BOOK REVIEWS Martin J. Bollinger. Warriors and Wizards. and both published and unpublished The Development and Defeat of Radio material. This new book demonstrates the Controlled Glide Bombs of the Third Reich. same Bollinger hallmark of exhaustive Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. research as his Stalin’s Slave Ships: www.usni.org, 2010. xviii + 269 pp., Kolyma, The Gulag Fleet and the Role of illustrations, tables, maps, appendix, notes, the West (2003). While arguably on niche bibliography, index. US $39.95, cloth; topics, both books cover fresh territory and ISBN 978-1-59114-067-2. are exemplary models of investigative work. Even as the Second World War ground There were two types of German onwards, Germany continued to develop radio-controlled glide bombs. Both used and produce new weapons systems that the same radio guidance system were bold technological leaps. Anti-ship manufactured by Telefunken, then, as now, radio-controlled glide bombs were one such a leader in the electronics field. Since the innovative weapon. Unfortunately, like bombs were guided by an observer in the others, they were introduced too late—not launch aircraft, both systems required until mid-1943—and in insufficient adequate visibility. The Germans tried numbers to become more than a nuisance attacks in moonlight and planned to use for the Allies. Indeed, by that time in the illumination flares for an attack on war, the Allies not only had forewarning Plymouth, but these experimental tactics through signals and other intelligence about proved unsuccessful. Both glide bombs the new weapons, but proved adept at were developed under programs sponsored developing jamming devices within months by the German Air Ministry starting in 1939 to counter the threat. All this is the subject and 1940. One was a large armour-piercing of Warriors and Wizards, a very readable bomb carrying 320 kilogrammes of and thorough treatment of the story from explosive. This became known as the both the German and Allied perspectives. “Fritz-X” and was basically a gravity The author, Martin (Marty) Bollinger, is a weapon which could be adjusted for range seasoned business strategy consultant with and azimuth using radio signals to its years of experience working with large vertical and horizontal tail fins. The second aerospace and defence firms. This weapon was a rocket-powered mini-aircraft, background has served him well in the Hs 293-A. With a range of up to 9.7 understanding how the new German anti- nautical miles depending on launch altitude, ship systems and Allied countermeasures this was a stand-off system intended for worked. Bollinger was able to trace attacking light-skinned warships and individuals with direct experience of glide merchant ships. It was seen as a potent anti- bomb attacks and countermeasures plus convoy weapon and carried a 300kg family members of others from both sides. warhead. After release from the carrying These personal insights supplement the aircraft, a rocket motor accelerated the author’s extensive use of archival sources weapon to its maximum speed and then cut The Northern Mariner/Le marin du nord, XXI No. 2, (April 2011), 171-217 172 The Northern Mariner/Le marin du nord out. The Hs 293-A coasted on, steered by the missiles that reached the target area did radio to its target by an observer in the nose not function properly. About 11 percent of of the launch aircraft. the bombs that were successfully guided hit Both systems were initially their targets. The RCN suffered two developed by innovative scientists in their dramatic glide-bomb hits. The new 40s: Otto Kramer for the Fritz-X and destroyer Athabaskan was hit in the Bay of Herbert Wagner for the Hs 293-A. Not Biscay in one of the very first anti-ship surprisingly, both were brought to the U.S. strikes in August 1943. Within minutes, the after the war where they continued their sloop HMS Egret in the same formation work in defence-related research and became the first ship to be sunk by a glider development. Indeed, Wagner was flown bomb and was vaporized after being hit in by the Americans to Maryland as early as 18 her magazine, sinking within 40 seconds. May 1945, just ten days after the German The second damaging strike against a unconditional surrender. Canadian warship fell on the frigate Matane The glide bombs were first used in off Brest in July 1944, almost one year later. August 1943. The last attacks were one Bollinger covers Allied year later; by then attrition of both aircrews countermeasures fully. It is striking that the and aircraft had taken such a severe toll that Americans had deployed two experimental the Germans no longer had the capacity to jammers to the Mediterranean by mid- launch further strikes. The Luftwaffe never October 1943, only four months after the had more than five squadrons (about 200 first glide-bomb attacks. By early 1944, the