Naval forces and warfare Books

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Book SynopsisTHE TOP 5 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERONE OF BARACK OBAMA''S BEST BOOKS OF 2019THE TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEARFINALIST FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE 2020LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2019A FINANCIAL TIMES, OBSERVER, DAILY TELEGRAPH, WALL STREET JOURNAL AND TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARDalrymple is a superb historian with a visceral understanding of India A book of beauty' Gerard DeGroot, The TimesIn August 1765 the East India Company defeated the young Mughal emperor and forced him to establish a new administration in his richest provinces. Run by English merchants who collected taxes using a ruthless private army, this new regime saw the East India Company transform itself from an international trading corporation into something much more unusual: an aggressive colonial power in the guise of a multinatTrade ReviewAn energetic pageturner that marches from the counting house on to the battlefield, exploding patriotic myths along the way -- Maya Jasanoff * Guardian *A tour de force ***** -- Anne de Courcy * Telegraph *Magnificent … The Anarchy explodes myths that have accreted around the history of the Company like barnacles on the hulls of its ships ... Dalrymple shines a forensic light on the knotty historical relationship between commercial and imperial power -- John McAleer * Evening Standard *Dalrymple has been at the forefront of the new wave of popular history, consistently producing work that engages with a wider audience through writerly craft, an emphasis on characters and their agency, evocative description of place and time, and the inclusion of long-neglected perspectives … The book’s real achievement is to take readers to an important and neglected period of British and south Asian history, and to make their trip their not just informative but colourful -- Jason Burke * Observer *Gloriously opulent … India is a sumptuous place. Telling its story properly demands lush language, not to mention sensitivity towards the country’s passionate complexity. Dalrymple is a superb historian with a visceral understanding of India … A book of beauty -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times *It is well-trodden territory but Dalrymple ... brings to it erudition, deep insight and an entertaining style * Financial Times *Combining extensive research, judicious analysis and an acceptable level of outrage, Dalrymple’s compelling account will cement his status as the most widely read British writer on India since Kipling … A brave and stirring narrative of India’s eighteenth-century fragmentation -- John Keay * Literary Review *[A] rampaging, brilliant, passionate history … Dalrymple gives us every sword-slash, every scam, every groan and battle cry. He has no rival as a narrative historian of the British in India … A gripping tale of bloodshed and deceit, of unimaginable opulence and intolerable starvation ... shot through with an unappeasable moral passion * Wall Street Journal *‘Masterful … Dalrymple has been for some years one of the most eloquent and assiduous chroniclers of Indian history. With this new work, he sounds a minatory note … Dalrymple has done a great service in not just writing an eminently readable history of eighteenth-century India, but in reflecting on how so much of it serves as a warning for our own time’ -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *A magnificently readable book, deeply researched and richly atmospheric, written with a historian’s understanding of power and a novelistic eye for detail ***** -- Francis Wheen * Mail on Sunday *A rip-roaring tale of wild adventure, amorality, feckless greed and despicable behaviour … His best history to date -- Louise Nicholson * Country Life *[Dalrymple] is a terrifically good storyteller. He makes the reader see how events unfold and observe the personalities up close. He is widely read both in the primary sources and the historical scholarship. As a result, The Anarchy is one of the best books on Indian history published in a long time * Times Literary Supplement *Deeply researched yet easy to read, this landmark history of the East India Company is unputdownable. This is pure narrative joy -- HWA Non-Fiction Crown JudgesProbably the best work of a quartet of books that Dalrymple has written focusing on Indian history... Beautifully written and generous in its details; well worth the time and effort * Which 50 *

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Book Synopsis''A rare gift . . . The story he has to tell may be a thrilling one but not every historian could tell it so thrillingly.'' Financial Times''Magnificently rip-roaring history . . . Bursting with colour and excitement.'' Dominic SandbrookAs remarkable as Columbus and the conquistador expeditions, the history of Portuguese exploration is now almost forgotten. But Portugal''s navigators cracked the code of the Atlantic winds, launched the expedition of Vasco da Gama to India and beat the Spanish to the spice kingdoms of the East then set about creating the first long-range maritime empire. In an astonishing blitz of thirty years, a handful of visionary and utterly ruthless empire builders, with few resources but breathtaking ambition, attempted to seize the Indian Ocean, destroy Islam and take control of world trade.Conquerors is narrative history at its most vivid - an epic tale of navigation, trade and technology, money and religious zealotry

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Book SynopsisThe Command of the Ocean describes with unprecedented authority and scholarship the rise of Britain to naval greatness, and the central place of the Navy and naval activity in the life of the nation and government. It describes not just battles, voyages and cruises but how the Navy was manned, how it was supplied with timber, hemp and iron, how its men (and sometimes women) were fed, and above all how it was financed and directed. It was during the century and a half covered by this book that the successful organizing of these last three - victualling, money and management - took the Navy to the heart of the British state. It is the great achievement of the book to show how completely integrated and mutually dependent Britain and the Navy then became.

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Book SynopsisThe real Master and Commander 'There is no man I envy so much as Lord Cochrane' Lord ByronTrade Review'The real Master and Commander' Sunday Telegraph 'Cordingly is a brilliant historian' Daily Telegraph 'Intriguing and satisfying ... Cochrane packed enough drama and history to shame both Horatio Nelson and Sir Francis Drake ... O'Brian fans will find great satisfaction in smoking out similarities and differences between Cochrane and Aubrey' Washington Post 'By rights, Thomas Cochrane should be as well known today as Francis Drake ... Cochrane's adventures in Chile, Peru and Brazil are among the most amazing in naval history' Sunday Times

