Randomizer

Neither Peter Cremer or Herbert Warner, both of whom go into some detail on their U-Boat command courses, fix a number of attacks. I wonder if the number 66 might have been related to the standards set by the training flotilla CO or command course officer equivalent.

I am in no way disputing the numbers but I would doubt that it the number was fixed thoughout the war or in any way mandatory, particularly the surface attacks after the introduction of the snorkel in the summer of 1944.

Werner Henke reported for his Commander's course in mid-November 1941 and was at Deutsche Werft shipyards on 12 January 1942 to oversee U-515's final construction. This hardly seems enought time to run 132 seperate torpedo attacks just for him along with all of the other subjects that must have been on the sylabus of the commanding officer's course. If every candidate got 132 attacks, how long would a course serial run? I'm sure a simulator had to be involved, the logistics and cost of shooting, recovering and refurbishing 132 torpedoes per student per course would be huge. Not including the time, cost and effort of providing target ships in what later became the high-risk Baltic training areas.

My comments re Ducks was just because I cannot see how a course candidate would have time to conduct 132 attacks (to which one should add the approach phase as well). However, one who actually commanded a school Duck (like Ali Cremer) might very well have participated in hundreds of attacks as his boat supported various courses and conducted assorted trials.

Edit:
Admittedly, the attack does not have to be live, a water-slug or no shot at all would fit the bill as far as drills are concerned but that still leaves the time and space issues with targets. Is it possible that pre-war courses had 66-submerged and 66-surface attacks on the schedule that all candidates participated in?

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