The longest continuous military campaign of World War II, the Battle of the Atlantic is widely considered one of the most complex naval battles in history. Between 1939 and 1945, German U-Boats and warships, together with the Luftwaffe, fought against the Royal Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, the United States Navy and convoys of Allied merchant ships in a series of devastating battles.

In Warfare Beneath The Waves, eminent naval historian Axel Niestlé focuses on three particular convoy battles that took place during this period: the German attacks on Allied Convoy SC 7 in October 1940, on Allied Convoy SC 118 in February 1943 and on Allied Convoys JW 66 and RA 66 in April and May 1945. Niestlé takes readers through these individual battles in incredible detail, with a host of photographs, maps and diagrams supporting his detailed explanation and examination of the history, tactics and key personages behind these campaigns.

The end of secrecy embargoes and the increasing availability of online archives, together with Niestlé’s unmatched expertise in this area of military history, have come together to make Warfare Beneath The Waves a meticulously researched and incredibly important piece of writing about the Battle of the Atlantic. This is a must-read not only for fans of naval history, but for all fans of military history in general.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of Maps and Diagrams, Photo Credits
• Preface
• Introduction
• 1. The Night of the Long Knivess
• Convoy SC 7 – October 1940
• 2. Five Days in Mid-Atlantic
• Convoy SC 118 – February 1943
• 3. The Final Convoy Battle
• JW 66 & RA 66 – April/May 1945
• Appendices
• 1. Allied Day and Night Convoy Escort Positions
• 2. U-boat Officers Deployed against Convoy SC 7
• 3. U-boat Officers Deployed against Convoy SC 118
• 4. U-boat Officers Deployed against JW 66 &RA 66
• 5. Torpedo Attacks on SC 7
• 6. Attacks on U-boats near SC 7
• 7. Torpedo Attacks on SC 118
• 8. Torpedo Attacks on JW 66 & RA 66
• 9. Attacks on U-boats near SC 118
• 10. Attacks on U-boats near JW 66 & RA 66
• 11. Details of Air Cover for SC 118
• Ranks and Abbreviations