Total undersea war : the evolutionary role of the snorkel in Dönitz's U-boat fleet, 1944-1945

During the last year of World War II the once surface-bound diesel-electric U-boat ushered in the age of total undersea war' with the introduction of an air mast, or 'snorkel' as it became known among the men who served in D nitz's submarine fleet. U-boats no longer needed to surface to charge batteries or refresh air; they rarely communicated with their command, operating silently and alone among the shallow coastal waters of the United Kingdom and across to North America. At first, U-boats could remain submerged continuously for a few days, then a few weeks, and finally for months at a time, and they set underwater endurance records not broken for nearly a quarter of a century. The introduction of the snorkel was of paramount concern to the Allies, who strived to frustrate the impact of the device before war's end. Every subsequent wartime U-boat innovation was subordinated to the snorkel, including the new Type XXI Electro-boat wonder weapon'. The snorkel's introduction foreshadowed the nearly un-trackable weapon and instrument of intelligence that the submarine became in the postwar world. This exhaustive study, the first of its kind, draws upon wartime documents from archives around the world to re-evaluate the last year of the U-boat's deployment, all its key technological innovations, the evolving operations and tactics, and Allied countermeasures. It provides answers to many long-standing questions about the last year of the war: How and why did U-boats patrol so close inshore? How effective was acoustic and anti-radar camouflage? Why was U-boat wireless communication so problematic? How did U-boats navigate so effectively submerged? What were the health implications of staying submerged for a month or more? What does an accurate snorkel-configuration look like? This new study is destined to become the authoritative reference for all these issues and many more. “Provides a wealth of information about... people who have gone through debt collectives, hospitals, bankruptcy, crime, homelessness—the list is huge.” —UK HistorianMany people in the past—perhaps a majority—were poor. Tracing our ancestors amongst them involves consulting a wide range of sources. Stuart Raymond's handbook is the ideal guide to them. He examines the history of the poor and how they survived. Some were supported by charity. A few were lucky enough to live in an almshouse. Many had to depend on whatever the poor law overseers gave them. Others were forced into the Union workhouse. Some turned to a life of crime. Vagrants were whipped and poor children were apprenticed by the overseers or by a charity. Paupers living in the wrong place were forcibly “removed” to their parish of settlement. Many parishes and charities offered them the chance to emigrate to North America or Australia. As a result, there are many places where information can be found about the poor. Stuart Raymond describes them all: the records of charities, of the poor law overseers, of poor law unions, of Quarter Sessions, of bankruptcy, and of friendly societies. He suggests many other potential sources of information in record offices, libraries, and on the internet.“Packed with incredibly useful reference information which no family historian should be without.” —The Essex Family Historian During The Last Year Of World War Ii The Once Surface-bound Diesel-electric U-boat Ushered In The Age Of 'total Undersea War' With The Introduction Of An Air Mast, Or 'snorkel' As It Became Known Among The Men Who Served In Dönitz's Submarine Fleet. U-boats No Longer Needed To Surface To Charge Batteries Or Refresh Air; They Rarely Communicated With Their Command, Operating Silently And Alone Among The Shallow Coastal Waters Of The United Kingdom And Across To North America. This Exhaustive Study, The First Of Its Kind, Draws Upon Wartime Documents From Archives Around The World To Re-evaluate The Last Year Of The U-boat's Deployment, All Its Key Technological Innovations, The Evolving Operations And Tactics, And Allied Countermeasures. About the Author: Aaron Stephan Hamilton is an academically trained historian. He holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in History, as well as the Field Historian designator awarded by the US Army’s Combat Studies Institute. He is an amateur maritime archeologist with a focus on submarine history. For more than twenty-five years he has researched and published ground-breaking studies about the final year of World War II in Europe. History / Military / World war II First comprehensive technical and operational history of the snorkel-equipped U-boat fleet.