U-Boat Attack Logs

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Author :
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
ISBN 13 : 184832118X
Total Pages : 492 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (483 download)

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Book Synopsis U-Boat Attack Logs by : Daniel Morgan

Download or read book U-Boat Attack Logs written by Daniel Morgan and published by Seaforth Publishing. This book was released on 2011-11-09 with total page 492 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the Second World War over 250 Allied warships from a dozen navies were sent to the bottom by German U-boats. This ground-breaking study provides a detailed analysis of every sinking for which source material survives from both the Allied and the German sides, resulting in detailed treatment of the fate of 110 vessels, with the remainder summarised in an extensive appendix. Uniquely, each entry is built around a specialist translation of the relevant segment of the war diary (log) of the U-boat in question, taken directly from the surviving originals – remarkably, this represents the first large-scale publication of the U-boat war diaries in any language. The book offers a wealth of new information, not only with respect to the circumstances of the sinkings from both the Allied and German perspectives, but also to the technical environment in which they lived as well as the fate of the crews. The entries include background details on the vessels concerned and the men involved, with a selection of rare and carefully chosen photos from archives and collections around the world. Each entry is itself a compelling narrative, but is backed with a list of sources consulted, including documents, published works and websites. A decade in the making, this is probably the most important book on the U-boat war to be published for many a year

Hitler's Attack U-Boats

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Author :
Publisher : Frontline Books
ISBN 13 : 9781526797667
Total Pages : 232 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (976 download)

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Book Synopsis Hitler's Attack U-Boats by : Showell Mallmann, Jak P

Download or read book Hitler's Attack U-Boats written by Showell Mallmann, Jak P and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2021-11-30 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The success of German submarines during the First World War in almost cutting off Britain's vital imports had not been forgotten by Adolf Hitler and when, in March 1935, he repudiated the Treaty of Versailles, Britain, magnanimously, signed up to an Anglo-German Naval Agreement. This allowed the Germans to build their submarine strength up to one third of the British Royal Navy's tonnage. When war broke out in 1939, German U-boats went quickly into action, but with only four years of production and development, the main armament of these submarines was considerably weaker than equivalent boats in other navies and many of the other main features, such as living and the fighting conditions, were also significantly inferior. Nevertheless, the German U-boat onslaught against British merchant ships during the autumn of 1940 was highly successful because the attacks were made on the surface at night and from such close range that a single torpedo would sink a ship. Soon, though, Allied technology was able to detect U-boats at night, and new convoy techniques, combined with powerfully-armed, fast modern aircraft searching the seas, meant that by 1941 it was clear that Germany was losing the war at sea. Something had to be done. The new generation of attack U-boats that had been introduced since Hitler came to power needed urgent improvement. This is the story of the Types II, VII and IX that had already become the 'workhorse' of the Kriegsmarine's submarine fleet and continued to put out to sea to attack Allied shipping right up to the end of the war. The Type II was a small coastal boat that struggled to reach the Atlantic; the Type VII was perfectly at home there, but lacked the technology to tackle well protected convoys; whilst the Type IX was a long-range variety that was modified so that it could operate in the Indian Ocean. In this latest book by the renowned Kriegsmarine historian Jak Mallmann Showell, these attack U-boats are explored at length. This includes details of their armament, capabilities, crew facilities, and just what it was like to operate such a vessel, and of course the story of their development and operational history.

U-Boats Attack!

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Author :
Publisher : The History Press
ISBN 13 : 0750980621
Total Pages : 291 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (59 download)

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Book Synopsis U-Boats Attack! by : Jak P Mallmann Showell

Download or read book U-Boats Attack! written by Jak P Mallmann Showell and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2016-09-14 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest continuous military campaign of the Second World War, raging from 1939 to 1945. It saw the might of the Royal Navy pitted against the Kriegsmarine. Germany's secret weapon was their fleet of U-boats. They had the largest fleet of submarines in the world and this enabled them to play cat and mouse with the Allied forces to devastating effect. Hunting in 'wolf-packs' they would prey on merchant shipping and naval vessels. In this startling new book, Jak P. Mallmann Showell tells the story of this battle as viewed through the conning towers of these U-boats. Using surviving logs, written as the action unfolded. You taste the salt, smell the nauseating stench of the U-boats and hear orders being whispered quietly while diving back in time to the horrendous inhumanity of the Battle of the Atlantic.

