Teddy Suhren - Ace of Aces: Memoirs of a U-Boat Rebel

Memoirs of a U-Boat Rebel
Teddy Suhren and Fritz Brustat-Naval and Translated from German by Frank James

The memoirs of the U-boat service’s most unusual commander
A critical insider’s view of the workings of Hitler’s navy.
The man whose cruise is the subject of U-Boat War Patrol.

Reinhard ‘Teddy’ Suhren fired more successful torpedo shots than any other man during the war, many before he even became a U-boat commander – indeed, he was the first junior officer to be awarded the Knight’s Cross for his achievements. However, this is not the reason Teddy remains legendary within the U-boat world. Fondly remembered for his good humour and man-management skills, he was also irreverent and rebellious by nature, and frequently in trouble with higher authority – his lack of a military manner was a constant source of friction, and his nickname was acquired because he marched like a teddy-bear.

Despite his refusal to conform to the rigid thought-patterns of National Socialism, his operational successes protected him, and he found himself accepted in the highest circles of power in Germany, staying as a guest at Martin Bormann’s house – and on one occasion even dancing with Eva Braun. He was one of the lucky third of all U-boat crewmen who survived the war, largely because his abilities led to a senior land-based command.

He was also one of the first to publish his reminiscences, his account being typically forthright and unconventional – its German title, Nasses Eichenlaub, suggesting that although he was decorated with the Oak Leaves, he was always in hot water. He died in 1984 but interest in his career was revitalized by the discovery of a cache of photographs documenting one of his operations in U 564, published with great success in 2004 as U-Boat War Patrol by Lawrence Patterson. His collaborator, Frank James, was the man who discovered the significance of the photographs, and interest in the project spurred him into this translation of Suhren’s own book.

Teddy Suhren (Author), Fritz Brustat-Naval (Author), Frank James (Translator)
Hardcover 224 pages