Category: Biography

DIXON, Jeremy. The U-Boat Commanders: Knight’s Cross Holders 1939-1945. 352p., bibliog., illus., index.   Annapolis, Naval Institute Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781526718730.

In all, there were 123 recipients of the Knight’s Cross. Dixon's highly illustrated book offers a guide to all these men and their wartime service. There are almost 200 archive photographs. Full details are given of their tours of duty, the operations they took part in, how they won their award, how many ships they sank and their subsequent careers.

McDONALD, Paul. Malta’s Greater Siege & Adrian Warburton DSO, DFC, DFC (USA). xviii, 324p., illus. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2015. ISBN: 9781473860087.

A biography of the legendary RAF pilot “Warby” and his role in the defence of Malta which is interwoven with the story of Adrian his relationship  with Christine Ratcliffe.

HARDER, Thomas Special Forces Hero: Anders Lassen VC MC*. 400p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Seaforth, 2021. ISBN: 9781526787514.

A fresh account of this much decorated legendary figure.

D’ESTE, Carlo. Warlord: A Life of Churchill at War 1874-1945. xix, 936p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Allen Lane, 2009. ISBN: 9780713997538.

A powerful biography with extensive coverage of his involvement in naval matters in World War 2. This is a slightly amended version of the American edition published in 2008.

CROSSLEY, Jim. Churchill’s Admiral In Two World Wars: Admiral of the Fleet Lord Keyes of Zeebrugge and Dover GCB KCVO CMG DSO. xii, 200p., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Maritime, 2020. ISBN: 9781526748393.

An engaging biography of a charismatic fighting admiral who saw action from anti-slavery patrols at the end of the nineteenth century to being present at the Leyte landings after his retirement. Has a brief account of his service in WW2, notably in Combined Operations.

MATSON, Dennis. The Lancastria: Looking Back. A Survivor’s Story. [vi], 34p., illus. [n.p., 2019]. ISBN: 9781793136398.

He was a Private in the R.A.S.C. and this describes his experience of the sinking and later wartime career.

CLARK, Anthony. Uncle George and RMS Lancastria. 46p., illus. [n.p., author,2020]. ISBN: 9781542973434.

George Clark was a member of the Pioneer Corps who died on Lancastria. This rather bitter memoir records a nephews attempt to reconstruct what happened to an uncle he never met some seventy years after the event.

PARKIN, Simon. A Game of Birds and Wolves: The Secret Game that Won the War. 320p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Hodder, 2019. ISBN: 9781529353037.

Describes the development of tactical gaming of how to deal with U-boat attacks as led by Captain Gilbert Roberts working with a team of Wrens.

WARREN, C. E. T., & BENSON, James. Will Not We Fear: The Story of HM Submarine Seal and of Lieutenant-Commander Rupert Lonsdale. 228p., illus. London: Harrap, 1961; New York: Sloane, 1962.

The mine-laying submarine Seal was badly damaged and captured by the Germans in the Kattegat early in the war.  Republished by White Lion in 1973, ISBN: 0856171301.                           

JENKINS, Roy. Churchill. xxi, 1002p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Macmillan, 2001. ISBN: 0333782909.

Although this major biography has only limited coverage of his period at the Admiralty it is included as one of the finest pieces of historical writing of the last fifty years.

GRAY, Edwyn. Captains of War: They Fought Beneath the Sea. x, 275p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Leo Cooper, 1988. ISBN: 0850522463.

The author examines the careers and personalities of seventeen submariners - British, German, Japanese, American, Polish and Italian from both world wars.

PARKER, Johnny. A Smack at the Boche: The World War 2 Diary and Photographs of Leading Seaman Ronald Turner Aboard the British Cruiser HMS Hawkins 1939-1941. [6], 166p., illus. n.p.: author, 2016. ISBN: 9781520145297.

A member of the RNVR he was called up at the outbreak of war. He served on Hawkins in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean. This is a transcript of his illicit wartime diary, with linking material by the author, his nephew.

LEWIS, Tom. Honour Denied: Teddy Sheean, A Tasmanian Hero.and other Brave Warriors of the Royal Australian Navy. 317p., bibliog., illus., index. Kent Town, S.A.: Avonmore, 2016. ISBN: 9780987151971.

