NAVY NEWS, DECEMBER 2009 45
The lives of udders
AN IMPORTANT dimen-
sion of the German sub-
The Grove
marine offensive against
Allied shipping in World Review
War 2 was the develop-
ment of the ability to re-
plenish boats so as to ex-
Clearly, refuelling operations
were almost impossible without
tend their time on station. some radio indiscretion, although
A ’raire
Given the diplomatic diffi culties the amazing German over-
created by the use of Spanish confi dence in the security of their
ports and the effectivenesss of ciphers made the situation much
British countermeasures against worse.
breed
conventional tankers at sea the This over-confi dence was
answer seemed to be the use of matched by the American tendency
submarines as replenishment to throw caution about security to
platforms, writes Prof Eric Grove of the winds and exploit every code-
FIVE years ago, Britons voted
the University of Salford. breaking breakthrough to hunt
on their favourite painting. They
A new Type XIV tanker down submarines, regardless of
plumped (pretty conclusively) for
submarine was brought into brought into g the possibility of the Gerthe pop ssibil y mans
Turner’s iconic, romantic view of
service at the end of 1941 just oof 1941 just smelling a rasmelling a n t.
the end of the days of sail.
as the U-Boat war entered ar entered The result wTheT as
And as a piece of art, The
the Western Hemisphere misphere carnage among the n
Fighting Temeraire (‘The Fighting
with Hitler’s declaraaration tion ‘Milch Co‘M ws’ and
Temeraire tugged to her Last
of war on the USA USA the submarth ines
Berth to be broken up, 1838’ to
opening up the mass ass suckling from su
give it the full title) has rather
of unprotected edd them.the All ten Type ● A ‘dead man’s cradle’ is used to transfer supplies from Milch Cow U459
overshadowed the subject herself.
shipping in US XIVs wXIVX ere sunk
Sam Willis intends to correct
waters. and eight of the ten and e
The American dimension is qualify for this title is debatable, as for some time.
that with a biography of the
Other boats Type XBsype Xe .
indeed a crucial part of the Milch the author later makes clear. Dr White’s command of the
eponymous warship.
were also used In a sense the In a
Cow story and the author might The real electronic computer German sources is notable,
This is the first book in a
as ‘Milch Cows’ Milch CoMilch Cows ww ere rather
have developed a little more his at Bletchley Park, ‘Colossus’, was including the archives at the
trilogy focusing on the days of
(Milk Cows), as perperipheral to the main wipheral ta ar
discussion of the interesting US used against different ciphers. U-boat Museum in Cuxhaven
sail – a biography of Admiral
the Germans called llled against the U-boaagainst the Uh t on the
Navy ‘Tenth Fleet’, the specialist The role of the capture of U110 and the U-boat crews’ magazine
Benbow and an account of the
them, notably the large e large main Normain North th Ah Atlantic convoy
ASW organisation set up in May and its relationship with the other Schaltung Küste that is a good
‘Glorious First of June’ will
Type XB minelayere s whose s whose routes which,routes which as the author
1943 that had no ships but which cryptographical captures about source for survivors’ stories.
follow.
size precluded their use in the ir use in the shows, had been won by the end directed the American anti-U- the same time also needed more
As usual with the publisher,
The Fighting Temeraire
shallow waters where their mines of 1943. boat war through ‘suggestions’ discussion, especially as the author
there are no footnotes or endnotes
(Quercus, £25 ISBN 978-1-
were most effective. Nevertheless, the U-tankers and ‘recommendations’ . is clearly aware of the work of the
which is rather a pity given the
84724-998-2) is probably the
An established expert on these were very signifi cant force As the author says this was offi cial historian, Harry Hinsley,
overall quality of the book which
obvious place to begin the
supply submarines is Dr John multipliers. Between them the under the overall command of who knew more about this rather
is clearly an authoritative and
triptych: the name resonates, not
F White, whose professional 18 Type XIVs and IXDs made the Chief of Naval Operations, vexed subject than anyone else,
comprehensive study.
least because of that painting.
activities are those of a computer about 50 completed cruises and the irascible Admiral King, but its having played a key role in the
Readers will be fascinated
Sam Willis really does produce
programmer in artifi cial by the author’s calculation were effective operational commander process himself.
not just by the mainstream
beautiful books.
