Black May

by Michael Gannon

  Blackett/Williams Plan, 248–53, 259–60

  casualty rate, 4

  convoy system. See Convoy system, escort of Convoy ONS.5, 141–42, 161–64, 201–2, 225, 228–29, 240

  Operation Derange, 257–81, 389

  Operation Enclose I, 257

  Operation Enclose II, 257, 258, 259

  Raushenbush (Stark) Plan, 241–52, 254, 255–56. 259–60

  Royal Canadian Air Force, xix

  Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), 59–60

  Royal Navy, xviii

  casualty rate, 4, 393

  convoy system of. See Convoy system.

  morale in, xxv—xvi

  Royal Oak (battleship), 46

  Sabre, H.M.S, 117–18

  Sackville, H.M.C.S, 149

  St. Laurent, H.M.S, 370–71

  Sandanger, 334–35

  Santee, Roger “Stomp,” 365, 367

  Santee, U.S.S, 392

  Sapelo, 116, 125

  Sauerberg, Ernst, 15, 23

  Schamong, Klemens, 367

  Schauffei, Heinrich, 285–88, 301, 315–17, 319, 327

  Schepke, Joachim, 24, 48

  Schmid, Heinrich, 271, 285

  Schnee, Adalbert, 48, 388

  Schoenherr, Karl, 340–41

  Scholtz, Klaus, 83

  Schramm, Joachim, 375

  Schroeter, Horst von, xxv-xxvi, 196, 362, 375

  Schröter, Karl-Ernst, 248–49, 301, 372

  Schuhart, Otto, 288

  Schultze, Heinz-Otto, 299

  Schwaff, Werner, 244–45, 279

  Searchlights, airborne, 96–100, 109, 343

  Second World War, The (Churchill), 238

  Seekuh (sea cow), 4–5

  Seibicke, Günther, 337, 377

  Selvistan, 198–201

  Sennen, H.M.S, 146, 220, 222–23, 230, 355. 356–58, 361

  Seven Years War, 384–85

  Sherwood, Robert Evan, 120, 145–47, 158–59, 175, 177, 185–86, 188–89, 198, 199, 201–4, 214, 230–31, 234–35, 239, 240

  Shillong, 120

  Short, Giles E, 67–68, 363, 365–66

  Sickle, H.M.S, 362

  Siegmann, Paul, 274, 338

  Sigint (signals intelligence), 55, 86

  Silvaplana, 294–95, 313, 318, 326

  Silver Ash (freighter), 26

  Simpson, G. W. G. “Shrimp,” 236, 237

  Sinclair, Archibald, 27

  Sixth Escort Group, 366

  Skinner, W., 169

  Slatter, Leonard H., 106–7

  Slessor, John, 75, 92, 109–10, 241, 249, 250, 252, 253–54, 256, 258, 280–81, 389–92, 394

  Smith, E. C. “Bertie,” 266, 267–68

  Smith, Irving H., 140–41

  Snorkel, 386–87

  Snowdrop, H.M.S., 190

  Snowflake, H.M.S., 117, 131, 134, 136–37, 138, 141, 142, 151–54, 160, 169, 171, 177–79, 189, 202, 210–16, 222, 232, 233, 235, 353, 358

  Solberg, Thorvald, 242, 247

  Solomons, U.S.S., 371–72

  Sonar, 62

  Sorrel, H.M.S., 152

  Southern Pride, 149

  Spencer, U.S.C.G.C., 284

  Spey, H.M.S., 146, 220, 222, 223, 224, 230, 355–56, 358

  Stahl, Peter-Arthur, 272, 273

  Stark, Harold R., 247, 250–52, 254–55

  Starling, H.M.S., 395

  Staudinger, Oskar, 187, 197

  Stearns, Robert L., 368

  Steinert, Hermann, 376

  Stephens, Cyril, 149–50

  Stephenson, Gilbert “Puggy,” 100–101

  Stines, James O., 368, 369, 371

  Stock, Hans, 32–41, 44, 302

  Stock, Ruprecht, 270

  Stone, R., 199–200

  Stonehouse, H. A., 184, 209–10

  Sträter, Wolfgang, 158

  Strelow, Siegfried, 304–5

  Stummel, Ludwig, 52–53

  Suhren, Reinhard, 48, 287

  Sunflower, H.M.S., 117, 133, 136, 160, 169, 171, 188–89, 197, 202, 211, 214–19, 222, 232, 233, 353

  Swale, H.M.S., 352

  Tang, U.S.S., 2

  Task Group 92.3, 365–66

  Tay, H.M.S., 69, 117–19, 120, 121, 124, 125, 130–31, 134, 139, 141, 144, 145–47, 158–60, 166–67, 171, 175–76, 179, 184, 186, 188–89, 199–203, 212–16, 218, 219, 222, 230–36, 353–54, 358, 361