No member of the Royal Australian Navy has ever been awarded a Victoria Cross. Of the 100 so far given to Australians, 96 are to the Army and four to the Royal Australian Air Force. This detailed and passionate account of Sheean’s bravery during the sinking of HMAS Armidale aims to prove the lack of VCs for the RAN is unjust.

MURRAY, Allan A.  HMAS Australia: Last of Her Luck. (Men and Ships at War, Book 5). 67p., illus. [n.p.]: Family Murray Trust, 2018. ISBN: 9781973123545.

The fifth and final volume in this family history series records the wartime career of the cruiser until her luck ran out. Also records the service of the author’s great uncle who served as an Able Seaman.

MALCOLM, Ian M. Dangerous Seas 1939-1945. v, 227p., bibliog., illus. Broughty Ferry: Moira Brown, 2017. ISBN: 9781520753775.

A compilation of four short Kindle Books. These are Dangerous Voyaging and Dangerous Voyaging 2, both based on brief accounts of individual convoys, often with a personal story. Fortunes of War briefly lists the war service of merchant ships chronicled in Vol. 14 of the Marine Observer for 1937, plus descriptions of three wartime voyages made by a friend, Douglas Cameron. The final volume, Mined Coasts, is a list of British merchant ships damaged or sunk by mines, with brief details of the circumstances.

ROUSSEL, Mike. Pacific Avengers: The Story of a Fleet Air Arm Pilot's Training and Service with 857 Squadron in the British Pacific Fleet. xiv, 229p., bibliog., illus. Southampton: Little Knoll Press, 2015. ISBN: 9780992722074.

The story of Sub Lt (A) Geoffrey Wright and his service during the final phase of the Pacific War.

GLYN-JONES, Anne. Morse Code Wrens of Station X: Bletchley’s Outer Circle. xiv, 163p., illus. Exeter: Amphora Press, 2017. ISBN: 9781845409098.

A very personal and readable account of the realities of daily life at Bletchley Park for those working at the coal face.

CABELL, Craig. Ian Fleming’s Secret War. xxv, 182p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2008. ISBN: 9781844157730.

A somewhat disjointed and in places sparse biography, which gives a good picture of Fleming’s role in naval intelligence. Reprinted in paperback in 2016 by the same publisher, ISBN: 9781473853492.

LAMBERT, Andrew. Admirals: The Naval Commanders Who Made Britain Great. xx, 492p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Faber, 2008. ISBN: 9780571231560.

A glorious celebration of the Royal Navy from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. There are biographies of eleven admirals, including a masterly forty page summary of A. B. Cunningham’s career.

HORE, Peter. Henry Harwood: Hero of the River Plate. xi, 244p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Seaforth, 2018. ISBN: 9781526725295.

Harwood is best known for his defeat of the Graf Spee at the Battle of the River Plate. His later career, particularly as C-in-C of the Mediterranean Fleet in 1942-43 has been much denigrated as a failure. This biography sets the record straight with a much more balanced and nuanced account of his career.

HOBBS, D. A. The Dawn of Carrier Strike and the World of Lieutenant W. P. Lucy DSO RN. 400p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Seaforth, 2020. ISBN: 9781473879928.

Focused on the development of the FAA in the inter-war years despite a lack of resources. This excellent account is enlivened with descriptions of the growing career of Lucy at this time, including detailed accounts of his wartime missions, mainly in Norway, where he was killed in action.

TURNER, Barry. Karl Doenitz and the Last Days of the Third Reich. xii, 302, [4]p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Icon Books, 2015. ISBN: 9781848319226.

 A good straightforward recapitulation of the end of the Third Reich drawn from secondary sources.

BATKIN, Raymond J. All Parts Bearing an Even Strain. An Engine Room Artificer in the Royal Navy (1928-1945): remembering 'D/MX.47428' (aka John Hornabrook Smith DSM, RN). 170p., illus. Plymouth: Christiebooks, 2015. ISBN: 9781873976715.
The biography of an unsung hero who served as a boiler room technician.
 

