Maritime history has dominated British history thanks to our island status. The Seaforth and Pen and Sword lists have some exceptional titles which have established themselves as key reference titles in the maritime and modelling worlds from the early years of seafaring, right through to the modern day.
If you only read one book on the development of the Fleet Air Arm and Naval air warfare in the Mediterranean during World War 2 then this should be it. Very highly recommended.
Military Historical Society
If you only read one book on the development of the Fleet Air Arm and Naval air warfare in the Mediterranean during World War 2 then this should be it. Very highly recommended.
Military Historical Society
This is a very interesting and informative little tome.. I knew that there were accidents during the building of the ship, but did not know that eight men died during the building process of the Titanic in the Harland & Wolfe shipyard. I also found fascinating how the firemen/stokers and trimmers kept the ship moving and loaded with coal even after she was mortally damaged. I have seen the movie about the heroic firemen, etc., that kept the lights on as the Titanic went down. Absolutely wonderfully done! And the musicians. There is an extensive listing of some of those who survived that awful night, and those who didn't. It talks about their histories, where they came from and a little about their families. This is followed by a description of how the press handled the emergency/disaster, and an extensive bibliography for those who would like to further explore the subject. And pictures! With captions! All in all, this is a good book, told in clear and concise style. It covers aspects.. Read more
NetGalley, Joyce Fox
This is a very interesting and informative little tome.. I knew that there were accidents during the building of the ship, but did not know that eight men died during the building process of the Titanic in the Harland & Wolfe shipyard. I also found fascinating how the firemen/stokers and trimmers kept the ship moving and loaded with coal even after she was mortally damaged. I have seen the movie about the heroic firemen, etc., that kept the lights on as the Titanic went down. Absolutely wonderfully done! And the musicians. There is an extensive listing of some of those who survived that awful night, and those who didn't. It talks about their histories, where they came from and a little about their families. This is followed by a description of how the press handled the emergency/disaster, and an extensive bibliography for those who would like to further explore the subject. And pictures! With captions! All in all, this is a good book, told in clear and concise style. It covers aspects.. Read more
NetGalley, Joyce Fox
[b]Review by Les Brown[/b]
This issue of the World Naval Review maintains the high standards set in previous years and provides an economic and invaluable source of information about today’s navies throughout the world.
Small Warships
[b]Review by Les Brown[/b]
This issue of the World Naval Review maintains the high standards set in previous years and provides an economic and invaluable source of information about today’s navies throughout the world.
Small Warships
The author originally joined the Navy during the days of sail. Leaving the Navy in 1919 he joined the Marine Department of the Chinese Maritime customs Service and during his 30 years as river inspector he assisted in opening the Yangtze River to steam navigation up to 1450 miles from the sea. It was here he developed a deep interest and affection for the junkmen and their craft. This is a large volume containing all sorts of information, detailing the lives of the junkmen along with ancient histories and of course their craft. Clearly a seriously researched book over his 30 years this publication is unique and unusual to say the least. Recommended to anyone.
Review by Andy Thomson
The author originally joined the Navy during the days of sail. Leaving the Navy in 1919 he joined the Marine Department of the Chinese Maritime customs Service and during his 30 years as river inspector he assisted in opening the Yangtze River to steam navigation up to 1450 miles from the sea. It was here he developed a deep interest and affection for the junkmen and their craft. This is a large volume containing all sorts of information, detailing the lives of the junkmen along with ancient histories and of course their craft. Clearly a seriously researched book over his 30 years this publication is unique and unusual to say the least. Recommended to anyone.
Review by Andy Thomson
The surprising thing about Ian Friel's book is how far back into the annals of our history it travels. The Viking invaders pre-1297 also had sailing boats, of course, and the British eventually copied their design and build, but this is a comprehensive and brilliantly conceived memoir of a seafaring nation from its earliest times to when it was time to use steam power for our naval craft. Absolutely fascinating!
Books Monthly
The surprising thing about Ian Friel's book is how far back into the annals of our history it travels. The Viking invaders pre-1297 also had sailing boats, of course, and the British eventually copied their design and build, but this is a comprehensive and brilliantly conceived memoir of a seafaring nation from its earliest times to when it was time to use steam power for our naval craft. Absolutely fascinating!
Books Monthly
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ShipCraft 11: British Destroyers
The 'ShipCraft' series provides in-depth information about building and modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each book takes the modeller through a brief history of the subject class, then moves to an extensive photographic survey of either a high-quality model or a surviving example of the ship. Hints on building the… Read more...
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ShipCraft 18: Titanic and her Sisters Olympic and Britannic
The 'ShipCraft' series provides in-depth information about building and modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each book takes the modeller through a brief history of the subject class, highlighting differences between sister-ships and changes in their appearance over their careers. This includes paint schemes and camouflage,… Read more...
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Aircraft Carriers of the United States Navy
In 1922 the US Navy commissioned its first small experimental aircraft carrier. This was followed into service by two much larger and capable carriers in 1927 with five more being built prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor including three large Yorktown class. To take the offensive against the Japanese Navy, the American Congress funded by… Read more...
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Battleships: WWII Evolution of the Big Guns
Beginning with a pictorial essay on battleship construction in the 1930s and 1940s, this new book looks at the various design facets of the last great capital ships of the world's navies. Kaplan offers us a glimpse into those massive American and German navy yards and construction facilities that were put to use during this time, acquainting us with… Read more...
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HMS Belfast: Cruiser 1939
HMS Belfast, originally a Royal Navy light cruiser, is now permanently moored on the Thames in London. One of ten Town-class cruisers she saw service on the icy Arctic convoys during the Second World War and was also present for the bombardment of the D-Day beaches in 1944. Later, she saw service during the Korean War. As is the case for many historic… Read more...
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British Battleships of World War One
This superb reference book achieved the status of 'classic' soon after its first publication in 1986; it was soon out of print and is now one of the most sought-after naval reference books on the secondhand market. It presents, in one superb volume, the complete technical history of British capital ship design and construction during the dreadnought… Read more...
The pilot cutters that operated around the coasts of northern Europe until the First World War were amongst the most seaworthy and beautiful craft of their size ever built, while the small number that have survived have inspired yacht designers, sailors and traditional craft enthusiasts over the last hundred years. Even in their day they possessed… Read more...
Building on the success of various Commando Raids during 1941, Headquarters Combined Operations moved up the scale of size and complexity by electing to attack and deny the only dry dock that could take a German battleship for repairs, the Normandie Dock at St Nazaire on France's Atlantic coast. The problem was that the port was miles up an estuary… Read more...
Tony Chapman was born in Southampton in 1924. Aged 16 he watched with horror as the historic High Street of Southampton burnt to the ground in a firestorm caused by a heavy German bombing raid on the night of 30 November 1940. He vowed to join up and fight back. Tony joined the Navy. Within hours of being posted to his first Motor Gun Boat, Telegraphist… Read more...
Ironically while the Japanese Navy followed many of the Royal Navy's traditions and structures, it had a totally different approach to the treatment of its foes. The author has uncovered a plethora of outrages against both servicemen and civilians which make chilling and shocking reading. These range from the execution of POWs, the abandonment of survivors… Read more...
On 16 March 1807, the British Parliament passed The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. In the following year the Royal Navy's African Squadron was formed, its mission to stop and search ships at sea suspected of carrying slaves from Africa to the Americas and the Middle East. With typical thoroughness, the Royal Navy went further, and took the fight… Read more...