July 27, 2025 • 27 mins
Delve deep into the clandestine world of submarine warfare during WWI with the Journal of Submarine Commander Von Forstner. As the commander of the German U-boat U-28, Forstner provides an unvarnished account of the gritty realities of life under the sea, including detailed descriptions of torpedo attacks on Allied ships. First published in 1916, this 1917 English translation aimed to support the Allied war effort by revealing the fearsome nature of their invisible enemy. Inspired by a visit to the captured WWII German U-505 submarine at Chicagos Museum of Science and Industry, this audio reading offers a visceral understanding of the claustrophobic conditions endured by the submarines crew, exemplified by the cramped sleeping quarters nestled alongside 15-foot-long torpedoes. This is a journey into the heart of the submarine warfare experience. (Introduction by Sue Anderson)
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Part one of the Journal of Submarine Commander von Forstner
by Georg Gunte Fraher von Forstner, translated by Anna Kraftskodman,
with commentary by John Hays Hammond Junior. This is the
LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
(00:26):
Recording by Sue Anderson, The Journal of Submarine Commander von Forstner,
Chapter one ordered to command a submarine every year about
the first of October, at the time of the Great
Army maneuvers, new appointments are also made in the Navy.
But unlike our army brothers, who from beginning to end
(00:48):
remain permanently either in the artillery, cavalry or infantry, we
officers of the Navy are shifted from cruiser to torpedo boat,
from the ship of the line to the hated Office
desk on Land at the Admiralty. In order to fit
us to serve our Almighty Warlord in every capacity and
to the best advantage. The commander of a torpedo boat
(01:10):
must be familiar with the service on board a dreadnought
or on any other large ship, for only those who
are intimately acquainted with the kind of ship they are
going to attack possess sufficient skill to destroy it. For
the first time, in the autumn of nineteen hundred and dash,
some of us were surprised at the announcement ordered on
(01:33):
board a submarine. This order naturally met with an immediate response,
but it brought a new outlook on the possibilities of
our career, for we had not yet been trained in
this branch of the service, which our Almighty Warlord had
only recently added to the Imperial Navy. The question was
should we be able to perform this new duty. It
(01:56):
is well known that the French were the first to
complete a type of submarine navigable under seas, and the English,
unwillingly but with a sly anticipation of coming events, copied
this type of boat. To all outward appearance, we kept
aloof from following the example of our neighbors, and our
chiefs of the Admiralty were beset with expostulations on the subject,
(02:20):
but they were silently biding their time, while our enemies
of to day were bragging about their successful experiments with
their newly constructed submarines. To the dismay and astonishment of
our opponents. It was only when the right hour had
struck that our navy revealed that it had similar weapons
at its command. It therefore prepared for them some disagreeable surprises,
(02:45):
and set its special seal from the very beginning on
the maritime warfare. I remember a talk I had with
an old army officer a few years ago, when I
had just received my appointment to a submarine. We were
speaking of U boats and aeroplanes, and he exclaimed, ah,
my dear Forstner, give it up. The bottom of the
(03:07):
ocean is for fishes, and the sky is for birds.
What would have happened to us in this war had
we not so proudly excelled above the earth and beneath
the sea. At first, a mystery still veiled our knowledge
concerning our submarines. We were told that the dear good
old U Boat number one had splendidly stood every test,
(03:31):
and shortly after, in October nineteen hundred and dash I
went on board and had the honor later to command
her for two years. But during this period, for several years,
the greatest secrecy surrounded this new weapon of our navy.
Strictest orders were given to admit no one on board,
(03:53):
not even high officers. Only admirals were allowed to penetrate
within and on every matter concerning our U boats. We
had to maintain absolute silence. Now, however, that our usefulness
has been so fully justified, the veil of discretion can
be somewhat lifted, and I can describe, within certain limits,
(04:16):
the life and activities on board a submarine. Chapter two,
Breathing and living conditions under water. A submarine conceals within
its small compass the most concentrated technical disposition known in
the art of mechanical construction, especially so in the spaces
reserved for the steering gear of the boat and for
(04:39):
the manipulation of its weapons. The life on board becomes
such a matter of habit that we can peacefully sleep
at great depths under the sea, while the noise is
distinctly heard of the propellers of the enemy's ships hunting
for us overhead. For water is an excellent sound conductor
and conveys from a life long distance the approach of
(05:01):
a steamer. We are often asked, how can you breathe
under water? The health of our crew is the best
proof that this is fully possible, we possessed as fellow
passengers a dozen guinea pigs, the gift of a kindly
and anxious friend who had been told these little creatures
were very sensitive to the ill effects of a vitiated atmosphere.
