Table Of Content9-1945
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M
Richard Compton-Hall
The UnderwaterWartakesafreshandauthoritative
look at submarines during World WarTwo. No other
bookhasdealtasinternationallyandintimatelywiththe
way submarines lived and fought during the years
1939-45.
Practically all the material is drawn from original
sources and life on operational duty is described in
detail,closelyinvolvingthereaderinunderstandingand
appreciating the dangers, difficulties and oftenappal-
lingconditionswhichhadtobeovercomeandendured.
The story is unbiased. The author is a strong
opponentofthefamiliar'AxisU-boatswerenastybut
Allied submarines were nice' theory. However,
tragediesandmistakesarenotglossedover.Headmits
that the underwater battle was tough and bitter, but
believes itwasfoughton bothsides byexceptionally
braveandfiercelydedicatedmenwhothoughtlittleof
theirownsafetyorsurvival. Notonlyoutnumberedby
opponents on the surfaceand in theair, submariners
hadconstantlytoguardagainsttheirmostbitterenemy
ofall-theseaitself.
Emphasis is placed on the tremendous impact of
submarines in all theatres of war, which, in some
areas, has been grossly underestimated before now.
For example, it is not commonly acknowledged that
theAmericansubmarinecampaignhadsocrippledthe
Japanese merchant fleet by summer 1945 that the
economic war against Japan had virtually been won
beforetheatomicbombsweredropped,northatBritish
submarinesintheMediterraneancontributedlargelyto
Allied victory in North Africa by cutting Rommel's
supply line. The surprising diversity of conventional
submarineoperationsarefullyexplored,andtheauthor
also underlines the little known but vitally important
successesachieved byBritishand Italian midgetsub-
marinesandhumantorpedoes.
The reader will come to realise that submarines
playedadecisivepartinWorldWarTwoandthatthey
will beequallysignificant in anyfutureconflict. Itwill
alsobecomeclearthatthemenareasimportantasthe
materialsinthisstrangemurkyarena,anditmaybethat
thisfactordeservesconsiderationtodaywhenjudging
the strengths andweaknessesof modern submarine
fleets.Inparticular,acloselookatthepoorperformance
of Soviet submarines in World War Two, grossly
hampered by political control, raises the question of
their real effectiveness in a shootingasopposed toa
coldwartoday.
Theauthorwritesfromasubmariner'sviewpoint,but
the reader requires no prior special knowledge: sub-
marine principles are explained simply and as far as
possibletechnicallanguageisavoided.
The UnderwaterWaris illustratedwith some280
black and white photographs, covering all aspects of
submarines and the submariner's life. Drawn from
exclusivearchivesin severalcountries, veryfewhave
previouslybeenpublishedandmanyareveryrare.The
internationallyrenownedartistJohnBatchelorhascon-
tributed meticulouslyresearchedartworkofthemajor
submarinetypes.
The
UNDERWATER
WAR
1939-1945
***;
The
UNDERWATER
WAR
1939-1945
Commander
Richard Compton-Hall
MBE, RN (Ret'd)
Artwork by John Batchelor
BLANDFORD PRESS
Poole Dorset
FirstpublishedintheU.K.1982byBlandfordPress,
LinkHouse,WestStreet,Poole,Dorset,BH15lLL
Copyright c 1982BlandfordBooksLtd.
DistributedintheUnitedStatesby
SterlingPublishingCo.,Inc.,
2ParkAvenue,NezvYork,N.Y.10016.
British LibraryCataloguing in Publication Data
Compton-Hall. Richard
Theunderwaterwar.
1.WorldWar, 1939-1945- Navaloperations-
Submarine
9I.40Ti.t5le4'51 D780
ISBX 713?11310
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybe >
reproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyany
means,electronicormechanical,including To The Girls TheyLeft Behind
photocopying,recordingoranyinformation
storageandretrievalsystem,withoutpermissionin
writingfromthePublisher.
