BHenderson Wrote:
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>
> I agree that "Thomsen" was probably fictional but
> it's just my guess that there was *someone* (or
> somepeople) who Buchheim had observed and who
> influence his characterization.


Since posting my question about Thomsen, I found out more about U-96 and Buchheims journey with it and I agree with what you both posted. Either Thomsen was completely fictional or he was an amalgation of several real people.

I am enjoying myself while trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't. Best fun I had so far was reading the real captain's KTB at <a href="[www.uboatarchive.net];. I remembered how Buchheim described the captain doing his best to update his KTB in as few and vague words as he possibly could. It's nice to compare Lehmann-Willenbrock's KTB, which is very to the point, to e.g. Topps which at times reads like a novel.