| ID | Description | Categories | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1482 | SIMMONS, John R. Campaign Ribbons. 188p., illus., index. Kansas: Sunflower UP, 1990. ISBN: 9780897451321. The autobiography of a junior paymaster. He began the war as a purser in Empress of Australia, notably in the Norwegian Campaign. Next came service on Hilary and later Keren for the assault on Madagascar and for the Torch and Husky landings. He moved on to Portland to stand by Trouncer and stayed there until the end of the war. |
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| 1483 | SIMPSON, Michael. The Cunningham Papers: Selections from the Private and Official Correspondence of Admiral of the Fleet Cunningham of Hyndhope, O.M., K.T., G.C.B., D.S.O. and Two Bars. (Publications of the Navy Records Society, Vol. 140and 150). 2 vols. Aldershot: Ashgate for the Society, 1999-2006. ISBN: 1840146222 (Vol. 1), ISBN: 0754655989 (Vol. 2).
The usual excellent publication from the NRS, with an extended introductory essay by the editor in volume one. The first volume is sub-titled 'The Mediterranean Fleet 1939–1942' and the second 'The Triumph of Allied Sea Power 1942-1946'. |
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| 1484 | SIMPSON, Michael. A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth-century Naval Leader. 310p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Cass, 2004. ISBN: 0714651974.
Cunningham was the best-known and most celebrated British admiral of the Second World War. He held one of the two major fleet commands between 1939 and 1942, and in 1942-43, he was Allied naval commander for the great amphibious operations in the Mediterranean. From 1943 to 1946, he was the First Sea Lord and a participant in the wartime conferences with Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt and the US Chiefs of Staff, deliberating the global strategy for Allied victory. He also led a very active public life for almost 20 years after his retirement in 1946. |
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| 1485 | SIMPSON, Michael. The Somerville Papers: Selections from the Private and Official Correspondence of Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville, G. C. B., G. B. E., D. S. O., edited by Michael Simpson with the assistance of John Somerville (Publications of the Navy Records Society, vol. 134). xxv, 696p., bibliog., illus., index. Scolar Press for the Navy Records Society, 1995. ISBN: 1859282075.
Substantial pieces of biography separate a very good selection of edited and annotated documents. Covers the period 1936–1945. |
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| 1486 | SLATER, Ian. Jacob's Ladder: A Grateful and Memorable Tribute to the Royal Navy, 1939-45. [xiii], 5–170p., illus., index. Tunbridge Wells: Parapress, 1993. ISBN: 0952182300.
He joined the London RNVR in June 1939. After training he was sent to Singapore, but by March 1940 had joined Kent patrolling in the Indian Ocean. She soon joined the Mediterranean Fleet, suffered bomb damage, and returned to the UK. After shore time and now technically in the FAA, he joined Shropshire, supporting her Walrus crew and headed first for Simonstown then attachment to the Home Fleet at Scapa in mid-1941. That October she went to Chatham for a major refit then in March moved to Simonstown. When she returned to the UK six months later he had a spell ashore before joining Asturias in March 1943. She was torpedoed but not sunk later in the year and he moved back to the UK as an instructor at Daedalus. A good story which rather fizzles out. |
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| 1487 | SMITH, Alastair Carrick. Instantaneous Echoes: When U-Boats Were the Enemy. 256p., bibliog., illus., index. Yeovil: author, 1994. ISBN: 0952457806.
He joined up in 1942 as an OD and CW candidate. He joined Atherstone and served in the Western Mediterranean. After training at King Alfred he joined Vidette in the North Atlantic. In late 1943 he went to New York for the commissioning of Inman and served in her until the end of the war. A rather ordinary account strongest on his North Atlantic service. |
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| 1488 | SMITH, Eric. A Dabtoe's Diary. 157p. illus. London: Excalibur, 1993. ISBN: 1856343367.
Recounts his war service. He was with Ajax at the Battle of the River Plate, but spent most of the war in destroyers in the Atlantic, Arctic and Mediterranean. |
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| 1489 | SMITH, H. A. Tales of a Ganges Bloater. 215p. London: Minerva, 1998. ISBN: 1861069219.
A whole series of anecdotes by a good raconteur. They include the sinking of Blean; a drink-induced grounding in Morocco; sinking an Italian submarine; entry into Taranto; painting the flotilla padre's car; the looting of a German supply ship; Torch and the rescue of the trooper Thomas Stone as seen from Wishart; ramming a French submarine in error; liberating stores; dealing with a VD case in a North Atlantic convoy. |
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| 1490 | SOPOCKO, Eryk K. S. Gentlemen, the Bismarck Has Been Sunk. x, 93p., illus. London: Methuen, 1942.
