CONFIDENTIAL REPORT 2G-9C
S33
     
 
FORMER GERMAN SUBMARINE TYPE IX-C
  
 
 
 
LIVING AND BERTHING
 
     
 
SUMMARY
  
     
          The quarters are inferior when compared with current U.S. submarines.  Further, wood is used in large quantities and is not so installed as to be vermin proof or fire resistant.  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
July, 1946
 
 
 
 
PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD, PORTSMOUTH, N. H.
 
     
 
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9C-S33
     
          The applicable general arrangement plan is No. A-01009, General Plan, Arrangement and Sections (General plan, Einrichtung u. Querschnitte).  
          Officers' quarters, chiefs' quarters, petty officers' quarters and crew's quarters were provided as separate entities.  
          The officers' quarters consisted of a commanding officer's stateroom, and a combined wardroom and berthing space for the remaining officers.  
          The commanding officer's stateroom was located immediately forward of the control room.  It was fitted with a single berth, with lockers below and outboard, a clothes locker, and a combined desk, bookshelf, wardroom locker, 6 smaller lockers and washstand.  An upholstered stool with stowage for papers in the bottom was provided.  The desk unit included a small confidential locker.  A cloth curtain separated the cabin from the passage.  
          The wardroom located forward of the commanding officer's stateroom was fitted with four berths, the upper tow of which folded up to permit the lower two to be used as transoms; a folding table; 21 lockers including one for wardroom provisions; and a confidential locker.  
          The chiefs' quarters, which were separated from the wardroom by the galley, were provided with four berths, the upper two of which folded up to permit the lower two to be used as transoms; a table; a wash basin; and 17 lockers.  
          The petty officers' quarters, which were forward of the chiefs' quarters, were provided with 8 berths, the upper four of which folded up to permit the lower four to be used as transoms; a table; a wash basin, and a bench; and 26 lockers.  
          Crew's quarters were located in the forward and after torpedo rooms.  In the forward torpedo room there were ten folding berths and 28 lockers.  In the after torpedo room were eight folding berths and eighteen lockers.  A table is shown on the plans, for each torpedo room, but none has been found on any vessel.  
          All joiner work was of wood, and all lockers of every type were locked by means of bitt keys.  All berths were  
     
 
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9C-S33
     
  provided with spring bottoms, and with spring cushions upholstered in artificial leather in lieu of mattresses.  
          Lockers generally extended from the deck to the overhead, in two or three tiers.  Every possible space not required for access or passage was occupied by lockers.  Except in the torpedo rooms, lockers are also built under the lower berths.  The number of lockers varied from ship to ship, and for that reason the number given for each compartment is not correct for all vessels.  
          In one vessel, the wooden bulkhead separating the chiefs' and petty officers' quarters had been removed.  
          Berth assignments, according to the watch and berth assignment diagram (Aufstellung für Kriegsmarsch und Alarm) for this class, were as follows:  
 
 
Berths
Assigned
C.O. stateroom
 1
 1
Wardroom
 4
 3
Chiefs' quarters
 4
 3
P.O. quarters
  8
12
FTR
10
15
ATR
  8
12
Total
35
46
Berth shortage
13
  
 
     
          The non-rated complement, according to Navtechmiseu report 312-45, was 29 which would increase the foregoing shortage by two berths.  
     
  Comment:  
          Quarters were considered superior by German standards, although not up to minimum current U.S. Naval standards.  The use of wood in large quantities not only increased the fire hazard, but as well provided harborage for vermin, and was difficult to keep clean.  It must be said here that the wood was not treated to increase the resistance to fire, although such statements have been made.  The only fire resistant material used was the pressed synthetic employed as ceiling between frames on the overhead and down the sides in the officers', chiefs' and petty officers' quarters.  
     
 
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