Somerville's Force H
Somerville's Force H

Author: Raymond Dannreuther

Publisher: White Lion Publishing

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13:

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Between June 1940 and March 1942, the legendary Force H, based in Gibraltarnder the command of Admiral Sir James Somerville, was almost constantly inction. Formed in haste after the fall of France, Force H began its historyith the unpleasant but necessary task of disabling the French fleet aters-el-Kebir. The Force had two vital missions: to maintain a flow ofupplies to Malta and carry the war to the Italian fleet, and to protectritish shipping in the Atlantic. Its dual role was vividly demonstrated whents most famous ship, Ark Royal, flew off 48 Hurricanes to Malta from wellnside the Mediterranean on 21 May 1941 and then, just six days later, played critical part in the destruction of the Bismarck 450 miles out in thetlantic. This fascinating and thoroughly researched history is the firstook to be devoted to Force H. It is also a tribute to Somerville, one of theoyal Navy's most remarkable officers, who welded a hastily assembledollection of ships into a formidable fighting force.

The Somerville Papers
The Somerville Papers

Author: Michael Simpson

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2020-11-26

Total Pages: 432

ISBN-13: 100034164X

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Sir James Somerville (1882-1949) was one of the great influences on the 20th-century navy, both as a commander of fleets and a pioneer of radio and radar. The Admiral's extensive correspondence, diaries and reports are deposited in the Churchill Archives Centre at Cambridge. These edited selections reveal much of the background about major naval operations in the Second World War. The loneliness of high command is clearly revealed in these highly personal documents, almost 500 of which are reproduced in the book. In particular they show Somerville's frequent disagreements with Churchill - a feature common to all senior British commanders during the war.

Taranto 1940
Taranto 1940

Author: Angus Konstam

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2015-11-20

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 1472808975

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The Royal Navy's attack on Taranto in 1940 heralded a new age of warfare. It was the decisive moment in a struggle for dominance of the Mediterranean that had gone on for months, as the British and Italian navies both looked to secure maritime supply routes for their colonies. With the enormous demands of a global war beginning to tell, the British capital ships were simply too thinly spread for a large fleet action against Taranto, where the bulk of the Italian fleet lay menacingly. How was the Royal Navy to eliminate the threat of the Regia Marina? This is the story of one of World War II's most devastating raids, recounting how a handful of obsolete Fairey Swordfish biplanes swooped in and destroyed an Italian battleship and badly damaged two more. With expert analysis, detailed colour illustrations and a gripping narrative, this book explains the origins of the attack, its planning and execution, and what happened in the aftermath.

World War II [5 volumes]
World War II [5 volumes]

Author: Spencer C. Tucker

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2016-09-06

Total Pages: 4723

ISBN-13:

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With more than 1,700 cross-referenced entries covering every aspect of World War II, the events and developments of the era, and myriad related subjects as well as a documents volume, this is the most comprehensive reference work available on the war. This encyclopedia represents a single source of authoritative information on World War II that provides accessible coverage of the causes, course, and consequences of the war. Its introductory overview essays and cross-referenced A–Z entries explain how various sources of friction culminated in a second worldwide conflict, document the events of the war and why individual battles were won and lost, and identify numerous ways the war has permanently changed the world. The coverage addresses the individuals, campaigns, battles, key weapons systems, strategic decisions, and technological developments of the conflict, as well as the diplomatic, economic, and cultural aspects of World War II. The five-volume set provides comprehensive information that gives readers insight into the reasons for the war's direction and outcome. Readers will understand the motivations behind Japan's decision to attack the United States, appreciate how the concentration of German military resources on the Eastern Front affected the war's outcome, understand the major strategic decisions of the war and the factors behind them, grasp how the Second Sino-Japanese War contributed to the start of World War II, and see the direct impact of new military technology on the outcomes of the battles during the conflict. The lengthy documents volume represents a valuable repository of additional information for student research.

Struggle for the Middle Sea
Struggle for the Middle Sea

Author: Vincent O'Hara

Publisher: Naval Institute Press

Published: 2009-06-01

Total Pages: 362

ISBN-13: 1612514081

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The Mediterranean is the maritime crossroads where Europe, Asia, and Africa meet. More major naval actions were fought there than in the Atlantic or Pacific yet remarkably little has been written about the subject. Th is fresh study of the Mediterranean’s naval war analyzes the actions and performances of the five major navies—British, Italian, French, German, and American—during the entire five-year campaign and examines the national imperatives that drove each nation’s maritime strategy. Struggle for the Middle Sea provides a history of the entire campaign from all perspectives and covers Germany’s largely unknown—and remarkably successful—struggle to employ sea power in the Mediterranean after the Italian armistice. Defense & Foreign Affairs Strategic Policy (August 2009) has called it “a new and stunningly important view of World War II” and “a fabulously readable and important book.”