Athenia Torpedoed

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Author :
Publisher : Naval Institute Press
ISBN 13 : 1612511554
Total Pages : 258 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (125 download)

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Book Synopsis Athenia Torpedoed by : Francis M Carroll

Download or read book Athenia Torpedoed written by Francis M Carroll and published by Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 2012-10-15 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Just hours after World War II was declared, Germany struck its first blow, firing without warning on the passenger liner Athenia. The British ship was loaded with Americans, Canadians, and Europeans attempting to cross the Atlantic before the outbreak of war. As the ship sank, 1,306 were rescued but 112 people were lost, including thirty Americans. This account of the disaster, based on new research, tells a dramatic story of tragedy and triumph, as historian Francis Carroll chronicles the survivors' experiences and explains how the incident shaped policy in the U.S., UK, and Canada. For Britain, it was seen as a violation of international law and convoys were sent to protect shipping. In Canada, Athenia's sinking rallied support to go to war. In the United States, it exposed Germany as a serious threat and changed public opinion enough to allow the country to sell munitions and supplies to Britain and France.

Very Special Intelligence

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Author :
Publisher : Pen and Sword
ISBN 13 : 178438156X
Total Pages : 483 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (843 download)

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Book Synopsis Very Special Intelligence by : Patrick Beesly

Download or read book Very Special Intelligence written by Patrick Beesly and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2015-06-02 with total page 483 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Operational Intelligence Centre was the nerve centre of the British Admiralty in World War II, dedicated to collecting, analyzing and disseminating information from every possible source which could throw light on the intentions and movements of German naval and maritime forces. OIC labored tirelessly, despite early disappointments, to supply the Navy and RAF with the intelligence that would enable them to defeat Hitler and his admirals. Patrick Beesly, an insider drawing on considerable personal knowledge, reveals, in full, the compelling story of OIC. He throws light on dramatic episodes such as the hunt for the Bismarck; the tragedy of Convoy PQ17; the long war against the U-boats; and on many other significant events critical to the course of the war. Very Special Intelligence, here presented with a new Introduction which sets the work in context and takes account of new research, is the fascinating story of an organization which contributed so much to Allied success.

The Kaiser's U-Boat Assault on America

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Author :
Publisher : Pen and Sword Military
ISBN 13 : 1526773899
Total Pages : 328 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (267 download)

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Book Synopsis The Kaiser's U-Boat Assault on America by : Hans Joachim Koerver

Download or read book The Kaiser's U-Boat Assault on America written by Hans Joachim Koerver and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2020-09-30 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A deeply researched and engaging account of the use of U-Boats in the First World War. The focus touches on both diplomatic and economic aspects as well as the tactical and strategic use of the U-boats. The book also examines the role played by US president Woodrow Wilson and his response to American shipping being sunk by U-boats and how that ultimately forced his hand to declare war on Germany.

The Burning Shore

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Author :
Publisher : Civitas Books
ISBN 13 : 0465029612
Total Pages : 322 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (65 download)

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Book Synopsis The Burning Shore by : Ed Offley

Download or read book The Burning Shore written by Ed Offley and published by Civitas Books. This book was released on 2014-03-25 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On June 15, 1942, as thousands of vacationers lounged in the sun at Virginia Beach, two massive fireballs erupted just offshore from a convoy of oil tankers steaming into Chesapeake Bay. While men, women, and children gaped from the shore, two damaged oil tankers fell out of line and began to sink. Then a small escort warship blew apart in a violent explosion. Navy warships and aircraft peppered the water with depth charges, but to no avail. Within the next twenty-four hours, a fourth ship lay at the bottom of the channel— all victims of twenty-nine-year-old Kapitänleutnant Horst Degen and his crew aboard the German U-boat U-701. In The Burning Shore, acclaimed military reporter Ed Offley presents a thrilling account of the bloody U-boat offensive along America’s east coast during the first half of 1942, using the story of Degen’s three war patrols as a lens through which to view this forgotten chapter of World War II. For six months, German U-boats prowled the waters off the eastern seaboard, sinking merchant ships with impunity, and threatening to sever the lifeline of supplies flowing from America to Great Britain. Degen’s successful infiltration of the Chesapeake Bay in mid-June drove home the U-boats’ success, and his spectacular attack terrified the American public as never before. But Degen’s cruise was interrupted less than a month later, when U.S. Army Air Forces Lieutenant Harry J. Kane and his aircrew spotted the silhouette of U-701 offshore. The ensuing clash signaled a critical turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic—and set the stage for an unlikely friendship between two of the episode’s survivors. A gripping tale of heroism and sacrifice, The Burning Shore leads readers into a little-known theater of World War II, where Hitler’s U-boats came close to winning the Battle of the Atlantic before American sailors and airmen could finally drive them away.

U-Boat Attack Logs

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Author :
Publisher : Pen and Sword
ISBN 13 : 1473820030
Total Pages : 1534 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (738 download)

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Book Synopsis U-Boat Attack Logs by : Bruce Taylor

Download or read book U-Boat Attack Logs written by Bruce Taylor and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2011-11-09 with total page 1534 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “An indispensable reference work for anyone studying either the U-boat campaign or WW2 at sea . . . copiously illustrated, fascinating—and harrowing.”—Navy News During the Second World War over 250 Allied warships from a dozen navies were sent to the bottom by German U-boats. This ground-breaking study provides a detailed analysis of every sinking for which source material survives from both the Allied and the German sides, resulting in detailed treatment of the fate of 110 vessels, with the remainder summarized in an extensive appendix. Uniquely, each entry is built around a specialist translation of the relevant segment of the war diary (log) of the U-boat in question, taken directly from the surviving originals—remarkably, this represents the first large-scale publication of the U-boat war diaries in any language. The book offers a wealth of new information, not only with respect to the circumstances of the sinkings from both the Allied and German perspectives, but also to the technical environment in which they lived as well as the fate of the crews. The entries include background details on the vessels concerned and the men involved, with a selection of rare and carefully chosen photos from archives and collections around the world. Each entry is itself a compelling narrative, but is backed with a list of sources consulted, including documents, published works and websites. A decade in the making, this is probably the most important book on the U-boat war to be published for many a year. “Offers significant new information on many of the most famous incidents.”—Maritime Advisor

U-boat Assault on America

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Author :
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
ISBN 13 : 9781473887282
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (872 download)

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Book Synopsis U-boat Assault on America by : Ken Brown

Download or read book U-boat Assault on America written by Ken Brown and published by Seaforth Publishing. This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The "Second Happy Time" was the informal name given to the phase of the battle of the Atlantic when German U-boats attacked both merchant and U.S. naval vessels along America's east coast. With tankers burning and petrol rationing in New York City, the U.S. Navy seemed powerless to stop the deprivations of Hitler's marauding U-boats. Ken Brown seeks to explain how the United States responded to these deadly assaults and looks at the steps that the Navy Department took to train the men, harness the scientists, and make the organizational changes that were required to defeat the German threat.

Torpedo Junction

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Author :
Publisher : Naval Institute Press
ISBN 13 : 1612515789
Total Pages : 369 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (125 download)

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Book Synopsis Torpedo Junction by : Homer H Hickam

Download or read book Torpedo Junction written by Homer H Hickam and published by Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 1996-05-03 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1942 German U-boats turned the shipping lanes off Cape Hatteras into a sea of death. Cruising up and down the U.S. eastern seaboard, they sank 259 ships, littering the waters with cargo and bodies. As astonished civilians witnessed explosions from American beaches, fighting men dubbed the area "Torpedo Junction." And while the U.S. Navy failed to react, a handful of Coast Guard sailors scrambled to the front lines. Outgunned and out-maneuvered, they heroically battled the deadliest fleet of submarines ever launched. Never was Germany closer to winning the war. In a moving ship-by-ship account of terror and rescue at sea, Homer Hickam chronicles a little-known saga of courage, ingenuity, and triumph in the early years of World War II. From nerve-racking sea duels to the dramatic ordeals of sailors and victims on both sides of the battle, Hickam dramatically captures a war we had to win--because this one hit terrifyingly close to home.

Hitler's Attack U-Boats

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Author :
Publisher : Frontline Books
ISBN 13 : 1526771020
Total Pages : 394 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (267 download)

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Book Synopsis Hitler's Attack U-Boats by : Jak P. Mallmann Showell

