By Jak P. Mallmann Showell, Angus Konstam

The seventh U-Boat Flotilla - 'Wegener' - was once shaped in Kiel in June 1938 with six boats, just one of which survived operationally to the tip of the battle. Early conflict motion from Kiel replaced thoroughly after the autumn of France while the flotilla moved to St Nazaire, the place it can stay till the Allied advances led its closing boats to maneuver to Norway.
Some 114 boats observed provider with the flotilla and so much of them served within the North Atlantic the place their operations nearly introduced Britain to its knees. the tale of the flotilla starts off with the tale of the convoy predators; in the course of the grim realities of the convoy method whose escorts benefited from extremely decrypting of the Kriegsmarine's codes; the bloodbath of the U-boats trying to halt the invasion of Europe; to the ultimate coda as 14 boats escaped from St. Nazaire to Norway.
Ian Westwell spent 5 years within the Royal army ahead of changing into Curator of guns on the Royal Armouries. After a spell as a marine archaeologist he turned leader Curator on the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West. He moved again to England to put in writing complete time in 2001.

Show description

Read or Download 7th U-Boat Flotilla: Doenitz's Atlantic Wolves PDF

Best world war 2 books

Solar Dance: Genius, Forgery, and the Crisis of Truth in the Modern Age

In Modris Eksteins's arms, the interlocking tales of Vincent van Gogh and artwork broker Otto Wacker exhibit the origins of the elemental uncertainty that's the hallmark of the fashionable period. throughout the lens of Wacker's sensational 1932 trial in Berlin for promoting faux Van Goghs, Eksteins deals a special narrative of Weimar Germany, the increase of Hitler, and the substitute of nineteenth-century certitude with twentieth-century doubt.

The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe

From nationwide e-book Award finalist David I. Kertzer comes the gripping tale of Pope Pius XI's mystery relatives with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. This groundbreaking paintings, in accordance with seven years of study within the Vatican and Fascist information, together with stories from Mussolini's spies contained in the optimum degrees of the Church, will eternally switch our figuring out of the Vatican's position within the upward push of Fascism in Europe.

Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean

Completely outnumbered all through their brief two-year sojourn within the Western wilderness, the crack fighter pilots of the handful of Jagdgeschwader in-theatre fought a good crusade in aid of Rommel’s Afrika Korps opposed to the British and American forces. depending nearly solely at the Luftwaffe’s staple fighter of global conflict 2, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the battle-hardened aces used the aircraft’s more advantageous functionality to accomplish marvelous ratings opposed to the Allies.

The Waffen SS on the Eastern Front: : Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives

This is often the illustrated heritage of the Waffen SS at the jap entrance. The lifestyles and demise of the Waffen SS should be traced within the surviving images, and the brooding saga of the decline from triumph into catastrophe is advised via those robust pictures which in actual fact rfile the truth of wrestle at the Russian entrance.

Extra info for 7th U-Boat Flotilla: Doenitz's Atlantic Wolves

Sample text

While the Kriegsmarine went to great lengths to fortify its ports, little was done to protect the boats at sea, even in the confined and shallow approaches to the bases in Brittany. Below: The U-boat pens at St Nazaire included workshop facilities; one is shown to the left of Pen 12 , a windowless concrete structure behind the six rectangular ventilation ports shown in the photograph. Note the appearance of smoke damage to the roof of Pen 12. 30 IN ACTION Above: lWo Type VII boats lying outside the main entrance to the St Nazaire V-boat pens.

44 IN ACTION Above left and Left: The aftermath of battle. Many commanders only allowed more senior men on the top of the conning tower when sailing through such horrific scenes of destruction and suffering. Left: The seafront at La Baule. Looking at this peaceful scene one would hardly guess that World War II was in full swing. Yet, despite destruction and killing on an unprecedented scale, there were still many peaceful havens left. Below left: The British Commando raid on St Nazaire in March 1942 led to heightened security in and around the port.

The Wanze radar search receivers were also fitted, giving improved warning against aircraft equipped with airborne radar. In mid-September 1943 Donitz decided to send his boats back into the North Atlantic, hoping to take advantage of new torpedoes. 18, sinking three escorts and six merchant ships, for the loss of three U-boats. One of these was U-338, depth-charged by aircraft off Iceland on 20 September. Worse was to follow. On 27 September U-221 commanded by Hans-Hartwig Trojer was sunk by an air attack off Ireland.

Download PDF sample

Rated 4.23 of 5 – based on 43 votes