HOUGHTON, Mark. Through Fire and Water: The Life and Faith of a Naval Surgeon in War and Peace. 384p., references, illus. Milton Keynes: Malcolm Down Publishing, 2025. ISBN: 9781917455190.
A biography of his father. He was a major figure who lived through two world wars. Roughly half the book covers his service in WW2, notably aboard Nelson in the Mediterranean and where he saved the lives of Vian and Syfret before becoming the first ever Fleet Surgeon of the Royal Navy. A well told tale of a colourful character.
 

LEWIS, Damian. SAS Great Escapes: Seven Incredible Escapes Made by Second World War Heroes. xii, 332p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Quercus, 2021. ISBN: 9781787475281.

A good read telling the story of seven remarkable men and their escapes while being held as POWs. Has some marginal detail about the involvement – or lack of it – of the RN in their escapes.

LOWNIE, Andrew. The Mountbattens.  [4], 490p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Blink, 2019.  ISBN:9781788702580.

An excellent biography of Lord Louis Mountbatten and his wife Edwina Ashley – the richest girl in the world in 1922 when they married. There is a clear focus on their exotic lives and many lovers but there is a good competent account of his significant naval career.

O’FLAHERTY, Chris. Torpedoes, Tea, and Medals: The Gallant Life of Commander D. G. H. 'Jake' Wright DSC** Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. xv, 190p., illus. Oxford: Casemate, 2022. ISBN:9781636241401

One of the first Volunteer Reserves to be called up, he was training at HMS King Alfred, when his war began at Dunkirk, helping to evacuate stragglers after Operation DYNAMO. He then volunteered for Motor Torpedo Boats, where he served with valour and distinction for which he received many honours.

SIMMONS, Mark. Alistair MacLean’s War: How the Royal Navy Shaped his Bestsellers. xiv, 193p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Maritime, 2022. ISBN: 9781399019385.

He joined the RN as an Ordinary Seaman in 1941 and saw active service from the Arctic to the Indian Ocean. This gave the background to his hugely successful literary career starting with the incomparable novel HMS Ulysses. Approximately half the book covers his wartime service while the second half covers his literary success and later life.

HAMILTON, Aaron Stephan. Knight of the North Atlantic: Baron Siegfried von Forstner and the War Patrols of U-402 1941-1943. 256p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Seaforth, 2022. ISBN: 1399096729.

The biography of a successful U-boat commander who was on his eighth patrol when U-402 was sunk with both hands. The story is enriched and made more poignant by the fact that the authors maternal grandfather had served on the boat as a cook during its first four patrols.

HASTINGS, Max. Finest Years: Churchill as Warlord 1940-45. xxiii, 664p., bibliog., illus., index. London: HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN: 9780007263677.

Full of naval related material, Hastings paints a vivid picture of Churchill at war as seen by the outside world.

JONES, Peter. Guy Griffiths: The Life & Times of an Australian Admiral. 312p., bibliog., illus., index. Melbourne, Vic.: Arden, 2021. ISBN: 9781922454676.

A well written authorised biography of a distinguished Australian admiral. A country boy from the Hunter Valley he went to the Royal Australian Naval College aged 13 as a cadet midshipman in 1937. On graduation he joined Repulse and was with her for the Bismarck hunt then survived her sinking off Malaya in 1941. He continued to see active service in the Pacific War and was awarded a DSC while serving on Shropshire and was in Tokyo Bay when Japan surrendered formally. His distinguished career continued post-war until his retirement in 1980. A well written and empathetic biography.

O’FLAHERTY, Chris. Crash Start: The Life and Legacy of Lieutenant Richard Guy Ormonde Hudson DSC Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. xii, 125p., bibliog., illus. Gloucester: Choir Press, 2019.

 Hudson joined the RNVR in 1940 and after service in Home Waters, including the Bismarck action, he joined Coastal Forces and served in the Mediterranean and the Channel with distinction.

SIMMONS, Mark. Ian Fleming and Operation Golden Eye: Spies, Scoundrels and Envoys Keeping Spain Out of World War. xvi, 192p., bibliog., illus., index. Oxford: Casemate, 2018. ISBN: 9781612006857.

