Grey Wolf: U-Boat Crewman of World War II (Warrior) [Paperback]

Gordon Williamson (Author), Darko Pavlovic (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 25, 2001 | Series: Warrior (Book 36)

The scourge of Allied shipping during World War II, the U-Boot Waffe was one of the most feared components of Hitler's war machine, yet the Kriegsmarine was the least political branch of the Third Reich. The sailors of the U-boat arm were courageous, highly skilled seamen, who fought a war in the toughest conditions: subject to immense tension, and forced to cope with the challenges of the Atlantic, life for a U-boat recruit was far from easy. This title explores the life of a typical U-boat crewman, from recruitment, through training and service conditions, to combat experience throughout the war. Illustrated with many previously unpublished images, this book offers a fresh insight into the experiences of the men in Dönitz's legendary 'wolf packs'.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Insights into the real lives of history's fighting men, packed with full colour illustrations, highly detailed cutaways, exploded artwork of weaponry and armour, and action-packed battle scenes.

About the Author

Gordon Williamson was born in 1951 and currently works for the Scottish Land Register. He spent seven years with the Military Police TA and has published a number of books and articles on the decorations of the Third Reich and their winners. He is author of several World War II titles for Osprey, but has a special interest in German naval forces, particularly the U-boat fleet.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (October 25, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841763128
• ISBN-13: 978-1841763125
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.2 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,733,272 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Fair work but not worth the price, June 11, 2007

By 

William A. Hensler (Holt, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grey Wolf: U-Boat Crewman of World War II (Warrior) (Paperback)

I paid close to $[...] for this book. There are half a dozen better works for a lot cheaper price and that is why I gave this book only two stars. Does it have good information, yes. Is there much information on a general topic, no. You do not get any interviews with surviving U-boat personnel. You don't get many pictures of the U-boats or crews.

I did like reading about the training of the crew members. Also, all German NCOs (non-commissioned officers) went through infantry leadership. That I didn't know and when the book is done it makes sense, it's a leadership thing. Also, I liked the fact that book describes the demographic make up of the German enlisted sailors; they were mostly working class German Lutherans who were mostly not Nazis. Indeed, Hitler lamented that his navy was very Christian and that may have been one of the reasons he lost WWII; they were not mean enough for the job. Contrast this to the American submarines who were absolutely ruthless in the last two years of WWII and - basically - exterminated the merchant marine of Japan.

So, this book does have good information. However, there are lots of plain "history" magazines that have as much information at a fraction of the cost. If you want a great story of a U-boat commander in WWII then read the largely factual "Iron Coffins".

I give this book 2 stars. It's fairly good but not worth the cost.