Hitler's Grey Wolves: U-Boats in the Indian Ocean

by Lawrence Paterson

This study of the Kriegsmarine's Sicherungsstreitkräfte, their security forces, fills a glaring gap in the study of the German navy in World War Two. This wide array of vessels included patrol boats, minesweepers, submarine hunters, barrage breakers, landing craft, minelayers and even the riverine flotilla that patrolled the Danube as it snaked towards the Black Sea. These vessels may not have provided the glamour associated with capital ships and U-boats, but they were crucial to the survival of the Kriegsmarine at every stage of hostilities.

As naval construction was unable to keep pace with the likely demand for security vessels, Grossadmiral Erich Raeder turned to the conversion of merchant vessels. For example, trawlers were requisitioned as patrol boats (Vorpostenboote) and minesweepers (Minensucher), while freighters, designated Sperrbrecher, were filled with buoyant materials and sent to clear minefields. Submarine hunters (U-Boot Jäger) were requisitioned fishing vessels. More than 120 flotillas operated in wildly different conditions, from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, and 81 men were to be awarded the Knights Cross; some were still operating after the cessation of hostilities clearing German minefields. The author deals with whole subject at every level, documenting organisational changes, describing the vessels, and recounting individual actions of ships at sea, while extensive appendices round off this major new work.

Genres: World War II, History, Military History

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Born and raised in New Zealand, but now living in southern Italy. I've been interested in history, particularly WW2 history, since I can remember.

Reviews

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

The war against the German U-boats was one of the pivotal battles in World War II, and dozens upon dozens of books have been written about it. But there was a part of this overall battle which hasn't received as much ink, and that's the U-boat attacks in the Indian Ocean and the cooperation between all three Axis powers (Germany, Japan and Italy) in this naval arena. Fortunately, this book has helped fill that gap and shed some more light on this part of the U-boat war.

The Germans started sending U-boats around the southern tip of Africa into the Indian Ocean in 1943 and continued to do so (or at least attempt to) right up to the last days of the Third Reich. Just reaching the Indian Ocean was a demanding task for most U-boats as they had to avoid ever-increasing Allied air and naval forces, not to mention carefully monitor their fuel levels. Mid-ocean re-fueling was a necessity for many boats and added another level of stress into what was becoming by this point an almost suicidal job. Almost all of the U-boats which attempted to make the run from Europe to Japanese-controlled bases in Malaysia, Indonesia and/or Singapore carried a variety of supplies and goods for exchange, along with passengers of various import. The same is true of the boats returning to Europe--they were crammed with raw materials and vital substances for the Third Reich in almost every available inch of space. Plus, they were still tasked with carrying out attacks on Allied shipping as well.

The author has done a really good job of documenting all of the various missions undertaken by the U-boats, as well as their successes and oftentimes, demise. There is a really nice amount of information about life at Pacific bases such as Singapore, Jakarta and Penang, along with some good pictures. While the Japanese, Italians and Germans were on the same side, they didn't exactly see eye to eye in a variety of ways, and this provides some interesting reading.

If the U-boat war interests you, then pick this one up. It's not overly long, but definitely worth the read.

[Enrica Garzilli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witnesses and over 100 orginal photos! A must read to know the history of the battles in the Indian Ocean during WW2.

[Brian Andrewsone · Rating 3 out of 5]

It have a history of the u-boats in the Indian ocean during WW2. But instead of reading like an account or stories it read more like an incident report.

[Frank]

Very detailed book! Great reading if you like Uboat operations.