New Russian U-boat Memoir from WWII--EXCELLENT!

militarybooks · Joined: 22 Nov 2002 Posts: 4

Subsimmers,

Ever wonder what it was like to train and serve on a Russian U-boat in WWII? Of course you have. Have you ever read a full-length memoir by a submariner in that Navy during WWII? I doubt it. Now you can read a damn good one by the chief engineer of a boat.

I was just sent a book for review from Casemate Publishing (the distributor who also distributes my books, Savas Beatie), called "Red Star Under the Baltic: A Firsthand Account of Life on Baord a Soviet Submarine in World War Two," by Victory Korzh (Pen and Sword, 2004). It has just been released.

If you liked Werner's "Iron Coffins" or Goebeler's "Steel Boat, Iron Hearts" (the one up next time on the Subsim Quiz!), I think you will like "Red Star." I am about half way through this and wanted to let all of you know about it. The Baltic was a difficult place for u-boat operations, and most of their operations were against German surface shipping there.

Enjoy.

tps

militarybooks · Joined: 22 Nov 2002 Posts: 4

I just discovered this book ("Red Star Under the Baltic") is not listed on Amazon. If you want a copy, you can order it from www.casematepublishing.com, or you can call them at 610-853-9131 (phone). Tell them you heard about it at www.subsim.com.

tps

Sarah · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 69

To check out this book, please go to the Casemate website here http://www.casematepublishing.com/cgi/index.pl

Thanks,
Sarah

Bruno Lotse

Bill Nichols · Joined: 14 Mar 2001 Posts: 2657

"Red Star Under the Baltic: A Firsthand Account of Life on Board a Soviet Submarine in World War Two" is now listed at Amazon.

Also, see "Submarines in Arctic Waters: The Memoirs of Rear-Admiral Ivan Kolyshkin":

Soon after sinking a Nazi troop transport, a Soviet submarine hits a mine. Its engines are disabled and the current inexorably drives it towards an enemy-held shore. Incredible as it may sound, the crew make a sail from canvas hoods and fix it to the periscope. With a fair wind filling it, the makeshift sail takes the crippled submarine out of the range of the shore batteries, giving a sister-submarine time to save her crew.
Rear-Admiral Ivan Kolyshkin recalls many other narrow escapes. During the war he was in command of a Division and then a Brigade of submarines of the Northern Fleet. He speaks of his comrades-in-arms Gadjiev, Fisanovich, Vidayev and other famous submariners, whom he accompanied on long and dangerous war patrols. He writes of commanders and political instructors who trained men for battle, and of the ardent Soviet patriotism that inspired sailors to greats feats of heroism.

bradclark1 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1007 Location: Connecticut, USA.

Are there any history books about the Soviet navy? I've never seen one. All I know about them is that they were kept bottled up for much of the time and when they tried a large scale amphib operation it was really botched up. Thats my take on it anyway. I have never heard a thing about their sub operations.

Brad

Bruno Lotse · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2005 4:37 am Post subject:

Some Soviet writers are claiming that the Soviet submarine K-21 under the command of Captain Lunin torpedoed and damaged Tirpitz in July 1942 when the battleship was sailing to intercept PQ-17. Having been damaged by torpedoes from K-21 Tirpitz sailed back to Norwegian fjords, yet PQ17 was annialiated anyways by Luftwaffe and German subs. There is a Russian movie Caravan PQ17 based on the story of the K-21 attacking Tirpitz.

In January 1945 another Soviet submarine S13 under the command of Captain Marinesko torpedoed German liner Gustloff - about 10000 people perished. The worst maritime disaster in known history.