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Book Synopsis The intensely gripping Sunday Times bestseller, from the author of Richard & Judy pick and NETFLIX drama The Holiday 'Thriller of the year? This is the thriller of the decade' My Weekly'Everything you want from a thriller, and more' Lesley Kara____________________________________________TWO STRANGERS. A CHILD. AND A SPLIT SECOND CHOICE THAT WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING.The chance encounterEllen was just trying to help a stranger. Giving a few minutes respite to a flustered young mother sitting opposite her on the train. A few minutes holding her baby while the woman makes an urgent call.Five minutes pass.Ten.The twistAs the train pulls into a station, Ellen is stunned to see the woman step off the train and rush away down the platform, leaving her baby behind. Then she discovers a note in the baby's bag, three desperate lines scrawled hastily on a piece of paper:Please protect MiaDon't trust the policeDon't trust anyoneWHAT WOULD YOU DO?'Absorbing and tense, fuelled by a very real sense of jeopardy' Adele Parks'Logan is undoubtedly the master of the all-too-believable, it-could-happen-to-me story' B.A. Paris'A brilliant premise, thrillingly executed' JP Delaney, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Girl Before'Gripping, original, with compelling characters and a great twist!' Jenny Quintana, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Missing Girl'With a a premise so primal and so gripping it get its hooks into you from the very first page, Logan cements himself as one of, if not the, best thriller novelist writing in the world today' Deborah O' Connor, bestselling author of The Captive'A hugely entertaining, twisting, propulsive thrill-ride from the consistently brilliant T.M. Logan' Chris Whitaker, bestselling author of We Begin at the End'I raced through TRUST ME. Totally brilliant. Did not have a clue how it was going to unravel' Heidi Perks, bestselling author of Now You See Her'Logan is the master of the everyman thriller - real but nightmarish situations that could happen to you. For that reason, and many others, buy Trust Me and be prepared to sacrifice sleep!' Gillian McCallister, Sunday Times bestselling author of How to Disappear'A meticulously plotted and surprisingly moving story that doesn't let up. Addictive, tense, and packed with twists!' Samantha Downing, Sunday Times bestselling author of My Lovely Wife**DON'T MISS T.M. LOGAN'S INCREDIBLE NEW THRILLER THE MOTHER - OUT NOW!**Trade ReviewThe author of the excellent The Catch again shows us how to grab a reader by the throat from the off. A really excellent story. * Sunday Sport *The king of the fast-paced thriller is back! A book that demands to be read in one sitting. * Good Housekeeping *There are thrillers and then there are 'thrillers', the kind that leave you wanting to gobble up the pages in one reading, intense, mesmerising and altogether mind blowing. The sort of book you forget to breathe when reading and need a break for headspace afterwards. This book is the latter . . . Interspersed with different character viewpoints, one of which is thrillingly anonymous, Logan yet again takes a normal day event, travelling by train, and spins it, throwing in twists and turns at every stop. Shaking you off the trail, leaving you thinking you know - when actually the final twist shows you were on the wrong track all along. A 24 hours kind of read. You will find yourself speed reading the exhilarating dialogue to get onto the next chapter. Twists, turns and an absolutely belting plot. Coined as thriller of the year, this is the thriller of the decade. * My Weekly *We raced through this gripping thriller in two big bites. * Heat Magazine, Read of the Week *One of the most exciting authors currently writing for the ever-busy crime thriller market, T.M. Logan is back with another of his ingeniously imagined and perfectly executed plots, and this one is guaranteed to blow your mind! Trust Me - a compulsive, menacing, high-octane story full of authentic characters, gobsmacking twists and with Logan's trademark this-could-happen-to-me premise - is an addictive thrill ride into a dangerous, deadly and definitely untrustworthy world...Fast-paced throughout and bristling with suspense, you won't trust your own judgments until the final, explosive last act! * Lancashire Evening Post *Absorbing and tense, fuelled by a very real sense of jeopardy * Adele Parks *A brilliant premise, thrillingly executed. TRUST ME grips from the very first page * JP Delaney, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Girl Before *T.M. Logan is undoubtedly the master of the all-too-believable, it-could-happen-to-me story * B.A. Paris *

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Book SynopsisA compelling history of the greatest ships ever launched.The importance of the fighting ship is as considerable today as ever before. Battleships are built, counted, assessed and exercised with the same determination now as at the beginning of the twentieth century, and during the Napoleonic Wars.In this riveting book, leading historian Richard Hough examines fifteen of history’s most significant and interesting battleships, from Lord Howard Effingham’s Ark Royal, which held the Spanish Armada at bay, to the American New Jersey, which took part in three wars, and whose guns still remain ready for action. From the mighty German Bismarck of 1941, destroyed on its first operation voyage, Battleship ranges to Admiral Nelson’s legendary HMS Victory, still a flagship after more than 200 yearsHough weaves these examples into a pattern of progress ranging from the galleon to the immense super-dreadnought. In addition, he focuses in depth upon armaments, structural developments, and the tactics of war – all these play a crucial part in the epic history of the battleship. But above all Richard Hough’s story is a human one, a record of men and ships, of courage and endurance – a true taste of the sea.

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated in a striking landscape format, Ships contains 300 mercantile and military vessels arranged in chronological order, from ancient times to the present day. Every type of vessel from every part of the world is featured, from Phoenician war galleys from 1500BC, through the graceful trading clippers of the nineteenth century, to the sophisticated and heavily armed submarines of the nuclear era. In these information-packed pages you will find out about ancient galleys, Viking longships, medieval cogs, galleasses, galleons, men-of-war sailing ships, coastal gunboats, iron-clad steam boats, dreadnoughts, aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines. Many well-known ships are included, such as Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory, the ill-fated passenger liner Titanic, the infamous German World War II battlecruiser Bismarck and many, many more. Each ship is illustrated with a colourful artwork, while lively text offers a concise service history of the ship and a specification box provides comprehensive technical data, including displacement, dimensions, machinery, armament, speed and complement.Table of ContentsIntroduction Cheops ship/Egyptian warship Phoenician cargo ship Greek War Galley Roman War Galley Roman/Mediterranean cargo ship Viking longship English warship/Christopher Hanseatic Cog Chinese Junk Nao Caravel/Caravel Redonda/Nina Carrack/Santa Maria Great Harry Galleon/San Martin Mediterranean Galley Ark Royal Slave Carrack St Louis Sovereign of the Seas Fluyt Galleass Dutch Frigate Le Soleil Royal Chebeck Bucintoro Boston Endeavour Victory Santissima Trinidad South Carolina Turtle Bounty 74-gun ship/Vanguard Constitution Essex Fulton Claremont Astrolabe Demologos Morris Sirius Great Western Jane Gifford Congress Great Britain Bertha Washington Agamemnon Powhatan Bretagne Gloire Warrior Alabama Monitor/Monadnock Banshee Hope/Savannah Parramatta Adelaide Canada Friedrich Karl Natchez Devastation City of Berlin Collingwood Dogali Charleston Gymnote Lawhill Texas Havoc Louisville/St. Louis Esmerelda Forban Majestic D'Entrecasteaux Fuji Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse Chateaurenault Giuseppe Garibaldi Bayan Mikasa Deutschland Blucher Discovery Bainbridge Thomas W Lawson Archibald Russel Lusitania Chester class Dreadnought Scharnhorst (Gneisenau) Invincible Emden Wyoming Michigan/Delaware class Titanic Courbet class Gangut/Octyabr Revolutskya Cap Trafalgar E-class submarine Kongo class/Haruna Queen Elizabeth class Fuso Nevada class U-21 Baden Pennsylvania/Arizona R class/Royal Oak Courageous class Furious M1/M2 New Mexico class/Idaho Eagle Hood Hermes Java Akagi/Kaga William G Mather Lexington class Nelson class Takao class (Myoko) Koln Infanta Beatriz Ardent/A class Exeter/York Amerigo Vespucci Zara Conte di Savoia Rex Indianapolis Achilles/Leander Class Astoria Fantasque class Town class/Belfast Queen Mary Graf Spee/Deutschland class Mogami Normandie Condottiere class Dunkerque La Galissonniere/Gloire Brooklyn class Scharnhorst class Type II Type VII Yorktown class Giulio Cesare (modernised) Tromp Ark Royal Soryu/Hiryu Tribal class Vittorio Veneto Niew Amsterdam Atlantis Hipper class K, J and N classes/Kelly T-class subs T-class (German) Z class Shokaku/Zuikaku Audacity Bismarck class Hunt class/Atherstone Illustrious/Indomitable class Kagero class/Hamakaze Marconi class Renown 2nd mod Richelieu S boote Flower class/Acanthus King George V class/Howe Wasp North Carolina/Washington Ognevoi class PC class Type IX V and W classes (modernised)/Walker Yamato class J, O and P classes Akitsuki Gato class RO class South Dakota class Baltimore class Bogue class Essex class Fletcher class Independence class Iowa class S-class subs/Seraph S-W classes Ashland LSD Artemis attack transport Allen M Sumner class Taiho Esso Manchester C class destroyer Colossus class Gearing class/Duncan Shinano Type XXI Type XXIII Midway class/Coral Sea Daring class Ark Royal/Eagle Neutrashimyy United States Albacore Trieste Forrestal Endurance November class Hermes/Viraat Farragut Skipjack class Savannah Osa/Komar class Foxtrot George Washington class Long Beach/Bainbridge/Truxton Oberon/Porpoise class County class Dreadnought/Valiant Enterprise Iwo Jima Kitty Hawk class/JFK Kruppnyy class Canberra France/Norway Leander Class Galileo Galei Kashin class Alligator Moskva Fearless/Intrepid Queen Elizabeth 2 Sturgeon class Kresta class Resolution Type 201/206/209 Yankee class Gus class Vittorio Veneto Han class Knox/Baleares California/Virginia class Le Redoutable A class/Amazon class Kiev class Nanuchka Tango Class Type 42 class Charlie class Sparviero Agosta/Daphne Los Angeles Tachikaze Nimitz class Spruance Broadsword class Delta class Lupo/Maestrale Oliver Hazard Perry Class Tarawa Ivan Rogov Kirov class Invincible class Nacken class Sovremenny Typhoon/Akula Victor III MEKO series frigates Udaloy AP .1-88 CG47 class/Ticonderoga Giuseppe Garibaldi Sierra class Slava class T class submarines Aster Minehunter Whidbey Island Xia Jakob van Heemskerk Vastergotland Index Halifax Neutrashimyy Club Med Arleigh Burke Floreal Kongo Jervis Bay Futura Type 123 Brandenburg Le Triomphant Vanguard Murasame class Chakri Naruebet Oyashio Ferry Lavender Voyager of the Seas

