DHM0969. U-201 Deadly Chase by Anthony Saunders.  17th February 1943, U-201 with U-69 were ordered to intercept the westbound convoy ONS165. With fuel low U-201 was eventually forced to surface following a depth charge attack and rammed by the Destroyer HMS Fame. DHM1285. Dawn Rendezvous by Anthony Saunders.  Germanys U-boat fleet had almost brought Britain to its knees in the First World war, twenty years later the story was very similar. the German U-boat arm came perilously close to cutting the lifeline that crossed the Atlantic between North America and Britain. in the early years of the war Donitz realised that keeping his U-boats at sea for as long as possible would greatly increase their chances of success. here U-93 (left) and U-94 take fuel from the auxiliary cruiser Kormoran whilst in the mid-Atlantic during 1941. DHM0853. U-203  Under Cover of Darkness by Anthony Saunders.  October 1941, U203 approaches her mooring on the western bank at the French port of Brest. Her fate would be sealed by depth charges from the destroyer HMS Pathfinder and aircraft from the escort carrier HMS Biter while attacking the convoy ONS 4 south of Greenland on April 25th 1943. DHM0968. U-96, Das Boote by Anthony Saunders.  U-96 sinks the straggling tanker, Arthur F. Corwin which had dropped back from Convoy HX106, 13th February, 1941. DHM1088. Operation Drumbeat by Anthony Saunders.  The entry of the United States into the war opened up vast new hunting grounds for the German u-boat fleet. Operation Paukenschlag (Drumbeat in English) began in January 1942, bringing the U-boats their easiest pickings of the war. Over 300 allied vessels were sunk during the Paukenschlag along the US coastline, ranging from New York harbor, to the Straits of Florida. This period, also known as the second 'Happy Times' to the men of the U-boats, was only brought to an end in mid 1942 by the formation of allied convoy systems. On the evening of April 5th 1942, U552, commanded by Kapitanleutnant Erich Topp, sealed the fate of the British tanker MV British Splendour east of Cape Hatteras. The U-boat was part of the fourth wave of boats of Operation Paukenschlag, she returned to Saint Nazaire on April 27th 1942 having sunk seven ships during the patrol. DHM1089. Wolves at Saint Nazaire by Anthony Saunders.  Portrayed in the southern lock at the French port of Saint Nazaire during the Autumn of 1941 are from left: U552, commanded by Kapitanleutnant Erich Topp, U567, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Engelbert Endrass and U93, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Horst Elfe. Saint Nazaire was home for two U-boat flotillas: 7. U-Flotille, the 'Wegener' Flotilla and 6.U-Flotille, the 'Hundius' Flotilla. It produced some of the top U-boat commanders including Topp, Endrass, Prien and Kretschmer. The base reached a peak of activity in mid 1943, however, by the end of the war the entire port had been flattened by the allied air forces. The only buildings to survive the onslaught were the bomb proof U-bunkers which can still be seen to this day.