Everyone has to have a little fun...

[Kelly621]

Last evening I fired up SH3 for a round. I was transiting down to the Freetown area along the African coast....a long and relatively uneventful passage. I started thinking about what did the German crews do to entertain themselves in those times when nothing was going on.

Anyone who has been on a submarine new or old will tell you boredom is a moral killer. My first WesPac in 1971 my official title was still "non qual puke". Between watch standing, fixing equipment, qualifications and trying to get a few hours sleep.....well, I was busy enough. When I qualified and finished most of my watch standing quals mid-way through WesPac I suddenly had free time I could read a book, play a game of chess or watch a movie or just sit an chat with friends.

What I am wondering is did the Germans have movies on board like the US subs in the Pacific? If so what movies were popular. I am sure like I did they played cards, but what games did they play? Most of my books on the subject deal with tech specs, tactics etc...nothing mentioned about what they did to entertain themselves. Any suggested books?

Kelly621

[HW3]

From the preface of the book...

Hans Göbeler has succeeded in describing in his book Steel Boat, Iron Hearts the day-to-day life of a wartime U-boat crewmember. The comradeship, the worries and fears, and the many unforgettable moments aboard his boat are all honestly portrayed in his autobiography.

Goebeler, Hans; Vanzo, John (2008-09-30). Steel Boat, Iron Hearts: The Wartime Saga of Hans Goebeler and U-505 . Casemate Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Available at Amazon both paperback and Kindle Edition.

:subsim:

[Vince82]

Newsletter, competitions.

[Kelly621]

Thanks for the recommendation HW3....just downloaded it to my Kindle for 7.99....good price :). Did you read it yourself?

Kelly621

[HW3]

Just got it yesterday myself for my Kindle for PC.

:subsim:

[Kelly621]

HW3
I am a few chapters into it now and it is exactly what I was looking for...again thank you.

I posted earlier:
Last evening I fired up SH3 for a round. I was transiting down to the Freetown area along the African coast
I had to laugh when I started chapter two, his first patrol, and they are headed down the African coast to Freetown...guess I was fated to read this book :D

Kelly621

[MantiBrutalis]

I kinda want to read this, but I'm not really sure... I am kinda poor student, and I don't really want to spend money on something I might enjoy. And this one has no Lending on Amazon... Guess I'll have to skip this one...

[RustySubmarine]

Steel Boat Iron Hearts is one of the best true stories about U boats I have read and I have read lots. Another excellent read is Crash Dive. This book too, is written by an ordinary crew member of a British Submarine HMS Safari during 1942 & 1943 in the Med. Below is just one of many Amazon UK reviews written about this book.

Crash Dive: In Action with HMS Safari 1942 - 1942 by Arthur P Dickson

This review is from: Crash Dive: In Action with HMS "Safari", 1942-43: In Action with HMS "Safari", 1942-43 (Paperback) (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Dive-Action-22Safari-22-1942-43/dp/0750931744/ref=cm_cr_pr_orig_subj)
This book is one of the few I've read which was written by a member of the "lower deck". In no way does this detract from it's value as a historical document. It is as good an account as any I've previously read and covers the author's patrols in HMS Safari during World War 2. There is a very real sense of "being there" as the author takes us through eighteen months of submarine warfare in the Mediterranean (http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/0750920890/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1#), in a conversational style which makes it a very easy read indeed. Perhaps the biggest difference from the previous book on HMS Safari, by her first captain Commander Ben Bryant with his "we're all in this together" attitude, is the real animosity - bordering on betrayal - which the crew felt when Bryant left Safari after her 14th patrol and returned to England to great personal acclaim. The crew, rightly in my opinion, felt that they had also contributed to the success of Safari & deserved to share in the praise given solely to her ex captain, whilst they continued to patrol & sink shipping in the Med. A real contribution to World War 2 submarine history & one of the best.

