In KTB #107 we read of the U-Boat Skipper nicknamed 'the GANGSTER' by his fellow officers because he always wore a pistol, something U-Boat officers almost never did. DICK COLE (204-A-1986) sent a few clippings from various books that have a slightly different twist to the suicide of Horst Höltring of U-604.

In KTB #108, we read how Höltring's suicide was reported in THE FAUSTBALL TUNNEL by John Hammond; & in KTB #109 last month, we read how it was reported in HUNTER-KILLER by William Y'Blood. Here we read how Jean Noli wrote it in his book THE ADMIRAL'S WOLF PACK.

"Below, panic had erupted. Water was pouring into the compartments, and the chlorine gas generated by the drowned batteries was carried from one compartment to the next by the ventilating system and mixed with the black smoke pouring from a burning diesel. The terrified men, their lungs seared by the chlorine, unable to breath because of the smoke, fought one another desperately in their struggle to reach the ladder leading up the hatchway.

In the weak, flickering light generated by the emergency system, Höltring saw one of his own crewmen fall to the deck, gasping for breath, his lips pulled back over his teeth.

"I'm done for Captain," the man coughed, terror in his eyes. "My lungs are on fire." He coughed, then spat blood. "Finish me off, Captain." he begged, "Finish me off."

Höltring stood over him, bent double by pain. His lungs too, had been burned by the chlorine, and every breath he took seemed to rip open his chest. The man at his feet had closed his eyes and was moaning. A reddish foam was dripping from his lips onto the deck. Summoning his strength, Höltring took his revolver from its holster.

The sailor opened his eyes, saw the revolver and understood.

"Do it quickly, Captain." he groaned, twisting in agony.

The shot was like an incredible burst of thunder within the steel hull of U-185. The sailor's body was thrown several feet away from Höltring, who stood holding his revolver at arm's length. He looked toward the control room, where twenty men were fighting savagely, petty officers and seamen alike, using iron bars and wrenches as weapons, in their panic, to escape to the upper deck. He leaned against the bulkhead, coughing violently, and his blood splattered against the bulkhead. Slowly, Höltring raised the barrel of his weapon, placed it carefully into his mouth, and pulled the trigger."

HARRY'S NOTE - it seems that this writer has far too many details, too much information, which leads one to believe that he applied liberal amounts of his own imagination. However, this is the way one author reported the suicide of Höltring. In KTB #111 next month, we will give another overview of this event in WW II.