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Book SynopsisThe story of the sinking of the HMS Royal Oak by a German submarine which cost the lives of 833 Royal Navy sailors.Trade ReviewCompulsive reading' * ROYAL OAK ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER *A new perspective on the tragedy' * SCOTTISH MEMORIES *Compelling... a window into a lost world' * DIVE MAGAZINE *A poignant story, giving a lot of personal accounts of the events by those who survived. Highly recommended.'. * THE NAUTICAL MAGAZINE *

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Book SynopsisIn the mid-eighteenth century, most of the Mediterranean coastline and its hinterlands were controlled by the Ottoman Empire, a vast Islamic power regarded by Christian Europe with awe and fear. By the end of the First World War, however, this great civilisation had been completely subjugated, and its territories occupied by European powers. Sea of Troubles is the definitive account of the European conquest of the Levant and North Africa over three centuries. Ian Rutledge reveals the intense imperial rivalry between six European powers - Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Austria-Hungary and Russia - who all jostled for control of the trade, lands and wealth of the Islamic Mediterranean. The competition between these states made their conquest a far more difficult and extended task than they encountered elsewhere in the world. Yet, as new contenders entered the contest, and as rivalries intensified in the early twentieth century, events would spiral out of control as the continent headed tTrade Review“A lifetime worth of research has gone into this book and Rutledge offers some deep insight and rich detail … We still live with the legacy of the Ottomans and the rise of the West, which is what makes this book an important read.” * Middle East Monitor *Table of ContentsContents: A: Note on 'Mediterranean' B: A Note on 'Colonialism' and 'Imperialism' Introduction PART ONE c.1750 - c.1815 Chapter 1: The Islamic and Christian Worlds of the Eighteenth Century Mediterranean Chapter 2: The Ottoman 'Economic Mind': Innovation, Industry and Trade Chapter 3: The State, land and taxation: the fiscal crisis of the Ottoman system Chapter 4: At the Gateway to the Mediterranean: Britain and the 'Empire' of Morocco Chapter 5: The Ottoman Regencies and the Barbary Corsairs Chapter 6: The Russians in the Mediterranean Chapter 7: Ottoman Egypt: the Empire Fraying at the Edges Chapter 8: A Spanish Disaster Chapter 9: 'Liberating the Egyptians': the Origins of French Republican Imperialism Chapter 10: The French in Egypt: from Military Victory to Colonial failure Chapter 11: The Troubled beginings of Britain's 'Blue-Water Empire' PART TWO c.1815 - c.1870 Chapter 12: The Beginning of the end for the Ottoman Regencies Chapter 13: The Multiple crises of Mahmud II Chapter 14: The French Invasion of Algiers and the growth of the Resistance, 1830-36. Chapter 15: Saving the Sultans: the emergence of inter-imperialist rivalry Chapter 16: Algerie Francaise Chapter 17: Inter-imperialist Rivalry: Proxy War and Real War Chapter 18: France's Second Imperial Venture in the Eastern Mediterranean Chapter 19: The Industrialised and the Non-Industrialised PART THREE c.1870 - c.1895 Chapter 20: The Age of the Rentiers. Chapter 21: The 'Great Eastern Crisis', 1875-78 Chapter 22: Tunisia and Egypt, 1981-82: the Bailiffs arrive Chapter 23: The slow death of the 'Empire' of Morocco PART FOUR c.1895 - c.1918 Chapter 24: Imperialist Realignment, Colonialist Deals, New Imperialists Chapter 25: Imperialism on the Northern Shore: Austria-Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina Chapter 26: The French and Spanish take Morocco, 1909-12 Chapter 27: The Forgotten War: the Italian invasion of Libya, 1911-12 Chapter 28: Unexpected resistance: the Arabs and Turks fight back Chapter 29: 'Playing the Balkan Card': From Imperialism to World War Chapter 30: From World War to Imperialism Appendices A, B, C and D Note on Transliteration and geographical names Glossary Bibliography

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Book Synopsis(new edition) The history and evolution of the battleship, an international directory of 150 ships, with specifications, and illustrated with 500 photographs.

