GERHARD RICHTER (214-LIFE-1986) was the Radioman on U-81 when they sank the aircraft carrier HMS ARK ROYAL and later, he was in the K-MAN group and he sent a letter in which he writes:

"We have just received KTB #104; it's excellent as always. Enclosed are answers. On Page 6 HANK & MAJOR JIM are asking if the Germans had any suicide subs in the War? In my opinion, the answer is no.

I was a Member of the Kleinkampfverbande der Kriegsmarine (Admiral Heye) from the fall of 1944 to August 1945 (when I was discharged from the German Navy). More specifically, I was a BIBERFAHRER (BEAVER driver = one man sub) in BIBERFlotille 265 (Oblt. Fahje), part of the First Kleinkampf Division (Kplt. Wordmann).

The First Kleinkampf Division consisted of 1 Flotilla of BIBERS (BEAVER one man submarine), one Flotilla of NEGER (manned torpedoes), one Flotilla of LINSEN (speedboats with warheads attached) and one MARINE EINSATZ KOMMANDO (Naval Commando group like the US NAVY SEALS). All these small weapons had a very high casualty rate, but none were suicide missions. They were usually manned only by one man, but in each case there was the possibility of returning after the mission. i.e. the BEAVER was simply a one-man minisub, carrying two normal torpedoes and permitting return after the missions.

The NEGER consisted of two torpedoes mounted on top of each other. The top torpedo had no warhead, but instead a capsule for the driver to sit in. He would steer the NEGER to the target, release the bottom torpedo, and then return in the top torpedo.

(HARRY'S NOTE - HARRY SCHONAU (170-1986) drove the one-man torpedoes).

The LINSEN operated in groups of three. Two were attack LINSEN with warheads driven to the target by one man in each. Shortly before the target, the driver would jump out of his LINSEN and the third boat (the pick up LINSEN) would pick up the other two drivers and (hopefully) return them home.

The Kleinkampfverbande (Small Weapons Commandos) had also other one-man subs like MOLCHE (you saw one in the U-Boot-Schul Neustadt), MARDER etc & SEEHUNDE (SEAL = two man subs). You saw one in the in the Navy Base Lorient and in Marine Museum in Bremerhaven. All these weapons gave the driver a chance (although a very small one) to return. From my knowledge, suicide missions were part of the Japanese philosophy, not the German one.

Incidentally, since mini-subs were basically also subs it would be interesting to read some experiences of them in our KTB."

Many thanks for your insights GERRY. I agree, it would be great to read some of the experiences of the mini-sub drivers. So any Fahrer of mini- submarines, please send a tape or written account of your memories for our KTB Magazine. In advance, vielen dank.

By the way GERRY, what about your BIBER experiences?