  Taylor, Albert, 70

  TBS (Talk Between Ships), 72

  Techand, Werner, 355

  Teichert, Max-Martin, 345–46

  Telecommunications Research Establishment (T.R.E.), 76

  Telefunken Company, 245

  Test, H.M.S., 377

  Thetis (Coast Guard cutter), 84

  Third Escort (Support) Group (EG3), 129–30, 132, 144–46, 160, 232, 234, 237, 240

  Thornton, F. H., 222–23

  Tighe, WGS, 53, 54, 55

  Tippelskirch, Helmut von, 40–43, 44

  Tizard, Henry, 71–72, 87–88

  Toltec, S.S., 366

  Topp, Erich, 79, 82, 287

  Torpedoes (eels), xviii, 7–10

  FAT (Federapparattorpedo), 9–10, 306–10

  launching of, 8

  Mark XXIV Mine, 331, 340–46, 350, 360

  T-1, G7a, “Ato,” 8–9

  T-III, G7e, “Eto,” 9–10

  T-V, G7e, Zaunkönig (wren), 10, 385–86

  Torpex, 61, 63, 98, 180, 276

  Treffer, 138–39

  Triton key, 55–56, 65, 86, 158

  Tucker, Samuel M, 70

  Tuna, H.M.S., 362

  Turgoose, J. E, 173

  U–47, 46, 48

  U-89, 337–40, 346

  U-107, 27–29, 31–32, 99, 212

  U-123, xxv-xvi, 7, 79–82, 85

  U—124, 11–12, 82

  U-160, 40, 41, 82

  U-175 282, 284, 298

  U-186, 348–49

  U-258, 139, 156–58, 359

  U-378, 132, 139

  U-381, 143, 357

  U-386, 132, 139, 154

  U-414, 376–77

  U-415, 264–66

  U-418, 331–32, 359, 360

  U-435 304–5

  U-436, 337–38, 377

  U–439, 38–44

  U-456, 345, 346

  U-459, 83, 128

  U-515, xxviii, 1–3, 7–17, 24

  U-528, 132, 154

  U-332, 132, 138–39, 154, 185

  U-533, 219–20

  U-552, 79, 82

  U-640, 351, 354

  U-650, 132, 139

  U-639, 32–44

  U-752, 284, 285, 300–303, 372, 374

  U-boats (general)

  air attacks on, 6–7, 161–64, 389–93

  Allied communications technology and, 49–56, 62–72

  at-sea loss exchange rate, xxii, xxiii, 46–48, 60–61, 225–26, 380, 386

  attacks on American ships, 78–87

  construction of new, 46–47, 94–95

  crew characteristics, 36–37, 103–5

  data concerning, 93, 110–14, 193, 212, 219, 221, 392, 393

  depth charges (D/C) against, 61–63, 89–91, 98

  detection of submerged, 62–72, 387

  food and provisions aboard, 34, 294–95

  groups of. See entries beginning with Gruppe.

  importance of individual commanders and, 48–49

  improvements in convoy system and, 56–62, 73–77, 87–100, 110–14, 226–30, 350, 353–62

  interior description, 33–36

  nighttime attack technology, 95–100, 259–60

  number of, 46–48

  periscopes, 39, 387

  prisoners of war. See Prisoners of war (German).

  recharging needs of, 245–46, 386–87

  refit time, xxiv-xxv

  survivors from Battle for Convoy ONS.5, 331–32

  Type IXB, 4, 6, 11–12, 27–29, 58, 79, 83, 178

  Type IXC, 1–8, 12, 41, 97, 136, 137, 176, 178, 206, 209–10, 212, 375–76

  Type VII, 6–7, 46, 8
3

  Type VIIC, 34–35, 39, 40–43, 63, 64, 82, 124, 136, 166, 171, 178, 179–80, 197, 209, 216, 220–21, 227, 242–43, 304–5, 339–40, 345, 362, 376–77

  Type XIV, 82–83, 128, 385

  Type XXI, 6, 384, 387–88, 391

  Type XXIII, 38–88

  withdrawal from northern transatlantic convoy lanes, 378–81

  See also Communications technology; Torpedoes; specific types.

