PDF Summary:The Fighting Tenth, by John Wingate

In The Fighting Tenth, John Wingate explores Malta's pivotal role in World War II's Mediterranean conflict. The island's strategic position posed a formidable obstacle to Axis supply routes, significantly hampering Rommel's forces in North Africa. Wingate meticulously details the operations of the Tenth Submarine Flotilla, which launched daring attacks to disrupt these crucial supply lines.

The book chronicles the Tenth Flotilla's struggles to safeguard Malta amid relentless Axis bombardment and ever-present dangers like mines and aerial assaults. Wingate's account vividly depicts the squadron's resilience in accomplishing its critical missions—missions that ultimately proved vital in defeating the Axis powers.

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The Tenth Flotilla's submarines showcased remarkable adeptness in maneuvering through the Mediterranean's confined areas, taking advantage of their swift submersion abilities and aerodynamic contours.

Wingate underscores that the U-class submarine, designed for use in shallow waters and training, proved to be perfectly suited for the Mediterranean's specific environmental conditions. The vessel's small size made it well-suited for coastal maneuvers, and its ability to quickly dive, due to the 'Q' tank, made it difficult for enemy planes to target. Despite being coated in blue to blend with the Mediterranean's azure waters, the ships could still be spotted by enemy aircraft on calm days. However, diving in sixteen seconds made them harder to hit than other types of maritime craft.

The Tenth Flotilla's submarines launched a sequence of attacks designed to interfere with the maritime supply routes essential to Rommel's North African forces.

The narrative thoroughly details the relentless efforts of the Tenth Flotilla's submarines to interfere with and sabotage the Axis powers' logistical channels to North Africa. Wingate narrates the daring assaults on enemy supply lines, targeting individual ships and undersea crafts. The book highlights the skillful tactics and strategies of the U-class submarine commanders, who took advantage of crucial opportunities in the essential sea regions connecting Sicily with the coastlines of Tripoli and Tunisia. The story recounts various engagements, such as torpedo attacks, clashes with escort vessels, and the perpetual threat posed by the enemy's protective tactics.

The Tenth Flotilla played a crucial role in strengthening Malta's resistance to the barrage of aerial assaults and the threat of being overtaken by Axis powers.

The Tenth Flotilla's submarines played a crucial role in safeguarding Malta and ensuring its defense. Wingate emphasizes their courage and importance while facing intense aerial bombardments and the continual threat of adversary invasions.

Submarines of the Tenth Flotilla played a crucial role in transporting vital supplies, including food and ammunition, to the besieged island.

Wingate underscores the crucial role played by the Tenth Flotilla in maintaining the supply of vital provisions to Malta throughout its siege. As the intensity of the Axis's aerial bombardments increased, submarines undertook perilous voyages to transport vital supplies including food, ammunition, fuel, and mail to the increasingly isolated island. The efforts greatly fortified the determination and morale among the people of Malta.

The Tenth Flotilla's underwater missions were pivotal in cutting off the supply lines to North Africa for the Axis forces, a key factor in the ultimate defeat of Rommel's forces.

The Tenth Flotilla, working alongside the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy's surface ships, concentrated their attacks on both grouped and solitary enemy ships, causing significant interruptions to the Axis's maritime activities, which subsequently led to a depletion of resources for Rommel's military endeavors. Wingate illustrates numerous examples where the scarcity of resources impeded the enemy's ability to supply their troops, and the lack of extra manpower, ammunition, food, and fuel significantly obstructed the military operations orchestrated by the German commander.

Other Perspectives

• The effectiveness of the Tenth Flotilla's operations could be seen as part of a larger strategic context, where other factors also played significant roles in disrupting Axis supply lines.
• The strategic importance of Malta goes beyond the Tenth Flotilla, as it was also a critical air and naval base for the Allies, and its contribution to the war effort was multifaceted.
• While U-class submarines were well-suited for the Mediterranean, their success also depended on the skill and tactics of the crew, intelligence support, and technological advancements in submarine warfare.
• The interference with Axis supply routes to North Africa was a combined effort of the entire Allied naval presence in the Mediterranean, not solely the achievement of the Tenth Flotilla.
• The defense of Malta against aerial assaults and invasions was bolstered by the island's extensive anti-aircraft defenses and the resilience of the Maltese people, in addition to the efforts of the Tenth Flotilla.
• The transportation of vital supplies to Malta was a complex operation that involved many types of vessels and the coordination of different branches of the military, not just the submarines of the Tenth Flotilla.
• The defeat of Rommel's forces was the result of a comprehensive Allied strategy, including the land campaigns and the broader North African theater, rather than solely the cutting off of supply lines by the Tenth Flotilla.

