Entries

MACE, Martin & GREHAN, John. The War at Sea in the Mediterranean 1940-1944. xvi, 256p., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Maritime, 2014. ISBN: 1783462221.

         Reprints nine despatches from the London Gazette with a brief introduction, namely 38273, the Action off Calabria; 38023, the attack on Taranto; 38281, the Battle of Cape Spartivento; 38031, the Battle of Matapan; 38287, action against an Italian convoy in April 1941; 38377, the major Malta convoys of 1941-42; 38073, the Battle of Sirte; 38432, Coastal Force Actions in the Levant in 1942-3; 38426, Actions in the Aegean in late 1943.

• The Battle for the Mediterranean
• Official Despatches

STERN, Robert C. The Hunter Hunted: Submarine Versus Submarine Encounters From World War I to the Present. viii, 248p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Chatham, 2007. ISBN; 9781861762658.

Most of the encounters took place in WW2 and range from blue-on-blue sinkings to underwater encounters.

• The War at Sea
• Submarines

BRUNING, John. Battle for the North Atlantic: The Strategic Naval Campaign that Won World War II in Europe.300p., bibliog., illus., index. Minneapolis, MN: Zenith, 2013. ISBN: 0760339910.

An illustrated introduction to the long running campaign.

• The Battle of the Atlantic

WRAGG, David. Operation Neptune: The Prelude to D-Day. 256p., bibliog., illus., index. Stroud: History Press, 2014. ISBN: 0752489224.

A routine account of the naval operation.

• Operation Neptune

REDFORD, Duncan. A History of the Royal Navy: World War II. 256p., bibliog., illus., index. London: I. B. Tauris, 2014. ISBN: 1780765460.

A well received general history.

• The War at Sea

CROSS, Robert F. Shepherds of the Sea: Destroyer Escorts in World War II. xxi, 295p., bibliog., illus., index. Annapolis, Naval Institute Press, 2010. ISBN: 9781591141440.

        Based on personal tales, this is a history of the workhorse DEs which played an influential role both in the Atlantic and Mediterranean as well as the Pacific.

• United States Forces

COX, Jeffrey R. Rising Sun, Falling Skies: The Disastrous Java Sea Campaign of World War II. 368p., bibliog., illus., index. Oxford: Osprey, 2014. ISBN: 1780967268.

A good modern account which looks at all the Allies, is critical of MacArthur and supportive of Doorman.

• The Loss of the Far East
• The ABDA Command Area

BIRD, Andrew D. Coastal Dawn: Blenheims in Action From the Phoney War Through the Battle of Britain. 224p.,, bibliog., illus., index. London: Grub Street, 2012. ISBN: 9781906502690.

Detailed account of a little remarked area of combat.

• Coastal Command

ROBB-WEBB, Jon. The British Pacific Fleet: Experience and Legacy 1944-50. 320p., bibliog., illus., index Farnham: Ashgate, 2013. ISBN: 9780754668510.

The British Pacific Fleet (BPF) was formed in October 1944 and dispatched to fight alongside the USN in the Central Pacific under Admiral Nimitz. This study explores  the role of the BPF and its legacy through each level of war , from the grand strategic, through the military strategic and operational levels down to the tactical level.

• Victory over Japan

HUNTER, Robin. True Stories of the Commandos. [iv], 268p., illus. London: Virgin, 2000. ISBN: 9780753540534.

In reality a popular history of the Army Commandos 1940-45. Makes heavy use of personal reminiscences of the actions described.

• The Commandos

HELLWINKEL, Lars. Hitler’s Gateway to the Atlantic: German Naval Bases in France 1940-1945. 256p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Seaforth, 2014. ISBN: 1848321996.

A comprehensively illustrated and detailed account of the occupation, creation of bases and Allied attacks.

• Ports and Bases - Europe
• German Armed Forces

CLARK, Chris. From Hitler’s U-Boats to Khruschev’s Spyflights. 288p., illus. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Aviation, 2013. ISBN: 9781781590546.

Tom Clark joined the RAF in June 1939 and trained as an Air Gunner and joined a flying boat Squadron based at Sullom Voe. He served on after the war.

• Autobiography
• Coastal Command

MASON, Alfred Grossmith. Arctic Warriors: A Personal Account of Convoy PQ18. 224p., illus. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Maritime, 2013. ISBN: 9781783030378.

The author was Navigation and Gunnery Officer on the ss Empire Baffin. This account is based on his contemporary diary.

• Biography
• The Arctic Convoys

LEWIS, Tom & INGMAN, Peter. Carrier Attack - Darwin 1942: The Complete Guide to Australia's own Pearl Harbor. 368p., bibliog., illus., index.  Adelaide: Avonmore, 2013. ISBN: 0987151932.

A fresh analysis of the raid which draws on Japanese sources. It argues that the attack was far from a disaster for the Australians.

• The Loss of the Far East
• Ports and Bases - Africa, Asia and Australasia

LONGSTAFF, F.V. Esquimalt Naval Base: A History of Its work and Its Defences. 189p., [12p. of plates]. Victoria, B.C.: Victoria Book and Stationery Company, 1942.

Although largely concerned with the Victorian period and the early twentieth century, this gives good background on an important naval base. The cover is dated 1941, but the copyright statement is given as 1942.

• Ports and Bases - The Americas
• Royal Canadian Navy

BARTLAM, Bill & KEILLAR, Ian. World War II in Moray. xxi, 205p., illus. Kinloss: Librario, 2003. ISBN: 1904440363.

Describes the role of the armed, auxiliary and allied forces. Limited naval coverage.

• Ports and Bases - UK

GREAT BRITAIN. Ministry of Information. The Air Battle of Malta: The Official Account of the R.A.F. in Malta, June 1940 to November 1942. 95p., illus. London, H.M.S.O., 1944.

Gives good if one-sided accounts of the defence of the island and the attacks on the convoys.

• Malta
• The Royal Air Force

SIMPSON, B. Mitchell. Admiral Harold R. Stark: Architect of Victory, 1939-45. xii, 326p., illus., index. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, 1989. ISBN: 0872495965.
A solid if a little uncritical biography of Stark. Covers his controversial responsibility for Pear l Harbor, and has a good account of his time based in London as a key player in cementing the Anglo-American alliance

• Biography
• United States Forces

WOODLAND, Derek R. A History of the Bincleaves Site. 112p., bibliog., illus. Weymouth: Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, [2001].

        This thorough and comprehensive history records the history of the naval  research establishment associated particularly with the development of torpedoes  from its creation in the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth century.

• The Royal Navy
• Ports and Bases - UK

MACE, Martin & GREHAN, John. Unearthing Churchill’s Secret Army: The Official List of SOE Casualties and Their Stories. xi, 268p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2012. ISBN: 1848847947.

A list of agents who died, with biographical details. Some relevant if marginal naval material and some background on some raiding units.

• Reference Works
• Biography
• Special Service Units