FilmselandprintedinGreatBritain
byBASPrintersLimited,OverWallop,
Hampshire
1
Contents
Acknowledgements 6
i Fact and Fiction 7
2 The OrderofBattle 14
3 Mechanics 22
4 Life Below 30
5 Finding the Way 38
6 Communications 42
7 Underwater Weapons 47
8 Attack 56
9 The Enemy Above 66
10 The Mediterranean 75
1 Operations from the United Kingdom 85
12 The Atlantic 94
13 Indian Ocean 106
14 The Pacific 113
15 Soviet Submarines 124
16 The Monstrous Midgets 132
17 Special Operations 144
18 An All-Round Look 152
Footnotes 158
Index 159
;
Acknowledgements
Ihavesomanypeopletothankforhelpofonekindoranotherthatthefollowinglistisbound
to be incomplete; I sincerely apologise ifany ofthe invaluable photographs, advice and
fragmentsoffirst-handinformationgiven,sometimeswithoutaformalrecord,areomitted.
Where,exceptionally,morethanoneprintofthesamephotographhasbeenprovidedIhave
acknowledgedwhatIbelievetobetheoriginalsource.
Firstandforemost I am trulygrateful tomywifeEveforexpert,patientassistanceand
constantencouragementthroughoutthelengthypreparationofthisbook.
Forresearch,Iam,aboveall,deeplyindebtedtoGusBrittonwhosebroadknowledgeof
submarines,especiallythoseofWorldWarII,isexceptionalandprobablyunequalled. My
gratitudealsogoestotheremainderofthestaffandhelpersintheRoyalNavy Submarine
Museum—particularlyMickyBudd,LindsayPirie,JohnLambert,MrsJRCorcoran,and,for
technicaldiagrams,DavidHill.
RoAhmwoenrgasntdnJuPmeMrouShsowbeololkshauvseedbeaesnanboatsaibslyforvarleusaebalrec;h,antdheIwaomrkgsraotfefCullatyoBRluaairriJMnrc,LDeranJ
forpermission to quote from his experiences, awaitingpublication, with the Free French
NavyandtoJonWenzelfortheuseofexcerptsfromauniquestudyoftheJapanesesubmarine
force.
Forphotographs,documentsandadvicemythanksgoto: theTrusteesoftheRoyalNavy
SubmarineMuseum;CdrFCvanOosten(DirectorofNavalHistory,MODNetherlands);
ECPArmeesFrance;TheImperialWarMuseum;NationalMaritimeMuseum;LtCdrMike
Wilson (Naval Historical Branch); the StaffofFlag Officer Submarines; the Staffofthe
CCPKSaaooutprbbtttlmaaseanimnirn;oziunWC;teKdhrMLWRuBSsoNiGrperyluMuest;umKzsVaPeeiremcanuaerimclcA;hkHdeiam;RrriA;VbrCioaFcrlReH;TAiHUasdatStmbosieNrurriolacSaelTulibsnSmuBi(rakrNruaAaindrvcnotahe;hl;uMHCriNudsoHsrtevoezoZrlsuietcOmtair;liNtPCCearae;ewpnsttVsLeaioricA,nengdWeRAoandsncWmhyi;i;rCBnaldgBlartucoLnAknodl)neoBcgs;CkoaPa;nratcecMlishirfiinis-vc HTiMtleSpaTgaeku,truetohermotto'WonbyValour',