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Book SynopsisA history of America''s small but gallant World War II warships, which were at the forefront of the battle against U-boats and kamikazes, and fought some of the most dramatic actions of the war.The Destroyer Escort was the smallest ocean-going escort built for the United States Navy--a downsized destroyer with less speed, fewer guns, and fewer torpedoes than its big brother, The Fleet Destroyer. Destroyer escorts first went into production because the Royal Navy needed an escort warship which was larger than a corvette, but which could be built faster than a destroyer. Lacking the shipyards to build these types of ships in Britain, they ordered them in the US. Once the US unexpectedly entered World War II, its navy suddenly also needed more escort warships, even warships less capable than destroyers, and the destroyer escort was reluctantly picked to fill the gap.Despite the Navy''s initial reservations, these ships did yeoman service during World War II, fighTable of ContentsIntroduction Design and Development Operational History Variants Statistics Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis fully illustrated reference book charts the complete history of frigates, from their post-World War I function as escort vessels, their role as sloops and corvettes, and their subsequent transformation into post-World War II anti-submarine vessels. A country-by-country directory of over 70 classes describes the main characteristics of each vessel. Each entry, with its expert commentary and high-quality photography, is accompanied by a specification box detailing country of origin, displacement, dimensions, armament, machinery, power, performance and protection. A useful glossary containing definitions of key naval terms is included at the back of the book. With its lively narrative and over 235 photographs, this authoritative volume provides historians and enthusiasts with key information about these important naval vessels.

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Book SynopsisThis is a country-by-country guide to 130 landing ships and landing craft, with over 210 wartime and modern photographs. It features a complete guide to landing ships, detailing conventional personnel and cargo carriers, welldeck dock ships and modern multi-function ships accommodating helicopters, landing craft, military personnel, their vehicles and equipment. It also features a country-by-country directory of landing craft, from ramped beaching craft to present-day high-speed air-cushion craft, including amphibious tracked landing vehicles and peripheral activities such as minesweeping and obstacle clearance. Specification boxes provide at-a-glance information about each vessel's country of origin, displacement, dimensions, armament, machinery, power and endurance. It includes a technical glossary explaining naval acronyms, abbreviations and key terminology. Amphibious warfare vessels are ships that travel from shore to shore, and craft moving from ship to shore. This authoritative book consists of two illustrated directories, the first covering landing ships - the ocean-going vessels that transport personnel, cargo or vehicles - and then landing craft, the majority of which are transported aboard specialist ships. From float-on, float-off welldeck ships to high-speed air-cushion landing craft, 130 types from around the world are included. With over 210 photographs from museums, libraries and other historical sources, this instructive volume provides enthusiasts with a lively and engaging guide to a fascinating subject.

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Book SynopsisA history of life on board HMS Victory, the world''s most famous warship.This addition to the best-selling Conway pocket-book range explores Admiral Nelson's fully preserved flagship HMS Victory, the most tangible symbol of the Royal Navy's greatest battle off Cape Trafalgar on October 21st 1805.Peter Goodwin, the leading historian of the sailing man-of-war, explains the workings of the only surviving line of battle' ship of the Napoleonic Wars. And, as Victory was engaged in battle for only two per cent of her active service, the book also provides a glimpse into life and work at sea during the other ninety-eight per cent of the time.Drawing from a selection of contemporary documents and records, Goodwin explains the day-to-day running of a three-decker Georgian warship: victualling, organisation, discipline, domestic arrangements and medical care. He answers questions such as: What types of wood were used in building Victory?'; What was her longest

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Longman''s History Today Book of the Year Award and the inaugural Westminster Medal for Military Literature More than a century had gone by since the Battle of Trafalgar. Generation after generation of British naval captains had been dreaming ever since of a ''new'' Trafalgar - a cataclysmic encounter which would decisively change a war''s outcome. At last, in the summer of 1916, they thought their moment had come...Andrew Gordon''s extraordinary, gripping book brilliantly recreates the atmosphere of the British navy in the years leading up to Jutland and gives a superb account of the battle itself and its bitterly acrimonious aftermath.

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive country-by-country visual directory of more than 260 of the most significant examples. From the Alabama of the American Civil War to the Royal Navy's Tigers, the author traces cruiser development from ships with muzzle-loading, broadside armament, through casemates and turrets to the age of guided missiles.

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Book SynopsisFor centuries, battleships provided overwhelming firepower at sea. They were not only a major instrument of warfare, but a visible emblem of a nation’s power, wealth and pride. The rise of the aircraft carrier following the Japanese aerial strike on Pearl Harbor in 1941 highlighted the vulnerabilities of the battleship, bringing about its demise as a dominant class of warship. This book offers a detailed guide to the major types of battleships to fight in the two World Wars. Explore HMS Dreadnought, the first of a class of fast, big-gun battleships to be developed at the beginning of the 20th century; see the great capital ships that exchanged salvos at the battle of Jutland, including the German battlecruiser Derfflinger, which sank the British battleship Queen Mary; find out about the destruction of HMS Hood, which exploded after exchanging fire with the Bismarck, which itself was sunk after a trans-Atlantic chase by a combination of battery fire and aircraft-launched torpedoes; and be amazed at the ‘super-battleship’ Yamato, which despite its size and firepower, made minimal contribution to Japan’s war effort and was sunk by air attack during the defence of Okinawa. Illustrated with more than 120 vivid artworks and photographs, Technical Guide: Battleships of World War I and World War II is an essential reference guide for modellers and naval warfare enthusiasts.Table of ContentsContents to include: World War I: Jaureguiberry 1896 Canopus 1899 Kearsarge 1900 Mikasa 1902 Tsessarevitch 1903 Dreadnought 1906 Schleswig-Holstein 1908 South Carolina 1910 Hercules 1911 Lion 1912 Wyoming 1912 Derfflinger 1913 Kongo 1913 Royal Oak (or Revenge) 1914 Texas 1914 Andrea Doria 1915 Queen Elizabeth 1915 Barham 1915 Canada 1915 Fuso 1915 Provence 1915 Nevada 1916 Bayern 1916 Royal Sovereign 1916 Courageous 1917 Ise 1917 Mississippi 1917 World War II: Hood 1920 Nagato 1920 Jaime I 1922 Rodney 1927 Lutzow/Graf Spee 1933 Gneisenau 1938 Dunkerque 1937 Scharnhorst 1939 Littorio 1940 Bismarck 1940 Prince of Wales 1940 Richelieu 1940 Yamato 1940 Vittorio Veneto 1940 Prince of Wales 1941 Tirpitz 1941 Howe 1942 Indiana 1942 Iowa 1943 Missouri 1944 Guam 1944 Vanguard 1946

