This is the obverse of a bronze medal by Karl Goetz. It was produced to commemorate the sinking of the British battleship, HMS Royal Oak, by a German submarine in Scapa Flow in October 1939.
The obverse of the medal depicts a portrait of Captain-Lieutenant Gunter Prien, the commander of the German U-boat.
Scapa Flow was the British Home Fleet's main base during World War II. A total of 833 men were lost when HMS Royal Oak was sunk. As a result of the enemy success, the anti-submarine defences at Scapa Flow were quickly improved.
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