This is an excellent book with nine quality contributors producing ten diverse chapters. What it is not is another narrative of the Battle of the Atlantic which is what someone casually selecting the book based on the title and sub-title might expect. This collection covers a range of distinct topics that do not add up to any form of cohesive narrative or chronological tale. Not many readers will have an existing interest in all the subjects but I would encourage you to read all of them and you will learn something new and thought-provoking in most chapters if your interest in the Battle of the Atlantic extends beyond dropping depth charges. The writers all provide thorough endnotes aiding follow-up reading.
Two chapters (those by Milner & Benbow) have previously been published in the journal Global War Studies and can be downloaded as pdfs for free. GWS is not a mass subscription publication and the articles deserve a wider audience so no complaints.
Milner 15 pages. Brief but very good value account to 1943 mainly hinged around the differences in attitude between the USN and the RN with the RCN rushing along behind. He has a great turn of phrase such as when he talks of the USN and RCN desire to attack U-boats while seeing the RN strategy to 1943 as “pushing the enemy away then run like hell”. A variation of the oft-quoted “safe and timely arrival”.
Bell 26 pages. A high level view revolving around Churchill. So much has been written about WSC and this adds some emphasis that was new to me. The VLR debate features strongly – see Benbow below.
Smith 32 pages. Here we leave the Atlantic and address politics and dockyard labour relations.. Away from the spotlight of combat Smith demonstrates the importance of the efficient operation of repair yards hindered by historic weak management and stubborn unions.
Benbow 47 pages. Good account of one of the big controversies – why where more Liberators not allocated to Coastal Command earlier? A small reduction in the relatively ineffective (to 1942) strategic bombing campaign would have released enough aircraft to greatly alter the balance in the defence of convoys. It would not have brought forward the May 1943 climax much on its own as that required other factors (more escorts, CVEs, improving electronics, training, etc) but it would have saved many merchantmen. And tankers bringing aviation fuel needed by the bombers. Mention is made of a forward-throwing depth charge launcher, presumably Squid. While there was a trial installation in Ambuscade in May 1943 it had no impact at that time. It was 1944 before it was deployed widely. Hedgehog was the ATW in 1943 and that did not fire depth charges.
Jones 25. Jones is two-thirds through a three volume history of the FAA for the Naval Records Society so knows his subject well. I can recommend the first two volumes but you will have to be patient for the third which is at least a couple of years away. After a few false starts the FAA as an ASW force really came to the party in early summer 1943 as MAC and CVE ships entered the fray. Jones describes this well.
Goldrick 19 pages. Strong section looking at training. RN documents consistently recognise the need for proper initial and ongoing training. New gadgets were part of the solution but only if they were used and maintained well. This sweep through training covers individual ships, groups, RN, RCN (lack of training in their case) and more. Essential reading to understand the importance of this vital factor.
The last four chapters are good but be warned – they drift away from the Decisions in the Atlantic title.
Faulkner 26 pages. Has the feel of a “what if…?” question although in this case it was a genuine Admiralty concern. What if the largely pre-war constructed German aircraft carrier was made operational and how could it be countered? I found this the thinnest section but still a fresh insight. There is limited evidence for what RN plans were formed. Nothing is said about the German lack of carrier operational experience and Hitler’s traditional reluctance to put major vessels at risk.
Smith 30 pages. The only author to get two bites of the cherry. Imports for domestic consumption were a matter of fierce debate between the US and UK with meat being one of many foodstuffs high on the agenda. The role of the US Secretary of Agriculture is highlighted, a farmer seemingly promoted above his skillset. The outcome was of great interest to the rationed UK general public who would have been unaware that the flow of meat was probably affected more by US domestic issues than shipping capacity.
Bennett 27 pages. The arena moves to the UK east coast and the attack on coastal convoys by Schnellboote. Arguably not that close to the Atlantic although all part of the jigsaw. He says there are limited accounts of this conflict while listing 14 secondary sources then several more in footnotes. I suspect there is a gap in the market for a well-researched book but perhaps the primary sources are too limited. A good picture of this secondary fight. Armament of one Schnellboote version is described as having 40mm heavy machine guns so a typo there.
Kohnen 37 pages. Finally the focus shifts to the Indian Ocean and the Far East with the German effort to attack shipping in remote areas where it was hoped defences would be weaker. U-188 is followed in detail with emphasis on the Special Intelligence analysis by the US and UK Submarine Tracking Rooms. I found it a little strange that HF/DF is mentioned just once and that in connection with a US CVE group. Shore-based HF/DF does not feature at all although it would have been an important input into the STRs. There is an interesting account of an SOE/OSS team parachuted in close to Bordeaux who, along with French resistance troops, ambush the commander and engineer from U-188 thus obtaining a dossier of information.
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Top reviews from other countries
Paul Anthony Marks
Excellent book but beware of the title.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 11, 2020