Von Trapp finds capable and inventive sailors keeping worn machinery alive with improvised repairs while headquarters neglects the submarine arm. His praise for men who could turn scrap into replacement parts makes the contrast between personnel quality and institutional neglect especially sharp. U-5's gasoline engines could fill the submerged boat with fumes quickly enough to incapacitate the crew, yet replacement machinery was unavailable. The patrol also reveals the operational frustration created by neutral shipping routes and strict prize-law instructions in the Adriatic.
Chapter · 1:09:46-1:18:55
Georg von Trapp takes U-5 into the Adriatic
Georg von Trapp's memoir depicts an Austro-Hungarian submarine force constrained by old boats, poor repair support, unreliable torpedoes, and restrictive commerce rules.