The Imperial War Museum Book of the War at Sea, 1934-1945 - Hardcover
The years between 1939 and 1945 were the most perilous in the long, rough, tough history of the Royal Navy. Unlike the Royal Air Force and the Army, who did not start suffering their heaviest casualties until 1943/1944, the Royal Navy was in the thick of the fight from the very beginning to the very end of the Second World War, taking its greatest losses in the years up to 1942.
This book is the story of nearly six years at sea as seen by British sailors, from Ordinary Seamen to Admirals, in their memoirs, diaries, letters home and taped interviews. The participants tell of an early triumph, the defeat of the pocket battleship Graf Spee by three cruisers; followed by the disastrous Norwegian Campaign, the evacuation of the BEF at Dunkirk and other channel ports; the agonising decision to destroy the French Fleet rather than let it fall into the hands of the enemy; the winning of the Battle of the Atlantic, the most important battle in the war for the Western Allies; the years of bitter Arctic convoys; desperate times in the Mediterranean, including Malta convoys, under the lash of the Luftwaffe; the destruction of the mighty German battleship Bismarck after she had sunk the pride of the Royal Navy, HMS Hood; the sacrifice of Swordfish aircrews trying to stop two German battlecruisers in their dash up the English Channel; the tragic loss of HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse off Malaya; the sinking of the mighty Scharnhorst off North Cape in the icy darkness of the Barents Sea and the landings at Normandy and elsewhere on the long road back. Finally Julian Thompson also examines the Royal Navy's little known contribution to the War in the Pacific alongside the United States Navy.
This book is the story of nearly six years at sea as seen by British sailors, from Ordinary Seamen to Admirals, in their memoirs, diaries, letters home and taped interviews. The participants tell of an early triumph, the defeat of the pocket battleship Graf Spee by three cruisers; followed by the disastrous Norwegian Campaign, the evacuation of the BEF at Dunkirk and other channel ports; the agonising decision to destroy the French Fleet rather than let it fall into the hands of the enemy; the winning of the Battle of the Atlantic, the most important battle in the war for the Western Allies; the years of bitter Arctic convoys; desperate times in the Mediterranean, including Malta convoys, under the lash of the Luftwaffe; the destruction of the mighty German battleship Bismarck after she had sunk the pride of the Royal Navy, HMS Hood; the sacrifice of Swordfish aircrews trying to stop two German battlecruisers in their dash up the English Channel; the tragic loss of HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse off Malaya; the sinking of the mighty Scharnhorst off North Cape in the icy darkness of the Barents Sea and the landings at Normandy and elsewhere on the long road back. Finally Julian Thompson also examines the Royal Navy's little known contribution to the War in the Pacific alongside the United States Navy.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
Julian Thompson is now a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Department of War Studies, King's College, London.
Review:
"'Soon our shots were exploding all over the cruiser. So short became the range that we could see our projectiles exploding on the target. Ben Smyth, our trainer, stopped the gun following the target, saying "It's bloody murder, Bill," shouting at the gunlayer who was firing' - Boy Seaman Hayward on the capsizing of the Blucher, Battle of Dogger Bank"
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- PublisherSidgwick & Jackson
- Publication date1996
- ISBN 10 0283062525
- ISBN 13 9780283062520
- BindingHardcover
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The Imperial War Museum Book of the War at Sea, 1934-1945
Published by
Sidgwick & Jackson
(1996)
ISBN 10: 0283062525
ISBN 13: 9780283062520
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Hardcover
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Book Description Condition: New. Book is in NEW condition. 2.43. Seller Inventory # 0283062525-2-1
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