Post Description

voor de liefhebbers van bemande torpedos :)

Chariots of War: The History of Anglo-Italian Human Torpedoes (2004)
by Robert Hobson (Author) 

Review:
My own interest in the story of those brave men who ventured into enemy harbours to attack shipping whilst riding on the top of a converted torpedo!, began during my very first diving trip to Gibraltar in 1977. From that day, right up to when this book arrived on my desk, I was, for whatever reason, under the impression that the torpedo itself was nothing more than an underwater Chariot - the means of transporting two frogmen (as they were then called) to the various targets where they would set limpet mines. In this book, however, I learned that the nose-cone of the Chariot was packed with high explosive and would be strung under the target vessel to explode (hopefully) long after the attackers had made good their escape. The force of the explosion from such a weapon was capable of lifting a Cruiser out of the water! That is just one small detail from a book packed with every snippet of information one might hope to find on the subject. 

Over 20 years ago, Robert Hobson discovered certain papers from his own father's wartime service relating to one of the most secret weapons of WW2 - known, at that time, as the Chariot or Human Torpedo. From reading those papers, began a trail of discovery into every conceivable aspect and element of the Chariot - both British and European. Robert Hobson tracked down former "Charioteers" and together they scoured the country and even further abroad in their quest for information. The result of their endeavours is "the most spectacular human torpedo display at the Eden Camp Museum" and this book. 

Leaving no stone unturned, we have the newspaper cuttings and cartoons of the day right alongside photographs of the men, their dress, their machines and much more besides. There are scale drawings of a Sunderland Aircraft with a Chariot slung under each wing and even a photo showing the Egyptian Navy possessed this weapon during the Suez Crisis of 1956. With a fully detailed history, photographs and illustrations of everything from the diving suits to the control system and the means of getting each Chariot "to" it's intended destination, this book is the definitive work on the subject and is thoroughly recommended.. 

Spot info:
Title: Chariots of War
Author: Robert W. Hobson
Publisher: Ulric Publishing
Year: 2004
Language: English
Pages: 86+2
Format: PDF
Size: 53,2 mb

Thanks to grumm & Silent Running :)