(05:25):
They flourished in our midst and proved amusing companions. It
is essential before a U boat submerges to drive out
the exhausted air through powerful ventilating machines and to suck
in the purest air obtainable, but often in war time,
one is obliged to dive with the emanations of cooking
(05:48):
machine oil and the breath of the crew still permeating
the atmosphere, for it is of the utmost importance to
the success of a submarine attack that the enemy should
not detect our presence. Therefore, it is impossible at such
short notice to clear the air within the boat. These conditions, however,
(06:09):
are bearable, although one must be constantly on the watch
to supply in time fresh ventilation. Notwithstanding certain assertions in
the press of alleged discoveries to supply new sources of air,
the actual amount remains unchanged from the moment of submersion,
(06:29):
and there is no possibility either through ventilators or any
other device so far known in U boat construction to
draw in fresh air under water. This air, however, can
be purified from the carbonic acid gas exhalations by releasing
the necessary proportion of oxygen. If the carbonic acid gas
(06:51):
increases in excess proportion, then it produces well known symptoms
in a different degree in different individuals, such as extreme
fatigue and violent headaches. Under such conditions, the crew would
be unable to perform the strenuous maneuver demanded of it,
and the carbonic acid must be withdrawn and oxygen admitted.
(07:15):
The ventilation system of the entire submarine is connected with
certain chemicals through which the air circulates, whose property is
to absorb and retain the carbonic acid. Preparations of potassium
are usually employed for this purpose. Simultaneously, cylinders of oxygen
under fairly high pressure spray oxygen into the ventilation system,
(07:40):
which is released in a measure proportionate to the number
of the crew. There is a meter in the distributing
section of the oxygen tubes, which is set to act
automatically at a certain ratio per man. The ordinary atmosphere
is bearable for a long time, and this costly method
of cleansing the air is used only as a last resort.
(08:03):
The moment at which it must be employed is closely
calculated to correspond not only with the atmospheric conditions at
the time of submersion, but also to the cubic quantity
of air apportioned to each man according to his activities
and according to the size of the boat. It is
(08:23):
unnecessary to clear the air artificially during a short submersion,
but during prolonged ones it is advisable to begin doing
so at an early hour to prevent the carbonic acid
gas from gaining a disproportionate percentage as it becomes then
more difficult to control, and it is obvious that it
(08:43):
is impossible to dissipate the fumes of cooking, the odors
of the machine oil, and the breath of the crew.
Taken altogether, one can live comfortably under seas, although there
is a certain discomfort from the ever increasing warmth produced
by the working of the electrical machinery and from the
(09:05):
condensation created by the high temperature on the surface of
the boat plunged in cold water, which is more noticeable
in winter and in colder regions. It is interesting to
observe that the occupations of the crew determine the atmospheric conditions.
The quantity of air required by a human body depends
(09:26):
entirely on its activity. A man working hard absorbs in
an hour eighty five liters of air. Besides the commander,
who is vigorously engaged in the turret, as will be
hereafter described, the men employed in the lateral and depth
steering and those handling the torpedo tubes are doing hard
(09:48):
physical work. The inactive men use up a far smaller
quantity of air, and it is ascertained that a man
asleep requires hourly only fifteen leaders of air. A well
drilled crew off duty is therefore expected to sleep at once,
(10:10):
undisturbed by the noise around them, and their efficiency is
all the greater when the time comes to relieve their
weary comrades. We had a wireless operator on board whose
duties ceased after submersion, and he had so well perfected
the art of sleeping that he never cost us more
(10:30):
than fifteen leaders of air hourly. Under seas, the length
of time that a U boat can remain under water depends,
as we stated above, on the atmospheric conditions at the
moment of plunging, and on the amount of oxygen and
chemicals taken on board, we can stay submerged for several days,
(10:52):
and a longer period will probably never be necessary. The
distance of vision varies somewhat under water, as we look
out from the side windows cut into the steel armor
of the commander's conning tower. We can naturally see farther
in the clear water of the deep ocean than in
the turbid dirty water at the mouth of a river,
(11:14):
and the surface of the water bottom has a direct
influence on the site, which is far more distinct over
a light sand than over dark seaweed or black rocks,
and at an upper level the sunshine is noticeable many
meters under water, but in any case, the vision under
seas is of the shortest and does not extend beyond
(11:37):
a few meters. Light objects, and even the stem and
stern of our own boat are invisible from the turret.
We are unaware, therefore, of advancing ships, derelicts, or projecting rocks,
and no lookout can preserve us from these dangers. The
crew is entirely ignorant of their surroundings. Only the commander
(12:01):
in his turret surveys through the periscope now and then
a small sector of the horizon, and in turning round
the periscope he gradually perceives the entire horizon. But this
survey demands great physical exertion, which on a long cruise
is most fatiguing. The periscopes erected through the upper cover
(12:24):
of the turret must not be too easily turned in
their sockets, and the latter are very tightly screwed in,
for otherwise they would not be able to resist the
water pressure at a great depth. The effort of simply
turning the periscope is so exhausting that casual observations of
the horizon are made by the officer of the watch.