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Book SynopsisFor more than 400 years, the big-gun warship stood as the supreme naval war machine. It was not only a major instrument of warfare, but a visible emblem of a nation’s power, wealth and pride. Battleships features 52 of the greatest warships to have sailed in the last 500 years. Beginning with English king Henry VIII’s flagship, Henry Grace à Dieu, the book covers all the main periods of battleship development, including the great sail ships, such as Sovereign of the Seas, Santissima Trinidad and Victory. The advent of steam-driven warships provides the core of the book, beginning with the introduction of Gloire in 1859, and continuing through all the major pre-Dreadnoughts, such as Inflexible, Maine and Tsessarevitch. There is detailed coverage of the great battleships of the two world wars, including Derfflinger, Yamato and Iowa, while the book closes with the last new battleship to be commissioned, Vanguard, in 1946. Each entry includes a brief description of the battleship’s development and history, a colour profile artwork, key features and specifications. Packed with more than 200 artworks and photographs, Battleships is a colourful guide for the military historian and naval warfare enthusiast.Trade ReviewThis is a magnificent book for anyone interested in the history of these great ships. -- Jerry Lenaburg * New York Journal of Books *Table of ContentsIntroduction Henry Grace a Dieu 1514 San Martin 1579 Vasa 1627 Sovereign of the Seas 1637 Le Soleil Royal 1669 Victory 1765 Santissima Trinidad 1769 Santa Ana 1784 Bucentaure 1803 Gloire 1859 Victoria 1859 Warrior 1860 Konig Wilhelm 1869 Devastation 1873 Italia 1880 Inflexible 1881 Collingwood 1887 Royal Sovereign 1892 Maine 1895 Indiana 1895 Jaureguiberry 1896 Kearsarge 1900 Mikasa 1902 Tsessarevitch 1903 Dreadnought 1906 Nassau 1909 South Carolina 1910 Lion 1912 Wyoming 1912 Derfflinger 1913 Royal Oak (or Revenge) 1914 Texas 1914 Queen Elizabeth 1915 Fuso 1915 Nevada 1916 Bayern 1916 Courageous 1917 Hood 1920 Nagato 1920 Rodney 1927 Deutschland/Graf Spee 1933 Scharnhorst 1936 Gneisenau 1938 Bismarck 1940 Prince of Wales 1940 Richelieu 1940 Yamato 1940 Vittorio Veneto 1940 Tirpitz 1941 Indiana 1942 Iowa/Missouri 1943 Vanguard 1946

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Book SynopsisDuring the First World War, rumours of heavily-armed German raiders led to the building of the first modern' heavy cruisers by the Royal Navy. Named for famous Elizabethan seamen, they were very different from the lumbering armoured cruisers of the previous generation, and were enlarged developments of the highly successful light cruisers that had been built since the mid-1910s. As such, they provided the prototypes for the Washington Treaty' cruisers that dominated naval construction during the 1920s, with two of them also pioneering the use of the catapult for launching aircraft from cruisers. Completed too late to actively participate in the First World War, they would go on to have mixed fortunes, spending much of their careers as flagships, but also being sadly attracted to rocky reefs, in two cases with fatal results. One, Cavendish (later Vindictive), fulfilled a remarkable array of functions during her career: laid down as a cruiser, completing as an aircraft carrier, then reverting to a cruiser, to be further transformed into a dedicated cadet training ship, and finally a repair ship. Meanwhile Effingham underwent the most comprehensive rebuilding of any British cruiser of her era. Disarmed and nearly scrapped as a result of the London Naval Treaty, all the survivors nevertheless returned to serve during the Second World War in a range of roles, two gaining battle honours albeit in one case fatally during the Norwegian campaign, and Hawkins and Frobisher spending long years as deep-sea escorts in the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans, before being brought back to bombard the beaches of Normandy. The story of the Hawkins class therefore weaves strands that include the technical development of the cruiser in the UK and abroad, the early use of aircraft at sea, international naval diplomacy and treaty-making between the wars, the evolution of the cadet training regime in the Royal Navy, the way in which the vital southern and eastern trade routes were kept open, and the contribution of naval forces to the success of the invasion of Europe. With its detailed descriptions and analysis of the ships and their development, and the narratives of their careers, all tied together with a wide-ranging collection of photographs and line drawings, this new history of a distinguished Royal Navy cruiser class will delight naval historians and enthusiasts, ship modellers and all those who care to read about the exploits of the imperial navy in peace and war.

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Book SynopsisWhen she was launched in 1765, HMS Victory was the ultimate warship of the Georgian era. As Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, she has since become inextricably linked to the memory of Britain's greatest naval hero. The Victory was built in the 18th century, with an expected life span of less than two decades, so the fact that she survives today – over 250 years later – is remarkable., Published with the cooperation of the Royal Navy this book takes readers onboard Nelson's Victory to examine the innermost workings of this maritime icon – from stem to stem, above and below decks., Author: Peter Goodwin was a marine engineer in the Royal Navy in both surface ships and nuclear submarines until 1991 when he was appointed the first Keeper and Curator of HMS Victory. He has a life-long interest in 18th century ship construction and is widely acknowledged as a leading authority on the sailing man-of-war. In this capacity he was the advisor for the film 'Master and Commander' and the BBCTV series 'Persuasion'., Icon titles were originally published in the classic, larger manual size and have now been produced in a smaller format containing the same information.

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Book SynopsisPaul Kennedy''s classic naval history, now updated with a new introduction by the authorThis acclaimed book traces Britain''s rise and fall as a sea power from the Tudors to the present day. Challenging the traditional view that the British are natural ''sons of the waves'', he suggests instead that the country''s fortunes as a significant maritime force have always been bound up with its economic growth. In doing so, he contributes significantly to the centuries-long debate between ''continental'' and ''maritime'' schools of strategy over Britain''s policy in times of war. Setting British naval history within a framework of national, international, economic, political and strategic considerations, he offers a fresh approach to one of the central questions in British history. A new introduction extends his analysis into the twenty-first century and reflects on current American and Chinese ambitions for naval mastery.''Excellent and stimulating'' CorrTrade ReviewThe Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery is the best single-volume study of Britain and her naval past now available to us. -- Jon Sumida * Journal of Modern History *As soon as it appeared in 1976, Paul M. Kennedy's magisterial survey of the historical role and significance of British seapower was recognized by serious naval historians as a work of first importance ... This is by far the most important survey of British Naval history since Sir Herbert Richmond's Statesmen and Sea Power (1946), and in some ways it is more important ... the whole book displays an immense historiographical grasp of a calibre that broad surveys seldom attain. The author's unfailing powers of discernment are further revealed by a sparkling and apt quotation on practically every page. -- Daniel A. Baugh * International History Review *

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Book SynopsisOn 1st May 1915, the luxury ocean liner Lusitania sailed out of New York, bound for Liverpool. Her passengers were anxious. Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be a war zone and its submarines were bringing terror to the Atlantic.Trade ReviewGripping, superbly well-researched...he ratchets up the tension as the doomed ship speeds towards the inevitable. Though you know it’s going to happen, you keep praying that it won’t, right up until the moment when the torpedo strikes. You feel this way because Larson makes you care...Thanks to Larson’s vivid narrative, you are there with those passengers in the thick of it. It may have happened 100 years ago, but this masterpiece made it feel like yesterday. -- James Delingpole * MAIL ON SUNDAY *A fascinating, well-researched read. * Kate Atkinson *With practised skill Larson confronts the emotional pathos of wartime tragedy. -- Iain Finlayson * THE TIMES *Vivid...Larson tells his story well. -- Andrew Holgate * SUNDAY TIMES *Larson's irresistibly pacey narrative moves between the various scenes of action, conjuring them up in vivid detail...the sources are remarkable...[his] detailed conversational endnotes are an added bonus. -- Lucy Moore * LITERARY REVIEW *

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Book SynopsisA fascinating history of the aircraft carrier's development and a comprehensive visual directory of the world's aviation ships over nearly a century, newly updated and expanded.

