Nigel Cawthorne by Japanese Reaping the Whirlwind: Personal Accounts of the German, Italian Experiences of WW II Read Free Book Online
considerable.
On the other hand, going to the lavatory was a hazardous business. Known humorously as ‘Tube 7’, the early toilets could not be flushed at a depth greater than 25–30m (80–100ft), due to the water pressure, and porcelain cracks easily when subjected to shocks from depth charges. Later in the war, lavatories that could be flushed at a greater depth were provided, but special training was needed to operate them, leading to the bogus
WC
Schein
(‘water closet certificate’). But it was no laughing matter. Failure to operate the lavatory properly led to the loss of U-1206 off Scotland on Friday, 13 April 1945. An ill-executed flush allowed waste and sea water to flood the forward compartment, and the water-logged batteries gave off chlorine gas, forcing the submarine to surface. It was then bombed and strafed. Three men were killed. The rest of the crew abandoned ship and rowed ashore in what must have been the most embarrassing U-boat loss of the war.
Generally, hygiene went by the board, as fresh water was conserved for drinking and cooking. U-boat veteran Otto Giesse recalled:
During operations in the Atlantic or Arctic one simply could not escape becoming encrusted with dirt. At first, I thought a man could get scabies or some other skin disease if he didn’t wash down at least once a day. To my surprise, I soon learned that we could make do by just rinsing off our hands a couple of times a week with salt water. Afterwards, we splashed ‘Cologne 4711’ onto our faces and distributed any remaining dirt with ointment, vigorously rubbing it into the skin. Our hair and beards were soon filthy and clotted from the salt water breaking over the ship, and even the best comb broke when we tried to disentangle the hairy mess. So it was left as it was and sprinkled with birch water to neutralize the odour, which seemed to differ with each man.
Then there was the battle with the elements, recalled by Robert Klaus:
When on lookout duty, one got terribly wet. The heavy sea crashed over one’s head. We had to get fastened to the conning tower not to be washed overboard.
After his watch, he would dry his clothes near the engine, but once he found that his dry clothes had been stolen and other wet ones put in their place.
In the North Atlantic there was also the cold to contend with. Heading into Canadian waters, Erich Topp, commander of U-552, wrote:
We entered these icy waters and a number of the crew ended up with frozen feet, limbs; we weren’t dressed warmly enough. People were standing on the bridge with icicles hanging off their caps; everything was under ice. The water that came on deck froze immediately; the temperature was minus ten degrees and we had to dive to melt away the ice. That was a bad time.
In the tropics, though, the temperature inside a U-boat could reach 60°C (140°F), with a relative humidity of over 90 per cent.
Food was also a problem, particularly when missions went on longer than originally planned. The diet on U-340 became monotonous when its supply boat, U-459, was sunk. One crewman complained:
We had nothing but macaroni all the way from Freetown back to St. Nazaire. Macaroni with noodles and noodles with macaroni. Macaroni with dried fruit and dried fruit with macaroni. And then macaroni with ham and ham with macaroni.
However, birthdays and other special occasions were celebrated with tinned strawberries or a cake. In 1942, U-boatman Gerhard Schwartz remembers celebrating Christmas 30m under the Caribbean with a Christmas cake, carols and a paper Christmas tree made for the occasion.
Then there was the excitement of an attack.
Oberfunkmaat
(Radio Chief Petty Officer) Wolfgang Hirschfeld recorded in his diary on board U-109:
Then it is time. The men stand or crouch in tension at their posts. ‘ Rohr zwei fertig !’ [‘Tube two ready!’] It is absolutely silent on board. Then I hear the muffled but decisive words, ‘ Rohr eins los! Rohr zwei los! ’ [‘Tube one
On the other hand, going to the lavatory was a hazardous business. Known humorously as ‘Tube 7’, the early toilets could not be flushed at a depth greater than 25–30m (80–100ft), due to the water pressure, and porcelain cracks easily when subjected to shocks from depth charges. Later in the war, lavatories that could be flushed at a greater depth were provided, but special training was needed to operate them, leading to the bogus
WC
Schein
(‘water closet certificate’). But it was no laughing matter. Failure to operate the lavatory properly led to the loss of U-1206 off Scotland on Friday, 13 April 1945. An ill-executed flush allowed waste and sea water to flood the forward compartment, and the water-logged batteries gave off chlorine gas, forcing the submarine to surface. It was then bombed and strafed. Three men were killed. The rest of the crew abandoned ship and rowed ashore in what must have been the most embarrassing U-boat loss of the war.
Generally, hygiene went by the board, as fresh water was conserved for drinking and cooking. U-boat veteran Otto Giesse recalled:
During operations in the Atlantic or Arctic one simply could not escape becoming encrusted with dirt. At first, I thought a man could get scabies or some other skin disease if he didn’t wash down at least once a day. To my surprise, I soon learned that we could make do by just rinsing off our hands a couple of times a week with salt water. Afterwards, we splashed ‘Cologne 4711’ onto our faces and distributed any remaining dirt with ointment, vigorously rubbing it into the skin. Our hair and beards were soon filthy and clotted from the salt water breaking over the ship, and even the best comb broke when we tried to disentangle the hairy mess. So it was left as it was and sprinkled with birch water to neutralize the odour, which seemed to differ with each man.
Then there was the battle with the elements, recalled by Robert Klaus:
When on lookout duty, one got terribly wet. The heavy sea crashed over one’s head. We had to get fastened to the conning tower not to be washed overboard.
After his watch, he would dry his clothes near the engine, but once he found that his dry clothes had been stolen and other wet ones put in their place.
In the North Atlantic there was also the cold to contend with. Heading into Canadian waters, Erich Topp, commander of U-552, wrote:
We entered these icy waters and a number of the crew ended up with frozen feet, limbs; we weren’t dressed warmly enough. People were standing on the bridge with icicles hanging off their caps; everything was under ice. The water that came on deck froze immediately; the temperature was minus ten degrees and we had to dive to melt away the ice. That was a bad time.
In the tropics, though, the temperature inside a U-boat could reach 60°C (140°F), with a relative humidity of over 90 per cent.
Food was also a problem, particularly when missions went on longer than originally planned. The diet on U-340 became monotonous when its supply boat, U-459, was sunk. One crewman complained:
We had nothing but macaroni all the way from Freetown back to St. Nazaire. Macaroni with noodles and noodles with macaroni. Macaroni with dried fruit and dried fruit with macaroni. And then macaroni with ham and ham with macaroni.
However, birthdays and other special occasions were celebrated with tinned strawberries or a cake. In 1942, U-boatman Gerhard Schwartz remembers celebrating Christmas 30m under the Caribbean with a Christmas cake, carols and a paper Christmas tree made for the occasion.
Then there was the excitement of an attack.
Oberfunkmaat
(Radio Chief Petty Officer) Wolfgang Hirschfeld recorded in his diary on board U-109:
Then it is time. The men stand or crouch in tension at their posts. ‘ Rohr zwei fertig !’ [‘Tube two ready!’] It is absolutely silent on board. Then I hear the muffled but decisive words, ‘ Rohr eins los! Rohr zwei los! ’ [‘Tube one
Similar Books
Straight Punch
Monique Polak
Riding Irish
Angelica Siren
The Trailrider's Fortune
Shannah Biondine
Just for Today
Tana Reiff
The Shadow Throne
Jennifer A. Nielsen
The Delta
Tony Park
Wickford High 1 - The Revelation
Karen Fuller
Some Like It in Handcuffs
Christine Warner
Rocky Ride (Thompson & Sons)
Vivian Arend