From: "Submissions for ARC" To: References: <308787445.286372.1279588858434.JavaMail.root@sz0123a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> Subject: Re: Book report Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2010 11:27:11 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_005E_01CB30A3.556DC1D0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3664 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_005E_01CB30A3.556DC1D0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi, I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today. Thanks = again for sending it in. Steve Bamford Aircraft Resource Center http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com Live like there is no tomorrow; Love like you've never been hurt. Work like you don't need the money. Dance like nobody's watching. Sing like nobody's listening. Live like it's Heaven on Earth. ----- Original Message -----=20 From: p-47fan@comcast.net=20 To: Bob Magina ; calisto01 ; Knight, Frank ; Niemiec, Bob ; norm filer = ; Robert Allen ; scottyv3@aol.com ; submissions@arcair.com=20 Cc: p-47fan@cmcast.net=20 Sent: Monday, July 19, 2010 6:20 PM Subject: Book report Here's a little book report you migh be able to use. Phtot to follow. = Hal Sr The Wolf by Richard Guilliatt and Peter Hohnen, published by = Free Press, 2010. by Hal Marshman Sr I have been a member of the Military Book Club for many years, = now, purchasing perhaps 3 titles a year. My latest purchase is the "The = Wolf". No, it's not an animal story, but the story of a gallant ship, = its heroic and intelligent captain, and his long suffering crew, not to = mention the prisoners he took and the ships he sank or caused to be = sunk. The Wolf was a German armed merchant raider, a freighter converted = to a disguised warship by being equipped with 5.9 inch guns, torpedo = tubes, mine laying equipment, and a scout airplane. I am particularly = enamored of raider stories, although I cannot tell you why. I've read = "Swan of the East" about the cruiser SMS Emden and her WW I cruise, and = Count von Luckner's biography and his depredations in the sailing vessel = Seeadler (Sea Eagle), both First World War raiders. I have also read at = least two books about the WW II armed merchant raider Atlantis, and her = captain, Bernhard Rogge. In all of these stories, one fact stands out = that should be mentioned, and that's the gallant and chivalrous manner = in which the captains and crews treated those unfortunates that fell = into their hands. Let me also say that this type treatment even extended = to the WW II pocket battleships Admiral Graf Spee, and Admiral Scheer, = both of which were dispatched to raise havoc among the allied merchant = fleets. Another thing that stands out is the length of the cruises these = vessels made, Wolf, Seeadler, Atlantis, and Scheer are all notable for = staying at sea for more than a year, without touching any port.=20 Wolf, captained by Kapitan Karl Nerger, departed Germany carrying = spare parts and material to alter her appearance, such as false masts, = extensions for her funnel, and fake deck houses. Naturally, her weapons = had to be hidden, and that was by means of droppable bulwarks behind = which the weaponry was concealed. She was also well equipped with the = flags of many nations, under which she sailed, further concealing her = true identity. During the First World War, the usual method of dealng = with a victim, was to approach appearing as innocent as possible. At the = appropriate moment, the bulwarks dropped revealing her weapons. A = warning shot was fired, and the victim was signalled to heave to and not = use her wireless, which was being monitored by the Wolf's radioman.. A = launch would be dispatched carrying an officer and several armed = sailors. They would board the enemy ship, inspect the cargo, and = determine if there was anythng the raider could make use of, and indeed, = if the captured vessel could be taken over by a prize crew, and perhaps = used as an auxiliary, or sent back to Germany. Neutral ships were also = stopped, and if their cargo manifests detailled cargo destined for one = of the Allies, shje would also be taken. The crews of these captured or = sunken vessels were brought back to the Wolf, and with the exception of = captains, or female passengers, be put into a former hold area, called = the "Hell Hole". The book goes into considerable detail describing the = abysmal conditions under which the prisoners were kept. Remember, this = was World war One, and the Wolf had been a coal fired freighter, not a = passenger liner. It would appear that Nerger did as much as humanly = possible to care for his unwilling passenger's needs, if not their = desires. I mentioned female passengers, and indeed, a few women and = their husbands, plus a couple of children were among those taken = prisoner. These folks were put into cabin areas that were as comfortable = as those used by the ship's officers. The Wolf, in addition to taking and sinking merchants, was also a = mine layer, and planted mine fields off South Africa, India, New = Zealand, and Australia. These mines accounted for several Allied = vessels, and as late as 2008, some have shown up, and have caused more = than a few deaths, as amateurs tried to deal with them. The book goes to = great lengths describing the propaganda ploys by the English, Australian = and New Zealand governments to deny the presence of a raider or her mine = fields. The idea seems to have been to prevent panic, and disastrous = effects on the world markets, or the interruption of merchant commerce, = vital to the survival of the Allies.One item of note is how and why the = British government kept all her warships, plus those of the Commonwealth = countries in the Atlantic protecting convoys against U-boat = depradations. The Pacific was denuded of Naval protection, save for a = very few small cruisers and auxiliaries, which were spread so very thin, = as to provide no protection against the Wolf at all. The Japanese, = allies of Britain, were supposed to provide some Naval units, but until = one of their own merchant ships went missing, did very little. The authors bring their story to a conclusion describing the = triumphal return of the SMS Wolf to Germany, having penetrated the = Allied blockade, and survived very extreme weather hazards. There is a = photograph section, with pictures of the Wolf, Nerger, a couple of her = victims, and some of her passengers. The back of the book contains lists = of all Wolf's crew, and not to be left out, most of her prisoners, not = to mention the names of the vessels the Wolf sank, and those whose = sinkings could be attributed to her mine laying. I must say that I = enjoyed this book tremendously, and really to hated to lay it down. = Hal Sr ------=_NextPart_000_005E_01CB30A3.556DC1D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable =EF=BB=BF
 
Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC = today. =20 Thanks again for sending it in.
 
Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourc= ecenter.com
 
Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been=20 hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's=20 watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on=20 Earth.
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 p-47fan@comcast.net
To: Bob Magina ; calisto01=20 ; Knight,=20 Frank ; Niemiec, Bob ; norm filer ; Robert Allen ; scottyv3@aol.com ;=20 submissions@arcair.com =
Cc: p-47fan@cmcast.net
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2010 = 6:20 PM
Subject: Book report

Here's a little book report you migh be able to use.  Phtot to = follow.=20 Hal Sr

 

The Wolf      by Richard Guilliatt and = Peter=20 Hohnen,  published by Free Press,=20 2010.      =20        by  Hal Marshman Sr

 

    I have been a member of the Military Book Club = for many=20 years, now, purchasing perhaps 3 titles a year. My latest purchase is = the "The=20 Wolf". No, it's not an animal story, but the story of a gallant ship, = its=20 heroic and intelligent captain, and his long suffering crew, not to = mention=20 the prisoners he took and the ships he sank or caused to be sunk. The = Wolf was=20 a German armed merchant raider, a freighter converted to a = disguised=20 warship by being equipped with 5.9 inch guns, torpedo tubes, mine = laying=20 equipment, and a scout airplane. I am particularly enamored of raider = stories,=20 although I cannot tell you why. I've read "Swan of the East" about the = cruiser=20 SMS Emden and her WW I cruise, and Count von Luckner's biography and = his=20 depredations in the sailing vessel Seeadler (Sea Eagle), both First = World War=20 raiders. I have also read at least two books about the WW II armed = merchant=20 raider Atlantis, and her captain, Bernhard Rogge. In all of these = stories, one=20 fact stands out that should be mentioned, and that's the gallant and=20 chivalrous manner in which the captains and crews treated those = unfortunates=20 that fell into their hands. Let me also say that this type treatment = even=20 extended to the WW II pocket battleships Admiral Graf Spee, and = Admiral=20 Scheer, both of which were dispatched to raise havoc among the allied = merchant=20 fleets. Another thing that stands out is the length of the cruises = these=20 vessels made, Wolf, Seeadler, Atlantis, and Scheer are all notable for = staying=20 at sea for more than a year, without touching any port.

