River-class Frigates and the Battle of the Atlantic

River-class Frigates and the Battle of the Atlantic PDF Author: Brian Lavery
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780948065736
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
"An in-depth study of the River-class Frigate, its design, construction, weapons, crew and actions during the Battle of the Atlantic ... the author draws on previously unpublished ship plans, photographs, naval documents and eyewitness accounts to present a complete ands exhaustive study of the River-class."--Back cover.

River-class Frigates and the Battle of the Atlantic

River-class Frigates and the Battle of the Atlantic PDF Author: Brian Lavery
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780948065736
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
"An in-depth study of the River-class Frigate, its design, construction, weapons, crew and actions during the Battle of the Atlantic ... the author draws on previously unpublished ship plans, photographs, naval documents and eyewitness accounts to present a complete ands exhaustive study of the River-class."--Back cover.

Atlantic Escorts

Atlantic Escorts PDF Author: David Brown
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
ISBN: 1844157024
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 176

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Book Description
Winston Churchill famously claimed that the submarine war in the Atlantic was the only campaign of the Second World War that really frightened him. If the lifeline to north America had been cut, Britain would never have survived; there could have been no build-up of US and Commonwealth forces, no D-Day landings, and no victory in western Europe. Furthermore, the battle raged from the first day of the war until the final German surrender, making it the longest and arguably hardest-fought campaign of the whole war. The ships, technology and tactics employed by the Allies form the subject of this book. Beginning with the lessons apparently learned from the First World War, the author outlines inter-war developments in technology and training, and describes the later preparations for the second global conflict. When the war came the balance of advantage was to see-saw between U-boats and escorts, with new weapons and sensors introduced at a rapid rate. For the defending navies, the prime requirement was numbers, and the most pressing problem was to improve capability without sacrificing simplicity and speed of construction. The author analyses the resulting designs of sloops, frigates, corvettes and destroyer escorts and attempts to determine their relative effectiveness.

Battle of the Atlantic

Battle of the Atlantic PDF Author: Marc Milner
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0752466461
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 279

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Book Description
World War II was only a few hours old when the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest campaign of the Second World War and the most complex submarine war in history, began with the sinking of the unarmed passenger liner Athenia by the German submarine U30. Based on the mastery of the latest research and written from a mid-Atlantic – rather than the traditional Anglo-centric – perspective, Marc Milner focuses on the confrontation between opposing forces and the attacks on Allied shipping that lay at the heart of the six-year struggle. Against the backdrop of the battle for the Atlantic lifeline he charts the fascinating development of U-boats and the techniques used by the Allies to suppress and destroy these stealth weapons.

Northern European Overture to War, 1939-1941

Northern European Overture to War, 1939-1941 PDF Author:
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004249095
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 536

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Book Description
While the German invasion of Poland in September 1939 was a pivotal moment in European history and precipitated the outbreak of the Second World War western historiography has largely neglected Northern Europe. Two questions dominated the course of events, the Anglo-German contest for control of the access to the Atlantic Ocean and the Soviet-German contest for control of their former territories as a precursor to the future Total War they expected to wage against each other. This anthology of 23 essays considers both these issues collectively and provides a new international perspective on the region’s transition from the relative peace of the interwar era to the all out war following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. Contributors are Azar Gat, Michael Epkenhans, Andrew Lambert, Tom Kristiansen, Rolf Hobson, Gunnar Åselius, Jörg Hillmann, Werner Rahn, Sławomir Dębski, Ole Kristian Grimnes, Česlovas Laurinavičius, Alfred Erich Senn, Lars Ericson Wolke, Karl Erik Haug, Boris Vadimovich Sokolov, Toomas Hiio, Magnus Ilmjärv, Palle Roslyng-Jensen ,Hans Christian Bjerg, Valters Ščerbinskis, Michael H. Clemmesen, and Marcus Faulkner.

Two Navies Divided

Two Navies Divided PDF Author: Brian Lavery
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
ISBN: 1399047256
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 626

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Book Description
The title is derived from George Bernard Shaw’s comment that ‘England and America are two countries divided by a common language.’ It is not intended to imply that the two navies were seriously at odds with one another, but rather to suggest, as in the case of language, that common roots and usages varied significantly. And the Second World War is a pertinent moment for comparison. They fought on the same side against a common enemy for nearly four years, but Britain fought the war for the survival of itself and its empire, though in the long term it failed with the latter, while the American government fought to maintain its influence through the balance of power; its people fought for revenge for Pearl Harbor, and out of a sense of justice. In this new book, Brian Lavery describes and analyzes the differences and similarities between the two navies and in doing so sheds fascinating light on how the naval war was fought. For example, both navies had spectacular failures after entering the war – the Royal Navy off Norway, the USN at Pearl Harbor and Savo Island. Paradoxically, both commenced the war with quite amateur performances by professional navies and ended with highly skilled performances by largely amateur manned forces. The training systems for regular officers had flaws in both countries. In Britain, entry was largely dependent on family income, in America, on political influence. But American officers probably had a broader perspective by the time they entered active service. The book covers ships and weapons systems – for instance, the British used too many gun types in the 4 to 6in range, while the Americans concentrated on the well-designed 5in. And the author describes conditions onboard ships. British vessels were awash with alcohol, which had its attractions for Americans when alongside; the Americans offered ice cream in return. These examples represent only a tiny proportion of the subjects covered in this stimulating analysis. