"Iron Coffins"

Ducimus · 11-17-06, 02:37 PM

Yup, ive read it twice. Good book.

AVGWarhawk · 11-17-06, 02:40 PM

I have read this book but find the ending chapters a little flowery in description of escape when the war was over. Just my humble opinion. He should have fled to Brazil!!!!

Ducimus · 11-17-06, 02:45 PM

I thought the whole forieign legion thing was a little embellishment But then, how would any of us really know unless we were alive and in the area at the time to hear about it? That said, his treatment by the allies at the end i doubt is embellshed much, if any at all.

Ive read another memior and his experience is relatively the same. Its shameful to see we didn't really act very noble or respecting towards POW's.

melnibonian · 11-17-06, 02:53 PM

Yes it's a great book. I've read it some time ago and I loved it. He was also quite a....ladies man

AVGWarhawk · 11-17-06, 02:53 PM

Yes, the foriegn legions could probably been omitted but like I said, this was my humble opinion because I could never fit in his shoes no matter what I do and if he wants that in the book then more power too him!!!

Kingcobra24 · 11-17-06, 03:55 PM

I have the book "Iron Coffins" from the original printing in 1969, as well as "The Killing Time: The German U-Boats 1914-1918" published in 1972. Both excellent books.

con20or · 11-17-06, 05:39 PM

Yeh its a great book, but he claims he was in the attack on SC122 and HX 229 (i might be wrong on the convoy names, been a while since I read about them) They were major convoy battles in march 1943, just before the uboats got beaten propoerly.

Any book about those convoys doesnt list his boat in the action though:hmm:

Also he seems to have single handedly bedded every woman in France & Germany...

Wulfmann · 11-17-06, 06:45 PM

I have this book and have used it as a guide to tweak my SH3 for effect.
But, this was written from recollection and it is not historically accurate regarding dates names etc and has been labeled as near fiction by the modern German navy.
This might be for some not so flattering things he mentioned particularly the non written order to use U-Boats to ram allied ships at Normandy which he also says was recanted before any such attacks were made. Other areas of not so nice attitudes might well not be desirable today to admit. I do not believe he was trying to knock down his mates just give an honest account of the pressure men were under in trying times.
I also don’t think the few girls he mentioned was over blown (no pun intended but it does kinda work!:rotfl: ) and his being left hanging seems to balance out his success in bed.
Note he never made a confirmed kill as his own as Kaleun. I do not think he was trying to embellish anything but give an honest account albeit from memory which can always have some variation and he admits that.
However, the most relevant aspect was how well he recreates the feeling of life on the boat and particularly surviving depth charging attacks.
I have also added elcos out side my ports as well as near by DD patrols post D-Day and believe me that resounds of Iron Coffins when one must sneak into and out of port.
I believe my SH3 is much better because of Iron Coffins as a reverence guide to getting the feeling of various aspects of serving on a boat. For that I find it the most useful of all the U-Boat books I have, even Das Boot!

Wulfmann

11-17-06, 02:40 PM	#2
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,257 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	I have read this book but find the ending chapters a little flowery in description of escape when the war was over. Just my humble opinion. He should have fled to Brazil!!!! __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

11-17-06, 02:53 PM	#4
melnibonian Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Reading UK Posts: 3,473 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Yes it's a great book. I've read it some time ago and I loved it. He was also quite a....ladies man __________________ http://www.thegreywolves.com/ http://wolvesatwar.com/ Download GWX and other goodies: http://hosted.filefront.com/melnibonian

11-17-06, 02:53 PM	#5
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,257 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Yes, the foriegn legions could probably been omitted but like I said, this was my humble opinion because I could never fit in his shoes no matter what I do and if he wants that in the book then more power too him!!! __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

11-17-06, 03:55 PM	#6
Kingcobra24 Soundman Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 142 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I have the book "Iron Coffins" from the original printing in 1969, as well as "The Killing Time: The German U-Boats 1914-1918" published in 1972. Both excellent books. __________________

11-17-06, 05:39 PM	#7
con20or Lieutenant Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 269 Downloads: 37 Uploads: 0	Yeh its a great book, but he claims he was in the attack on SC122 and HX 229 (i might be wrong on the convoy names, been a while since I read about them) They were major convoy battles in march 1943, just before the uboats got beaten propoerly. Any book about those convoys doesnt list his boat in the action though:hmm: Also he seems to have single handedly bedded every woman in France & Germany... __________________ QA Lead on Scourge of War - http://www.scourgeofwar.com/index.shtml (98% rating on Armchair general) - http://www.armchairgeneral.com/scour...ame-review.htm SoW Waterloo Announced for 2015!!

11-17-06, 02:37 PM	#1
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	Yup, ive read it twice. Good book.

11-17-06, 02:45 PM	#3
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	I thought the whole forieign legion thing was a little embellishment But then, how would any of us really know unless we were alive and in the area at the time to hear about it? That said, his treatment by the allies at the end i doubt is embellshed much, if any at all. Ive read another memior and his experience is relatively the same. Its shameful to see we didn't really act very noble or respecting towards POW's.

11-17-06, 06:45 PM	#8
Wulfmann Ace of the Deep Join Date: May 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 1,010 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I have this book and have used it as a guide to tweak my SH3 for effect. But, this was written from recollection and it is not historically accurate regarding dates names etc and has been labeled as near fiction by the modern German navy. This might be for some not so flattering things he mentioned particularly the non written order to use U-Boats to ram allied ships at Normandy which he also says was recanted before any such attacks were made. Other areas of not so nice attitudes might well not be desirable today to admit. I do not believe he was trying to knock down his mates just give an honest account of the pressure men were under in trying times. I also don’t think the few girls he mentioned was over blown (no pun intended but it does kinda work!:rotfl: ) and his being left hanging seems to balance out his success in bed. Note he never made a confirmed kill as his own as Kaleun. I do not think he was trying to embellish anything but give an honest account albeit from memory which can always have some variation and he admits that. However, the most relevant aspect was how well he recreates the feeling of life on the boat and particularly surviving depth charging attacks. I have also added elcos out side my ports as well as near by DD patrols post D-Day and believe me that resounds of Iron Coffins when one must sneak into and out of port. I believe my SH3 is much better because of Iron Coffins as a reverence guide to getting the feeling of various aspects of serving on a boat. For that I find it the most useful of all the U-Boat books I have, even Das Boot! Wulfmann __________________ "The right to keep and bear arms should not be infringed upon, if only to prevent tyranny in government" Thomas Jefferson,; Constitutional debates