The story of Ian Fleming and a whole host of characters who were active in the Iberian Peninsula in the early years of the war as Franco dithered between maintaining neutrality and joining the Axis. Also covers the various plans prepared for any attempt to capture Gibraltar. A fascinating tale spoiled somewhat by poor proofreading.

KAY, Mary. Tin Can Heroes: Max Grey’s Story as Told to Mary Kay. [124p]., illus. Smithton, Tas.; Circular Head Heritage Centre, c.2010.

Called up in 1941 he trained at the Flinders Naval Depot, then served on HMAS Adelaide, Ararat and Australia. This is his story of his war service.

SANGSTER, Andrew. Alan Brooke: Churchill’s Right Hand Critic. A Reappraisal of Lord Alanbrooke. 368p., bibliog., illus., index. Oxford: Casemate, 2021. ISBN: 9781612009681.

Although this offers a full biographical career of his childhood, service in WW1 and in the inter-war years, it focusses on his period as Chief of the Imperial General Staff during WW2.

JELLICOE, Nicholas. C. George Jellicoe: SAS and SBS Commander. 336p., illus. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2021. ISBN: 9781399009447.

A biography of his father, a man with a life full of action and drama.

KEMP, Ross. Warriors: British Fighting Heroes. viii, 328p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Century, 2010. ISBN: 9781846057991.

A personal tribute which provides eleven brief biographies of men of courage and their sacrifices. It covers all of the armed services. This includes “Blondie” Haslar from the Royal Marines who led the Cockleshell Heroes, Captain Edward Fegen of the completely outgunned Jervis Bay who saved his convoy when it was attacked by the Admiral Scheer, and Malcolm Wanklyn, the submariner captain of Upholder who was lost in action in the Mediterranean.

IZZARD, Brian. Mastermind of Dunkirk and D-Day: The Vision of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay. 288p., bibliog., illus., index. Oxford: Casemate, 2020. ISBN: 9781612008387.

The first major biography of Ramsay for over sixty years. During World War II he was a pivotal figure from his planning of the Dunkirk evacuation through to his role in planning Operation Neptune as well as operations TORCH and HUSKY. His mysterious death in a plane crash in 1945 has led to his seminal role being overlooked. A good account.

STOKES, Peter. No Ordinary Life. 197p., illus. [242p.], FeedARead, 2013. ISBN: 9781784070427.

An account of the wartime exploits of his father Horace Stokes. A member of the TA, he quickly moved to 12 Commando, then the Small Scale Raiding Force and finally the SAS, where he took part in many pinprick raids before ending up as a Prisoner of War. Based on his contemporary journal.

JACOBS, Peter. Codenamed Dorset: The Wartime Exploits of Major Colin Ogden-Smith Commando and SOE. 224p., bibliog., illus, index. Barnsley: Frontline Books, 2014. ISBN: 1848326866.

 A biography of Major Colin Ogden-Smith who served as a commando and as an SOE operative in North Africa and Europe, where he died during the liberation of France.

MCKAY, Sinclair. The Secret Life of Bletchley Park: The History of the Wartime Codebreaking Centre and the Men and Women Who were There. vi, 336p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Aurum, 2010. ISBN: 9781845135393.

A description of the work of Bletchley, but especially of the men and women who worked there and their reminiscences.

PIKE, Richard. Alfie’s War: A Fleet Air Arm Officer’s Exciting Exploits of HMS Illustrious in Greece and Crete. 189p., illus., index. London: Grub Street, 2012. ISBN: 1908117419.

In effect a second biographical volume giving an account of his experiences in the Eastern Mediterranean.

COOPER, Artemis. Patrick Leigh Fermor: An Adventure. xv, 448p., bibliog., illus., index. London, John Murray, 2012. ISBN: 0719554497.

An engaging biography of the idiosyncratic, boyish adventurer who joined the Intelligence Corps in 1939 after travelling round Europe. He was sent to Greece to support the Cretan resistance and his well known escapades described. His long and full life is sympathetically treated.

WELCH, Ken. A Sailor at War 1939-1945. 174p., illus. Kindle e-book, 2014

The personal memories of Albert Edward Welch, the author’s father, who served on  Mauritius, Capetown, Widnes and Centurion mainly in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean, as well as D-Day. A fairly bland if accurate account enlivened with a handful of personal anecdotes.