(12:48):
But during naval maneuvers or in time of war, the
commander alone manipulates the periscope. It is essential in this
case that the periscope should not arise needlessly above water
and betray the presence of the U boat. The commander
must possess the absolute confidence of his crew, for their
(13:09):
lives are in his hands. In this small and carefully
selected company, each man from the commanding officer down to
the sailor boy, and down to the stoker knows that
each one is serving in his own appointed place, and
they perform their duties serenely and efficiently. I have always
(13:31):
allowed every man on board, once in turn, to have
a look through the periscope. It is their highest ambition,
and the result is excellent, for it reassures them, and
they feel more confident as to their own safety after
the granting of this small favor. As we advance under seas,
(13:54):
unless passing through a school of fish, we seldom see
any fish, for the noise of the prope frightens them away.
But when we lie at rest on the bottom of
the ocean, the electric lights allure them, and they come
and stare at us with goggling eyes, close to the
windows in the turret. The life therefore in our cylinder,
(14:15):
as we call it, offers a good deal of variety.
The term cylinder is exact, for the inner confirmation of
a submarine is necessarily rounded, so that relatively thin partitions
can successfully resist the greatest pressure of water. Chapter three,
Submersion and torpedo fire. A new passenger for the first
(14:38):
time in a submarine has often professed to be unaware
that he was fathoms deep under water. And has been
quite unconscious that the boat had been diving. Of course,
his astonishment indicates that he was not in the compartment
where these maneuvers take place. For it is in the
commander's turret that the whole apparatus is centralized for submersion,
(15:02):
for steering to the right depth, and also for immersion.
At this juncture, every man must be at his post,
and each one of the thirty members of the crew
must feel individually responsible for the safety of the whole
in the difficult and rapid maneuver of plunging, For the
(15:22):
slightest mistake may endanger the security of the boat. The
central control situated in the commander's turret is in reality
the brain of the boat. When the alarm signal is
heard to change the course from surface navigation to subsurface navigation,
several previously designated members of the crew take their post
(15:44):
of duty in the commander's turret. The commander himself is
on duty during the whole of the expedition in time
of war, and he seldom gets a chance for rest
in his tiny little cabin day and night. If there
is the slighter suspicion of the approach of the enemy,
he watches on the exposed bridge on the top of
(16:05):
the turret for a few seconds. Delay in submerging might
forfeit the taking of a much coveted prize. So he
learns to do without sleep, or to catch a few
brief seconds of repose by lying down in his wet clothes,
and he is at once ready to respond to the
alarm signal of the officer of the watch. In one bound.
(16:28):
He is once more surveying the horizon through the periscope,
or mounts to the bridge to determine with his powerful
field glass whether friend or foe is in sight. His
observations must be taken in the space of a few seconds,
for the enemy is also constantly on the lookout, and
continual practice enables the sailor in the crow's nest to
(16:50):
detect the slender stem of a periscope, although the hull
of the boat is scarcely visible on the face of
the waters. The commander must come to a prompt decision
as soon as he locates the adversary's exact position. Not
only may a retarded submersion spoil our plan of attack,
but we are exposed to being rammed by a rapidly
(17:13):
advancing steamer. Our haste must be all the greater if
the conditions of visibility are impaired, as is often the
case on the high seas, for it takes time for
the U boat to submerge completely, and during this process
it is helplessly exposed to the fire of long distance guns. Calmly,
(17:34):
but with great decision, the commander gives the general orders
to submerge the internal combustion engines. The oil motors, which
during surface navigation are used to accelerate the speed of
the boat, are immediately disconnected as they consume too much
air under seas, and electric motors are now quickly attached
(17:56):
and set in motion. They are supplied by a large
large storage battery, which consumes no air and forms the
motive power during subsurface navigation. Of course, electricity might be
employed above water, but it uses up much current, which
is far more expensive than oil, and would be wasted
(18:17):
too rapidly if not economized with care. It would be
convenient to employ the same oil motor for underseas navigation,
but such a machine has not yet been constructed, although
various futile attempts of this kind have been made, with
only one system of propulsion, we should gain much coveted
(18:37):
space and a more evenly distributed weight. Within the same dimensions,
new weapons of attack could be inserted, and also effective
weapons of defense. The inventor of such a device would
earn a large reward. Let him who wants it try
for it quickly with deft hands. The outboard connections, which
(19:00):
served as exhausts for the oil motors, must be closed
in such a way as to resist at once the
high water pressure. It is well known that for every
ten meters under water, we oppose the pressure of one
atmosphere one kilogram to the square centimeter, and we must
(19:20):
be prepared to dive to far greater depths. When all
these openings have been carefully closed and fastened, then begins
the maneuver of submersion. The sea water is admitted into
big open tanks. Powerful suction engines in the central control
of the boat draw out the air from these tanks
(19:40):
so as to increase the rapid inrush of the water.
