Anyone actually read any u-boat/battle of the Atlantic books

[sandbag69]

Clay Blairs - "Hitler's u-Boat War"


I actually found it refreshing to know that the U-Boat captains were over estimating the tonnage sunk by so much and claming more kills than actually were. I actually giggled when Clay Blair was describing the term "Shepke Tonnage" in the u-boat waffe.

As for defending Admiral King I have to praise Clay Blair as he states the facts and figures in Black and White that prove Admiral King was a very able fleet commander and was not incompetent in the slightest regarding paukenshlag. Infact the british were demanding US Destroyers to be sent to Scapa Fow incase the so called mighty Tirpitz happened to sail , when the shipping on the east coast of the US was being attacked by U-boats.
As I guessed Churchill and the British Admiral Pound were the incompetents even before the War started. They had both been liable to underestimating the threat from U-boats and over estamating ASDIC as a Submarine finder. A few test attacks on escorted convoys in the North Atlantic before the war even started would have shown the limitations of Asdic. But as usual the british Class appointed politicians and Admirals were not forward thinking enough to find out.
Why on earth was Churchill made First Lord of the Admiralty before the second world war when he had ballsed up that position in 1914. Although Churchill was at least forward thinking enough when he asked for "Cheap and Nasty" escort vessels to be built to free up Destroyers. Pity the Hunt and Corvette Class designers were enept and produced such attrociously designed vessels. A bit more thought could have had frigates designed years before the war started.
Dont knwo how the sailors on the Corvettes managed to keep their sanity on such a rolling ship for weeks on end.

[mike_espo]

Have read: These are my favorites:

U-boat commander: Peter Cremer
Iron Coffins: Herbert Werner
U-boat War: Westwood

These I thought were OK:
U-boat Ace: Luth
Convoy: Middlebrook

Although not specifically about U-boats, but excellent Naval history of the Reich: Hitler's Naval War: Cajus Becker. This title gives information on the whole Kreigsmarine, not just the U-boats.

And about 5 more I can't remember and that are now out of print: One was the story of U-124, Joichim Mohr. Can't find it now

I am in the process of getting a book on the U-505, Hunt and Kill.

I read a U-505 history about 15 years ago...can't remember the author.

[Antonin]

And I forgot "Operation Drumbeat," which I think was by Gannon.

[Venatore]

My U-Boat collection thus far:
* Hitler's U-Boat fortresses;
* U-Boat killer;
* U-Boat 977 (The U-Boat that escaped to Argentina);
* Donitz and the Wolf Packs;
* Iron coffins and;
*Enemy submarine (The exploits of the U-Boat captain who penetratd Scapa Flow) this book is my pride and joy because it's a first addition, very old and the smell of such an old book is unreal.

[CCIP]

Originally Posted by mike_espo

And about 5 more I can't remember and that are now out of print: One was the story of U-124, Joichim Mohr. Can't find it now

That would be
Grey Wolf, Grey Sea by E.B. Gasaway

Great book, probably my favorite of the bunch - it's just a really enjoyable read. Highly recommended to anyone

[Khayman]

Both Clay Blair books. He has his critics and strong opinions, but it's full of detail from original Allied and German logs. He does ridicule some tonnage claims from German skippers, but he also says that overclaims were not unique to the Germans. Some US commanders in the Pacific were equally as guilty.

"Black May" and "Operation Drumbeat" by Michael Gannon

"Memoirs: Ten Years And Twenty Days" by Karl Donitz. Essential reading, and prime source material.

"Business In Great Waters: The U-Boat Wars 1916-1945 " by John Terraine

"Hirschfeld: The Secret Diary Of A U-Boat" by Wolfgang Hirschfeld. Don't know why nobody else has mentioned this one. It's as immediate as Iron Coffins. It gives great insight as to why Bleichrodt cracked and resigned mid-patrol (and some drunken escapades with him ashore), plus he was on U-234 - which was perhaps carrying radioatcive material to help Japan make a nuclear bomb.

"Iron Coffins". No need to say the author! As I said in the book thread though, he claims he used diaries and research for the book but admitted to another author he did no such thing.

"U-Boat Killer" by Donald Macintyre. Great book, and of course he sank U-99 and stole Kretschmers binoculars.

[JD]

"Wolf - U Boat Commanders In World War II" by Jordan Vause.

This is only a primer and not an in-depth study. However, it's a great read and I thoroughly recommend it.

"Hostile Waters" by Peter Huchthausen, Igor Kurdin and R. Alan White.

Not a WWII book but a rivetting read from cover to cover. Highly recommended.

[sandbag69]

absolutely great read.
i forgot to mention I had read Donitz and the Wolf Packs just before I started Hitler's U-Boat War. Thats what got me hooked on U-Boat/Naval books.

Next book is "Road to Russia" by Bernard Edwards from the local Library. He is the same author that wrote "Donitz and the Wolf Packs". Describes in detail every 1942 Convoy to Russia. PQ1 to PQ18.

[Redbear]

I've read 'Iron Coffins' by Herbert Werner. I have 'Ten Years and Twenty Days' by Donitz (haven't read it yet). I just started 'The Golden Horseshoe: The Wartime Career of Otto Kretschmer'.

[Uapa]

I've read:
Iron Coffins
Ali Cremer U-333
Wolfgang Luth U-Boot As
Der Wolf Im Atlantik-Otto Kretschmer
My way to Scapa Flow

I'm ending Hitler's U-boot War Vol.1(last 100 pages ) and I'm also reading:
U-Boat the secret menace by David Mason and Torpedo!Achtung!Los! by Wilhelm Marshall

[mike_espo]

Originally Posted by CCIP

That would be
Grey Wolf, Grey Sea by E.B. Gasaway

Great book, probably my favorite of the bunch - it's just a really enjoyable read. Highly recommended to anyone

Thats It!!!

Thanks! It was a great read.

[Antonin]

Originally Posted by Uapa

U-Boat the secret menace by David Mason

Wasn't this one of those Ballantine books? I think so. They cost 1 dollar back in the day. I began buying these when I was in high school, and the book you mention was, I think, the first U-boat book I ever read.

The cover showed a boat being attacked on the surface. One of the crewmen is crouched next to the conning tower. I always wondered if he was rescued.

[Torvald Von Mansee]

Well, I got into the first chapter concerning World War II in Blair's first book about the u-boats.

He goes into detail how Donitz tried to get more Type VII's but instead had Type IX's and other kinds of u-boats which he didn't really need for the strategy he had of the upcoming war. I couldn't help but think of Billy Mitchell, the visionary American U.S. Army Air Corps officer who clearly saw the importance of air power in any future conflict and was actually court-martialled and had his career effectively ended when he continued to profess his views. Years later, when he was already dead, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution awarding him a special Congressional Medal Of Honor and an apology for what he did and what was done to him.

One wonders how the u-boat war would have gone if Donitz got what he asked for. I guess it's a good thing he didn't.

[Uapa]

Originally Posted by Antonin

Wasn't this one of those Ballantine books? I think so. They cost 1 dollar back in the day. I began buying these when I was in high school, and the book you mention was, I think, the first U-boat book I ever read.

The cover showed a boat being attacked on the surface. One of the crewmen is crouched next to the conning tower. I always wondered if he was rescued.

yup and second crew man standing close to him

[Sawdust]

"Lone Wolf: The Life and Death of U-Boat Ace Werner Henke" was good. (by Timothy P. Mulligan)

It looks like "Iron Coffins" is on everyone's favorite list. I'll have to read that one.