DOWLING, Tom. Journal of a Midshipman 1941-1943.  315p., illus. Leeds: Propagator Press, 2010. ISBN: 1860298176.

He trained at Dartmouth and had an active war as a midshipman, serving on Queen Elizabeth, Beaufort and Uganda, mainly in the Mediterranean. This is his beautifully illustrated midshipman’s  journal, with later annotations and explanations. A second revised edition was published in 2011 (ISBN: 1908037180).

SNELLING, Stephen. Commando Medic: Doc Harden VC. 240p.,bibliog., illus., index. Stroud: Spellmount, 2012. ISBN: 9780752479439

Harden joined the artillery in early 1942 but was soon transferred to the RAMC as he had field ambulance experience. He quickly gravitated to 45 Royal Marine Commando as a medic. He landed with them on D-Day and fought through Northern Europe. He was awarded a posthumous VC for his actions saving wounded men in a bitter battle on the Dutch-German border in January 1945.

ALDRIDGE, Arthur, with RYAN, Mark. The Last Torpedo Flyers: The True Story of Arthur Aldridge – Hero of the Skies. xiv, 336., illus., index. London: Simon & Schuster, 2013. ISBN: 9781471102752.

He left Oxford aged 19 in 1940 and volunteered for the RAF. He spent a brutal two years in the UK and Mediterranean flying Beauforts in such actions as the Channel Dash and the defence of Malta. In 1942 he moved to a quieter theatre based on Ceylon.

SCOTT, Harry. The Radio Officer’s War: Ships, Storms and Submarines. 193p., bibliog., illus. London: Createspace, 2013.  ISBN: 1493697218.

A biography of Ian Waddell. He joined the Merchant Navy as a Radio Officer in 1940 and made fourteen Atlantic crossings before dying when the tanker Narragansett was torpedoed and sunk in March 1942. Based on his diaries and letters which are quoted at length.

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.

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

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.

STREVER-MORKEL, Gail. On Laughter-Silvered Wings: The Story of Lt. Col. E.T. (Ted) Strever D.F.C. xii, 227p., illus. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2013. ISBN: 1781591040.

A biographical account of the life and times of a South African WW2 pilot (the author's father). He flew coastal strike missions in the Mediterranean and North Africa, then in the Far East against the Japanese.

FRY, Helen. German Schoolboy, British Commando: Churchill's Secret Soldier. 186p., bibliog., illus., index. Stroud : History Press 2010. ISBN: 0752449966.

Colin Anson was born Claus Ascher in Berlin and raised a Protestant. He was forced to flee Nazi Germany because his father, Curt Ascher, was one of Hitler's. In 1939, Colin found refuge in Britain, where he joined the British Army. Selected for Commando service, he trained with 3 Troop, the only German-speaking unit in the British armed forces. He was attached to the Royal Marines and took part in the invasion of Italy and Sicily in 1943, before participating in raids into Yugoslavia and Albania, and then in the liberation of Corfu.

STENSON, Patrick. Lights: The Odyssey of C. H. Lightoller. xx, 325p., illus., index. London: Bodley Head; New York: Norton, 1984. ISBN: 0370305930.

Lightoller was senior surviving officer of the Titanic and this is his biography. Aged 66 he took his small boat to Dunkirk and this story is told. US title: The Odyssey of C. H. Lightoller. Reprinted by Halsgrove in 1998 as Titanic Voyager: The Odyssey of C. H. Lightoller. ISBN: 1874448817.

SHAW, Frank, & SHAW, Joan. We Remember Dunkirk. 232p., illus. Hinckley: [author], 1990. ISBN: 187277900X.

Over 100 brief accounts of memorable and not so memorable personal experiences recalled after 50 years. Well-illustrated.  Reprinted by Ebury Press in 2013, ISBN: 9780091941543.             

DE COURCY, Anne. Debs at War: How Wartime Changed Their Lives. xiv, 258., bibliog., illus., index. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005. ISBN: 0297829300.

An entertaining account of the employment of debs during the war, including those in the WRNS. Based on almost fifty individual cases.