The chief engineer notifies the captain as soon as the
tanks are sufficiently filled, and an even weight is established,
so as to steer the boat to the proper depth
for attack. Notwithstanding the noise of the machinery. Large wide
open space taking tubes facilitate the delivery of orders between
(20:03):
the commander's turret and the central and now is the
moment the commander gives the order to submerge. All this
may sound very simple, and yet there are a great
many things to consider. In the same manner in which
an airplane is carefully balanced before taking wing into the
high regions of the sky, a submarine must be accurately
(20:26):
weighed and measured before it descends into the watery depths
of the ocean. The briny water of the North Sea
weighs far more than the less salty water of the
Baltic Sea, whose western basin is composed of practically fresh water.
A boat floats higher in the heavily salted waters of
the North Sea, and lies deeper and plunges further down
(20:50):
in the waters of the Baltic The same u boat
therefore must take into its tanks a greater quantity of
water ballast in the North Sea to be properly weighted
than when diving into fresher waters. Even with small submarines
of four hundred tons displacement, there is the enormous difference
(21:10):
of ten tons between one point oh two five specific
weight in the intake of north sea water and one
point zero zero zero specific weight of fresh water. On
the other hand, if too much water is admitted into
the tanks, the submarine may plunge with greater velocity deeper
(21:32):
and deeper beyond its appointed depth. And in such a
case it might even happen that the hull of the
boat could not withstand the overpowering pressure and would be
crushed beneath the mass of water. And yet again, if
too small a quantity of water ballast is admitted into
the tanks, the boat may not sink sufficiently below the surface,
(21:55):
and thus we could not attain an invisible attack, which
is positive latively necessary for our success. How much water, then,
must we take in the answer to this question is
a matter of instinct, education and experience, and we must
also depend on the cleverly devised apparatus made for this purpose.
(22:17):
The submarine, like the airplane, must be always maintained at
the proper level. The weight of the boat varies continually.
During a prolonged voyage, food is devoured and the diving
material of the machinery is consumed. The water in which
the boat swims continually changes weight, and the boat is
imperceptibly raised or lowered in a way very difficult to ascertain.
(22:41):
The officer responsible for the flooding of the submarine must
painstakingly keep its weight under control during the entire navigation.
The weight of a meal eaten by each man of
the crew, the remains of the food, and the boxes
in which it was contained which have been thrown overboard
must be calculated, as well as the weight of the water,
(23:04):
and the officer employs delicate apparatus for these measurements. On
the open seas, these alterations in weight do not occur
very rapidly, but whenever a boat approaches the mouth of
a river, then the transition from salt to fresh water
happens very suddenly and may provoke the undesirable disturbances to
(23:24):
which we have already alluded. Also, warm and cold currents
at different depths produce thermotic conditions which surprisingly change the
weight of the water, peculiar as it may appear. A
submarine must be lightened to descend to a very great depth,
whereas in steering to a higher level, more water must
(23:46):
be admitted into the tanks To prevent our emerging to
the surface with too great suddenness. This demands careful attention, skill,
and experience. The principal condition for the success of a
submarine attack is to steer to the exact depth required.
The periscope must not rise too far above water, for
(24:08):
it might easily be observed by the enemy. But if
by clumsy steering, the top of the periscope descends below
the waves, then it becomes impossible to take aim to
fire the torpedo. The commander therefore must be able to
depend on the two men who control the vertical and
horizontal rudders, whom another officer constantly directs and supervises. When
(24:34):
the boat has reached the prescribed depth, a close examination
is made of all the outward leading pipes to see
if they can properly resist the water pressure. If any
tiny leak has been sprung, every cap must be tightly
screwed down, for it is evident it would be very
undesirable if any leak should occur and increase the heaviness
(24:56):
of the submarine. Absolute silence must prevail so that any
dripping or greater influx in the tanks can be observed
quietly and silently. The boat advances against the enemy. The
only audible sounds are the purring of the electric motors
and the unavoidable noise made by the manipulation of the
(25:19):
vertical and horizontal rudders. Alert and speechless, every man on
board awaits a sign from the commander, who is watching
in the turret. But some time may elapse now that
the periscope is lowered and nearly on the level of
the waters, before the adversary becomes visible again. The ship
(25:39):
may have changed her course and have taken an opposite
direction to the one she was following at the moment
we submerged. In that case, she would be out of reach,
and all our preparations prove useless. At various intervals, the
commander presses an electric button and raises and lowers the
periscope as quickly as possible, so as to take his
(26:02):
own observation without, if possible, being observed himself, for he
knows that any injury to the periscope, his most priceless jewel, would,
as it were, render the boat blind and rob him
of the much coveted laurel leaves. During these short glimpses,
(26:22):
the commander only perceives a little sky and the wide
round plate of the reflected sea with its dancing waves.