The Illustrated Timeline of World War II
The Illustrated Timeline of World War II

Author: A. A. Evans

Publisher: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc

Published: 2011-08-15

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 1448847958

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An overview of World War II, from the events leading up to the war, to the war crimes trials after the war, in a timeline format.

The Naval War in the Mediterranean, 1940–1943
The Naval War in the Mediterranean, 1940–1943

Author: Jack Greene

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2023-12-03

Total Pages: 354

ISBN-13: 1805000721

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This superbly researched book gives a complete account of the war in the Mediterranean on, above and beneath the sea up until Italy's armistice in September 1943. Written with full access to Italian sources, it not only provides a detailed and fascinating narrative of the entire naval war, but also sets the individual actions fully in their strategic context for both the Axis and the Allies. Topics include: • The complex and distrustful relationship between the Italians and their German allies which culminated in open conflict after the Italian armistice in 1943. • The battle for Malta, and that island's vital strategic role threatening Axis supply lines to North Africa. • The exploits of the Italian human torpedoes of the X MAS flotilla, which threatened to change the balance of power in the Mediterranean. This book is essential reading for all those interested in one of the major naval theaters of the Second World War.

The End of Glory
The End of Glory

Author: Bruce Taylor

Publisher: Seaforth Publishing

Published: 2012-04-03

Total Pages: 279

ISBN-13: 1848321392

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There have been many fine books written on HMS Hood, the glory of the Royal Navy, while television and cinema have also taken the subject to their heart. No book, however, has ever offered the combination of in-depth research and thrilling narrative to be found in The End of Glory. For twenty years Hood symbolised the Royal Navy during the twilight years of the British Empire before, in 1941, being destroyed in seconds by the battleship Bismarck, a catastrophe that shattered the morale the British public. For those who manned her, however, she was both a home and a fighting platform, and this new book, through official documents as well as the personal accounts and reminiscences of more than 150 crewmen, offers a vivid image of the face of naval life and the face of naval battle. A brilliant behind-the scenes exposé of a warship in peace and war, it not only paints an intimate picture of everyday life but deals with any number of controversial issues such as the Invergordon mutiny, escapades ashore and afloat, the Christmas mutiny of 1940 and the terrible conditions onboard in war. This coverage, based on so many original sources, makes for a truly compelling story which neither historian, enthusiast nor general reader will find easy to put down.

Battle of Malta
Battle of Malta

Author: Anthony Rogers

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2022-08-18

Total Pages: 97

ISBN-13: 147284887X

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A detailed, illustrated exploration of the land, sea and air units that defended Malta, and the repeated Axis attempts to bring the crucial Allied island fortress to its knees. On 11 June 1940, the British crown colony of Malta – which dominated the central Mediterranean and all-important sea routes to and from North Africa – was bombed for the first time by aircraft of the Italian Regia Aeronautica. The Italians were joined in their efforts by the German Luftwaffe in January 1941. Malta was effectively beleaguered for nearly two and a half years, dependent for survival on naval supply convoys and reliant for defence on often-outnumbered fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft guns. Anthony Rogers provides a retelling of these events, drawing on accounts from both sides. This work features carefully selected photographic images, some previously unpublished. Seven specially commissioned colour maps explore the stategic situation in the Mediterranean in this period, the military sectors into which Malta's defence was divided, and German minelaying operations around the island. The three stunning battlescene artworks and 3D bird's-eye views show key events from the battle, including the 26 July 1941 German attack on the Grand Harbour, and the major Luftwaffe raid 21 March 1942.

Men of Action
Men of Action

Author: Cmdr. Kenneth Edwards

Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing

Published: 2017-04-07

Total Pages: 363

ISBN-13: 1787204529

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Originally published in 1943, this is a unique collection of accounts relating to 19 distinguished Royal Navy Admirals and Captains of the Second World War Royal Navy. Written in the midst of World War II by Royal Navy Commander Kenneth Edwards, each contemporary portrait is filled with fascinating details. From the grey ships accompanying the convoys in the Atlantic to the seaborne Royal Navy Marines the struggle at sea during the Second World War is brought to life. An essential book for all R.N. historians to add to their collection!