DEARLE, David. In the Shadow of the Commander. viii, 92p., illus., index. Lewes: Book Guild, 1997. ISBN: 1857761545.

A biography of the author's uncle, Commander Eric Winthropp Woodruff, using collated diaries and letters. He qualified as an Observer and served in both World Wars, retiring at the end of the latter.  Mostly about WW1.

CULL, Brian. Gladiator Ace: Bill “Cherry” Vale, the RAF’s Forgotten Ace. 256p., bibliog., illus., index. Yeovil: Haynes, 2010.ISBN: 9781844256570.

Vale fought in North Africa, Greece and Crete and had thirty claimed kills. This sympathetic biography has peripheral material on naval and FAA involvement in these campaigns.

COOPER, W. H. Life in the Fleet Air Arm 1944-1947.80p., illus. [n.p., author, n.d.].

Reminiscences of a Ldg.Hand/PO fitter who served initially in the Orkneys, then sailed to New York in the Queen Mary where he awaited draft before moving to Brunswick, Maine for the formation of 1851 Squadron.  The squadron embarked in Thane for passage to UK and disembarked in Belfast before Thane was torpedoed in the approaches to the Clyde.  The author was on board and describes this incident.  The squadron re-embarked in Venerable and sailed for the war in the Far East as part of the 11th Carrier Group.  Venerable arrived too late to participate in the war before VJ-day but was involved in mopping-up operations in Hong Kong.

CLARK, Chris. From Hitler’s U-Boats to Khruschev’s Spyflights. 288p., illus. Barnsley: Seaforth, 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.

BELL, Christopher M. Churchill and Sea Power. 448p., bibliog., illus., index. Oxford, OUP, 2012. ISBN: 0199693579.

A major study of Churchill's record as a naval strategist and his impact on British sea power. Debunks many myths surrounding episodes in both World Wars, including the Dardanelles, the Norwegian Campaign, and the Battle of the Atlantic. Looks at the evolution of his naval thinking and offers new insights into his long relationship with the Royal Navy, and his reputation as both strategist and war leader.

OLLARD, Richard. Fisher and Cunningham: A Study of the Personalities of the Churchill Era. 192p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Constable, 1991. ISBN: 0094704902.

A masterly study which makes no attempt to give detailed career histories, but uses the thread of their careers to illustrate the character of two of the greatest admirals of the twentieth century. Their relations with Churchill are examined with some relish.

BILHAM, Chris. Sailors Behind the Medals: Waging War at Sea 1939-1945. 254p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2017. ISBN: 1473896495.

Examines the careers of twenty-three sailors who took part in the various actions which resulted in the award of their medals. He illustrates a cross-section of the war-time Navy long-service regulars, volunteers, recalled veterans of the Great War, Hostilities Only ratings. They served in nearly every kind of warship and in all the main theatres of the war and their individual acts of gallantry.

CLARKE, Bob. War and Peacey.  [224p]., illus. [n.p., author], 2018. ISBN: 9780992760113.

Aged 15, Chris Peacey joined the RN on the outbreak of war as a boy seaman. His first ship was Prince of Wales, where he served through the Bismarck hunt and on until her sinking in the Far East. He was quickly transferred to Danae and spent some time with her in the Indian Ocean before returning to the UK. He then went to the USA where he joined the newly acquired LST 163, nicknamed Rose Marie by her crew. With her he took part in allied assault landings in North Africa, Sicily, Anzio, Normandy and Malaysia. Also describes his post-war career in submarines. A fascinating and very personal tale as told to the author.

McDONALD, Paul. Ladies of Lascaris: Christina Ratcliffe and the Forgotten Heroes of Malta’s War. xii, 322p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2018. ISBN: 9781526745453.

An English dancer, she moved to Malta in 1937. She joined the RAF in 1941 and worked in the Plotting Room at Lascaris. A fascinating story with much evocative material on the arrival of convoys and the attacks on Illustrious in harbour.

MARTINDALE, Dougie. Gunther Prien and U-47: The Bull of Scapa Flow. From the Sinking of HMS Royal Oak to the Battle of the Atlantic. viii, 450p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Frontline, 2018. ISBN: 1526737752.