While the nervous tension of the expectant crew increases every minute,
at last is heard a joyous outcry from the commander.
The fellows are coming, and after one quick glance to
(26:44):
locate the enemy exactly, the periscope is lowered. Now every
heart beats with happy anticipation, and every nerve quivers with excitement.
End of Part one.
Part one of the Journal of Submarine Commander von Forstner
by Georg Gunte Fraher von Forstner, translated by Anna Kraftskodman,
with commentary by John Hays Hammond Junior. This is the
LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
(00:26):
Recording by Sue Anderson, The Journal of Submarine Commander von Forstner,
Chapter one ordered to command a submarine every year about
the first of October, at the time of the Great
Army maneuvers, new appointments are also made in the Navy.
But unlike our army brothers, who from beginning to end
(00:48):
remain permanently either in the artillery, cavalry or infantry, we
officers of the Navy are shifted from cruiser to torpedo boat,
from the ship of the line to the hated Office
desk on Land at the Admiralty. In order to fit
us to serve our Almighty Warlord in every capacity and
to the best advantage. The commander of a torpedo boat
(01:10):
must be familiar with the service on board a dreadnought
or on any other large ship, for only those who
are intimately acquainted with the kind of ship they are
going to attack possess sufficient skill to destroy it. For
the first time, in the autumn of nineteen hundred and dash,
some of us were surprised at the announcement ordered on
(01:33):
board a submarine. This order naturally met with an immediate response,
but it brought a new outlook on the possibilities of
our career, for we had not yet been trained in
this branch of the service, which our Almighty Warlord had
only recently added to the Imperial Navy. The question was
should we be able to perform this new duty. It
(01:56):
is well known that the French were the first to
complete a type of submarine navigable under seas, and the English,
unwillingly but with a sly anticipation of coming events, copied
this type of boat. To all outward appearance, we kept
aloof from following the example of our neighbors, and our
chiefs of the Admiralty were beset with expostulations on the subject,
(02:20):
but they were silently biding their time, while our enemies
of to day were bragging about their successful experiments with
their newly constructed submarines. To the dismay and astonishment of
our opponents. It was only when the right hour had
struck that our navy revealed that it had similar weapons
at its command. It therefore prepared for them some disagreeable surprises,
(02:45):
and set its special seal from the very beginning on
the maritime warfare. I remember a talk I had with
an old army officer a few years ago, when I
had just received my appointment to a submarine. We were
speaking of U boats and aeroplanes, and he exclaimed, ah,
my dear Forstner, give it up. The bottom of the
(03:07):
ocean is for fishes, and the sky is for birds.
What would have happened to us in this war had
we not so proudly excelled above the earth and beneath
the sea. At first, a mystery still veiled our knowledge
concerning our submarines. We were told that the dear good
old U Boat number one had splendidly stood every test,
(03:31):
and shortly after, in October nineteen hundred and dash I
went on board and had the honor later to command
her for two years. But during this period, for several years,
the greatest secrecy surrounded this new weapon of our navy.
Strictest orders were given to admit no one on board,
(03:53):
not even high officers. Only admirals were allowed to penetrate
within and on every matter concerning our U boats. We
had to maintain absolute silence. Now, however, that our usefulness
has been so fully justified, the veil of discretion can
be somewhat lifted, and I can describe, within certain limits,
(04:16):
the life and activities on board a submarine. Chapter two,
Breathing and living conditions under water. A submarine conceals within
its small compass the most concentrated technical disposition known in
the art of mechanical construction, especially so in the spaces
reserved for the steering gear of the boat and for
(04:39):
the manipulation of its weapons. The life on board becomes
such a matter of habit that we can peacefully sleep
at great depths under the sea, while the noise is
distinctly heard of the propellers of the enemy's ships hunting
for us overhead. For water is an excellent sound conductor
and conveys from a life long distance the approach of
(05:01):
a steamer. We are often asked, how can you breathe
under water? The health of our crew is the best
proof that this is fully possible, we possessed as fellow
passengers a dozen guinea pigs, the gift of a kindly
and anxious friend who had been told these little creatures
were very sensitive to the ill effects of a vitiated atmosphere.