The squadron faced increasing challenges and endured casualties from air raids, the dangers of underwater explosive devices, and enemy strategies.

The operations were carried out by the Tenth Submarine Flotilla. Wingate candidly details the continuous threat posed by air raids in Malta, along with the ever-present risk of sea mines, and the difficulties encountered in strengthening opposition fortifications.

The Tenth Flotilla, which often operated out of Malta, a heavily bombarded island, regularly encountered attacks from enemy planes during its assignments.

Wingate provides a detailed account of the severe bombings that Malta suffered, particularly emphasizing the period from January to May 1942, when Kesselring's Luftwaffe pilots were determined to completely obliterate Malta.

The submarines of the Tenth Flotilla and their base endured intense bombardments by the Luftwaffe, which led to significant damage and loss of life.

The story describes the extensive damage inflicted by air raids that struck the base of the Tenth Flotilla at Lazaretto on Manoel Island, disrupting vital repair operations and impacting the staff present. Wingate narrates several events, one of which describes how the explosion of an aerial mine in close proximity to P 39 caused considerable damage to the ship, forcing it to return to the dock for repairs. Shortly thereafter, the shipyards were struck by a deliberate explosion that ripped P 39 into separate fragments. Wingate vividly describes the numerous injuries, the confined quarters resulting from demolished dwellings, and the unrelenting pressure experienced by the staff.

The submarines operating under the Tenth Flotilla encountered deadly risks due to the minefields laid by the Germans and Italians in the surrounding waters of Malta.

Wingate's account emphasizes the constant danger that these underwater explosives, often used by the Italians and subsequently by the Germans, presented to our submarines. He provides details on the use of various mines, some of which explode when they detect the noise of propellers, while others detonate upon physical contact. Wingate depicts the dangers by recounting stories of submarines encountering mines, which resulted in harm or annihilation, and communicates the stress felt by the crew while navigating waters teeming with such concealed dangers. Submarines often disappeared without explanation, heightening anxiety and a pervasive sense of inevitable destiny. The crew was superstitious, convinced that a jinx brought misfortune on the last mission prior to a submarine's scheduled journey back.

The Tenth Flotilla's submarines persistently faced enhanced enemy fortifications as a reaction to their offensive operations.

As the Axis powers encountered more losses, they intensified their efforts to thwart the operations of Allied underwater vessels, employing a range of effective countermeasures, as illustrated in Wingate's book.

Axis convoys improved their defenses with enhanced escort numbers and air support, which made it more challenging for submarines to carry out successful assaults.

To mitigate the significant risk posed by Allied submarines, the Axis powers improved their merchant fleets' defenses and further developed their training, strategies, and the efficacy of their sonar technology. Wingate describes how the submarines of the Tenth Flotilla strove to penetrate defensive lines and successfully engage the enemy. He describes the frequent instances when our submarines, following their offensive actions, were subjected to intense depth-charge attacks and the increased risk of being detected and persistently pursued over long periods. The sailors experienced increased stress and exhaustion, underscoring the outcomes of these escalated defensive tactics.

The tenth flotilla's submarine contingent endured substantial casualties, succumbing to various forms of enemy engagements, including the triggering of mines and intentional collisions by opposing forces.

Wingate meticulously documents the extreme challenges faced by the Tenth Flotilla, which included the sinking of fifteen submarines, some due to underwater mines or confrontations with anti-submarine forces, while others vanished without a trace. The vanishing of these submarines, often shrouded in mystery, led to a significant decline in the spirits of the remaining crew members. The compelling tales of the troops and their leaders, whose destinies were irrevocably determined, highlight the appropriateness of their moniker, 'the Fighting Tenth'.

Practical Tips

• You can explore historical decision-making by playing strategy-based board games that simulate wartime scenarios, allowing you to understand the complexities of military strategies and the impact of environmental factors on tactical decisions. For example, games like "Axis & Allies" or "Twilight Struggle" can give you a hands-on appreciation of the strategic challenges faced by military leaders, such as dealing with enemy attacks and navigating minefields, without needing any prior military knowledge.
• Develop a better grasp of risk assessment by creating a simple "risk ledger" in a notebook where you record daily decisions, potential risks, and outcomes. This activity can mirror the process of evaluating dangers and making strategic choices under pressure, akin to what the Tenth Flotilla might have experienced. By noting down risks like taking a new route to work, trying a different health regimen, or investing in a new skill, you can reflect on how you make decisions and handle unexpected challenges.
• Enhance your problem-solving skills by participating in escape room challenges that focus on war themes or historical crises. These immersive experiences require you to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles within a set time, similar to how the Tenth Flotilla had to navigate minefields and enemy strategies. This can be a fun and engaging way to develop critical thinking and teamwork skills without any specialized knowledge or experience in military history.