  Ultra, 51, 53, 55, 66, 122, 158

  United States, xviii

  German attacks on fleets of, 78–87, 286

  U.S. Army Air Force, 392

  U.S. Joint Army-Navy Assessment

  Committee (JANAC), 195–96

  U.S. National Defense Research

  Committee (NDRC), 340–41

  U.S. Navy, 2, 39, 60, 79, 85–86

  Tenth Fleet, 362–63

  Verband Deutscher U-Bootfahren e.V. (U-Boat Veterans Association), 284

  Very high frequency voice radio-telephone system, 72

  Vidette, H.M.S., 117, 123, 125, 131, 139, 144,160, 176–77, 186, 187, 200, 202, 205–9, 216, 222, 230, 231, 235, 353, 361

  Viscount, H.M.S., 331–32

  Visual search rate, 39

  Wächter, Karljüng, 187, 217, 348

  Waddington, C. H., 90, no, 254

  Wahoo, 22

  Walker, Frederic John, 102, 118, 336, 395

  Walkerling, Heinz, 54

  Wandering Annie (Mark XXIV Mine), 331, 340–46, 350, 360

  War at Sea, The (Roskill), 238–39

  War Cabinet, Anti-U-Boat Warfare Committee (A.U. Committee), xxi-xxii, 27, 109–10, 249, 250–57

  Ward, D. V. Peyton (P.W.), 93, 97, 101, 249

  Waroonga, 209

  Warspite, 146–47

  Washington, George, xvii

  Washington Convoy Conference, 344

  Watson Watt, Robert, 70, 87–88, no, 243

  Watt, Robert Watson, See Watson

  Watt, Robert.

  Wear, H.M.S., 146, 220, 222, 223–24, 231, 355–56, 358

  Webb, A. L., 181–82, 210

  Weinberg, Gerhard L., 85

  Wentworth, S.S., 183–84, 193

  Wenzel, Wolfgang, 187, 367

  Werner, Herbert A., 338, 350

  Western Approaches Tactical Unit (WATU), 101

  Western Electric Company, 340–42

  Western Isles, H.M.S., 100

  Western Ocean Meeting Point (WESTOMP), 230–31

  West lvis, 165

  West Madaket, 116, 189, 194, 196–97

  West Maximus, 116, 172, 173, 174, 177, 180

  Wilamowitz-Moellendorf, Georg von, 83

  Williams, Evan James, 88–90, 92, 111, 243, 247, 248, 251, 253, 254, 257, 259–60, 281, 390, 391

  Wilson, D. A. ‘Willie,” 54–55

  Wilson, T. P. Cameron, 148

  Wimperis, H. E., 87–88

  Winkler, Werner, 162, 163, 208–9

  Winn, Rodger, xxi, xxv-xxvi, 51, 52, 54, 69, 80, 84, 86, 100, 128, 129, 158, 219, 229–30, 237, 239, 354–55, 394

  Wintergarten, 216

  Wintermeyer, Max, 346

  Witzendorff, Ernst von, 130, 222

  Wolf, Heinz, 257, 268, 285

  Wolfbauer, Leo, 274

  Wolverine, H.M.S., 23–24, 117–18

  Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS; Wrens), 101–2, 393

  Wren, H.M.S., 31

  Wright, John, 345

  Wulff, Heinrich, 376

  Yearby, S.S., 194

  Young, Leo, 70

  Zamalek, 353–55, 361

  Zapp, Richard, 79

  Zaunkönig (Wren), 10, 385–86

  Zetzsche, Hansjürgen, 271

  Zinnia, H.M.S., 152

  Zurmühlen, Bernhard, 197, 269

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  MICHAEL GANNON is Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Floride, where he taught the history of World War II. He resided in Gainesville and is the author of seven books. In the 1950s he wrote on military subjects from Europe. In 1968 he served as a war correspondent in Vietnam. Also a scholar in the field of Spanish colonial history, he has received numerous awards and honors, including Knight Commander of the Order of Isabel la Católica from King Juan Carlos I of Spain.

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  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  EVERY BOOK HAS A BEGINNING. This one began when, in March 1992, I received a letter from Mrs. Stephen (Joan) Raushenbush in Sarasota, Florida, inquiring if I would be interested in seeing certain of her late husband’s papers relating to his civilian service in the British-American war against the German U-boats (submarines) in World War II. I immediately said yes, and shortly afterward, my spouse and I visited her in her home. Some months later, I was able to turn up additional documents relating to Stephen Raushenbush in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Those documents provoked in me strong curiosity about the month of May 1943, which, it was generally known, had been a pivotal thirty-one days during which the U-boats had suffered a substantial defeat in the North Atlantic. It was particularly intriguing to find that not only had the Allies’ uniformed naval and air services effectively engaged the U-boat fleet in several notable battles during that May but, prior to that month, a team of civilian scientists and statisticians had contributed significantly to the Allies’ operational tactics and capabilities. Raushenbush had been a member of that team.