(05:25):
They flourished in our midst and proved amusing companions. It
is essential before a U boat submerges to drive out
the exhausted air through powerful ventilating machines and to suck
in the purest air obtainable, but often in war time,
one is obliged to dive with the emanations of cooking
(05:48):
machine oil and the breath of the crew still permeating
the atmosphere, for it is of the utmost importance to
the success of a submarine attack that the enemy should
not detect our presence. Therefore, it is impossible at such
short notice to clear the air within the boat. These conditions, however,
(06:09):
are bearable, although one must be constantly on the watch
to supply in time fresh ventilation. Notwithstanding certain assertions in
the press of alleged discoveries to supply new sources of air,
the actual amount remains unchanged from the moment of submersion,
(06:29):
and there is no possibility either through ventilators or any
other device so far known in U boat construction to
draw in fresh air under water. This air, however, can
be purified from the carbonic acid gas exhalations by releasing
the necessary proportion of oxygen. If the carbonic acid gas
(06:51):
increases in excess proportion, then it produces well known symptoms
in a different degree in different individuals, such as extreme
fatigue and violent headaches. Under such conditions, the crew would
be unable to perform the strenuous maneuver demanded of it,
and the carbonic acid must be withdrawn and oxygen admitted.
(07:15):
The ventilation system of the entire submarine is connected with
certain chemicals through which the air circulates, whose property is
to absorb and retain the carbonic acid. Preparations of potassium
are usually employed for this purpose. Simultaneously, cylinders of oxygen
under fairly high pressure spray oxygen into the ventilation system,
(07:40):
which is released in a measure proportionate to the number
of the crew. There is a meter in the distributing
section of the oxygen tubes, which is set to act
automatically at a certain ratio per man. The ordinary atmosphere
is bearable for a long time, and this costly method
of cleansing the air is used only as a last resort.
(08:03):
The moment at which it must be employed is closely
calculated to correspond not only with the atmospheric conditions at
the time of submersion, but also to the cubic quantity
of air apportioned to each man according to his activities
and according to the size of the boat. It is
(08:23):
unnecessary to clear the air artificially during a short submersion,
but during prolonged ones it is advisable to begin doing
so at an early hour to prevent the carbonic acid
gas from gaining a disproportionate percentage as it becomes then
more difficult to control, and it is obvious that it
(08:43):
is impossible to dissipate the fumes of cooking, the odors
of the machine oil, and the breath of the crew.
Taken altogether, one can live comfortably under seas, although there
is a certain discomfort from the ever increasing warmth produced
by the working of the electrical machinery and from the
(09:05):
condensation created by the high temperature on the surface of
the boat plunged in cold water, which is more noticeable
in winter and in colder regions. It is interesting to
observe that the occupations of the crew determine the atmospheric conditions.
The quantity of air required by a human body depends
(09:26):
entirely on its activity. A man working hard absorbs in
an hour eighty five liters of air. Besides the commander,
who is vigorously engaged in the turret, as will be
hereafter described, the men employed in the lateral and depth
steering and those handling the torpedo tubes are doing hard
(09:48):
physical work. The inactive men use up a far smaller
quantity of air, and it is ascertained that a man
asleep requires hourly only fifteen leaders of air. A well
drilled crew off duty is therefore expected to sleep at once,
(10:10):
undisturbed by the noise around them, and their efficiency is
all the greater when the time comes to relieve their
weary comrades. We had a wireless operator on board whose
duties ceased after submersion, and he had so well perfected
the art of sleeping that he never cost us more
(10:30):
than fifteen leaders of air hourly. Under seas, the length
of time that a U boat can remain under water depends,
as we stated above, on the atmospheric conditions at the
moment of plunging, and on the amount of oxygen and
chemicals taken on board, we can stay submerged for several days,
(10:52):
and a longer period will probably never be necessary. The
distance of vision varies somewhat under water, as we look
out from the side windows cut into the steel armor
of the commander's conning tower. We can naturally see farther
in the clear water of the deep ocean than in
the turbid dirty water at the mouth of a river,
(11:14):
and the surface of the water bottom has a direct
influence on the site, which is far more distinct over
a light sand than over dark seaweed or black rocks,
and at an upper level the sunshine is noticeable many
meters under water, but in any case, the vision under
seas is of the shortest and does not extend beyond
(11:37):
a few meters. Light objects, and even the stem and
stern of our own boat are invisible from the turret.
We are unaware, therefore, of advancing ships, derelicts, or projecting rocks,
and no lookout can preserve us from these dangers. The
crew is entirely ignorant of their surroundings. Only the commander
(12:01):
in his turret surveys through the periscope now and then
a small sector of the horizon, and in turning round
the periscope he gradually perceives the entire horizon. But this
survey demands great physical exertion, which on a long cruise
is most fatiguing. The periscopes erected through the upper cover
(12:24):
of the turret must not be too easily turned in
their sockets, and the latter are very tightly screwed in,
for otherwise they would not be able to resist the
water pressure at a great depth. The effort of simply
turning the periscope is so exhausting that casual observations of
the horizon are made by the officer of the watch.
