Launching Midget Submarines (Neger/Marder)

[Tony E.]

Hello,

I`m wondering if there were different ways of getting the Neger/Marder midget submarines seaborne. Some photos and filclips show them being hoisted leasurly into the water dockside, but i would believe that cranes and hoists would not be available everywhere when the enemy had been identified and the decision to use these crafts would have been taken. Would it be possible to push the submarine into the water manually with a large group of personell while it was on its transport trailer, possibly on a beach or a slipway, or is this only in the imagination of PK and Signal magazine artists?

Somehow articles/sources about these craft never mention this process.

mvh.

Tony E.

[Natter]

Would it be possible to push the submarine into the water manually with a large group of personell while it was on its transport trailer, possibly on a beach or a slipway, or is this only in the imagination of PK and Signal magazine artists?

Yes, of course. They used a special trolley for this (see attached photos). Obviously suitable launching-sites could be difficult to find (records of the Neger-operations at Anzio on 20-21. April 1944 says 500 soldiers had to dig out suitable launching-sites due to the shallow beaches).

[Natter]

More:

[Natter]

And a couple more:

[Natter]

(records of the Neger-operations at Anzio on 20-21. April 1944 says 500 soldiers had to dig out suitable launching-sites due to the shallow beaches).

For references - see Paul Kemp's "Midget Submarines of the Second World War" (p.44) and Lawrence Paterson's "Weapons of Desperation - German Frogmen and Midget Submarines of World War II" (p.17-20).

Other books on the topic:
"Das Kommando der Kleinkamphverbande der Kriegsmarine" (Helmut Blocksdorf)
"Marine Kleinkampfmittel" (Harald Fock)
"Kommando - German Special Forces of World War Two" (James Lucas)
"Suicide Squads" (Richard O'neil)

[Tony E.]

Thanks Natter, that did solve the questions i had.

[jopaerya]

Hello

Here a other trolley with crane support for a Neger with trainingstorpedo , not the officilal transporter .

Photo = Beeldbankwo2

Regards Jos

[Natter]

Here a other trolley with crane support for a Neger

Another one:

[jopaerya]

Thanks Natter

Looks to me the same Neger at the same place , but from a other angle .

Regards Jos

[Natter]

Looks to me the same Neger at the same place , but from a other angle .

I didn't notice (it's hard to tell if this one has an exercise-head), but looking at the persons and other details, it seems you're right

[Natter]

Photo = Beeldbankwo2

I struggle to find a search-function on this site - do they have any?

Does anyone know if the "photo book WW2 in Images" are worth buying for someone with a specific interest in german torpedoes and kleinkampfverbande..?

[jopaerya]

Hello Natter

http://www.beeldbankwo2.nl/index.jsp and use the button ZOEK or use the site in English

Regards Jos

[Natter]

http://www.beeldbankwo2.nl/index.jsp and use the button ZOEK or use the site in English

Thanks... I did use the english language, but for some reason i didn't see the search-tab (time for new glasses I think... )

[Tony E.]

A sort of related question, does anyone know what sort of clothing the Kleinkampf men that are pushing the Linse in this clip are wearing? It looks like some sort of coverall.
http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675 ... n-trailers

[Bergen]

Numerous of these where deployed to Norway and as of what I have heard, they were mostly on trollies.
Crazy kind of vessel these.