The author's service aboard Rodney in early 1941. |
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| 1491 | SPARKSMAN, Norman. Jottings of a Young Sailor. v, 157p., illus. Ely: Melrose, 2008. ISBN: 190605035X.
He volunteered in 1941 and trained as a CW candidate on Edinburgh and was sunk on her in the Arctic. After training at King Alfred he joined the D.E.M.S unit at Belfast then Bangor. Finally in 1945 he went to India as a Gunnery Instructor. |
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| 1492 | STEPHEN, Martin. The Fighting Admirals: British Admirals of the Second World War. x, 227p., bibliog., illus., index. Annapolis: NIP, 1991. ISBN: 0850527287.
A revisionist history of reputations with Ramsay emerging as the author's hero. The feats of all the major admirals are reconsidered. |
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| 1493 | STEWART, James Douglas. But No Brass Funnel. vi, 249p., bibliog., illus. Latheronwheel: Whittles, 2004. ISBN: 1904445101.
An autobiography. As war broke out he left school and became a cadet in the British India Steam Navigation Company, as a back door route into the Royal Navy. After sixteen months at sea – including the Dakar operation – he was accepted as a Midshipman in late 1941 at Greenwich and by March 1942 had joined Euryalus at Alexandria and was very quickly involved in the Battle of Sirte. He soon transferred to the small minesweeper Lord Irwin based at Beirut. In August he moved to Erica and stayed with her until she was sunk off Benghazi in February 1943. After a brief two weeks on the anti-aircraft control ship Antwerp, he was appointed to Delphinium performing Mediterranean convoy work. In September 1944 he returned to the UK and joined Tavy quickly taking part in an Arctic convoy before being based at Gibraltar. In June 1945 he moved to Cockatrice and was demobbed early in 1946 soon returning to a successful career in the Merchant Navy. |
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| 1494 | STONE, William. Hero of the Fleet. Two World Wars, One Extraordinary Life – The Memoirs of Centenarian William Stone. 256p., bibliog., illus. Edinburgh: Mainstream, 2009. ISBN: 1845965086.
He had an active career and was involved in major actions from Dunkirk to Sicily. A fond account of one of the last survivors of the First World War. |
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| 1495 | SWINSON, Arthur. Mountbatten (Pan/ Ballantine Illustrated History of World War II, War Leader Book no. 4). 160p., bibliog., illus. London: Pan/Ballantine; New York: Ballantine, 1971. ISBN: 034502317X.
Mainly concerned with the war in the Far East. |
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| 1496 | TAVERNER, Nixie. A Torch among Tapers. 335p., bibliog., illus., index. Bramber: Durnford, 2000. ISBN: 0953567036
Captain Rory O'Conor was an outstanding young officer whose career was tragically cut short when Neptune was sunk in a minefield off Tripoli in 1941. He had begun the war in the Plans Division of the Admiralty and at age 37 was by far the youngest promotion to Captain of his time. This biography by his niece is based on naval records, interviews and his voluminous correspondence. |
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| 1497 | TAYLOR, H. N. A Captain's Tale: A Career in Sailing, Steam and Motor Yachts. vi, 167p., illus. Lavenham: Dalton, 1984. ISBN: 0861380312.
A career autobiography of a Merchant Mariner. He spent most of the war on his pre-war ship, the private yacht Evadne, converted for the patrol service. Late in the war he went to Germany as Deputy Harbour Master at Kiel. An enjoyable tale. |
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| 1498 | TERRAINE, John. The Life and Times of Lord Mountbatten: An Illustrated Biography Based on the Television History. x, 197p., illus. London: Hutchinson, 1968. ISBN: 0090888103.
A brief account, in his own words, linked by the author. |
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| 1499 | TOWNEND, John. Broad Oceans and Narrow Seas. iii, 204p. illus. Dereham: Larks, 2000. ISBN: 0948400919.
An autobiography covering his life from joining the Navy from school during the war. He describes time in Coastal Forces with the 15th Flotilla transporting agents to and from France and Norway. |
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| 1500 | TRAVIS, Arthur. From War to Westhoughton. 32p. [n.p.]: P&D Riley, 1992. ISBN: 187471200X.
An autobiography. No copy seen. |
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| 1501 | TREACHER, John. Life at Full Throttle: From Wardroom to Boardroom. xii, 260p., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2004. ISBN: 1844151344.
He joined as a cadet and Dartmouth and his active wartime service saw him at Salerno, Omaha Beach and sailing on Arctic convoy. This is briefly described but the book concentrates on his post-war career as a senior naval commander and on his career in business. |
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