(12:48):
But during naval maneuvers or in time of war, the
commander alone manipulates the periscope. It is essential in this
case that the periscope should not arise needlessly above water
and betray the presence of the U boat. The commander
must possess the absolute confidence of his crew, for their
(13:09):
lives are in his hands. In this small and carefully
selected company, each man from the commanding officer down to
the sailor boy, and down to the stoker knows that
each one is serving in his own appointed place, and
they perform their duties serenely and efficiently. I have always
(13:31):
allowed every man on board, once in turn, to have
a look through the periscope. It is their highest ambition,
and the result is excellent, for it reassures them, and
they feel more confident as to their own safety after
the granting of this small favor. As we advance under seas,
(13:54):
unless passing through a school of fish, we seldom see
any fish, for the noise of the prope frightens them away.
But when we lie at rest on the bottom of
the ocean, the electric lights allure them, and they come
and stare at us with goggling eyes, close to the
windows in the turret. The life therefore in our cylinder,
(14:15):
as we call it, offers a good deal of variety.
The term cylinder is exact, for the inner confirmation of
a submarine is necessarily rounded, so that relatively thin partitions
can successfully resist the greatest pressure of water. Chapter three,
Submersion and torpedo fire. A new passenger for the first
(14:38):
time in a submarine has often professed to be unaware
that he was fathoms deep under water. And has been
quite unconscious that the boat had been diving. Of course,
his astonishment indicates that he was not in the compartment
where these maneuvers take place. For it is in the
commander's turret that the whole apparatus is centralized for submersion,
(15:02):
for steering to the right depth, and also for immersion.
At this juncture, every man must be at his post,
and each one of the thirty members of the crew
must feel individually responsible for the safety of the whole
in the difficult and rapid maneuver of plunging, For the
(15:22):
slightest mistake may endanger the security of the boat. The
central control situated in the commander's turret is in reality
the brain of the boat. When the alarm signal is
heard to change the course from surface navigation to subsurface navigation,
several previously designated members of the crew take their post
(15:44):
of duty in the commander's turret. The commander himself is
on duty during the whole of the expedition in time
of war, and he seldom gets a chance for rest
in his tiny little cabin day and night. If there
is the slighter suspicion of the approach of the enemy,
he watches on the exposed bridge on the top of
(16:05):
the turret for a few seconds. Delay in submerging might
forfeit the taking of a much coveted prize. So he
learns to do without sleep, or to catch a few
brief seconds of repose by lying down in his wet clothes,
and he is at once ready to respond to the
alarm signal of the officer of the watch. In one bound.
(16:28):
He is once more surveying the horizon through the periscope,
or mounts to the bridge to determine with his powerful
field glass whether friend or foe is in sight. His
observations must be taken in the space of a few seconds,
for the enemy is also constantly on the lookout, and
continual practice enables the sailor in the crow's nest to
(16:50):
detect the slender stem of a periscope, although the hull
of the boat is scarcely visible on the face of
the waters. The commander must come to a prompt decision
as soon as he locates the adversary's exact position. Not
only may a retarded submersion spoil our plan of attack,
but we are exposed to being rammed by a rapidly
(17:13):
advancing steamer. Our haste must be all the greater if
the conditions of visibility are impaired, as is often the
case on the high seas, for it takes time for
the U boat to submerge completely, and during this process
it is helplessly exposed to the fire of long distance guns. Calmly,
(17:34):
but with great decision, the commander gives the general orders
to submerge the internal combustion engines. The oil motors, which
during surface navigation are used to accelerate the speed of
the boat, are immediately disconnected as they consume too much
air under seas, and electric motors are now quickly attached
(17:56):
and set in motion. They are supplied by a large
large storage battery, which consumes no air and forms the
motive power during subsurface navigation. Of course, electricity might be
employed above water, but it uses up much current, which
is far more expensive than oil, and would be wasted
(18:17):
too rapidly if not economized with care. It would be
convenient to employ the same oil motor for underseas navigation,
but such a machine has not yet been constructed, although
various futile attempts of this kind have been made, with
only one system of propulsion, we should gain much coveted
(18:37):
space and a more evenly distributed weight. Within the same dimensions,
new weapons of attack could be inserted, and also effective
weapons of defense. The inventor of such a device would
earn a large reward. Let him who wants it try
for it quickly with deft hands. The outboard connections, which
(19:00):
served as exhausts for the oil motors, must be closed
in such a way as to resist at once the
high water pressure. It is well known that for every
ten meters under water, we oppose the pressure of one
atmosphere one kilogram to the square centimeter, and we must
(19:20):
be prepared to dive to far greater depths. When all
these openings have been carefully closed and fastened, then begins
the maneuver of submersion. The sea water is admitted into
big open tanks. Powerful suction engines in the central control
of the boat draw out the air from these tanks
(19:40):
so as to increase the rapid inrush of the water.