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Book SynopsisThe Baltic Cauldron commemorates several centuries of Anglo-Swedish relations, which, after events in Eastern Europe in 2022, have acquired a new resonance as a record of the struggle for survival and independence of nations bordering the Baltic. This is a history of navies in the Baltic Sea and its approaches, from the Skaggerak to the Gulfs of Bothnia and Finland. This book portrays the relationship between the Swedish and British Navies over the centuries. In the 1700s Britain was a global naval power and developed doctrine, ships and culture which were copied by others, but the relationship with Sweden became special. While Britain and its navy depended upon Baltic Sea trade for timber, tar, iron and grain, the foundation was laid for the Swedish Navy, its self-image, tactics, materials and traditions. Among the subjects addressed are: the origins of the Swedish navy; the first English fleet to visit the Baltic; Charles XII’s amphibious campaigns; the English influence on Swedish shipbuilding; the quixotic Admiral Sir Sidney Smith; Admirals Lord Nelson and James Saumarez at war and peace; and, in the 20th century, the hunt for the Bismarck, Churchill’s planned attack on arctic Luleå in 1940, and blockade-runners in the Second World War. This ground-breaking study is filled with new insights, and contains much previously unpublished information, some based on Swedish sources which are not often quoted in the English-speaking world. The book is brought up to date with an account of the capture by Iranian forces of Stena Impero. Lessons in sea power are drawn throughout the book. The Baltic Cauldron is a fitting and worthy tribute to both the Royal Navy and to the Royal Swedish Navy at its quincentenary.

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Book SynopsisA follow-up to the author's highly regarded history of British Town' class cruisers, this book takes the same approach, combining coverage of the development, design details and career highlights of the original class as well as the Uganda, Minotaur and Tiger designs that were derived from them. Often called the Colony' class, they were an attempt to incorporate the characteristics of the preceding Town' class within the reduced 8,000-ton limit agreed under the 1936 London Treaty. In general layout, they resembled the earlier class but adopted upright rather than raked funnels and masts. The use of a flat, transom stern conferred both hydrodynamic and internal space advantages.Not surprisingly, they turned out to be very cramped ships which struggled to accommodate all the wartime additions of extra electronics and light AA guns, as well as the increased crew needed to man them. Many of the later modifications to existing ships and alterations to the succeeding designs were attempts to

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Book SynopsisOn 9 May 1912 the first airplane take-off from a ship was made from the deck of the HMS Hibernia. In July 1918, seven Sopwith Camels launched from the converted battlecruiser HMS Furious damaged the German airbase at Tønder and destroyed two zeppelins. The age of the carrier was born. In the interwar years the Lexington, Akagi and Courageous – class carriers were developed, but it was only during World War II that the aircraft carrier finally came into its own. Fleet carriers carrying 30–40 aircraft allowed the Japanese and US navies to project air power across the vast Pacific Ocean, with the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor presaging a new kind of warfare. With the sinking of hundreds of ships during World War II, including the German battleship Bismarck in 1941, by the end of the war carriers ruled the waves and the era of the battleship had passed. Aircraft Carriers features 52 of the most significant flat tops and amphibious assault ships built since the 1920s until the present day, from the USS Yorktown, which survived direct hits during the battle of Midway (1942), through the Falklands War veteran HMS Invincible, to the mighty Nimitz class, the core of the US Navy’s carrier battle groups today. Also included are significant amphibious assault ships, such as the USS Tarawa and French Mistral. Each entry includes a brief description of the ship’s development and history, a colour profile view or cutaway, key features and specifications. Packed with more than 200 artworks and photographs, Aircraft Carriers is a colourful guide for the naval warfare enthusiast.Table of ContentsIntroduction CARRIERS OF THE WORLD WARS HMS Furious (1917) HMS Argus (1918) HMS Eagle (1924) Akagi (1927) USS Lexington (1927) Kaga (1928) HMS Glorious (1930) Hiryu (1937) USS Yorktown (1937) USS Enterprise (1938) HMS Ark Royal (1938) USS Wasp (1940) CAM and MAC Ships (1941) HMS Audacity (1941) Shokaku (1941) HMS Indomitable (1941) USS Sangamon (1942) Jun’yo (1942) USS Independence (1943) USS Princeton (1943) USS Lexington (1943) USS Intrepid (1943) USS Wasp (1943) Taiho (1944) Shinano (1944) USS Midway (1945) CARRIERS SINCE 1945 HMS Eagle (1951) USS Forrestal (1955) HMS Hermes/INS Viraat (1959) Clemenceau (1960) USS Enterprise (1961) HMS Fearless (1965) Veinticinco de Mayo (1969) USS Nimitz (1975) Kiev (1975) USS Tarawa (1976) Ivan Rogov (1978) HMS Invincible (1980) USS Carl Vinson (1982) Giuseppi Garibaldi (1985) Principe de Asturias (1988) Admiral Kuznetsov (1995) HMS Ocean (1998) Charles de Gaulle (2001) USS Ronald R. Reagan (2003) Mistral (2006) Liaoning (2012) HMAS Canberra (2014) Izumo (2015) HMS Queen Elizabeth (2017) USS Gerald R. Ford (2017) INS Vikrant (2018) Index

