Grey Wolves of Eriboll

[Lavenderblue2]

Recently I heard of a book which is soon to be published locally - Grey Wolves of Eriboll (I can't remember the author's name) - it's to do with the surrender of the German U-boat fleet at the end of WWII - the majority of which (33 in fact) were supervised in Loch Eriboll.
This story sounds quite fascinating; I'm hoping it will be out by the beginning of March as it would be a great gift for hubby's birthday.
Perhaps there will be a launch presentation on the front page of the Org but I'll be eagerly watching the local bookshops. :)

[Moira]

Sounds interesting Lavenderblue2. I couldn't find any info on Google so, like you, will be watching the front page of the Org & local bookshop. :)

[golach]

I wonder if this is of any help

http://www.uboat.net/forums/read.php?3,78428,78428

[Lavenderblue2]

Thank you for a very intersting link Golach, it seems the forthcoming book won't be the first written on this subject. I wonder if Terry Andrews is the author of the Grey Wolves of Eriboll - just a wee tweak to the title...

[Sarah]

I'm glad to hear someone else has heard of this, I've been asked to let one of my photos of Loch Eriboll be on the cover. I just wanted to check it was genuine first!

ETA: according to the woman I have been talking to the author is David Hird.

[Lavenderblue2]

That's great Sarah, what an honour to be asked if one of your photos might be used for a book cover; have you done work like this before?
This will be another reason to look forward to the book being published.

[Sarah]

Well they decided against it, but it was still great to be considered! I am still happy though because I had a photo in the Press and Journal today, so still quite happy.

[Lavenderblue2]

So that lovely Woodpecker photo is yours Sarah, it's very good indeed. You should put it on the birdwatching section.

Shame your Loch Eriboll photo wasn't accepted for the book cover but as you say, it was good to be considered. :)

[Cape Crusader]

Hi all,

Head above the parapet time!

My book describing the almost secret surrender of the German U-boat fleet into Loch Eriboll between 8th and 19th May 1945 is now in the final stages of pre-publication. My original hope was that it would be published on 8th May this year, the 65th anniversary of the first U-boat entering Loch Eriboll, but it now appear that June is the more likely.

The story was heavily news-managed and censored at the time, and many Sutherlanders are even now unaware of the very significant part the county played in the Second World War's endgame. There was no mention in the local press at the time; Brief news reports did appear in the Scotsman from May 1945, but they were quite circumspect.

I have identified each of the thirty-three operational U-boats which sailed into Loch Eriboll and obtained contemporary monochrome photographs of many of them for publication. I have also identified approximately six other U-boats said to have also been in Loch Eribioll at the time, but which I am now satisfied were not.

For further details see http://moo.whittlespublishing.com/whittles/item/5197

Apologies for the delay in my responding to this forum item. It has taken me almost a month to have my registration activated!

I would be pleased to hear from anyone interested further. And of course I would be thrilled to hear from any contributor with anything to add to the overall story - photographs, recollections, artifacts etc, etc, which might enhance a second edition.

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Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how it's done, they have seen it done every day, but they are unable to do it themselves (Brendan Behan)

[Lavenderblue2]

Thank you for that information Cape Crusader, I have ordered my copy, can't wait for May.

My very best wishes to you for a successful book launch.

LB2 :)

[Cape Crusader]

There is an interesting article in today's Daily Telegraph about the surrender of the German U-boats and the forthcoming book.

See www.telegraph.co.uk (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/scotland/7479898) then search "Eriboll"

See also http://moo.whittlespublishing.com/whittles/item/5197


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Consultants are like castrated bulls : They can advise, and cajole, but they produce nothing

[Aaldtimer]

Another one:- http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/news/Secret-of-Uboats-in-sea.6168648.jp :)

[Cape Crusader]

Hi all,

My book THE GREY WOLVES OF ERIBOLL is now published.

Details : Whittles Publishing, Dunbeath Mill, Dunbeath, Caithness KW6 6EG.
ISBN 978-1-904445-32-6 www.whittlespublishing.com (http://www.whittlespublishing.com)
see www.whittlespublishing.com/index.php?view=product&product=119 (http://www.whittlespublishing.com/index.php?view=product&product=119)

It tells the whole fascinating story of the surrender of thirty-three U-boats into Loch Eriboll in May 1945, their later service histories and eventual fates. Profusely illustrated with contemporary official Admiralty and other monochrome photographs, maps, plans and charts, it records the personal memories of some of the combatants (of both Allied and Axis navies), contemporary newspaper reports, the surrender documents and a wealth of fascinating detail largely unknown today.

"There is no local commemmoration of the 59 allied merchant ships and 14 warships, comprising over 300,000 tons of shipping damaged or sunk by the 33 surrendered U-boats escorted into Loch Eriboll in mid-May 1945. More significantly, there remains no memorial to the many hundreds of brave Royal Navy and Merchant Navy seamen, of Allied and other nationalities, who perished by the direct intervention of those U-boats."

"The long overdue, first detailed investigation which reveals Loch Eriboll's pivotal role in the surrender of German U-boats to northern Scotland in May 1945. ......... The pivotal role played by Loch Eriboll in ending the U-boat menace is little-known and lesser celebrated - this book rights that wrong."

Order now to avoid disappointment, and order early for Christmas.

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"Eternal nothingness is fine, if you happen to be dressed for it." (Woody Allen)

[crichton]

Hi,
I've just bought and read the book and applaude the author for the ammount of research he did into this subject. Surely this must be the diffinative text on U boats in Loch Erribol.

There are lots of good pictures and maps and the info well presented. I initially found it difficult to put down but having read approx the first 1/2 the book stared to repeat its self with corroborative evidence and I switched off then.

Should I have bough it? I'm not convinced.
Had I see it in the library would I have picked it up? Definately.

[Cape Crusader]

Hi there Crighton,

Many thanks for your generally positive review.

Doesn't the very nature of corroboration inevitably include some element of repetition? And surely corroboration mere presents differing views of the same events from a different, or personal, perspective?

The current issue of the Northern Times prints a wholly unsolicited and extremely well-presented review of the book, and a reader review has recently appeared on Amazon.

Altogether the Eriboll surrenders story is a little-known epic which deserved to be told.

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A fart in a lift is wrong on so many levels