Download or read book Hitler's Attack U-Boats written by Jak P. Mallmann Showell and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2020-09-30 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A definitive introduction by a highly recognized authority who writes beautifully and clearly.” —Naval Historical Foundation The fact that German submarines almost managed to cut off Britain’s vital imports during the First World War hadn’t been forgotten by Hitler—and when, in 1935, he repudiated the Treaty of Versailles, Britain, magnanimously, signed an Anglo-German Naval Agreement. This allowed the Germans to build their submarine strength up to one third of the Royal Navy’s tonnage. When war broke out in 1939, German U-boats went quickly into action, but with only four years of production and development, the main armament of these submarines was considerably weaker than equivalent boats in other navies and many other features, such as living conditions, were also significantly inferior. Yet, the German U-boat onslaught against British merchant ships in autumn 1940 was highly successful because the attacks were made on the surface at night and from such close range that a single torpedo would sink a ship. Soon, though, Allied technology was able to detect U-boats at night, and new convoy techniques, combined with powerfully armed, fast modern aircraft searching the seas, meant that by 1941 it was clear that Germany was losing the war at sea. Something had to be done. The new generation of attack U-boats that had been introduced since Hitler came to power needed urgent improvement. This is the story of the Types II, VII, and IX that had already become the ‘workhorse’ of the Kriegsmarine’s submarine fleet and continued to put out to sea to attack Allied shipping right up to the end of the war. The Type II was a small coastal boat that struggled to reach the Atlantic; the Type VII was perfectly at home there, but lacked the technology to tackle well protected convoys; while the Type IX was a long-range variety modified so it could operate in the Indian Ocean. This book by the renowned Kriegsmarine historian explores these attack U-boats at length, including details of their armament, capabilities, and crew facilities; the story of their development and operational history; and just what it was like to operate such a vessel.

America's U-Boats

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Author :
Publisher : U of Nebraska Press
ISBN 13 : 0803269463
Total Pages : 222 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (32 download)

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Book Synopsis America's U-Boats by : Chris Dubbs

Download or read book America's U-Boats written by Chris Dubbs and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2014-11-01 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The submarine was one of the most revolutionary weapons of World War I, inciting both terror and fascination for militaries and civilians alike. During the war, after U-boats sank the Lusitania and began daring attacks on shipping vessels off the East Coast, the American press dubbed these weapons “Hun Devil Boats,” “Sea Thugs,” and “Baby Killers.” But at the conflict’s conclusion, the U.S. Navy acquired six U-boats to study and to serve as war souvenirs. Until their destruction under armistice terms in 1921, these six U-boats served as U.S. Navy ships, manned by American crews. The ships visited eighty American cities to promote the sale of victory bonds and to recruit sailors, allowing hundreds of thousands of Americans to see up close the weapon that had so captured the public’s imagination. In America’s U-Boats Chris Dubbs examines the legacy of submarine warfare in the American imagination. Combining nautical adventure, military history, and underwater archaeology, Dubbs shares the previously untold story of German submarines and their impact on American culture and reveals their legacy and Americans’ attitudes toward this new wonder weapon.

Operation Drumbeat

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Author :
Publisher : US Naval Institute Press
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 532 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (89 download)

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Book Synopsis Operation Drumbeat by : Michael Gannon

Download or read book Operation Drumbeat written by Michael Gannon and published by US Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 2009 with total page 532 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the first eight months of 1942, German submarines sank nearly 400 Allied freighters and tankers along the U.S. Atlantic coast with a loss of more than 5,000 merchant seamen and sailors--twice the number of fatalities at Pearl Harbor. This book helps readers understand the complexities of the long Battle of the Atlantic by examining those disastrous early days of war and following the U-boats into action. The book traces the voyages of five U-boats to their destinations as they sink twenty-five ships unmolested by the U.S. Navy, which failed to follow through on British intelligence warnings. It also provides a compilation of personal stories from crewmen and officers of U-123 and from the Allied sailors and merchant seamen cast adrift in lifeboats by the U-boat's torpedoes. A bestseller when first published in 1990, it is now back in print as a trade paperback.

So Close to Home

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Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1681771713
Total Pages : 303 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (817 download)

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Book Synopsis So Close to Home by : Michael J Tougias

Download or read book So Close to Home written by Michael J Tougias and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2016-05-03 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On May 19, 1942, a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles from New Orleans. Captained by twenty nine-year-old Iron Cross and King's Cross recipient Erich Wurdemann, the submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia with sixty-two souls on board. Most aboard were merchant seamen, but there were also a handful of civilians, including the Downs family: Ray and Ina, and their two children, eight-year-old Sonny and eleven-year-old Lucille. Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had no idea that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, chaos ensued—and each family member had to find their own path to survival. Including original, unpublished material from Commander Wurdemann’s war diary, the story provides balance and perspective by chronicling the daring mission of the U-boat—and its commander’s decision-making—in the Gulf of Mexico. An inspiring historical narrative, So Close to Home tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, drowning, and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast.