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Book SynopsisThe story of the highly controversial First World War campaign that nearly destroyed Churchill's reputation for good and of his decades-long battle to set the record straight - a battle which ultimately helped clear the way for Churchill's appointment as Prime Minister in Britain's 'darkest hour'.Trade Review'In this highly readable and comprehensive treatment, Christopher M. Bell treats the evidence with forensic care and delivers arguments that are consistently nuanced and fair. The book casts new light both on Churchill himself and on the wider question of civil-military relations during World War I' * Richard Toye, author of The Roar of the Lion *'A book which combines a thoroughly researched, well-written and convincing new assessment of one of the British Empire's most controversial and disputed campaigns with a thoughtful and reflective survey of how the episode has come to be understood since ... one of the best additions to the scholarship on the First World War produced since 2014.' * David G. Morgan-Owen, English Historical Review *'This is quite simply the best naval history book that I have read this year. Christopher Bell may not have written the last word on this still very emotive subject, but I can't imagine that anyone will be able to produce a better, more equitably balanced and authoritative account of the Dardanelles operation than he has done. It is quite superb in virtually every way.' * Malcolm H. Murfett (Kings College, London), The International Journal of Maritime History *'Bell's historical judgements are balanced and fair. He has made a major contribution to British naval history and to a clearer understanding of that towering twentieth-century political figure, Winston Churchill. Bell's book will stand as the definitive study of the Dardanelles campaign and the central role of Churchill for many years to come.' * W. Mark Hamilton, The Mariner's Mirror: The International Quarterly Journal of The Society for Nautical Research *'An authoritative account.' * Paul Ridgeway, Flash: Trinity House Fraternity Review *'A marvellous book.' * Robin Brodhurst, British Journal of Military History *'Bell's conclusions are admirably balanced.' * David French, Journal of Military History *'The blame-shifting, name-calling, and finger-pointing were not stilled by an exhaustive Dardanelles Commission inquiry and its 1919 report, but should now finally come to an end a century later with the publication of this well-researched, very well-written, but above all judiciously objective book by the distinguished naval historian Christopher M. Bell... This excellent book cuts through a century of pro- and anti-Churchill writing to reach remarkably balanced conclusions.' * Andrew Roberts, Weekly Standard *'Impressive and readable... Churchill and the Dardanelles is an important and balanced book... For anyone interested in Gallipoli, or Winston Churchill, it is essential reading.' * Gary Sheffield, Stand To! *'Christopher Bell's outstanding Churchill and the Dardanelles... is a fantastic exposition of how academics can write successfully for a broader audience without compromising at all on the quality of their research, and comes with a hearty recommendation from me.' * David Morgan Owen, Defence in Depth *'Indispensable' * Yusuf Ali Ozkan, Gelibolu'yu Anlamak *'This is a well-written and important book which adds valuably to the literature on Churchill himself and to the strategic history of the First World War.' * David Dutton, International History Review *'Bell explores the subject afresh and does so with such mastery that the tenor of his judgments rings true. [...] In clearing away a mass of historical debris from the scene, Bell has achieved for Churchill and Gallipoli what David Reynolds accomplished for Churchill and the Second World War, the excavation of a man from the myth that he created.' * History Today *'[Churchill and the Dardanelles] is a well-written and important book which adds valuably to the literature on Churchill himself and to the strategic history of the First World War.' * David Dutton, International History Review *'Well-researched study.' * Saul Kelly, Middle Eastern Studies *'A clear and authoritative account about Churchill's role in the Dardanelles offensive. Bell's style is easily accessible for the armchair strategist but is equally thorough and well footnoted for the weathered naval historian. Everyone can appreciate the enormous efforts and herculean tasks Bell undertook to disentangle the reality of the Dardanelles from its various narrative myths.' * Warren Dockter, Churchill Bulletin *'Christopher Bell's knowledge of the sources cannot be bettered, and he has shown himself to be the ideal person to present this important, accessible reassessment' * Eric Grove, Times Literary Supplement *An extremely absorbing and highly readable work which casts new light on not only Churchill himself but on the much wider issues of the relationships between the military and civilian governments during the First World War. * History of War *'Meticulously researched and readable account.' * History of War *'This immaculate study of the First Lord of the Admiralty's disgrace and comeback is ... likely to become the definitive work on the campaign, and Churchill's role in it. What gives the book its edge is not merely Bell's scholarship, which is rigorous, but its highly original analysis of the aftermath ... Unlike most additions to the Churchill bibliography, it is truly valuable.' * Simon Heffer, The Daily Telegraph *Table of ContentsWinston Churchill and the Dardanelles: A Riddle Wrapped in Myths Inside a Legend 1: Stalemate and Frustration: The First Months of War 2: The Origins of the Naval Offensive 3: 'A Great Experiment': The Naval Plan Approved 4: 'I Will Find the Men': The Plan Remade 5: 'Groping Round Without a plan' 6: From the Dardanelles to Gallipoli 7: Jacky Fisher's Crisis 8: The Duchy of Lancaster Goes to War! 9: Exile 10: The Dardanelles Commission I: The Preliminaries 11: The Dardanelles Commission II: The Naval Staff under Scrutiny 12: The Dardanelles Commission III: An Instalment of Fair Play 13: The Cabinet Minister as Censor: The Official Histories 14: The Battle of the Memoirs 15: From Millstone to Myth: 'The Great Movement of Opinion' Conclusion: What about the Dardanelles? Notes Bibliography

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Book Synopsis''The Ministry of Defence does not comment upon submarine operations'' is the standard response of officialdom to enquiries about the most secretive and mysterious of Britain''s armed forces, the Royal Navy Submarine Service. Written with unprecedented co-operation from the Service itself and privileged access to documents and personnel, The Silent Deep is the first authoritative history of the Submarine Service from the end of the Second World War to the present. It gives the most complete account yet published of the development of Britain''s submarine fleet, its capabilities, its weapons, its infrastructure, its operations and above all - from the testimony of many submariners and the first-hand witness of the authors - what life is like on board for the denizens of the silent deep.Dramatic episodes are revealed for the first time: how HMS Warspite gathered intelligence against the Soviet Navy''s latest ballistic-missile-carrying submarine in the late 1960s;Trade ReviewA tour de force, a valuable resource for naval historians and future generations to wonder at. And I can't help hoping that our current leaders will make themselves aware of some vitally significant issues that it raises. -- Admiral Lord West * Spectator *The lay reader cannot fail to be absorbed by its dramatic tales of cat-and-mouse skirmishes with Soviet hunter-killer submarines, embarrassing spy scandals and lucid accounts of the Falklands War - all enlivened with first-hand testimony from the submariners themselves. -- Richard Blackmore * Independent *

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Book SynopsisThe first account of Britain’s convoys during the Napoleonic Wars—showing how the protection of trade played a decisive role in victoryTrade Review“A delightful book. . . . Knight describes the nature of life on the convoys in intricate detail, but always in simple, accessible prose. Points are made through delightfully allegorical anecdotes, rather than cumbersome argument. We feel the waves, smell the sea, rub shoulders with long-suffering seamen.”—Gerard DeGroot, Times (UK)“The story of these men and their ships . . . is recounted brilliantly and deserves to be read as both a pleasure and a tribute.”—David Childs, Naval ReviewEach year, in memory of Dr Roger Charles Anderson, a distinguished naval scholar and founder member of the Society, the Society awards the Anderson medal for a book on maritime history published during the previous year.“Naval history at its best. A challenging text that examines the critical role of the British convoy system in the Napoleonic era, a partnership that bound the state, trade, the Royal Navy and the insurance industry, and foreshadowed the better-known but no less vital convoy systems of the World Wars of the twentieth century.”—Andrew Lambert, author of Nelson: Britannia’s God of War“This is an outstanding study of a vital and too-long neglected element of British power during the Napoleonic War. Knight takes us into the daily lives of those who worked on these dangerous missions, explodes many old myths and makes an important contribution to developing our understanding of life at sea in this period.”—Richard Harding, author of Naval Leadership in the Atlantic World“Outstanding. Roger Knight brilliantly tells the forgotten story that underpinned Britain’s survival and ultimate victory in the war against Napoleon. Authoritative and original, this will appeal to all readers with an interest in the Napoleonic Wars.”—Rory Muir, author of Wellington: The Path to Victory 1769–1814

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Book Synopsisnew edition: The development of the destroyer from fragile torpedo boat to the torpedo-armed fleet destroyers, with a directory, specification boxes, and 500 archive photographs.

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Book SynopsisThe Royal Navy invented the aircraft carrier and most of the key innovations which have enabled carriers to remain effective, exploiting continuing changes in aircraft technology, from biplanes to supersonic jets. This book tells (and explains) how that happened over more than a century of British carrier development, based largely on declassified official documents, both British and US. Major themes include British domination of the early years of carrier development, and the audacious and highly original plans for their use during World War I, which inspired later naval thinking on the potential of carrier aviation. The introduction of armoured flight decks in the 1930s was only the first of a sequence of British innovations, the most important of which made it possible for carriers to operate jet aircraft (the angled deck, the steam catapult, and the mirror landing sight). These British developments, particularly the steam catapult, were crucial to the survival of the US carrier f

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Book SynopsisA new affordable softcover edition of a bestselling work on the perennially popular subject of battleships. Well researched and thoughtfully illustrated. Fascinating insights into a great industrial achievement.

