| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Glock_17
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Posts: 151
|
 Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:50 am Post subject: |
 |
|
| What no place for Harry Potter? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
FullFathomFive
Joined: 24 Apr 2005
Posts: 6
Location: Texas, USA
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nervouspete
Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 5
Location: South Wales
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 12:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Anybody read 'The Cruel Sea' by Nicholas Monseraat? A brilliant book about the terror and drudgery of convoy duty. Semi-autobiographical as well, though Monseraat did a fully autobiographic one... which I can't quite remember. Gagh.
But 'The Cruel Sea' is a real classic. Also see 'The Good Shepard' by C S Forester, about an American convoy escort.
I haven't really read any U-Boat stuff, though, but I'll check out some of your suggestions! The Doenitz autobiog sounds pretty damn interesting.
Cheers.
Pete |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tombomsee
Joined: 01 Jul 2005
Posts: 15
Location: Hamburg
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
[quote="Shadow9216"]Don't forget Cremer's autobiography. I forget the title but it's a great read- he's one lucky man!
[/quote]
Its
U333 : the story of a U-boat ace
By: Peter Erich Cremer; Fritz Brustat-Naval
Really a great read, and a great man indeed. I have had the honour
to meet him back in 1981(?) in Hamburg. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PapaNours
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Posts: 255
Location: Canada
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 2:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
A good book from the Destroyer side: "Relentless Pursuit". Originally appeared under the title "Walker's Groups in the Western Approaches".
The story of Captain FJ Walker, the greatest hunter & destroyer of U-boats in WW II.
By Commander DEG Wemyss. He was Walker's second in command and took over the Group when Walker died of a stroke in 1944.
There is a Foreword by Admiral Sir Max Horton. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Guest
|
| Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:10 pm Post subject: Re: Recommended reading |
|
|
| Egan wrote: | As there are a lot of people around who are new to both Subsims and the history of the Battle of the Atlantic, I thought I would post this here. It's not complete by any meens but if you are interested in the subject beyond simply playing the game, you can't go wrong with any of these books.
And before anyone points it out, I know the U-boat Commander's handbook isn't on it...I, erm, forgot... 
Happy reading!
General
Clay Blair.
Hitlers U-boat war: The Hunters 1939-1942
Hitlers U-boat war: The Hunted 1942-1945
Various Publishers and Editions. In print.
Huge, stupidly detailed and stunningly thourough, Blair's two headed opus is a brilliant study of the U-boat war from its inception to the bitter end. A great starting point for newcommers or fantastic reference for those who already know there way around the subject. Altogether, at nearly 2000 pages, this is a must read book!
Herbert A Wener.
Iron Coffins: A U-boat Commanders war, 1939-1945.
Cassel Military Paperback. In print. ISBN: 0304353302
Probably as famous as Das Boot amongst sub fans. Werner's account of life beneath the waves in the service of the Reich retains a constant feeling of claustrophobia and danger throughout. Enjoyable and interesting although not without its controversy. Great read.
Robert C Stern.
Battle Beneath the Waves.
Cassel military paperback. In print. ISBN: 030436228X
A collection of several U-boat stories and ancedotes covering the war. A lthough a bit hit and miss the collection is worth it for the section detailing Prien's little shindig at Scapa Flow.
Terrence Robertson
The Golden Horseshoe: The wartime career of Otto Kretschmer.
Greenhill books. Hardback. In print. ISBN: 185367558X Other editions available.
Biography of Germany's most sucessful WW2 U-boat ace from his first patrols through to his capture. Written by a veteran of Allied convoys, this is a fascinating book.
Gunther Prien
U-boat Commander.
Various publishers and editions. May no longer be in print but available second hand.
The man himself in his own words. Written before he was lost in 41 (Obviously, Very Happy ) This book discusses his greatest success in Scapa Flow and many other aspects of the U-boat War. Seen by many people now as propoganda it remains a fascinating read. Shouldn't be too hard to track down.
Karl Donitz
Memoirs: Ten years and Twenty Days.
Cassel military paperbacks. ISBN: 0304356867 Other editions available.
Donitz on himself. From the early days right up to his Ascension to Fuhrer on Hitler's death. An important book and one that should be read.
Wolfgang Hirschfeld
The Secret Diary of a U-boat
Cassel. ISBN: 0304354988 Other editons availabe. In print.
Hirschfeld was a radio operator in the U-boats and kept these secret and very verboten diaries throughout the war. Although not as detailed as other, similar books it still retains it's importance especially as it sees the war in slightly different light.
U-boat Ace: The Story of Wolfgang Lüth
Jordan Vause
Various editions. In print.
Biography of another Knights Cross winner covering his career up until his controversial end. great book.
Terry Hughes & John Costello
The Battle of the Atlantic
The Dial Press/James Wade.ISBN 0-8037-6454-2. In print.
Merten says: Highly readable account of the war in the Atlantic 1939-1945, including actions by U-boats and engagements by surface vessels. Loads of excellent pictures.
Andrew Williams
The Battle of the Atlantic
BBC Books. ISBN: 0563488638. Also Basic Books (2003)ISBN 0-465-09153-9 In print.
Accompanying book to the excellent BBC documentary series about the U-boat war. If you can get the DVD please do. Worth it for the recreations of Prien's Scapa Flow adventures.
Fiction
Lothar-Gunther Buchheim
Das Boot
Various Editions. About as in print as you can get.
What can you say? One of the most famous - and best - war novels ever written. It has everything; humour, horror, boredom, Exhuastion and more. If you don't already own this, what on earth are you doing here? Very Happy
Operations
Lawrence Patterson.
Hitler's Grey Wolves: U-boats in the Indian Ocean.
