U-Boat War Patrol - Hidden Photo Diary of U-564 / Lawrence Paterson / German U-boat, WW II / Submarine Book Store

This book is very unique in that it charts a complete history of a single U-boat patrol in World War II. "U-Boat War Patrol" provides a new insight into life aboard a German submarine, through the successes and trials of U-564. Photographed during the summer of 1942 by an onboard war correspondent they show a U-Boat in action in the Atlantic and Caribbean, as the Kriegsmarine teetered on the verge of what turned out to be its ultimate downfall. The crew are shown in virtually every station and several other U-Boats and their commanders feature as they gather to re-supply or to attack. The Three Black Cat motif of Reinhard "Teddy" Suhren's U-564 is among the most famous in the illustrious history of Germany's U-Boats of World War II. Suhren himself ranks in the top tier of U-Boat commanders along with the likes of Gunther Prien and Otto Kretschmer and his name still raises a smile among veterans of the service for his infamously anti-establishment attitude and the receipt of the coveted Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. The photographs in the book were liberated from U-564's concrete pen in Brest in 1945. They have lain in a shoebox under a bed for the best part of 60 years and only now, through the painstaking research of Lawrence Paterson and the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, are to be published for the first time. Paterson has pieced together the stories of Teddy Suhren and U-564 and provides detailed accompanying captions explaining many of the photographs and a history of both the boat, her crew and their illustrious and much-loved commander.

New hardback edition (Military Book Club) with dust jacket. 206 pages, with a staggering 236 black and white photographs and 1 map. Includes an appendix and an index.

New Book --- $24.95

"A great blend of photographs and the story of one war patrol. If you enjoyed U BOAT WARS by Buchheim then this is a must book.. Out of my 50 books on U Boats I would rank this in the top five..." Gary C. Baker

"This is an outstanding book on so many levels. Paterson has taken a set of long-lost photographs and painstakingly researched the details of the long war patrol on which they were taken. What emerges is a completely engrossing account of the U-boatman's war, with the daily routine described in as much detail as the terrifying moments of high drama. But this is also a human story, especially of the outstanding leadership qualities of the remarkable commander of U-564 at the time, Reinhard 'Teddy' Suhren. If you have even a passing interest in the 'Grey Wolves', you will enjoy this fantastic book. Very highly recommended." A.D. Wright

"One of the most interesting books on the U-Boat arm and the men who manned the boats. The author does a great job of writing the narrative to go with the huge collection of photos taken by a war photographer. The photos recently turned up and this book gives the reader a good perspective of what life was like on a Type Vll U-Boat. Captained by Knights Cross winner, Reinhard "Teddy" Suhren, one of the most successful U-Boat commanders of the war, life aboard 564 was hard, but not without fun time. The patrol takes place in the summer of 1942, when U-Boats were still the hunters and not the hunted, so many interesting activities occurred when the boat was on the surface. Suhren's greeting to fellow U-Boat Commander, Horst "Hein" Uphoff, of U-84,upon his return to Brest is funny and quite amazing, considering the time and place. A must read for all those interested in the Battle of the Atlantic." Austin C., Craig

The Author

Lawrence Paterson was born in New Zealand and at an early age became an avid scuba diver and developed a deep interest in the Kriegsmarine. Combining the two in 1998 he moved to France to live close to the Brest U-Boat bunkers (of World War II) where he also became the President of the Brittany Marine Research Society, dedicated to the discovery and survey of German World War II wrecks. Now living in Portsmouth, he is a member of the Royal Navy Submarine Museum's Archive Group, specializing in U-Boat and Kriegsmarine research and has undertaken consultancy work for the BBC and St Edmund Hall, Oxford's Emden Naval History "U-Boat Flotilla" and "Second U-Boat Flotilla."