To the Last Salute: Memories of an Austrian U-Boat Commander
by Georg von Trapp
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Book Summary Information
Author: Georg von TrappIntroduction: Elizabeth M. Campbell
Translator: Elizabeth M. Campbell
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2007-03-01
ISBN: 0803246676
Number of pages: 196
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Book Reviews of To the Last Salute: Memories of an Austrian U-Boat Commander
Book Review: great but too-short narrative of a little-known war front
Summary: 5 Stars
This should have been translated much earlier! Forget about the later success with music--that's irrelevant here. The Kaiserliche und Konigliche Navy is the heart of the book. The Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy, with Emperor Franz Josef of Austria, who was also King of Hungary (hence the Imperial and Royal Navy) was a mixture of nationalities. Naval bases were few, and the Dual Monarchy's emphasis was on its army rather than its navy. Trapp served on torpedo boats for a while, and became commander of a submarine--the K und K's submarines were definitely third-rate compared to those of Germany. The gasoline (rather than diesel) engines meant that after even a short time underwater (with the hatches closed) the buildup of gasoline fumes would incapacitate most of the crew: there are scenes where only 2-3 of the crew are conscious at crucial times. There are also no bunks for the men--a visiting German submarine captain is horrified at the living conditions compared to the superior German craft.
Nonetheless, Trapp made the most of his vessel, sinking a French cruiser, an Italian sub, and other ships. There's a map of the Adriatic (another map or two would have been helpful) and plenty of photographs. Much of the story is understated, and there are some mentions of what must have been fascinating tales--such as transporting a camel from Africa.
It's all too brief--that's the one drawback. Happily, however, if you've enjoyed the book, there's another book on the same subject--drawn in part, I think, from some of Trapp's experiences. This is a novel--John Biggins' excellent A Sailor of Austria, which I would recommend highly. Biggins also has two other novels with the same protagonist, but these are not as much about the navy. A fourth novel, long hard-to-get but recently reprinted, which is a prequel to Sailor of Austria, is Tomorrow the World, about the protagonist's life aboard the K und K's cadet training ship on its voyages. Trapp also, prior to WW I, was a cadet of such a K und K sailing ship. So for a fictionally expanded view of Trapp's naval experiences--Sailor of Austria and Tomorrow the World will certainly be worthwhile reads.
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