The chief engineer notifies the captain as soon as the
tanks are sufficiently filled, and an even weight is established,
so as to steer the boat to the proper depth
for attack. Notwithstanding the noise of the machinery. Large wide
open space taking tubes facilitate the delivery of orders between
(20:03):
the commander's turret and the central and now is the
moment the commander gives the order to submerge. All this
may sound very simple, and yet there are a great
many things to consider. In the same manner in which
an airplane is carefully balanced before taking wing into the
high regions of the sky, a submarine must be accurately
(20:26):
weighed and measured before it descends into the watery depths
of the ocean. The briny water of the North Sea
weighs far more than the less salty water of the
Baltic Sea, whose western basin is composed of practically fresh water.
A boat floats higher in the heavily salted waters of
the North Sea, and lies deeper and plunges further down
(20:50):
in the waters of the Baltic The same u boat
therefore must take into its tanks a greater quantity of
water ballast in the North Sea to be properly weighted
than when diving into fresher waters. Even with small submarines
of four hundred tons displacement, there is the enormous difference
(21:10):
of ten tons between one point oh two five specific
weight in the intake of north sea water and one
point zero zero zero specific weight of fresh water. On
the other hand, if too much water is admitted into
the tanks, the submarine may plunge with greater velocity deeper
(21:32):
and deeper beyond its appointed depth. And in such a
case it might even happen that the hull of the
boat could not withstand the overpowering pressure and would be
crushed beneath the mass of water. And yet again, if
too small a quantity of water ballast is admitted into
the tanks, the boat may not sink sufficiently below the surface,
(21:55):
and thus we could not attain an invisible attack, which
is positive latively necessary for our success. How much water, then,
must we take in the answer to this question is
a matter of instinct, education and experience, and we must
also depend on the cleverly devised apparatus made for this purpose.
(22:17):
The submarine, like the airplane, must be always maintained at
the proper level. The weight of the boat varies continually.
During a prolonged voyage, food is devoured and the diving
material of the machinery is consumed. The water in which
the boat swims continually changes weight, and the boat is
imperceptibly raised or lowered in a way very difficult to ascertain.
(22:41):
The officer responsible for the flooding of the submarine must
painstakingly keep its weight under control during the entire navigation.
The weight of a meal eaten by each man of
the crew, the remains of the food, and the boxes
in which it was contained which have been thrown overboard
must be calculated, as well as the weight of the water,
(23:04):
and the officer employs delicate apparatus for these measurements. On
the open seas, these alterations in weight do not occur
very rapidly, but whenever a boat approaches the mouth of
a river, then the transition from salt to fresh water
happens very suddenly and may provoke the undesirable disturbances to
(23:24):
which we have already alluded. Also, warm and cold currents
at different depths produce thermotic conditions which surprisingly change the
weight of the water, peculiar as it may appear. A
submarine must be lightened to descend to a very great depth,
whereas in steering to a higher level, more water must
(23:46):
be admitted into the tanks To prevent our emerging to
the surface with too great suddenness. This demands careful attention, skill,
and experience. The principal condition for the success of a
submarine attack is to steer to the exact depth required.
The periscope must not rise too far above water, for
(24:08):
it might easily be observed by the enemy. But if
by clumsy steering, the top of the periscope descends below
the waves, then it becomes impossible to take aim to
fire the torpedo. The commander therefore must be able to
depend on the two men who control the vertical and
horizontal rudders, whom another officer constantly directs and supervises. When
(24:34):
the boat has reached the prescribed depth, a close examination
is made of all the outward leading pipes to see
if they can properly resist the water pressure. If any
tiny leak has been sprung, every cap must be tightly
screwed down, for it is evident it would be very
undesirable if any leak should occur and increase the heaviness
(24:56):
of the submarine. Absolute silence must prevail so that any
dripping or greater influx in the tanks can be observed
quietly and silently. The boat advances against the enemy. The
only audible sounds are the purring of the electric motors
and the unavoidable noise made by the manipulation of the
(25:19):
vertical and horizontal rudders. Alert and speechless, every man on
board awaits a sign from the commander, who is watching
in the turret. But some time may elapse now that
the periscope is lowered and nearly on the level of
the waters, before the adversary becomes visible again. The ship
(25:39):
may have changed her course and have taken an opposite
direction to the one she was following at the moment
we submerged. In that case, she would be out of reach,
and all our preparations prove useless. At various intervals, the
commander presses an electric button and raises and lowers the
periscope as quickly as possible, so as to take his
(26:02):
own observation without, if possible, being observed himself, for he
knows that any injury to the periscope, his most priceless jewel, would,
as it were, render the boat blind and rob him
of the much coveted laurel leaves. During these short glimpses,
(26:22):
the commander only perceives a little sky and the wide
round plate of the reflected sea with its dancing waves.
While the nervous tension of the expectant crew increases every minute,
at last is heard a joyous outcry from the commander.
The fellows are coming, and after one quick glance to
(26:44):
locate the enemy exactly, the periscope is lowered. Now every
heart beats with happy anticipation, and every nerve quivers with excitement.
End of Part one.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.