Category: Trade Defence and Blockade

An interesting if bitty account of air raid, submarine and raider attacks in home waters in the early months of the war.

ELLIS, Michael, von HOFSTEN, Gustaf and LAW, Derek. The Baltic Cauldron: Two Navies and the Fight for Freedom. 304p., bibliog, illus., index. Dunbeath: Whittles, 2023. ISBN: 9781849955492.

A history covering the last 500 years. Several chapters relate to activities in World War II, from blockade running to the impounding of Swedish destroyers at the Faroe Islands. A magnificent work.

RAVEN, Alan. British Cruiser Warfare: The Lessons of the Early War, 1939-1941. 320p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Seaforth, 2019. ISBN: 9781526747631.

A comprehensive chronological account is followed by chapters on lessons learned on everything from surface gunnery to damage control and technological developments.

PEARSON, Robert. Gold Run: The Rescue of Norway’s Gold Bullion from the Nazis, April 1940. xii, 265p., bibliog., illus., index. Oxford: Casemate, 2015. ISBN: 9781612002866.

A full account of how the Norwegian gold reserves were spirited out of the country after the German invasion, first to the UK and then on to Canada thanks to the bravery of Norwegian civil servants and patriots.

CARR, J. Revell. All Brave Sailors: The Sinking of the Anglo-Saxon, 21 August 1940. xv, 365p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Hodder & Stoughton; New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004. ISBN: 03408257.
On 21 August 1940, the German raider Widder sank the Anglo-Saxon sailing alone in mid-Atlantic. Seven survivors escaped in its jolly boat, and embarked on what would become one of the longest open boat voyages in recorded history. Within a few weeks, only two men were left. On 30 October, they finally landed in the Bahamas after sailing more than 2,700 miles.

HAARR, Geirr H. No Room For Mistakes: British and Allied Submarines in European Waters 1939-1940. xiv, 450p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Seaforth, 20197. ISBN:9781848322066.

Describes pre-war design and development before giving a definitive account of the early months of the war in northern European waters.

SAUNDERS, Andy. Convoy Peewit August 8, 1940: the First Day of the Battle of Britain? London: Grub Street, 2010. ISBN: 9781906502676.

Convoy CW9 “Peewit” was a coastal convoy from Southend to Weymouth. This in depth account of the relentless attacks on its twenty-four small coasters fully covers the day’s action by the RAF, RN, Merchant Navy, Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe.

HAARR, Geirr H. The Gathering Storm: The Naval War in Northern Europe September 1939 - April 1940. 560p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Seaforth, 2012. ISBN: 1848321406.

The main part of the book describes the actions at sea starting with the fall of Poland. A complex, intertwined narrative follows. The sinking of Courageous, the German mining of the British East Coast, the Northern Patrol, the sinking of Rawalpindi, small ship operations in the North Sea and German Bight, the Altmark incident are all covered. Further afield the author deals with the German surface raiders and looks at the early stages of the submarine war in the Atlantic.

CARROLL, Francis M. Athenia Torpedoed. 232p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2013; Annapolis, NIP, 2012. ISBN: 9781781591710.

An up to date retelling which focuses on the survivors and their tales.

An early and breezy view of the sea war; it follows official British accounts. Reprinted in 1941.

Uses the events of 1941 to illustrate the thesis that air power can win the war. That, rather than the navy, can impose an economic blockade on the Axis powers, in narrow and coastal waters, which will lead to an unbreakable stranglehold.

A full analysis by a professional historian of the attempt to deprive the Axis powers of aid to their war economy from neutral sources.

A popular account of the removal of the Norwegian gold reserves to Britain. Concerned with the work of the "Norwegian resistance."

A brief personal account by a participant.

An early and patriotic account of the war at sea.

This one volume covers all cases arising in or from WWII. It provides much useful information on how the economic blockade worked.

A review of the history of submarines, their present capabilities, and their successes in the first three months of the war.

A book aimed at cashing in on the temporary notoriety of the City of Flint, which in the last three months of 1939 first helped rescue the Athenia survivors then was later captured by the Deutschland, leading to an international outcry.

A limited edition of 300 copies. One American survivor’s account of the sinking and rescue.

A very elementary, brief introduction to the war of the sea lanes.

A very short, basic introduction, with a chapter on the struggle for the Mediterranean.

Describes the race to save the Norwegian, Dutch, and French gold reserves in the face of the German invasions, followed by its transfer, along with the British reserves, to Canada, where much of it was used to finance the war.

The Athenia was torpedoed without warning on the first day of the war by U 30. The book concentrates on the passengers and crew, from the reminiscences of the survivors. Also gives a brief account of the death of the U boat commander, Lemp, in a convoy action in May 1941. US title: Tomorrow Never Came: The Story of the s.s. Athenia.

The German attempts to run the Royal Navy's blockade with their own or captured merchantmen had mixed success and the various attempts are fully described.