  Other writing responsibilities delayed further inquiry into the May story until, beginning in spring 1995, extended research visits to Great Britain and Germany brought into high relief the major events and personalities of what the Germans called, at its conclusion, “Black May.” It quickly became obvious that to understand why, how, and by whom May’s battles were won for one side and lost for the other, it was necessary to view that month from both the Allied and German perspectives, as far as the archival documents and recollections of the surviving participants made that possible; particularly in the case of the month’s centrally important Battle for Convoy ONS.5. It also seemed desirable to put a human face on the story so that the reader was not confronted simply with steel, aluminum, and high explosives but could come to know at least the names, and sometimes the personal qualities, of the human beings who crewed the U-boats, the warships, and the aircraft; commanded their operations; developed their tactics; or tracked their movements. Nor did I want to neglect the personal stories, not to mention the heroism, of the most numerous contingent at sea in 1943: the merchant mariners. Indeed, there is a large human story behind the principal events of May that can only be hinted at in this volume.

  My thanks for assistance in providing me the means for understanding what happened in “Black May” go, in Germany, to the distinguished naval historian Dr. Jürgen Rohwer, in Weinstadt, who favored me with his weighty insights and helpful suggestions; Horst Bredow, the energetic and always helpful director of the U-Boot-Archiv in Cuxhaven-Altenbruch; Thomas Weis, who guided me through two days of selecting maps and photographs from the Marine Archive of the Bibliothek fur Zeitgeschichte (Library of Contemporary History) in Stuttgart; the archival staff of the Bundesarchiv/MilitÄrarchiv (Federal/Military Archive) in Freiburg i. Br.; and Horst Einbrodte, Vice-President of the Verband Deutscher U-Bootfahrer e.V. (U-Boat Veterans Association) in Hamburg.

  Special thanks are given to Kathi Michalowski, in Barntrup, Germany, my research assistant on this project as she was for an earlier book, Operation Drumbeat, whose skills are matched only by her unflagging enthusiasm. Together we arranged interviews with six surviving U-boat commanders who were at sea in May 1943. My gratitude for their participation in that part of the research goes to Horst von Schroeter (U-123); Harald Gelhaus (U-107); Helmuth Pich (U-168); Klaus-Peter Carlsen (U-732); Klaus Popp (U-522); and Herbert Werner (I.W.O. on U-230 in May, later Commander of U-415). Thanks also are owed two crew members who agreed to be interviewed: Rolf Elebe (U-752) and Kurth Claus (U-552).

  In London, England, I had the
very good fortune of being allowed to probe the knowledge base and to mine the documentary collections of J. David Brown, Head of Naval Historical Branch, Ministry of Defence, and his colleagues W. J. R. “Jock” Gardner, M. “Mac” McAloon, and Robert M. Coppock. Quite literally, I would not—to use the ocean convoy imperative—have been able to make “a safe and timely arrival at my destination” without their generous escort. The reader of my endnotes will observe the frequency with which I am obligated to Mr. Coppock, curatorial officer, Foreign Documents Section, for his accurate data and searching analyses.

  My thanks go as well to the archival staff of the incredibly rich and indispensable primary document source, the Public Record Office (PRO) in Kew, outside London. In that connection, special mention should be made of two historian colleagues who assisted me greatly at the PRO: David Syrett of Queens College of the City University of New York and the late John Costello. Thanks are owed as well to Chris Howard Bailey and her associates at the Oral History Collection of the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth; the staff of the Churchill Archive, Churchill College, in Cambridge; David J. Lees, regular researcher at the Naval Historical Branch; Nigel Turner, producer and director, ITN Productions, London, who kindly directed me to RAF Coastal Command veterans; Gillian M. Hughes, record agent, Teddington, Middlesex; and Mr. John Delaney and staff of the photographs archive at the Imperial War Museum, London.

  I am grateful to two distinguished gentlemen who gave me interviews: Professor Sir Harry Hinsley, in Cambridge, and Sir Robert Atkinson, in Winchester; as I am also grateful to three accomplished RAF Coastal Command pilots who corresponded with me: the late Air Vice Marshal Wilfrid Ewart Oulton (died October 1997), in Lymington; Air Commodore Jeaff Greswell, in Saunderton, Princess Risborough, Bucks., and Squadron Leader Terence Malcolm Bulloch, in Burnham, Bucks.

  In Ottawa, Canada, I had expert assistance in using the documentary collection at the Directorate of History, National Defence Headquarters, from senior historian Roger Sarty. In this country the same generous help was given me by archivist Michael Walker at the Operational Archives Branch, Naval Historical Center, Washington Navy Yard; and by archivists John E. Taylor, Barry Zerby, and Sandy Smith at Archives II of the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, Maryland. Sandy Smith set a new benchmark of “beyond the call” assistance. Appreciation is given to the staff of the Interlibrary Loan Office of the University Libraries, University of Florida; the staff of the Reference Desk, Headquarters Library, Alachua County, Florida; and the staff of the University of Florida Computing Help Desk.