For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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By OCB
#1705908
Of all the military/aviation etc books I’ve read over the years, I’ve only ever read one “sub” book, and that was a WWI era piece of fiction.

I don’t mind if they are fact or fiction tbh, just “a good read”.

family holiday last week was near Lorient in Bretagne, we spent the afternoon going round the Keroman base and in the “Flore” French sub they have there. That’s sparked my interest in enjoying a few submarine books
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By Cowshed
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1705947
Thoroughly recommend "Iron Coffins" by Herbert A Werner.

The author served in U-boats from 1941 until the end of the war in Europe, and eventually had his own command, thus becoming one of the few U-boat commanders to survive the war. I seem to recall he took the last U-boat out of the pens at La Rochelle in August/September 1944. It has been a few years since I read it (must re-read it), but I found it a fascinating read - really brought home the change in the situation, with the U-Boats having been the hunters then becoming the hunted.
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By Rob L
#1706023
Bill Haddow wrote:Das Boot, there's an English translation. Read it years ago and it is better than the various TV versions, good as they are.

Bill H


They made a film of Das Boot too, highly recommended.

I do realise the OP asked for books, so I'd suggest "On the Beach" by Nevil Shute, ISBN 9780099530251

Rob
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By Aerials
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1706028
I wholeheartedly recommend 'Walker, RN' by Terence Robertson.

I bought a copy many, many years ago because I was quite fascinated by submarines and all the stories I had seen or read up to then had been of wartime German ones. This one gave a Royal Navy perspective on submarine operations during WW2.

You can find a Wikipedia article on Walker, RN and books for sale. If you get one you'll find it very readable. Now, I must find out my copy from the loft and remind myself what a great book it is.
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By OCB
#1706040
Cheers all, as I'm a confirmed binge buyer - and where I have the option I buy first edition or signed, I'll ping back once I've got orders sorted.

Interesting that Aerials mentions T Robertson. I got interested in "The Golden Horseshoe: The Wartime Career of Otto Kretschmer" - a book by the same author - after doing some reading on the career of Gunther Prein and some other "ace" u boat commanders. He (Otto Kretschmer) managed to survive his u-boat being sunk (by a Brit), spent 6 years as a POW, then re-entered service in the post war/NATO world rising up to a pretty impressive rank.

It's been pretty heavy kitchen duty at mine the past few days, managed to find an audio book of "Thunder Below" - US sub in the Pacific WWII. The fact it's being read by a Yank adds a certain something the actual book possibly wouldn't.
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By defcribed
#1706375
OCB wrote:Of all the military/aviation etc books I’ve read over the years, I’ve only ever read one “sub” book, and that was a WWI era piece of fiction.

I don’t mind if they are fact or fiction tbh, just “a good read”.

family holiday last week was near Lorient in Bretagne, we spent the afternoon going round the Keroman base and in the “Flore” French sub they have there. That’s sparked my interest in enjoying a few submarine books


Nautilus 90 North, by William R Anderson.

I thought that was excellent.
#1731527
RichardPearse wrote:I read My Bloody Efforts: Life as a Rating in the modern Royal Navy a few years ago. It's self-published so a little rough round the edges with editing in a few places, but I found it to be an excellent read. It's probably of a time & place that many on this forum would find interesting.

Just bought and read it on your recommendation. Most enjoyable - informative and interesting rather than breathless derring-do. Thanks!