PCapRtaCionmpGtuoyn-GHraiflflit;hsCaRptMa;inLMt CLdrCGCeroarwgfeorHdo;noLutr;CdCrapMtaaitnheMw THaotdcdh;erCdMrNJ;DAervtlhiunr; wwBaaarrs.eonSntheseoSsfeaat,whesaicfntekiwivneegasrealrnyvdiTcd-ecalfmarasogsmitnoBgesun6rg8v,h0ia0vz0eitttohonesthoef
WRUHoooSbnoAiedFnyws;waoinrRl;led;aC;rLaCepaAtopdatnmiaciniernaJPlAeSiDDlSltaAPerivdpWe;ehnriCsta;;peCVt;aiapcRitenaKiACendlrmWari;urAdaMlrHStsuSeaiwVrna;IrSattCne;apLMphttceaGCnide;nroLWgMthC;AHdaCrSyotePleswJH;aCWrGatap;ltkHCaeaiosrnul;enJrttP;heNBCiledcalrthemoEolJnaaAtsn ecLptteononnemCsemmdttyarroansAhtdihersiittpnchhprgueierndomgifPi.tfi.nitOcetIfenrwftsiaAhepswelrdhitfsolhivgeesu1tc9ad4oori4prfd,efisdewncrhogseirunltectshrcteewtsSirsktyeahisgn3eig6nr,trh3oae4kr0,,
Sollohub; Lt Cdr A J D Burdett; G Taylor; Alexander Fullerton; Lt B Charles; Cdr J sTuabksuewqauesnbtaldylwyidtahmdaragwendfbryoammsiernveicaen.dWithtwo
Whitton;LtJ RMenzies;MrsEBarton;CdrPCChapman;CdrRBLakin;CaptainHF angledmidshiptubes,aT-boathadabowsalvoof
PWBooMnoed;S;tCaIav.peWtlaeyiBne;ntGhseoEnf;oHlFulnoCwtoi;cnkgCsaB;prtiEtaBiisrnhaJsnudObwmoCaooroditn;ee;rSsCB:aipgGtgasS;ienAlbJMyEa;lLlMeotSottr;aenC;naAJrnodsh;cnSoBmGablt;aczhGeelbAorvroe;olkLi;tngHC;dGGr hstmoeoirnwdtestvohoefrirppt,eadtrgougaebevstee.ssaTwwhhevireecershyilnatpgtholeeoerrBtrruceivbhteeairsnlshcaeetedex:orpfteahhcdiitdsteetdid,ngasfotth,tehe
KN'imDbreulrly;;RRACDFrGyr;eeFn;MiJlMesc;CuWrrHaicghg;inRs;RJMBcrCiugrhrtoanc;h;GABuPchkieltpt;;GFSBvoesntsoonn;;GRHCuerrnnaalml;anG, aethirrgrehaet.nfgiHesohmweaennvtdersit,nilcolrnleleayfstseaidxpttohuwebeesrstfeuwrlenrbseaoliwvnotseatrlonvaaolu:osfeful
CAI.lSoDcuahvgnihse;;eL;MCCaaHuprotioacitenoPHne;rWreJaslRstie;clthshae;rCdfasop;ltlaToiwniKniWgrkwDpaaortmtrmiicmekes;U;S-CbaLopaatwta;icnGoPmAmCarLneudmceekrr;s;,ALtoHfWfiMciSeelriselsae;rnd;RCmaRepantda:wienCldlWr; so'tpmnoirraxepteeaddds'oeaaesnsaadlnivndsopeewaxsectdrieinredgnaaniplonttttteuaonbldebweseadyc.lsoeusaslcdrheinleoivtaebhletehwseooertxkhaaectdt
Schulz; Lt H Geider; Lt F Sack; Lt R Conrad; Cdr S Koitschka; Lt K Kamper; F
Waruschka;J Eckefl II Schmidt; 1- Peters;K Franzen;AWickbolt;DrWPohl;KBoch; TCoynpteentVsIpIaCgeU-boataddingtothenumbers
MJWaAxhmSec;haHdhaKuostetrer;;!•:TSc(h,mlcacskmacenhbcerc;hcWr;MHenSztcalr;k;GKHCoogneeln;;AKWHalEcszsackr;;CKBLeerwnitt;z;FKFasSptorladst;; srMueasryirgen1n9ed4de5l.ryeTudhnaedfetcrerreBwtrhioetficsUeh-sSsgazut6airaodnretoofwahrioetsctieinilgvietitehseinnew
Soiling. arrivalalongside.
