German U-boats in the Pacific...

L. Kafka · Post by **L. Kafka** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 12:04 am

Other than the attempt to transfer atomic bomb info to the Japanese via submarine, didn't the Germans have several U-boat sorties into the Pacific during WWII? How extensive were these German patrols and what was their mission?

seakrieg · Post by **seakrieg** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 3:23 am

Hi
I've just finished writing a book about the Monsun boats, so it's a timely question!
Apart from the very few transport missions that reached Japan (basically limited to boats having batteries renewed or Italian boats commandeered by the KM and shuttling supplies between Kobe and the Malaysia bases) there was only one war patrol in the Pacific.
Only U862 made it into the Pacific, the other boats stationed in Malaysia/Java and Japan fought in the Indian Ocean. At the end of 1944 Heinrich Timm's U862 headed for Australia as part of a four boat attack. The other three were sunk. U862 acheived little around Australia and New Zealand before returning to base. (There is a great book called 'U-Boat far From Home' about it). The Japanese again pressed Doenitz for a commitment in the Pacific at the tail end of 1944 and Doenitz reluctantly agreed in 1945. At that point he despatched only one boat to attempt it, but it was intercepted and sunk.
So basically there were no real U-boat Pacific operations apart from U862's foray.
Cheers
Lawrence

Groscurth · Post by **Groscurth** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 4:38 pm

Hi Kafka and Seakrieg,

I would advise to have a look at the uboat .net, there you can find more boats that were in action in the Pacific ass the U-862.
For the Monsun boats and the map off wreks and actions:

http://www.uboat.net/ops/monsun.htm

http://www.uboat.net/maps/indian_ocean.htm

Quite accurate info there (best u-boat site).

Best regards,

Groscurth

PS Seakrieg What's the title off the book?
Found an editor?
Can you give some more info or post a small announcement on the uboat.net.
A lot off folks there will be interested.

Groscurth · Post by **Groscurth** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 4:43 pm

Sorry, mistake from my part.
On the uboat.net you can find the next:

"U-862 operated in the Pacific off Australia and actually penetraded Sydney harbour. It sunk the 7180 ton US steamer R.J. Walker on 24 Dec '44.
It was the only U-boat in the Pacific like Seakrieg said.

Greetings,

Groscurth

seakrieg · Post by **seakrieg** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 2:18 am

Hi
Yes I have a publishers who are editing it at the moment. It will be out some time next year on Greenhill Publishing / Naval Institute. It's called 'Hitler's Grey Wolves - U-Boats in the Indian Ocean'.

I found it a really interesting subject to research. Had to go into the Italian and Vichy operations within the Indian Ocean as well, something that is generally overlooked.
Cheers
Lawrence

Groscurth · Post by **Groscurth** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 5:41 pm

Hello Seakrieg,

Since you are posting from "Northern EU" I imagine we'll find your book in the UK. Plans to translate? I can help you in French and Dutch and I now some editors in Flanders/Holland/France. When your book is really good and gives some new facts, perhaps, why not.

English is not my mothertongue but it is easy for me to translate it in to Dutch or French.
When can we by your book and where? Fnac?

Groscurth

seakrieg · Post by **seakrieg** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 2:17 am

Hi Groscurth
Thanks for the offer - I will bear it in mind and also pass it on to my publishers. The Monsun book won't be out until about mid-next year I think. They're putting out another one of mine this January, so the Monsun book will come out some time after that.
I have yet to find out about distribution in Europe (I'm in Portsmouth, UK) but hope it will be available.
Thanks again
Cheers
Lawrence

Simon_G · Post by **Simon_G** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:12 pm

Lawrence did you learn much of the UIT boats (captured Italian subs) which kept up a shuttle to and from Singapore/Djakarta to Japan ?

In particular I am interested in the V-2 rockets carried to Djakarta on U-219 and U-195 mentioned by John Bessant in his book "Stalin's Silver"

U-537, U-196 and U-862 were tasked to patrol around the south of Australia. U-862 voyaged to New Zealand waters in January 1945.

U-537 was targeted and sunk running on the surface in Indonesian waters. U-196 is more of a mystery. I have read a claim that she radioed to say she struck a mine, but this may be urban myth. Conjecture has it that she struck a mine in the Sunda Strait, however it also appears the area was not mined by the RAF until after she passed the area.

Signals continued being sent to her after the supposed date of her disappearance. U-196's surgeon (Haake) however is buried at a German owned plantation beside the Sunda strait.

One other U-boat action in the Pacific needs to be mentioned. U-183 went to Kobe for fresh batteries. She returned to Djakarta with orders to sail for north of New Guinea and harass the US Navy. I have also read that she embarked members of biological warfare Unit 731 and was to insert that team in the Philippines.

JägerMarty · Post by **JägerMarty** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:19 am

There's a book called Uboat far from Home which details a Uboats voyage near Australia, always meant to get a copy

Feldgrau.net

German U-boats in the Pacific...

German U-boats in the Pacific...

Pacific

Book

Thanks