U-Boat Ace

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Author :
Publisher : Naval Institute Press
ISBN 13 : 1612513808
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (125 download)

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Book Synopsis U-Boat Ace by : Jordan Vause

Download or read book U-Boat Ace written by Jordan Vause and published by Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 2001-11-02 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An exceptional figure in the history of the German Navy, Wolfgang Luth was one of only seven men in the Wehrmacht to win Germany's highest combat decoration, the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. At one time or another he operated in almost every theater of the undersea war, from Norway to the Indian Ocean, and became the second most successful German U-boat ace in World War II, sinking more than 220,000 tons of merchant shipping. A master in the art of military leadership, Luth was the youngest man to be appointed to the rank of captain and the youngest to become commandant of the German Naval Academy. Nevertheless, his accomplishments were overshadowed by those of other great aces, such as Prien, Kretschmer, and Topp. The publication of this book in hardcover in 1990 marked the first comprehensive study of Luth's life. Jordan Vause corrects the long neglect by providing an entertaining and authoritative biography that places the ace in the context of the war at sea. This new paperback edition includes corrections and additional information collected by the author over the past decade.

Anti-Submarine Warfare in World War I

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Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1135989540
Total Pages : 257 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (359 download)

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Book Synopsis Anti-Submarine Warfare in World War I by : John Abbatiello

Download or read book Anti-Submarine Warfare in World War I written by John Abbatiello and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2006-05-02 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Investigating the employment of British aircraft against German submarines during the final years of the First World War, this new book places anti-submarine campaigns from the air in the wider history of the First World War. The Royal Naval Air Service invested heavily in aircraft of all types—aeroplanes, seaplanes, airships, and kite balloons—in order to counter the German U-boats. Under the Royal Air Force, the air campaign against U-boats continued uninterrupted. Aircraft bombed German U-boat bases in Flanders, conducted area and ‘hunting’ patrols around the coasts of Britain, and escorted merchant convoys to safety. Despite the fact that aircraft acting alone destroyed only one U-boat during the war, the overall contribution of naval aviation to foiling U-boat attacks was significant. Only five merchant vessels succumbed to submarine attack when convoyed by a combined air and surface escort during World War I. This book examines aircraft and weapons technology, aircrew training, and the aircraft production issues that shaped this campaign. Then, a close examination of anti-submarine operations—bombing, patrols, and escort—yields a significantly different judgment from existing interpretations of these operations. This study is the first to take an objective look at the writing and publication of the naval and air official histories as they told the story of naval aviation during the Great War. The author also examines the German view of aircraft effectiveness, through German actions, prisoner interrogations, official histories, and memoirs, to provide a comparative judgment. The conclusion closes with a brief narrative of post-war air anti-submarine developments and a summary of findings. Overall, the author concludes that despite the challenges of organization, training, and production the employment of aircraft against U-boats was largely successful during the Great War. This book will be of interest to historians of naval and air power history, as well as students of World War I and military history in general.

The Milk Cows

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Author :
Publisher : Casemate Publishers
ISBN 13 : 1844682617
Total Pages : 403 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (446 download)

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Book Synopsis The Milk Cows by : John F. White

Download or read book The Milk Cows written by John F. White and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2009-09-19 with total page 403 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A comprehensive look at the German submarine tanker program during World War II . . . engaging.” —The NYMAS Review During the Second World War the Germans developed a specially adapted U-boat oil tanker with two aims. First, by refueling the attack U-boat fleet their range of operations and duration of patrol could be significantly increased. Secondly, these underwater tankers were far more likely to avoid detection than surface support ships. The submarine tankers, affectionately known as “Milk Cows,” were regarded by both the Germans and the Allies as the most important element of the U-boat fleet. Allied forces had orders to attack the tankers first whenever a choice was presented. Until late 1942 the German Milk Cows operated with great success and few losses. But from 1943 onwards the German rendezvous ciphers were repeatedly broken by the Allies and losses mounted rapidly. The Milk Cows were highly vulnerable during the lengthy refueling procedure as they lay stationary on the surface, hatches open. By the end of the war virtually every tanker had been sunk with severe loss of life. The story of this critical campaign has been thoroughly researched by the author and is told against the background of changing U-boat fortunes. “The author is to be congratulated on his research and writing such a thorough and readable account of such an interesting subject.” —Windscreen Magazine, Military Vehicles Trust “Readers will be fascinated not just by the mainstream replenishment work but also by the book’s accounts of German submarine operations far afield.” —Navy News