K-men: the story of German frogmen and midget submarines

London: William Kimber, 1961. Reprint. Originally published in 1955. Hardcover. Good in fair dust jacket. Bookplate. Portion blacked over on verso. DJ worn, scuffed with tears.. [2], 202, [6], p., 18 cm. Midget sub diagram on endpapers. Illusttrations. Preface by Hellmuth Heye, formerly Admiral of the K-Force. From Wikipedia: "Germany's postwar commando frogman force are called the Kampfschwimmer ("Combat Swimmers") or Verwendungsgruppe 3402 (Usage Group 3402). They are the only special-purpose force of the German Navy. The Kampfschwimmer were set up when Germany joined NATO in 1958. During the existence of the GDR (East Germany), the People's Navy of the GDR also had a commando frogman force, which was stationed in Kuhlungsborn. They trained at Prora on Rugen. The first German frogman commando unit was formed under the direction of Alfred Von Wurzian during World War Two. Wurzian was initially an artilleryman. He was also an Olympic swimmer. He was originally from Austria. He had to overcome a lot of hurdles to form this specialized unit as many brass types could not buy into the concept of such a specialized unit. The unit's name was Kustenjager-Abteilung "Brandenburg". 1942 onwards: The amateur diver Alfred von Wurzian tested breathing apparatuses (Dräger oxygen rebreathers from Hans Hass) for the Kriegsmarine. 1943: Admiral Karl Donitz orders vice-admiral Hellmuth Heye to create a special unit. One gives him the name of Kleinkampfmittelverband (= Small ordnance association) but it is better known under the name of K-Verband or Meereskampfer (ocean warriors). Its first men, including von Wurzian, were trained by Italian Decima Flottiglia MAS men, who already had much experience. 1944 June: Three German frogman units called MEK = Marine Einsatzkommando become active. Each unit had one officer and 22 men. But they were not ready for D-Day. 1944 June 23: German naval frogmen blow up two bridges on the Orne river, using two torpedoes of 800 kg. 1944 July: There were several attacks by German Neger craft in the English Channel, setting off from Villers sur Mer. On July 8, these attacks badly damaged the cruiser ORP Dragon (which was scuttled on July 20), and sunk the destroyer HMS Isis. 12 attack boats were used in attacks in the mouth of the Orne river. 1944 September 16: By this time the Allies had taken Antwerp. Two teams of five German frogmen left Rotterdam on two attack boats, to attack Antwerp docks. When they were stopped by defence nets, the teams continued by swimming, each towing a torpedo with a ton of explosive. One team placed its torpedo on the main canal lock in Antwerp. The lock was out of use for three months. 1944, night of September 28 29: By now the Allies had taken intact a road bridge at Nijmegen and a railway bridge at Moerdijk, and had immediately installed a strong anti-aircraft defence there. Three groups of four German frogmen set off from 10 km upstream from the bridges. They were to place explosives under the bridges and then to continue with the river current 24 km further to return to their lines. The railway bridge was blown up. The road bridge was only slightly damaged because the mine had been badly placed. Of the 12 men, three were killed, seven were captured, and two returned to their lines. 1944 December: German frogman operations in the Vistula river. After Italy changed sides, the German frogman unit MEK71 based in Jugoslavia made numerous attacks against liberated Italy, using two-man canoes. 1945 February: German frogmen operations in the Oder river. Craft developed by Germany during World War II, The "lentil". It is a fast silent boat carrying 300 kg of explosive The pilot directs it and then jumps in the sea and is collected by another boat. A "chariot" copied from that of the British who copied it from the Italian maiale. The Italians never transmitted to the Germans the plans of their maiale. The "Neger" (German for "negro"), a single-seat torpedo sailing awash at four knots. Its pilot leaves it before precipitating it on the objective. Creation of pocket submarines (one-seater and two-seater). Incompletely planned operations. Plan to attack the underwater oil pipeline PLUTO. Plan to block the Suez Canal by sinking boats in it.