Winston Churchill, Britain’s wartime prime minister, claimed that the 'U-boat peril' was the only thing that ever really frightened him during World War Two. This often cited statement was a reflection that can be honestly attached to the Battle of the Atlantic from September 1939 to May23rd 1943, when Donitz pulled his U Boats out of the Atlantic arena. Though U Boats would return they would never pose the threat of earlier years, given there reduced effectiveness and the growing Allied superiority within theatre.

With the withdrawal from the Atlantic and the growing anticipation of an Allied invasion upon the coast of occupied Europe in mid 1944, Donitz harboured his forces for a campaign against the coastal traffic around the UK that would help support and feed such an invasion force. It is this last campaign to which Lawrence Paterson devotes his time and energy in his book ‘Donitz’s Last Gamble-The Inshore U-boat Campaign 1944-1945, published by Seaforth Publishing.

Paterson’s account is well researched, interesting and informative in its delivery of this often overlooked campaign, as peoples attentions were drawn to the land battles of western & Eastern Europe, and the savage battles in the Far East. Patterson looks at the Technological race on both sides but naturally gives more attention to that of the KM, especially much vaunted Type XXI’s, one of the favourites of the What If’s genre. His scathing remarks about these boats capabilities, production and construction, will certainly add to the debate about the ‘war winning’ potential of this weapon system. The Schorkel and other U-Boat advances are covered, and there relative success or not is discussed.

At the heart of this book is the undertakings of the older Type VII’s and the new type XXIII’s in an environment swarming with Allied ASW vessels and under mammoth Allied air superiority blanket. Ultimately this campaign would end in defeat, with horrendous losses for the U-Boat arm, weighed against minor Allied naval & merchant losses, and no real consequence for the logistical support of the Allied land armies, fighting westwards from the beaches of Normandy to the heart of Germany

The book itself is divided into 8 Chapters (though not of a chronological nature), with the human trials, hardships and experiences of former U-Boat crews excellently interwoven into the narrative of each. The publication is well furnished with photographs throughout, and the Notes and Bibliography will be of help to those looking for further information about the subject matter.

(Reviewed by Andy H)
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.