Penang workcrews.

[Rammstein0991]

Hey all, I was playing SHIV UBMAO Earlier , and as I was departing from Penang I couldnt help but wonder. What was the makeup of the Sub work crews at Penang? I mean the people directly involved with the repair and maintenance of the U-boats. Was it totally German? totally Japanese?...or some kind of mix maybe?.

Anyone know?

[Dread Knot]

It's my understanding that the Japanese authorities provided all necessary harbor accommodations, workshops, and labor, including native workers, for dockyard repairs. No Japanese labor could be employed because given all their propaganda about liberating Asia and Japanese exceptionalism, the Japanese obviously couldn't been seen laboring and sweating for Europeans in the eyes of the Asian natives. Although the Malaysian dockyard workers could be entrusted with simple constructional and engineering work, such as painting and maintenance, renewal of calking and packing, repairs and production of simple parts, all the more difficult work had to be done by crews and repair groups.

Local specialists generally failed to come up to German requirements. In their key positions, the dockyards had previously employed British and Australian personnel who had become internees. These were eventually replaced by Japanese who were not satisfactory. However, under the leadership of some experienced German civil engineers who had settled in east Asia years ago, German workshops were established which proved their worth.

[Rammstein0991]

Thanks, much obliged.

[Dread Knot]

No problem.

Interestingly, despite their out of the way locations these bases had some decent amenities thanks to resorts and facilities left by their former colonial owners. The U-Boats crews in their off-time could engage in golf, tennis, football, swimming, and hunting. Health resorts in the mountains such as Penang Hill, Fraser Hill, Cameroon Highlands in Malaya, or Selapentana and Chikopo on the island of Java, were opened to German authorities for recreation of the crews or the personnel of the bases. In some cases, the entire management of such places was put in German hands.

Probably a better party spot than France. Less shore patrol to worry about.

[Rammstein0991]

Football as in soccer right? because I dont think they played our kind of "football" back then, though I cant say for certain.

[Dread Knot]

Originally Posted by Rammstein0991

Football as in soccer right? because I dont think they played our kind of "football" back then, though I cant say for certain.

Yes, this football would be what we in the US call soccer. American style football would have been almost virtually unknown outside the US in the years before the war.

Prior to WW2, cricket used to be very popular in Germany and given that Malaysia was a British colonial possession there would have been no lack of facilities for that game either. It's still very popular among Malaysians.

[Rammstein0991]

I wonder how the Germans got supplies in (torpedos, shells, bullets) Seems like shipping them by merchantmen wouldnt work due to the RN's submarine force

[Dread Knot]

Originally Posted by Rammstein0991

I wonder how the Germans got supplies in (torpedos, shells, bullets) Seems like shipping them by merchantmen wouldnt work due to the RN's submarine force

Some of these supplies like torpedoes and ammo were brought out by operational boats, and one former Italian submarine with a mixed crew. They simply delivered the torpedoes and didn't attempt to use them en route. These boats then made their entire loading space available for raw materials to be returned to Europe. Items like rubber, tin, tungsten and quinine that Germany sorely lacked.

General equipment was supplied by the dockyards. Stores left behind by the British Commonwealth was sufficient for keeping things running. With the assistance of the Japanese Army, the boats were supplied with provisions. Finding bread, fats, vegetables, and fruits was the main problem for the German quartermasters. However, after initial difficulties, it was partially solved by enlisting local canning factories.

Fuel oil and lubricating oil were supplied by the Japanese Navy. Fuel supplies were always assured because of the rich stocks nearby in the oil fields in the Dutch East Indies.

[Rammstein0991]

Ah, thanks again.