Kriegsmarine Atlantic Command 1939–42

Germany's legendary Atlantic surface war was fought by Naval Group West. Superbly illustrated, this book unpacks the details of how it operated and fought.

Having spent the 1930s on an ambitious but confused bid to build a new battle fleet, Germany began World War II woefully unprepared. Under Marinegruppenkommando West, its heavy ships and raiders were tasked with challenging Allied dominance of the Atlantic.

In this book, Kriegsmarine specialist Lawrence Paterson explores how Naval Group West took on the challenge. He reassesses the qualities of the fleet, and how the confusion over their original role meant that ships like the Bismarck were less than ideal for raiding. Operating as far afield as the Indian Ocean also relied on an elaborate tanker and supply network, as well as Germany's superb signals intelligence.

Paterson also explains the complex Kriegsmarine command structure during the 1930s and early war – how responsibility for the ships veered between Naval Group West, the Naval Staff, and type commanders – and how the conquest of France transformed the command. He also reveals how the Luftwaffe failed the surface fleet, both in scouting at sea and defending them in port.

With superb artwork, 3D diagrams, maps and archive photos, this book explores and assesses Germany's commerce war – from the Graf Spee's cruise to the ill-fated exploits of Bismarck, and the final high-risk retreat from Brest, the Channel Dash.

Table of Contents

• The Fleet's Purpose
• Fleet Fighting Power
• Battleships: Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Bismarck, Tirpitz
• Panzerschiffe: Deutschland (later Lützow), Admiral Scheer, Admiral Graf Spee
• Heavy cruisers: Admiral Hipper, Prinz Eugen, Blücher
• Light forces
• Gunnery and Fire Control
• How the Fleet Operated
• Naval Command: Marinegruppenkommando West
• Fleet Command (Flottenkommando)
• The Move to France
• Operational Doctrine
• Intelligence
• Logistics and Facilities
• Supply Ships and French Bases
• Combat and Analysis
• Further Reading

About the Author

Lawrence "Larry" Paterson is a qualified scuba diving instructor who spent many years living in France and researching German wrecks from World War II in Breton waters. His first book, First U-boat Flotilla, was a direct result of his time near Brest, home of that particular U-boat flotilla. He has also worked with the Royal Navy Submarine Museum Archive Working Group, specialising in U-boat records. Paterson's naval books have been published worldwide.