Boarding Party

The Last Action of the Calcutta Light Horse

By Leasor, James
1995, United States Naval Inst.
ISBN 1557505128
Paperback, 18 b&w photos, 1 map, 1 table, 3 facsimiles

Descripton: While primarily about the exploits of the Calcutta Light Horse, a volunteer light cavalry unit in India which was involved in the destruction of an Axis radio located on a German merchant ship interned in neutral Goa during 1943, there is some information on the operations of U-181 and other U-boats in the Indian Ocean. (The radio in question was used to direct U-boats operating in the Indian Ocean, including U-181.) After the largely civilian raiders sabotaged one German ship (the Ehrenfels), three other interned Axis merchant ships were scuttled by their crews to prevent their possible seizure. Officially, the role of Calcutta Light Horsemen was not recognized for years, the Axis ships' loss being officially credited as being destroyed by their crews in a mutiny. First published 1978. Made into a movie in 1980.