As heard on the New Yorker Radio Hour: The triumphant and “engaging history” (The New Yorker) of the young women who devised a winning strategy that defeated Nazi U-boats and delivered a decisive victory in the Battle of the Atlantic. By 1941, Winston Churchill had come to believe that the outcome of World War II rested on the battle for the Atlantic. A grand strategy game was devised by … Atlantic. A grand strategy game was devised by Captain Gilbert Roberts and a group of ten Wrens (members of the Women’s Royal Naval Service) assigned to his team in an attempt to reveal the tactics behind the vicious success of the German U-boats. Played on a linoleum floor divided into painted squares, it required model ships to be moved across a make-believe ocean in a manner reminiscent of the childhood game, Battleship. Through play, the designers developed “Operation Raspberry,” a counter-maneuver that helped turn the tide of World War II.
A Game of Birds and Wolves
By simonparkin
more
This book deals with submarine warfare in WWII. At the start of the war the Germans had figured out what they needed to do to starve Britain into submission. They had to sink ships faster than Britain could build new ones, and they were very good at it. If Britain couldn’t be supplied with food, fuel, and raw materials the war would soon be over. As shipping loses mounted and imports deminished they brought in a retired naval officer who had been retired because of tuberculosis. His skill was creating games to figure out why the submarines were being successful and create a counter plan. As manpower is always short in wartime he needed the help of a group of WRENs, women of the Royal Navy. They set up a map of the Atlantic on the top floor of their building and played games until they understood what needed to be done. Then they taught the commander’s of the ships crossing the Atlantic. With all the sceptics along the way it’s a very interesting book getting to victory..
A magnificent look at a war game that mattered most: how to out fox the Nazi’s dreaded U-boats. Told with poetic mastery, Simon Parkin’s A Game of Birds and Wolves unveils the story of Operation Raspberry, how eight young women and a retired naval captain found the key to winning the Battle of the Atlantic on a giant board game played on a linoleum floor.
A hugely enjoyable and exciting book. It is fascinating to read about this little-known aspect of the war which made such a massive difference to the outcome. A compelling and important new story, lucidly and humanely told.
In a riveting, intricately researched book, Simon Parkin tells the previously unknown story behind the Allied victory in the Atlantic during World War II. It’s an underdog’s tale-not only of British supply fleets trying to outrun German U-boats, but also of the women game designers who made that victory possible.
I received this ARC from Goodreads during an Early Reviewer Giveaway. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone.
During WWII, Captain Gilbert Roberts devised a strategy game to try to predict the movements and positions of the German U-boats in the Atlantic. He was tasked with figuring out the tactics used by the Germans, how they were sinking so many ships without being detected. Roberts was given a team of Wrens (members of the Womens Royal Naval Service). They (Wrens) worked extremely long hours, with little recognition, sworn to secrecy, and treated with disrespect by many of their male counterparts.
The strategy games were played in secret locations, on a mock Atlantic (grids made on the floors and walls, model ships, etc.), using prior battles as a model. There they came up with maneuvers for their Naval ships to apply that would level the “battlefield” so to speak. The work of Captain Roberts and his Wrens turned the tide of the Battle of the Atlantic and let to the destruction of many U-boats and the end of the Battle of the Atlantic.
Before reading this book, although I am an avid reader of all things WWII (especially Holocaust), I do not recall ever reading about the Wrens. Especially not in any detail. It amazes me how parts of history are omitted or only vaguely mentioned because of the gender of these heroes. The book is very informative, factual, and beautifully written.
Thank you Goodreads and Mr. Simon Parkin.