Convoy / Martin Middlebrook

by Martin Middlebrook

Book Overview

Winston Churchill wrote, "The only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril." Had the convoy link between North America and Britain been broken, the course of World War... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: B000XKQ7VI
• Release Date: January 1976
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co
• Weight: 1.09 lbs.

Customer Reviews

ENGAGING AND WELL DOCUMENTED

Martin Middlebrook's World War II books are very much alike - and that is to say engaging, well-written, balanced, and original work. This book is a little slow at times, but that reflects the swings of the Atlantic War, whether during a single convoy or an entire "campaign". Middlebrook uses a lot of narratives that he copies and pastes into his books. These unfortunately substitute, to some extent, for good analysis and rigorous reviews of archives; and it is not certain that these recollections are accurate or representative. However, they add a great first-person perspective, help keep the story moving, and I do not doubt that they were selected as best as possible. One fundamental problem I have with this book is that though it might have been the largest U-Boat engagement of the war, it was not necessarily decisive or critical. Indeed, it could be seen as just another day in the Atlantic War, but just a little larger. In this sense, Black May by Michael Gannon may be better in that it has a "thesis" or theme - the point at which the Battle of the Atlantic shifted to the Allied advantage. This "Black May" was sort of the El Alamein for U-Boats. Similarly, Gannon's Operation Drumbeat book is a fascinating demonstration of American unpreparedness and poor tactics and resource allocation. In conclusion, this is not *THE* U-boat book to read, but it is well done and is a good balance between a fixed period of time or single operation and the much less useful, broader, books about "the U-Boats in WWII" or something else similarly vague.

EXCELLENT CONVOY COVERAGE OF 3 CONVOYS

Middlebrook writes what may be called "a most comprehensive" account of three convoys crossing from the Americas to England and being attacked on the way by German wolfpack subs. - The first half of the book is devoted to one of the best reviews I have seen of the American/British/German submarine infrastructure as it existed in early 1943, and is very scholarly and informative for students of this period of naval history. The second half of the book THEN describes in exciting detail how convoys SC122, HX229, and HX229A -- all sailing at the same time -- suffered at the hands of the German subs on their way across. Middlebrok's method of reviewing, first, the scenario, and then the actual battles makes for added understanding and appreciation. An excellent account! Hard to put down...

The forgotten battle

Having been born in the mid 40s WWll was a part of growing up for me as all the other school kids fathers had served in the armed services.There were always an abundance of war stories and portraying your father as John Wayne seemed to work well for everyone. The Pacific war or ground war in Europe always got most of the attention even to this day,followed by the air war over Germany.Atlantic Convoy duty has never recieved the attention it deserved.My father served in the Atlantic on The USS Gleaves all I remember him talking about was cold miserable watches and long sleepless nights at general quarters.The Gleaves had been doing Convoy duty since 1939 and seen its share of the battle of the Atlantic .Not until I read Martin Middlebrooks Convoy did I appreciate what my father,his shipmates and all the combatants went through. The book is not a sterile document of facts,figures and conclusions,but rather a link to the past which brings those great ships and men alive in your thoughts.There are many interesting facts learned through the authors interviews with former U-boat crews about the men and equipment,like which shipyard made the most soundly built boats or which yard put small extra items on their boats. The author also does a good job at explaining the Convoy designations HX,SC etc. planning and routing from NY Harbor to England and commanders on each side of the Atlantic. There are far more gallant men than cowards depicted in this book valor and devotion was apparent by both sides .The U-Boats paid a heavy price for their success in these Convoys ,only several of the 40+ U-Boats involved made it to the end of the war,most being sunk with all hands over the next 3 years of the war. My thanks to U-406s Engineering officer Rudi Toepfer for recomending this book to me.