What do you think?
Rate this book
U 333: The Story of a U-boat Ace
Up to 1943, with the German capital ships blockaded and ineffective, the Germans were nonetheless winning the war at their U-boat arm had already sunk 12 million tons of merchant shipping. In the month of November 1942 alone they sank 117 ships, comprising 700,000 tons. Meanwhile the Allies' best technological minds devised instruments and techniques to pinpoint and destroy the predators. From May 1943 the hunters became the hunters and the odds shortened on survival in the U-boat on British estimation, the life expectancy of a German submariner was reduced now to fifty days. Out of 820 U-boats, 718 were destroyed in action; out of 39,000 men, only 7,000 survived the war.
What gives flesh to these horrifying statistics is this account by Peter 'Ali' Cremer of 'his' war. He was one of the three senior U-boat commanders to survive, finishing the war as commander of Dönitz's bodyguard when the U-boat Commander-in-Chief took over from Hitler. Cremer evidently was a cat with nine lives - and with a remarkable ability to brink his U-boat back to base when it was so rammed, bombed, depth-charged and bullet-riddled that it could barely float. Few books convey the realities of the U-boat war as graphically as it gives the reader an authentic periscope's-eye view of the Battle of the Atlantic.
What gives flesh to these horrifying statistics is this account by Peter 'Ali' Cremer of 'his' war. He was one of the three senior U-boat commanders to survive, finishing the war as commander of Dönitz's bodyguard when the U-boat Commander-in-Chief took over from Hitler. Cremer evidently was a cat with nine lives - and with a remarkable ability to brink his U-boat back to base when it was so rammed, bombed, depth-charged and bullet-riddled that it could barely float. Few books convey the realities of the U-boat war as graphically as it gives the reader an authentic periscope's-eye view of the Battle of the Atlantic.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
3 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 28, 2018
I discovered this on the Internet when trying to find something else.
Biogs and Autobiogs of submariners are quite a genre, and one that takes my interest. If you don't like that kind of thing, avoid this book. Of course, nearly all such tales are cast against a military background. The WWII U boat war is heavily rehearsed and is the predominant backdrop.
Cremer describes very well what it was actually like, and reinforces, if it's necessary, just how many German submariners died (nearly all of them - the author was very lucky). He also presents some straight military thinking that I had not read before. But the stand out for me was the section toward the end where he is promoted to join Dönitz' staff, and witnessed the Grand Admiral being "promoted" to replace Hitler as Führer and arranging the unconditional surrender. I imagine a lot of whitewash has been applied.
You have to wonder about a lot of it, though, as keeping diaries was almost certainly a heavily punishable offence.
So I'm happy to add it to the shelf, but it's not as good as Herbert Werner's "Iron Coffins".
Biogs and Autobiogs of submariners are quite a genre, and one that takes my interest. If you don't like that kind of thing, avoid this book. Of course, nearly all such tales are cast against a military background. The WWII U boat war is heavily rehearsed and is the predominant backdrop.
Cremer describes very well what it was actually like, and reinforces, if it's necessary, just how many German submariners died (nearly all of them - the author was very lucky). He also presents some straight military thinking that I had not read before. But the stand out for me was the section toward the end where he is promoted to join Dönitz' staff, and witnessed the Grand Admiral being "promoted" to replace Hitler as Führer and arranging the unconditional surrender. I imagine a lot of whitewash has been applied.
You have to wonder about a lot of it, though, as keeping diaries was almost certainly a heavily punishable offence.
So I'm happy to add it to the shelf, but it's not as good as Herbert Werner's "Iron Coffins".
June 6, 2021
A really good U-Boat book!
January 17, 2026
Awesome book. Kept me interested from beginning to end.
June 6, 2015
Quite an amazing writing on U-boat war from the surviving senior U-boat commander.
The tone is not glory but the hardship, anxiety, and determination. After reading this book, I understand why Das Boot was praised as the greatest submarine movie. What the movie showed could be sensed in Cremer's story. A will to overcome the dangers and still fight on.
The tone is not glory but the hardship, anxiety, and determination. After reading this book, I understand why Das Boot was praised as the greatest submarine movie. What the movie showed could be sensed in Cremer's story. A will to overcome the dangers and still fight on.
August 13, 2007
Very cool. I've read Admiral Coenitz's book as well and this one provides a nice supplement.
November 25, 2011
can't remember if this was a four or a five! But it was great!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews