Entries

ROSENDAHL, Bjorn Tore. Allied Seafarers in the Second World War. 273p., bibliog illus., index. Oslo: Cappelen Damm Akademisk, 2018. ISBN: 9788202566302.

This is the first time the history of the seafarers from most of the Allied maritime nations has been gathered to one anthology. The many contributors describe the story of seamen in the merchant fleets of the USA, Great Britain, Norway, the Netherlands, Greece, and Yugoslavia. The history of Chinese and Indian seafarers on Allied ships is also explored.

• The Merchant Navy

CULL, Brian with GALEA, Frederick. Marylands over Malta, including the Exploits of the Legendary Wg Cdr Adrian Warburton, DSO & Bar, DFC & Two Bars, DFC (USA). 174p., bibliog., illus. Rabat, Malta: Wise Owl Publications, 2014. ISBN: 9789993297673.

A detailed operational account of the US built planes transferred from France and used mainly for photo reconnaissance in Malta and North Africa. A good account from prolific Maltese authors.

• Malta

BERTKE, Donald A., KINDELL, Don & SMITH, Gordon. World War II Sea War, Volume 18: Additions and Corrections August 1939-February 1941. 533p. Dayton, OH: Bertke Publications, 2021. ISBN: 9781937470357.

Corrects some old data entries, but mainly consists of additional information. Further volumes of corrections and editions for each quarter year are in the process of publication.

• Reference Works

BERTKE, Donald A., KINDELL, Don & SMITH, Gordon. World War II Sea War, Volume 17: Götterdämmerung and Sayonara – Germany and Japan Surrender. 392p. Dayton, OH: Bertke Publications, 2021. ISBN: 9781937470333.

Covers the final naval events of the war.

• Reference Works

MALLALIEU, J. P. W. On Larkhill. [iv], 211p., illus. London: Allison & Busby, 1983. ISBN: 0850315166.

A distinguished post-war politician and author of the excellent semi-autobiographical wartime novel A Very Ordinary Seaman, (q.v.), this autobiography covers his early life to 1945. There is a very brief section describing his wartime naval career and the writing of his novel about the Arctic convoys.

• Autobiography

FARLEY, Patricia Bridgen. Birds of a Feather: A Wren's Memoirs, 1942-1945. 65p., [n.p.], author, 1998. ISBN: 9780966343403.

Born between the Wars, she was educated in England and Switzerland. She joined the Navy in 1942, married an American artillery officer in 1945 and went to the U.S.A. in 1946.This is a record of three and a half years of wartime service spent at a degaussing station on the Firth of Clyde in the company of eight other Wrens.

• WRNS

FORD, Ted. The Nearly Man, or, This is Another Fine Mess I've Gotten Myself Into. 158p., illus. Wolverhampton, E.V. Ford, 1997.

An autobiography. No copy seen. Held by the Imperial War Museum in London at Catalogue Number LBY 98 /1536.

• Royal Marines

BEEVOR, Antony. The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. xxxii, [2], 526p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2006. ISBN: 9780297848321.

An excellent and comprehensive account of the civil war which pays some attention to the limited and neglected role of the Royal Navy.

• Preparations for War

CASHFORD, Noel. All Theirs! Explosive Ordnance Disposal. Men Who Risked Their Lives to Render Safe Bombs and Explosive Devices (And Booby Traps). vi, 150p., illus. Sheffield: ALD Design & Print, 2004. ISBN: 9781901587388.

A whole series of brief tales of the members of the armed forces – and civilians - who risked their lives to render safe bombs and mines. Includes a few post-war stories. A very personal view which build on his own previously published memoir.

• Mine Warfare

BEEDIE, F. A. Acting Able Seaman – Hostilities Only: A Memoir. 299p., illus. [n.p., independently published], 2020. ISBN: 9781657954991.

A pleasant autobiography. Born in 1925, he lived through the Portsmouth Blitz. Aged 17 he volunteered for the RN and trained in HMS Collingwood, at Havant and at the HMS Excellent Gunnery School. In November 1943 he joined the old Hunt Class Minesweeper Alresford based in Portsmouth as a guard ship. She was decommissioned in early 1945 and he then joined the Bay Class frigate Whitesand Bay. Commissioned at the end of July 1945 she worked up at Tobermory then sailed to the Far East and Australasia, returning to the UK at the end of 1946.

• Autobiography

PHELAN, Kieran & BRICE, Martin H. Fast Attack Craft: The Evolution of Design and Tactics. 224p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Macdonald & Jane’s, 1977. ISBN: 356049124.

An excellent description of the development of early steam torpedo boats, CMBs, MTBs and German E-Boats, covering the period from 1880 to the 1970s with much material on WW2. Heavily illustrated, there is a strong readable text which goes well beyond design features.

• General lists of ships

HAARR, Geirr H. & MELIEN, Tor Jørgen. The Sinking of the Blücher: The Battle of Drøbak Narrows April 1940. 272p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Greenhill, 2023. ISBN: 9781784388751.

A strong detailed account of the events leading to the sinking of the Blücher, the flagship of the German force attacking Norway. Explores the importance of and consequences of the sinking.

• The Norwegian Campaign

WALTER, Brian E. Forgotten War: The British Empire and Commonwealth’s Epic Struggle Against Imperial Japan, 1941–1945. 336p., bibliog., illus., index. Oxford: Casemate, 2023. ISBN: 9781636243573.

A balanced and detailed account of the role of British and Imperial Forces from the Indian Ocean to the shores of Japan.

This is a new line

• The War at Sea

BOYD, Andrew. Arms for Russia & The Naval War in the Arctic, 1941–1945. 576p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Seaforth, 2024. ISBN: 9781399038867.

A fresh view of the war in the Arctic from a major author. Well researched and fluently written it offers new perspectives on the importance of the convoys.

• The Arctic Convoys

NELSON, K. A. Killing Shore: The True Story of Hitler’s U-boats Off the New Jersey Coast. 395p., bibliog., illus., index. Havertown, Pa: Casemate, 2024. ISBN: 9781955041294.

A good account which provides much detail on World War II Atlantic submarine warfare, including the failings of US Admiral King down to information on the clothes worn by the sailors on both sides. Neither background nor detail is lacking.

• The Battle of the Atlantic

BUCKINGHAM, William F. D-Day: The First 72 Hours. 320p., bibliog., illus., index. Cheltenham: History Press, 2024. ISBN: 9781803996929.

Well researched and readable. Attempts to give a new perspective on the units involved in the landings.

• D-Day

HASTINGS, Max. Operation Biting: The 1942 Parachute Assault To Capture Hitler’s Radar. 384p., bibliog., illus., index. London: William Collins, 2024. ISBN: 9780008642167.

An excellent nail-biting retelling of the story of the Bruneval Raid.

• Combined Operations: The Early Years

FISHER, Stephen, Sword Beach: The Untold Story of D-Day’s Forgotten Victory. 496p., bibliog., illus., index. London, Bantam, 2024. ISBN: 9781787636712.

A comprehensive review of the often disregarded battle for this easternmost landing ground. Covers everything from the buildup to the aftermath in fascinating detail.

• D-Day

HEWITT, Nick. Normandy: the Sailors' Story. A Naval History of D-Day and the Battle for France. 464p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Yale University Press, 2024. ISBN: 9780300256734.

Unusual in that the principal focus is on the naval involvement in D-Day. An excellent work by a well established historian.

• D-Day

GRETTON, Peter. The Battle of the Atlantic: The War Against Allied Shipping 1939-1945. 505p., bibliog. Ilkley: Sapere Books 2024. ISBN: 9798326369406.

In the 1980’s when Admiral Gretton was in his seventies and in declining health he drafted a history of the Battle of the Atlantic. This draft manuscript is now lightly edited and published by his son. The text covers key aspects of the battle and clearly shows the thinking of a key participant who turned to writing excellent history in his later life. Very readable, slightly quirky but authoritative this is a very important study.

• The Battle of the Atlantic