gave him an Iron Cross to "keep him sweet" as it would have had prestige value more than a Merit Cross, but I see your point. They may have also considered that carrying out a mission behind enemy lines warranted a frontline decoration. All in all, the story reads between the lines that he was really in it for himself no matter what.

Regards;

Johnsy

PS: Who is Dagmar ??

[tinmantis]

... all makes for one awesome Brit/nazi medalbar!
regards
jon

[Imperial-German]

There were British Nurses prewar that were awarded the Iron cross for helping some German Sailors I think.

[DavidM]

There were British Nurses prewar that were awarded the Iron cross for helping some German Sailors I think.

Hello

Are you sure that it was pre war as the iron cross wasn't reinstituted until September 1939 and therefore couldn't be awarded until then. Or were they awarded the EK from WW1?

Regards
David

[PABLO_Teale]

Hello guys, there are instances of British soldiers being awarded the Prussian Iron Cross in former wars, especially in the Royal Army Medical Corps (I know this because I am attached to the RAMC at the moment). The Iron Cross was not just reserved for combat troops 'byterock', they were awarded to a female test pilot and nurses. If I remember tomorrow at work I will get you the name of one British Medic that was awarded the Iron Cross, and his details (he was also a VC winner).

Regards,

Paul.

[Imperial-German]

Hello

Are you sure that it was pre war as the iron cross wasn't reinstituted until September 1939 and therefore couldn't be awarded until then. Or were they awarded the EK from WW1?

Regards
David

I just remember them being awarded to British Nurses. I think it was to do with a ship that caught fire.

[PABLO_Teale]

Ok guys, here we go.

Surgeon General William George Nicholas Manley.
VC. CB. MRCS.
Knight of the Order of St John.
Egyptian Order of Osmanieh.
Bavarian Order of Merit.
Prussian Iron Cross.
French Croix de Secours Aux Blesses.
Royal Humane Society Medal.
Mentioned in dispatches 1864, 1865, 1871, 1878, 1882.

Now that would be an interesting medal bar!!!

[byterock]

here is another odd one from the Axis history forum

In his book on the Iron Cross, A.E. Prowse quotes the case of the Nigerian soldier Chari Maigumeri. A Regimental Sergeant Major of the Third Battalion, the Nigeria Regiment, he had originally served in the Imperial German Army in the Cameroons and had been decorated with the Iron Cross Second Class for gallantry in action against the British during the West African campaign. Captured by the British, he then served with the British West African Frontier Force and distinguished himself again in action with his new masters.

By 1928, Maigumeri was an RSM with Third Battalion, the Nigeria Regiment. He won the Military Medal during the 1940-41 campaign in Abyssinia against the Italians, and later, on the Far Eastern Front, he was mentioned in dispatches whilst serving in Burma against the Japanese. In 1944, he was awarded the British Empire Medal for long and loyal service to the Crown.


Manley would be unique I think as he was in the British Army when got his ICII.

[Huntzman]

I just remember them being awarded to British Nurses. I think it was to do with a ship that caught fire.

Are you thinking about the attack on the Deutschland (May 1937) during the Spanish War ?? I Know that there were some British medical personnel who were awarded the German Red Cross in different grades for treating the wounded in Gibralter.

Andrew

[Nicholas Link]

American Iron Cross Winners?

The Story Of Chapman Is Really Interesting. Does Anyone Know Of Any Americans Who Were Awarded An Iron Cross?

[Aave Johns]

I imagine like other ill gotten gains by spys and other double agents during the war it was forfeit to the crown. The real funny thing was at one time the Double Cross System was almost totally funded by the Abwehr

I imagine being a good agent he would not of brought the medal back to UK so if he ever got it it most likely disappeared in Germany if he ever even got one.

Unfortunately there is no evidence that he was given the Iron cross. Nothing in the Abwehr files we only have his word that he got it.

We must remember that the IC was for combat troops so if he was awarded anything it was most likely the War Merit Cross which was known to be given to agents, at least German ones anyway.

here is what MI5 has release on him
MI5 released documents

Dagmar was a looker IMHO.

The Iron Cross was not always for combat troops. Frau (Dr.) Reimer in WW1 was awarded the EK for being a driver. She was a regular at the (near) front driving officers around.

After watching Blackadder goes Forth, I guess the front was somewhere within a 16 mile radius.

Regards;

Johnsy