and
Fact Fiction
I
Therearenowabout1,000submarinesinthe AmodelofBushnell'sTurtleconstructedfromthe
n2a5v0ieasreofhitdhdeenw,orslud.bmAetrgaendyaonndestuipmpeosaebdoluyt Hb1e7as7rt6boaovunariH,lMaabrSleeImd:oaagtrLa-e.llyTeihgneegnaadtcarcayon'ucnththosarnoiffniatNcsteuawatlt.Yaockrkin
readyforaction.Whytheyarethereandwhat Supposinganattackdidtakeplace,theoperator
theymaybe capableofdoingarequestions wcaorublodnsdoioonxihdaeveanbdeewnouilmdmenrotse(diniBnreitxihsahled
mosteasilyansweredbylookingbackalittle. submariners'terms)haveknownwhetheritwas
The history of the underwater war of ChristmasEveortheMarbleArch.Theaugerat
1939-1945 isparticularlyrelevantbecauseit tahcetitoonpeixspalotstiavcehecdhatrogtehebybaaclka-npyaacrkd.delayed-
was the last time that submarines were in
action. Submarines have not fireda shot in
anger since that time, when they had an
unparalleledeffectontheoutcomeofthewar.
The immensely powerful submarine forces
oftoday,whichhavereplacedtheomnipotent
surface battle-fleets of the past, only have
simulatedbattle-experiencetoworkwithand
develop from; and that, in the past, has
provednotoriouslyunreliable.Somanyfalse
conclusionsweredrawninthepre-waryears
from unrealistic trials and exercises at sea,
erroneous calculations on shore and mis-
representationinhighplacesthatitiswortha
close look at what submarines wereable to
achieve,andnotachieve,whenitcametoreal
action:andthatmaythrowalittlemorelight
onthemurkyunderwaterthreattoday.
Thedifficultyliesinsiftingtrueexperience
from false or over-written accounts: and
theseabound. One way offindingout what
actually happened is to take a look from
below, through the eyes of wartime sub-
marinersthemselves.However,somecaution
is necessary. For one thing, when sub-
marinersgottogetheritwas(andstillis)their
habittotakeoppositesides,automatically,in
anygivendiscussion;and foranother, they
wereapttouserose-tintedperiscopeswhen
stakingtheirclaimstosuccess.Buttheirview
gives an intimate insight into the nature of
underwater war—which was not what it
seemed on the surface—and may suggest
which side to back when histories conflict.
Thatisthepurposeofthisbook.
Inthedayswhenatotofrumwasissued
dailytoratingsintheRoyalNavy,therewasa
pleasant custom of giving 'sippers' to a
messmate—atasteratherthanthewholetot.
A few chapters about the submarines in
actioncandonomorethanoffer'sippers'to
the reader; but many here are taken from
bottles that have not been too often
uncorked—atleastnotpublicly.
TheFrenchGymm :in1^99.averyadvanced
submarineforitstime,capableofmakingthree
knotssubmergedfortwohoursonaccumulators.
-- '••...-;sufferedthefirstbattery hydrogen)
explosionon16September1906:itwasbyno
mhaerabnosurthaetlTasotulinonsuobnm1a9rJiunneeh1i9st0o-rydu.eShteotsoaonkin
muchwaterbeingadmittedtotheballasttanks
whenorderswereconfused.That.too.wasa
mistaketoberepeatedinvarious,navies.
LieutenantIsaacPeraloftheSpanishNavy
designedthefirstsubmersibledrivenbyelectric
motorsfromabattery.ItwastestedonChristmas
Da> iS-99but.bythen,itssuccesswasovertaken
byothernationslessdoubtingthantheSpanish.
Ihc
