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Originally Posted by Sailor Steve
 I forgot all about that part. He did indeed go on (I think) three patrols with two different boats. Your points about not using real numbers are great as well.  |
Thanks. Also IIRC, the second part of the fictional designations he uses for the u-boats in the book (i.e., the "M" in "UM") is the first letter of the last name he gives to the commander of each craft. I think U-96 (the boat he is on) is referred to as "UA," the "A" being for "Alte" because its commander is simply referred to as Der Alte and no name for him is ever given.
That one, I got. Picked up a former library copy on the cheap via one of Amazon's third party sellers. It's fairly light on text but the pictures are stunning - and it is mostly a "picture book" anyway. For those that haven't seen it, it include pics taken of the real event described in the book and featured in the movie where they unexpectedly encounter that other u-boat in very heavy seas and come alongside her. It's not even apparent in the movie just how close they got to "Thomsen" in the real encounter, but from the pictures it's unbelievable. Also amazing that he got any pictures at all given the situation and the weather.