Publisher: David Weaver

ISBN-10: 9889727218

Copies can be purchased directly from Mr. Weaver - please e-mail for details.

This extraordinary book tells the story of one of the Lend-Lease American built escort aircraft carriers supplied to the Royal Navy during World War Two.  A self published work released in December 2004, this is more than a just book; it is presented as a boxed set of materials about HMS Queen. The Set comprises of a 260 glossy page hard back B4 size landscape format book, a DVD film of 853 Royal Naval Air Squadron operating onboard the ship in early 1945 and a CD-Rom which contains an Adobe Acrobat version of the book. The box also contains a set of large-scale deck-by-deck plans of a Ruler class escort carrier.

In addition to telling the story of the ship drawing on official documents and the reminiscences of the crew David delves into the building and modification process which saw HMS Queen, and all but four of her class, transformed from merchant hulls into warships. Unprecedented levels of detail and a wealth of photographs and maps make this a work the definitive account of HMS Queen and her squadrons.

Publisher:

Pen & Sword Books

ISBN-10: 1844154173

In his book David Yates recalls his experiences in the Royal Navy as a Leading Catering Accountant aboard HMS Antrim despatched to the South Georgia at the start of the Falklands War. David conveys the humour, spirit and traditions of life in the Royal Navy, vividly describing the daily routines of life aboard ship and what matelots expect when in port.

The author successfully conveys to the reader how the normality of his peacetime navy was thrown into turmoil on Friday April 2nd 1982, as Antrim prepared for war. In particular the description of the traditional ‘crossing the line’ ceremony is well described. You can almost taste the pill that is thrust down each initiates throat, and imagine the terror at being roughly, and repeatedly dunked by the ‘bears’.

The book is easy to read and. while well researched, is not top heavy with facts and figures, this semi-autobiographical work makes for fascinating reading offering a peek at life below decks and off duty as well as in the uncertain days that were the Falklands conflict. The book is well illustrated with a 38 images and has two comprehensive glossaries, one of naval terms and a second devoted to terms specific to naval ‘cooks’, a must for those not familiar with the naval catering branches.

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Publisher:

Maritime Books

ISBN-10: 1904459307

This is another in David Hobbs list of detailed history books covering aspects of the Royal Navy, this time he focuses on Maintenance Carriers and Mobile Air Bases which were planned and constructed both during the Second World War and since.

Many previous works on the subject of the Fleet Air Arm tend to focus on the fighting ships and overlooked the important role played by RN aviation support elements. This book covers the development and implementation of the specialist maintenance carrier and the land based equivalents that were the MONABs; much of the material and many of the black & white photos appear in print for the first time.

Also covered are is the role of the smaller Escort Carriers which were pressed into service as stop-gap repair ships during the war in the Pacific, working with the MONABs to maintain a supply of serviceable aircraft to the British Pacific Fleet.

Note :Some of the material on MONABS and escort carriers is drawn from websites that form part of the RN Research Archive, and are credited as www.faahistoryweb

Publisher: ELSP, St Helier

ISBN-10: 1906641099

Geraldine Hultkrantz has produced a small volume about her father, Lieutenant Richard Maurice Pratchett RNVR MBE, and his experiences during World War 2. It tells of her father’s pre-war career in the chemical industry and his determination to gain academic qualifications in his own time, to his enlisting as an ordinary Seaman in 1940. In 1942 while serving on the destroyer HMS Sikh he was selected for officer training under the Commissions and Warrants (CW) scheme and emerged from HMS King Alfred with a commission as an Tempy. Sub Lieutenant RNVR in August 1942.

He chose to work in the dangerous world of mine disposal and worked as a bomb disposal officer with the Land Incident Section of the Torpedoes and Mining Department of the Admiralty, travelling around the UK defusing unexploded mines. In the run=up to D-Day he was employed in preparations for the deployment of the Mulberry harbours before being recruited by the Naval Intelligence Division for duties with the new 30 (Commando) Assault Unit. During his time with 30AU he travelled to liberated territories to recover captured enemy technology for return to the UK, initially in Europe and later in the Far East. The book is easy to read and is well researched providing background information on the units, ships, and operations with which Lt. Pratchett was involved.

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Contact the author:

hultkrantz2@hotmail.com

Publisher: Upfront Publishing

ISBN: 9781780350219

‘From School to Landing Craft' follows the naval career of Lt. Richard Charles Wiles RNVR DSC from his entry into the Royal Navy as a Seaman at HMS Royal Arthur in October 1941 to his selection for training as an RNVR officer at HMS King Alfred in August 1942. On receiving his commission he served in Combined Operations Landing Craft, initially with the 126 LC(A) flotilla, participating in the landings at Sicily and later 552 LC(A) Flotilla and landed troops on Utah Beach during the Normandy landings. This flotilla later saw action in NW Europe on the River Waal at Nijmegen in the Netherlands, working with the Royal Engineers.

The book tells his story in two ways, first a factual account of his time in the Royal Navy drawn from his service records, and secondly, an account based on extracts from letters between him, his family and friends. While the content of the letters offers insights into the daily lives or those involved, their hopes, fears and expectations, the work of the censor is also very apparent, especially in letters home; the official record helps fill in these ‘censored’ gaps in the narrative.

The book has 170 pages and many photographs, maps and diagrams, some in colour, and helpful appendices explaining about landing craft operations and procedures. The extensive use of letters make this book a pleasant change from standard biographical works.

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