The Kriegsmarine's Schnellboote fast attack boats, or E-boats to the
Allies, were the primary German naval attack units in coastal waters
throughout the Second World War. Operating close to their various bases
they became a devastatingly effective weapon in nearly all the
Kriegsmarine's theatres of war, from the Baltic to the Mediterranean and
the Black Sea. It was in the English Channel, however, that they scored
their most notable successes, destroying some forty warships and more
than one hundred merchant ships. In addition to interception and attack,
they were also used for minelaying, landing sabotage troops and general
escort duties.
There had been, until this book was published, no comprehensive
operational history of the S-boat service in all the theatres in which
it saw service, but due to the relatively small number of units it is
possible to recount the duties and fates of each individual craft and in
this book the author examines the career of each in detail. In addition,
operations alongside the commando units of the Kleinkampfverbande are
covered. As the war progressed, S-boats suffered from the increased
Allied mastery of the seas and skies but they were a formidable foe
right to the end; this fine book was the first to do full justice to
their record of success, and remains the foremost work on their
operational history.
"The history of naval warfare in the Second World War is a well-worn
path, and it is refreshing to encounter a work that is significant and
adds to our understanding. This is quite simply an outstanding book." -
The Mariner's Mirror