 

    Wolf, captained by Kapitan Karl Nerger, departed = Germany=20 carrying spare parts and material to alter her appearance, such as = false=20 masts, extensions for her funnel, and fake deck houses. Naturally, her = weapons=20 had to be hidden, and that was by means of droppable bulwarks behind = which the=20 weaponry was concealed. She was also well equipped with the flags of = many=20 nations, under which she sailed, further concealing her true identity. = During=20 the First World War, the usual method of dealng with a victim, was to = approach=20 appearing as innocent as possible. At the appropriate moment, the = bulwarks=20 dropped revealing her weapons. A warning shot was fired, and the = victim was=20 signalled to heave to and not use her wireless, which was being = monitored by=20  the Wolf's radioman.. A launch would be dispatched carrying an = officer=20 and several armed sailors. They would board the enemy ship, inspect = the cargo,=20 and determine if there was anythng the raider could make use of, and = indeed,=20 if the captured vessel could be taken over by a prize crew, and = perhaps used=20 as an auxiliary, or sent back to Germany. Neutral ships were also = stopped, and=20 if their cargo manifests detailled cargo destined for one of the = Allies, shje=20 would also be taken. The crews of these captured or sunken vessels = were=20 brought back to the Wolf, and with the exception of captains, or = female=20 passengers, be put into a former hold area, called the "Hell Hole". = The book=20 goes into considerable detail describing the abysmal conditions under = which=20 the prisoners were kept. Remember, this was World war One, and the = Wolf had=20 been a coal fired freighter, not a passenger liner. It would appear = that=20 Nerger did as much as humanly possible to care for his unwilling = passenger's=20 needs, if not their desires. I mentioned female passengers, and = indeed, a few=20 women and their husbands, plus a couple of children were among those = taken=20 prisoner. These folks were put into cabin areas that were as = comfortable as=20 those used by the ship's officers.

 

    The Wolf, in addition to taking and sinking = merchants,=20 was also a mine layer, and planted mine fields off South Africa, = India, New=20 Zealand, and Australia. These mines accounted for several Allied = vessels, and=20 as late as 2008, some have shown up, and have caused more than a few = deaths,=20 as amateurs tried to deal with them. The book goes to great lengths = describing=20 the propaganda ploys by the English, Australian and New Zealand = governments to=20 deny the presence of a raider or her mine fields. The idea seems to = have been=20 to prevent panic, and disastrous effects on the world markets, or the=20 interruption of merchant commerce, vital to the survival of the = Allies.One=20 item of note is how and why the British government kept all her = warships, plus=20 those of the Commonwealth  countries in the Atlantic protecting = convoys=20 against U-boat depradations. The Pacific was denuded of Naval = protection, save=20 for a very few small cruisers and auxiliaries, which were spread so = very thin,=20 as to provide no protection against the Wolf at all. The Japanese, = allies of=20 Britain, were supposed to provide some Naval units, but until one of = their own=20 merchant ships went missing, did very little.

 

    The authors bring their story to a conclusion = describing=20 the triumphal return of the SMS Wolf to Germany, having penetrated the = Allied=20 blockade, and survived very extreme weather hazards. There is a = photograph=20 section, with pictures of the Wolf, Nerger, a couple of her victims, = and some=20 of her passengers. The back of the book contains lists of all Wolf's = crew, and=20 not to be left out, most of her prisoners, not to mention the names of = the=20 vessels the Wolf sank, and those whose sinkings could be attributed to = her=20 mine laying. I must say that I enjoyed this book tremendously, and = really to=20 hated to lay it down.   Hal = Sr

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