intelligence, computer translation responsible for the U-boats’ was its Chief of Staff, Admiral For those put off by Offi cial
replenishment work but by also
His enormous pictorial
and fi nance, but who has had a sinking an extra 1,400,000 tons Frances Low, who, sadly, does not Histories the more recent book by
by the book’s accounts of German
histories of the days of sail and
long-standing interest (since the of shipping – about ten per cent of get a mention. Hugh Sebag-Montefi ore, Enigma:
submarine operations far afi eld,
steam are among the finest – and
age of ten) in the German Navy the total losses they infl icted over The best book on this the Battle for the Code is easily
including the interface with the
largest – volumes ever to land
and its activities. the whole war. subject, Farago’s interesting and available and accessible and is
Japanese, liaison with whom was a
(with a thunderous thud) on the
Certainly his general command They also allowed U-boats to informative study Tenth Fleet, is highly recommended as a balanced
signifi cant U-boat activity. Penang
Navy News doormat.
of the sources is as good as that of operate much further afi eld than also strangely not mentioned in and well-informed account.
in Malaya and Tjikopo in the
The Fighting Temeraire follows
a professional naval historian and they otherwise could have done, the bibliography. Clearly the author has spent
Dutch East Indies were important,
in the same vein, although the
he has used this to expand and notably off Cape Town and into This is probably the most a massive amount of time on his
if unlikely, U-boat bases.
emphasis here is on words rather
revise his previous U-Boat Tankers the Indian Ocean. They could not, important gap in the book, research over the years. A sign of
This is a most worthwhile book
than imagery.
1941-45 into the present work, however, defeat a mature convoy given the impact of Tenth Fleet’s this is his reference to that former
and a most worthy addition to the
There have been seven ships
The Milch Cows: The U-Boat system. aggressive submarine killing policy mine of U-boat information Bob
literature on the U-boat war.
to bear the name, but the author
Tankers 1941-45 (Pen & Sword, Perhaps the main enemy of the on the fate of the Milch Cows. Coppuck, as if he were still at the
focuses on just the first two.
£19.99 ISBN 978-1-84884-008- Milch Cow was the American Given the importance of code Naval Historical Branch.
The first was a captured
9). escort carrier group freely using breaking to the story there are Bob was always most generous
French 74-gunner, Téméraire
One connection between the special intelligence to make a one or two little glitches. In his with his time to researchers and
(we quickly dispensed with those
author’s ‘day job’ and his subject is ‘hunter-killer’ strategy work. introduction the author refers created that amazing evolving data
tricky accents...), the second
the use of mechanised computation This was a prelude to the to codes being broken by ‘the base on U-boats and their fate
entered immortality at Trafalgar,
in the code breaking that made the SOSUS-based anti-submarine world’s fi rst electronic computers’. that is one of the Branch’s greatest
famously coming to the aid of
activities of the Milch Cows so warfare of the Cold War era using Whether the electro-mechanical achievements (among many
Victory.
dangerous. underwater listening posts. ‘bombes’ used against Enigma others) but he has not been there
The ‘fighting’ sobriquet came
courtesy of Turner. Temeraire
was lavished with praise and
recognition after the victory; she
was held aloft as the ‘Pride of
England and Terror of France’.
A pig-headed clash
Sailors, however, preferred to call
her the ‘saucy Temeraire’ – for THROUGH the ages Britain aren’t very co-operative. Having lead his division to destruction healthy, sturdy-looking fellows”
reasons, sadly, lost in the mists has gone to war for reasons just ‘liberated’ the animals from their in the eponymous charge at – withdrew, taking the flagpole
of time. (liberation of the Falklands, pen, the Americans struggled Gettysburg). with them. “You know,” one junior
She was also the mutinous curbing Nazi aggression), reasons to herd the creatures into their The Empire responded by officer told the Americans “we
Temeraire: in late 1801 sailors not entirely just (the ‘scrap of cutters for rowing back to the US sending a few warships, their guns could never have any other flag
refused to sail anywhere other paper’ to save Belgium in 1914 mainland. trained at Pickett’s flimsy camp. float from a staff that had borne
than for home after peace was although the real motive was to The British weren’t chuffed. And across the water in Victoria, the cross of St George.” HP BOOKFINDERS: Established
declared with France. A dozen limit German expansion) and They demanded nearly £3,000 – English, Canadian and American This is a most unusual tale, professional service locating out
men were hanged for their reasons downright shabby (the £175,000 in today’s money – in sightseers bought tickets to watch told in great detail by the author of print titles on all
impudence. The stain was only Zulu war anyone?). compensation (for the theft of 34 the stand-off. who has made excellent use of the subjects. No obligation or SAE
erased at Trafalgar. Perhaps the most ludicrous sheep, plus the cost of hiro ing 18 g 8 The Americans sent in more (vast) source material. required. Contact: Mosslaird,
The ship served for a decade reason for two nations squaring men for eight days to round to round troops and guns. Britain Are there resonances today? Brig O’ Turk, Callander, FK17 8HT
after that defining battle, in up, however, was the death, nay up the 409 other animals let niimals let put a Royal Marines Well, nations still fight over Telephone/Fax: (01877) 376377
the Baltic and off the Iberian murder, of a pig. loose by the Americans).caans). detachment disputed territories (the Falklands martin@hp-bookfinders.co.uk
peninsula, before ending her days Hence the name of this silly The Americans ddidn’idn’tt ashore. They being a prime example in Britain’s www.hp-bookfinders.co.uk
first as a floating prison, then as little contretemps, The Pig War pay up. They did,did, established a fort recent history).