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Book SynopsisThis detailed study of the naval Spanish Civil War describes how the Spanish Navy, torn in two and comprising a Republican and Nationalist part, fought a civil war at sea involving both Hitler''s and Mussolini''s navies.In July 1936, a pro-fascist coup orchestrated by General Franco tore Spain apart and plunged the country into a bitter civil war. Like Spain itself, the Spanish Navy was torn in two: crews and most ships remained loyal to the Republican government but many of the Navy's officers joined Franco''s rebels, and warships under repair or ''mothballed'' in southern ports soon fell to the rebel advance. These formed the basis of Franco's ''Nationalist fleet,'' and with both Italian and German help, the rebels were able to contest the Republic''s control of Spanish waters. Overall the Republican Navy held its own, despite mounting losses, until the collapse of the Republican Army led to the fleet seeking internment in French North Africa. Packed with contemporary photogrTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION THE PRE-WAR SPANISH NAVY THE NAVY DURING THE RISING COMMAND AND MANPOWER THE NAVAL WAR The Opening Moves Control of the Strait The Northern Theatre The Mediterranean Theatre An Ignominious End SPECIFICATIONS Battleships Cruisers Destroyers Submarines Gunboats Smaller Warships FURTHER READING INDEX

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Book SynopsisThis is a complete guide to aircraft carriers, from zeppelin and seaplane carriers to V/STOL and nuclear-powered carriers. It examines the evolution of the aircraft carrier, from the first flights from ships in World War I, developments during the inter-war years and World War II battles such as Pearl Harbor, through to modern carriers used in the Falklands. It is a comprehensive country-by-country directory of all the major aircraft carriers, with expert text describing each vessel's construction, appearance, function and history. It features over 500 photographs illustrating each type. Specification boxes provide information about country of origin, the company that built the carrier, construction and completion dates, displacement, dimensions, types of aircraft carried, armament, power and performance. This impressive encyclopedia is both a fascinating history of the aircraft carrier's development and a comprehensive visual directory of more than 170 of the world's aviation ships over nearly a century. Each entry is accompanied by a specification panel, and all the carriers are accompanied by identification photographs, many of which have never previously been published together in one volume. With magnificent illustrations and up-to-date information, this book provides both enthusiasts and historians with key information about the world's aircraft carriers, and is an essential reference for everyone interested in naval aviation.

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Book SynopsisThis title charts the history of amphibious warfare in conflicts around the globe, from World War I to the present day. It features conventional personnel and cargo carriers, welldeck "dock ships", modern multi-function ships, ramped beaching craft and high-speed air-cushion craft. It explores the fascinating history of the five recognized categories of amphibious operation: assault, raids, demonstrations, feints and withdrawal. It includes detailed analyses of key naval operations in Gallipoli, Dieppe, the Pacific, Normandy, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, Vietnam, the Falklands and the Middle East. It includes over 220 archive photographs and a glossary explaining naval acronyms, abbreviations and terminology. Wars are decided definitively through the occupation of an enemy's territory - a task for military forces, which may have to be transported by sea. This authoritative volume covers the complete history of amphibious warfare vessels: the ships that travel from shore to shore, and the craft that move from ship to shore. Through the use of historical examples, it highlights the many activities necessary for a successful operation, from surveying and minesweeping to fire support, fighter direction and tri-service control. With over 220 photographs from museums and historical sources, the book provides enthusiasts with a lively guide to this fascinating subject.

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Book SynopsisSubmarines features 300 of the most significant submarines from the first submersibles in 1776 to the present day. Each featured submarine is illustrated with an outstanding colour profile artwork and is accompanied by detailed specifications, giving powerplant, dimensions, maximum speed, range and armament. Also included is a design, development and service history of each featured submarine. The final section of the book covers underwater weapons, such as torpedoes, SLBMs and cruise missiles. Arranged alphabetically and with 300 colour illustrations and photographs, Submarines is an authoritative and accessible reference work, which will appeal to anyone with an interest in military technology and naval history. Contains 300 submarines from the Turtle to the present day Includes 300 colour profile artworks Features background text and specifications for each sub

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Book Synopsis"Nelson: A Dream of Glory" is the most comprehensive and thoroughly researched account ever written of Horatio Nelson's rise to international fame. Giving us the private as well as the public man, it combines ground-breaking scholarship with a brilliantly vivid and compelling style.Trade ReviewA masterpiece... The flagship of the fleet, it leaves all others trailing in its wake -- Neil Hanson * Sunday Times *A magnificently-researched and thoughtful work which locates Nelson in a global context -- Linda ColleyThis work is massively authoritative -- Max Hastings * Sunday Telegraph *One can say with confidence that this momumental tome is the finest yet written on England's great naval hero. Sugden's brilliant book is chock-full of fascinating details. And if the second volume turns out as well as this, his life of Nelson will be one of the historical masterpieces of our time -- Frank McLynn * Daily Express *A massive, first-rate battleship of a book -- Colin White * Observer *

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Book SynopsisThe technical details of British warships were recorded in a set of plans produced by the builders on completion of every ship. Known as the 'as fitted' general arrangements, these drawings represented the exact appearance and fitting of the ship as it entered service. Intended to provide a permanent reference for the Admiralty and the dockyards, these highly detailed plans were drawn with exquisite skill in multi-coloured inks and washes that represent the acme of the draughtsman's art. Today they form part of the incomparable collection of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, which is using the latest scanning technology to make digital copies of the highest quality. This book is one of a series based entirely on these draughts which depict famous warships in an unprecedented degree of detail-complete sets in full colour, with many close-ups and enlargements that make every aspect clear and comprehensible. Extensive captions point the reader to important features to be found in the plans, and an introduction covers the background to the design. HMS _Victorious_ was a ship with two almost separate incarnations-as built in 1941 she was one of a new type of armoured carrier which saw strenuous wartime service; post-war the ship underwent a massive reconstruction lasting nearly eight years that saw her recommission in1958 as one of the best equipped carriers in the world, ready for another decade of duty. Both these phases of the ship's life are fully documented, which allows this novel form of anatomy to cover two generations of carrier design.

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Book SynopsisThis meticulously researched and illustrated book focuses on the evolution of aircraft carriers and naval aircraft. It features chronological histories and comprehensive directories of the world's most important aviation ships and aircraft, including the first ships to launch primitive aircraft; biplanes that were catapulted from converted destroyers; modern warships capable of carrying jets and helicopters; and state-of-the-art jets that are unique for their vertical take-off ability. With more than 1100 magnificent photographs, this book provides historians and enthusiasts with key information about the world's greatest aircraft carriers and naval aircraft.

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