This detailed account charts the full story of U-47, its commander and crew. As well as examining all the main events in each of U-47's ten War Patrols, particularly the attack on HMS Royal Oak, for which a number of new conclusions are explored, as is U-47's final fate. Includes her specifications and gives descriptions of crew duties and life on board the submarine.

COLVIN, Ian. Chief of Intelligence. 223p.,bibliog. London: Gollancz; New York: McGraw-Hill, 1951.

In a series of essays on Canaris and German Intelligence, tries to describe Canaris's character, his views, his role in the Abwehr and in German intelligence, and his place in German opposition to Hitler.The US edition is entitled Master spy, the incredible story of Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, who, while Hitler's Chief of Intelligence, was a secret ally of the British. Reprinted by George Mann in 1973 as Canaris, Chief of Intelligence, ISBN: 0704100231.

FOSTER, R. W. Tally Ho! From the Battle of Britain to the Defence of Darwin by Wing Commander R W Foster DFC AE with Norman Franks. viii, 216p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Grub Street, 2008. ISBN:9781906502263.

An entertaining collection of stories and reminiscences brought together by the well-known historian Norman Franks. A member of the RAFVR, Foster was called up in September 1939. By September 1940 he was in the thick of the fighting over southern England. After a spell as an instructor his squadron went to Darwin and took part in its defence throughout 1943, flying the first Spitfire to down a Japanese aircraft. He returned to the UK in 1944 and served in a RAF public relations unit and administrative posts until his demob in 1947.

JENKINS, Louisa M. Bellbottoms and Blackouts: Memories of a Wren. 132p., illus. Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, 2004. ISBN: 0595338666.

The biography of her grandmother, Susan Mackenzie. She served in the Communications Branch at various bases in the UK. A cheery tale.

LEVIN, Steven. Battlewagon Stoker 1938-1947. [2], 322p., illus. n.p., CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015. ISBN: 9781517299934.

A biography of his grandfather, Eric Levin. It is written in the first person, recreated from post-war memories and some written notes. He enlisted in 1938 then served on Malaya until 1941, Delhi until 1944, before joining Coastal Forces, notably in the Mediterranean.

LEWIS, Tom. The Submarine Six: Australian Naval Heroes.201p., bibliog., illus., index. Kent Town, SA: Avonmore, 2011. ISBN: 9780987151919.

Australia’s Collins Class submarines are named after six naval heroes, sadly little known even in Australia. This book provides brief biographies of the six: Vice Admiral Sir John Collins, who served with Sydney in the Mediterranean, then after staff appointments in Singapore and Australia commanded the cruiser Shropshire working with TF74 of the US Seventh Fleet, until badly wounded in action. Captain Emile Dechaineux commanded Vivacious at Dunkirk then Eglington on North Sea convoys before returning to staff work in Australia, followed by command of the new destroyer Warramunga which soon joined TF74. Finally he commanded the cruiser Australia with TF74 and was killed in action when she was hit by a Japanese suicide bomber. Rear Admiral Hal Farncomb commanded Perth in the South Atlantic, then Canberra in Western Australian waters and finally Australia in the Pacific, including the battles of the Coral Sea and Savo Island. In 1944 he took command of the carrier Attacker and saw action at the landings in the South of France and Normandy before finishing the war commanding the Australian Squadron in TF74. Lt. Cdr. Robert Rankin, who the author argues should have received a Victoria Cross, served for two years in the Mediterranean before taking command of the sloop Yarra, where he died fighting to the end in a hopelessly one-sided action against Japanese cruisers. Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheehan, who served in Armidale, refused to abandon ship as she sank and died returning fire on her aerial attackers. And finally Captain Hec Waller who commanded Stuart at the Battle of Matapan, then returned to Australia in 1941 to take command of Perth, which he commanded until he was killed in action during her sinking. Passionately told tales in a warts and all style.

MURRAY, Allan A. Sunk in Two Minutes: The Fatal Encounter between I-21, HMAS Mildura and the Iron Knight (Men and Ships at War, Book 4).vi, 68p., bibliog., illus. [n.p.], The Family Murray Trust, 2017. ISBN: 9781973117001.