aircraft) of the specially modified bombers British were widely fitting a jammer and the which carried the glide bombs. Although National Research Council of Canada was the original concept was one of attacking developing one which went from concept to convoys in the Atlantic, the majority of the production in eight weeks or less. Bollinger attacks were made on Allied formations in found that records concerning fittings of the Mediterranean. The bombers had to countermeasures systems are fragmentary, penetrate layered Allied defences over but he estimates that during the landings in amphibious assaults and robustly defended Normandy and on the Riviera in 1944, the convoys (Bollinger cites strikes against a Allies possibly had 90 to 100 ships in convoy in the Mediterranean of 26 merchant theatre with such systems. The aggressive ships escorted by 19 warships and against a manner in which countermeasures were convoy in the Bay of Biscay of 24 merchant developed makes it obvious that the new ships protected by 12 warships including a threat was given high priority and that the Canadian anti-aircraft cruiser). Those Allies by this stage of the war had attacking aircraft which reached the Allied developed the capacity to react quickly to concentrations then had to remain in visual new operational challenges. Understanding contact with the individual target ships until just how the German radio guidance the bomb hit. The author has analysed the functioned was the key to developing 118 anti-ship missions flown by 903 effective jamming. When two U.S. bombers between July 1943 and August destroyer escorts made accurate recordings 1944 and is careful to differentiate between of guidance signals in November, the chain confirmed and probable glide-bomb of command reacted swiftly: the Allied C- damage. The number of ships sunk or in-C Mediterranean reported the discarded due to heavy damage ranges from information to other Allied commands on 17 to 24; the number damaged but repaired the very next day. (p.93) ranges from 14 to 21. About one in three of One of the features of this book Book Reviews 173 which makes it an interesting read is the transferred to the Royal Navy after the war author’s focus on various individuals on and retired as a captain. both sides who played key roles in Bollinger’s text is buttressed by developing and countering the glide bombs. useful supportive tables, diagrams and clear Among these characters is Dr. H. F. Mayer, maps. There are several arresting aerial a senior official with one of the branches of photographs of warships under attack by the Siemens company, whose work made glide bombs including Athabaskan, and the him familiar with what was happening in battleships HMS Warspite and Roma, the many areas of industrial research and Italian flagship sunk with heavy loss of life development in Germany. While traveling when she was unexpectedly attacked by her in Norway on business during the first former German ally. Warriors and Wizards months of the war, Mayer, an anti-Fascist, is a rewarding examination of how glider contacted the British to offer intelligence on bombs are developed and employed by the German technical research. Mayer Germans and how the Allies quickly eventually passed on what became known developed countermeasures. Based on as the “Oslo Report” including material on through research and eyewitness accounts, glide-bomb research. The scientist who Warriors and Wizards provides complete coordinated scientific intelligence gathering coverage of a little known subject. for Churchill during the war called the Oslo report “probably the best single report [on Jan Drent German science research] received from Victoria, British Columbia any source during the war.” (p.202) Ironically, at the time, most British analysts P.J. Capelotti (ed.). Lt. (J.G.) Quentin R. discounted the information it contained Walsh. The Whaling Expedition of the about glide-bomb developments. Dr. Ulysses, 1937-38. Gainesville, FL: Mayer’s political views resulted in his being University Press of Florida, www.upf.com, sent to Dachau in 1943 but he survived and 2010. xxxviii + 325 pp., illustrations, map, worked in the United States for several tables, appendices, references, index. US years after the war before resuming his $34.95, cloth; ISBN 978-0-8130-3479-9. career with Siemens in Germany. Then there is the story of an energetic 23-year-old Ships have scoured the oceans of the world RNVR lieutenant, John Field. In the hunting whales for centuries. It is a practice Mediterranean in early 1944 to fit jammers deeply ingrained in many seafaring cultures in British warships, Field was the right man and one that is hotly debated in society in the right place at the right time. How the today. The Whaling Expedition of the German control frequencies were Ulysses, 1937-38, a firsthand report written modulated was not yet known, but Field, by Lt.