Below is the book description, taken from Amazon UK

HMS "Safari" was one of the most successful British submarines of World War II. Between March 1942 and September 1943, she sailed some 31,312 nautical miles and spent 139 days submerged. During this time, she fought 59 actions against Axis shipping and sank 34 ships, totalling 85,000 tonnes. As the sub's Leading Telegraphist, Arthur Dickison had a privileged position in the crew. With access to all signals traffic and the navigation officer as his "boss", Arthur was afforded a unique insight into daily operations. Throughout 18 months of war patrols he kept a personal diary (strictly against the rules) of life aboard "Safari", recording daily events that ranged from the tedium of long sea passages to stalking enemy convoys; from crash dives to fighting it out with enemy shipping on the surface; from making submerged attacks with torpedoes to "sitting it out" on the sea bottom while depth charges rained down all around. Pervading all his diary entries is the underlying fear that both he and "Safari" might never see England again. The full range of the submariner's experience - and of human emotion - is here in this eyewitness account (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Dive-Action-Safari-1942-43/dp/0750920890/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_img_1_NVFD#). Unusual in that it was written by a rating and not an officer, it also differs from other accounts due to Dickison writing down his thoughts at the time of the events he describes.

[Kelly621]

MantiBrutalis,
So far ( I am only six chapters into the book) I agree with RustySubmarines evaluation of the book. Check your local library. Even if they don't have it they can request it from another that may have it....Not sure where you live but at least it works that way here in the States.

[aj906]

I kinda want to read this, but I'm not really sure... I am kinda poor student, and I don't really want to spend money on something I might enjoy. And this one has no Lending on Amazon... Guess I'll have to skip this one...

As an English and History teacher I would implore you to read - to hell whether you are a strong, mediocre or poor student. Read for the sake of reading. If nothing else read it to broaden your understanding of a game that I take it you get a lot of enjoyment from. Most of all, read it because it is a great story. Try it out through the preview available on books.google.com

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=V5kePnb7OAcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=steel+boats+iron+hearts&hl=en&sa=X&ei=nuxrUZ_7Gu6QiAfrl4DoCg&redir_esc=y

Another good one is Iron Coffins by Herbert Werner...

[MantiBrutalis]

@Kelly621 - Czech Republic. Not really that many books in English around here, apart from bestsellers and alike. Damn, even finding something like Lord of the Rings or Terry Pratchett in English is close to impossible here.

@aj906 - My expression wasn't really precise, I meant poor as a "not having much spare cash" poor.

[Kelly621]

MantiBrutalis wrote:
@Kelly621 - Czech Republic. Not really that many books in English around here, apart from bestsellers and alike. Damn, even finding something like Lord of the Rings or Terry Pratchett in English is close to impossible here.

I can understand your situation. Besides the cost of the book I would also guess your shipping cost would not be cheap. Reading the book has already altered one of my SH3Commander game play settings....Sabotage.

I had not really given much thought about the possible problems for U-Boats being sabotaged by the shipyard workers in France. After reading about U-505 problems in July and August of 1943 I set SH3Commander to reflect malfunctions and sabotage.....curious to see how this will effect game play.

Kelly621

[RustySubmarine]

I have thought about Sabotage, using the option in SH Commander but I think you need to set it for a new career, just to see what happens and how long you can survive without fatal consequence's to your boat and crew. Sabotage was very common for the flotilla's operating out of the French bases. and did help to lessen the life of a U boat. Probably a good 15% of U boat losses were attributed to sabotage.

[Kelly621]

I have thought about Sabotage, using the option in SH Commander but I think you need to set it for a new career

LOL...that was not a problem for me...my current career end suddenly yesterday in grid AM 52. I was forced to the surface and surrendered ( thanks to HSIE's SH3 exec patcher that option was available). I am not sure, but I believe you can set it in mid career if you want.

Kelly621

Opps...that was Stiebler surrender mod add on for Hsie's exec

[aj906]

aj906 - My expression wasn't really precise, I meant poor as a "not having much spare cash" poor.

My bad - sorry for the awkward moment :oops: Still, check out books.google.com for a hint of what is out there. bookdepository.com is the poor man's friend (take it from me!)