        A description of the fatal encounter between Japanese submarine I-21, HMAS Mildura and ss Iron Knight off the south-east coast of Australia on 8 February 1943. Iron Knight was sunk in 2 minutes by I-21. The sinking occurred in full view of Mildura, the corvette escorting convoy, OC.68. Thirty-six merchant seamen lost their lives, many from Newcastle. Allan's great uncle, 'Dukesy' Forbes, also from Newcastle, was aboard Mildura.

CHATTERTON, E. Keble. Leaders of the Royal Navy (Leaders of Britain, no. 1). 126, [2]p. London: Hutchinson, [1940].

Potted biographies of Admirals Pound, Forbes, and Cunningham.

MEREDITH, Anthony. The Pilot and the Commando: The Interlinked Lives of Two Young Christians in the Second World War. ix, 207p., bibliog., illus. Bloomington, IN; Authorhouse, 2011. ISBN: 9781467877619.          

The story of two childhood friends who became related by marriage. They joined up in 1940 from University. One went to No. 2 Commando and fought in Sicily, Italy and the Balkans. The other joined the FAA, was sunk with Ark Royal and served in Colombo and East Africa, including Madagascar before returning to the UK and the Service Trials Unit, alternating between service at Crail and on Pretoria Castle. The book is fuller on the commando experience.

HANSEN, Peter C. Execution for Duty: The Life, Trial and Murder of a U-Boat Captain. xv,[3]286p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Maritime, 2005. ISBN: 1844153223.

The story of Oscar Kusch, a U-boat captain who was shot for treason in 1944. Describes his career, the trumped up charges against him and how the real story of his fate emerged.

MEAD, Richard. Commando General: The Life of Major General Sir Robert Laycock KCMG, CB, DSO. xv, 240p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2016. ISBN: 1473854075.

A biography of one of the most successful leaders of commandos and special forces. His service included the abortive raid on Rommel’s headquarters, but he served most notably in the Mediterranean at Sicily and Salerno before moving into senior staff posts.

UNWIN, Vicky. Love and War in the WRNS: Letters Home 1940-46. 351p., illus. Stroud: History Press. 2013. ISBN:9780750963046.

The story of her mother, Sheila Mills. The letters show the growth of an innocent 18-year old girl into a mature woman. The letters describe a busy social life, but also a more sombre role working with Admiral Ramsay on HUSKY and in post-war Germany.

JACKSON, Ashley. Churchill. vi, 424p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Quercus, 2011. ISBN: 9781849165471.

A substantial biography which tries to paint a picture of him in the round. Good wartime coverage.

DAVIS, Wes. The Ariadne Objective: the Underground War to Rescue Crete from the Nazis. xx, 329p., bibliog., illus, index. New York: Crown, 2013. ISBN: 9780307460134; London, Bantam Press, 2014. ISBN: 0593072804.

An American account of the adventures of the swashbuckling group who worked with the partisans on irregular warfare against the German occupying forces. The English edition is subtitled Patrick Leigh Fermor and the Underground War to Rescue Crete from the Nazis.       

WELHAM, M. G. & WELHAM, J. A. Frogman Spy: The Mysterious Disappearance of Commander ‘Buster’ Crabb. [x], 179p., bibliog., illus., index. London: W. H. Allen, 1990. ISBN: 1852271388.

Although principally concerned with his mysterious death, there is some coverage of his wartime career.

PARRY, Joyce Ffoulkes. Joyce’s War: The Second World War Journal of a Queen Alexandra Nurse, edited by Rhiannon Evans. 256p., illus., index. Stroud: History Press, 2015. ISBN: 9780750962308.

Parry spent much of the war on the hospital ships  Otranto and Karapara as well as time on shore in hospitals in Alexandria and Calcutta. This edited diary is full of details of life ashore and afloat, worries about family and friends and social life. A fascinating volume.

DETHICK, Janet Kinrade & CORKE, Anne M. Twixt the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: The Story of the Crew of HMS Saracen. 213, viip., bibliog., illus., index. [n.p., authors], 2016. ISBN: 9781326063207.

Briefly covers the career of Saracen until her loss in the Mediterranean in 1943. Mainly focuses on the fate of the crew and their tales of partisans, escapes, and concentration camps.