U-Boote Crews: Daily Life, 1939-1945

U-Boote Crews: Daily Life, 1939–1945, by Jean Delize (ISBN 978-2-35250-046-9, Histoire & Collections, 5 Avenue de la Republique, 75441 Paris Cedex 11 France, distributed in the U.S.A. by Casemate, 1016 Warrior Rd., Suite C, Drexel Hill, PA 19026, phone (610) 853-9131, e-mail casemate@casematepublishing.com. Hardcover, 9-1/4” x 12-1/2”, 128 pages, more than 100 color and 350 black and white photos and illustrations, 2007, $42.95).

U-Boote Crews is a heavily illustrated account of the men and officers of the German submarine service in WWII. It examines training, doctrine, political indoctrination, morale and esprit de corps, and everyday life on base and at sea. Moreover, the book is an excellent primer on the occupational profiles of U-boat personnel; patrol, attack, and emergency procedures; communications, and more.

The book features hundreds of fine photos and illustrations, with many archival images showing crewmen and officers at work or enjoying leave on shore. There are also many color photos of specimens from U-boat-related uniforms, equipment, personal effects, documents and ephemera.

A must-have for readers interested in the Kriegsmarine or submarine service in WWII, U-Boote Crews contains a wealth of informative textual and pictorial material. It would also make an excellent companion volume to the recent and authoritative reference, Torpedo Los! The Fascinating World of U-Boat Collectibles, by Gordon Williamson (R. James Bender Publishing, 2006).—Doug Bister