Publisher: Greenhill Books. ISBN: 1853676152. In print.[/b]
Interesting book which details an almost forgotten side of the U-boat war - the campaign in the far east. The book covers operations in the Indian ocean and the Pacific and discusses the U-boat-Waffes links with the Japanese.
Michael L. Hadley
U-boats Against Canada: German Submarines in Canadian Waters.
Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN: 0773508015. In print.
Many of the Convoys that helped Britain fight the Nazi menace left from Canadian waters. This book covers an element of the war that was perhaps one of the most important of all.
Edwin P. Hoyt
U-Boats Offshore; When Hitler Struck America
Stein & Day (1978) ISBN 0-8128-2505-5. Probably Second hand
Merten says: An account of U-boat operations in U.S. waters in 1942-1943.
Construction and Engineering
Eberhard Rossler, Harold Erenberg
The U-boat: The Evolution and Technical History of German Submarines.
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicholson military.ISBN: 0304361208. In print.
Pretty comprehensive of the technical side of things. Also covers the development of the German Submarine pregram from WW1 onwards.
Allied ASW and Surface
Donald Macintyre
U-Boat Killer.
Publisher: Cassell. ISBN: 0304352357. In print. Other editions available.
One of my personal favourates. Donald Macintyre was a Destroyer skipper who became one of the Royal Navys leading ASW specialists of WW2 after serving with the likes of Johnny Walker. What can you say about a man who took care of both Schepke and 'Silent' Otto Kretschmer in one night during one of his first patrols as a CO?. Brilliant, brilliant book. Buy it now.
Terence Robertson
Walker, RN: Story of Captain Frederick John Walker
ISBN: 0330105183. Second hand.
The leading U-boat Killer of World War 2 is given a wonderful biography here that details everything from his early problems with Navy discipline to the awesome tactics that made him such a feared and deadly enemy. Walker died in '44 on the cusp of Allied victory in Europe from an aneurism. 'Johnny' Walker is one of the true heroes of the Royal Navy and this biography will more than reward the effort spent in tracking down a second hand copy. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bill Nichols
Joined: 14 Mar 2001
Posts: 2657
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 8:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Tombomsee wrote: | | Shadow9216 wrote: | Don't forget Cremer's autobiography. I forget the title but it's a great read- he's one lucky man!
|
Its
U333 : the story of a U-boat ace
By: Peter Erich Cremer; Fritz Brustat-Naval
Really a great read, and a great man indeed. I have had the honour
to meet him back in 1981(?) in Hamburg. |
Also, U-Boat Commander: A Periscope View of the Battle of the Atlantic by Peter Cremer -- Another excellent read. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Guest
|
| Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 8:31 am Post subject: |
|
|
| "Clear the Bridge" - Richard O'Kane, USS Tang in the Pacific during WWII, a very good read and some excellant photos |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rotary Crewman
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 137
Location: Holding...
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 3:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Sawdust wrote: | | I'm currently reading Lone Wolf: The Life and Death of U-Boat Ace Werner Henke by Timothy P. Mulligan. I'm only a few chapters in, but it's had lots of interesting stuff in it so far. Henke captained U-515, a Type IX C. |
Been going through this list of books and attempting to get them cheap off amazon. But this one struck me down!
How much!? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rotary Crewman
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 137
Location: Holding...
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 3:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Sailor Steve wrote: | Heinz Schaeffer
U-Boat 977
WW Norton & Co (1952)
Bantam Paperback (1981)
Schaeffer started his war as a junior U-Boat officer in May 1941, and ended it by taking his Type VIIc from Norway to Argentina, arriving on August 17, 1945, after a 66-day voyage entirely under water, running on schnorkel. His highly readable book covers his career in as much detail as can be packed into 190 pages. |
On your recommendation, ordered for £1.25 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
STEED
Joined: 31 Jan 2006
Posts: 1671
Location: England
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2006 6:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Siegfried Breyer - GERMAN U-BOAT TYPE XXI  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rotary Crewman
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 137
Location: Holding...
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
Almost finished U977, excellent book. Like it said in the review, not too much details but very good.
Ordered the golden horseshoe for 0.01p. Gotta love amazon and second hand books  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bertgang
Joined: 17 Mar 2004
Posts: 1031
Location: Italy
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 10:18 am Post subject: |
|
|
My little contribution with some less known titles:
"Sharks and little fishes" - by Ott
Sad war tale about a small group of german sailors, since enlistment to last mission on an u-boot, passing trought their service on a minesweeper. To not miss.
"No survivors" and following books - by Gray
A four books saga around the career of a fictional german ace.
An enjoyable adventure, nearly disappeared from bookstores.
"A twist of sands" - by Jenkins
A mix between a spy story and a war tale, with interesting pages about submarines.
The main character is the captain of a british sub, who had to face lot of tactical and technical problems to hunt an experimental u-boat
"Un sommergibile non è tornato alla base" - by Maronari
If translated, the english title should sound like "A submarine never come back to base", or something similar
It's the war diary of an italian subsailor of the "Tazzoli", the tonnage leader of "Regia Marina" .
Interesting to read, even if the author wasn't a great writer.
"U-boot, secret menace" - by Mason
Short and cheap historical handbook about german WWII subs; simple but nearly exhaustive, it appeared about thirty years ago in pocket edition, and was translated in italian and spanish (an used copy of the spanish version was available past month in a nautical bookstore in Rome).
The english title given is my translation from "latin" versions. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
U-Dog
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
Posts: 127
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 4:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Anything in English on Italian subs in WW2 ? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
2019
Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 596
Location: Polish dude in Amsterdam
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 6:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
For those who are more interested in WWI era.
Raiders of the Deep
Lowell Thomas
isbn: 1591148618 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
|