HMS EAGLE. Seeking copy of
a ‘receiving ship’ for new sailors whose (very complicated) course however, begin settling tlling at the opposite But above all, the pig war is a
without drafts. is charted by former RN officer San Juan to stake a e a end of San Juan. reminder that war’s too serious a
Commission Book for HMS Eagle’s
Temeraire’s retirement was turned historian, E C Coleman more permanentnnt And so began a business to be left to the bigwigs,
first commission 1951-1954 for book
long, but it did not diminish (History Press, £14.99 ISBN 978- claim to the island. ‘cold war’ where the while the men on the ground
project. Good price happily paid, or
her fame. Her final journey to 0-7524-52272). Among the only people fighting viewed things far more sensibly – most grateful for loan.
the breaker’s yard was reported The pig, of course, wasn’t the settlers was were the diplomats and and amicably. Contact Denis 01353 741431
by a myriad of newspapers and issue, but it was the casus belli. one Lyman generals.
denis@interairpress.co.uk
contemporary journals, her For a number of years in the Cutler, a farmer The two opposing sides
passing provoked lament and mid-19th Century, Britain and the of staggering on the island regularly
drew huge crowds to Rotherhithe, United States had been squabbling ineptitude. Cutlertler entertained each other (the
among them Joseph Turner. over ownership of an island chain planted a crop of potapotappotattoes oes Brits were cordially invited to
It is as well he did venture which dominated the waters and became rather annoannoyed that take part in July 4 celebrations),
down to the Thames to capture between Vancouver Island and the one of the island’s (Br(B itish) pigs i i h) i there were sporting contests (the
the passing of one era and the North American mainland. kept helping himself to the veg. 100-yard blindfold dash), there
dawn of another, for little else of It was their commanding Building a fence might have were picnics attended not just by
the fighting Temeraire survives: strategic position which led both been a good idea but, no, Cutler the troops but by ladies who’d
most of her timbers were sold to nations to want the San Juan shot the pig. Again the British come across from Victoria.
builders, furniture makers and Islands. Both claimed them. A demanded compensation ($100) The ‘pig war’ petered out in
shipyards. Perhaps, the author showdown was inevitable. and again the Americans said no. amity between the two sides on
muses, they hold up the roof of The first colonial settlers of It’s here that the dispute slips the island, while the respective
a home in Rotherhithe or were San Juan came courtesy of the out of the hands of settlers and governments sought a permanent
turned into that ornament in a Hudson’s Bay Company – 1,300 incompetent farmers and enters solution.
Greenwich antique shop. sheep, a few pigs and a handful the realm of diplomats and It took them 13 years to
He concludes: “The Temeraire of farmers. generals. resolve the dispute; a commission
may now be scattered but she The Americans weren’t chuffed. The American settlers felt eventually ruled in the Americans’
lives on in our hearts and minds They demanded recompense. The threatened. The Army was sent in favour.
today as surely and as steadfastly British said ‘no’, so the Americans to ‘protect’ them: a small garrison In October 1872, the British
as she once lived on the seas that set out to steal the sheep. was established under one garrison – “76 men of the Royal
surround us.” Now sheep without a sheepdog George E Pickett (he would later Marine Light Infantry, fine,
045_NN_Dec.indd 1 19/11/09 18:11:27
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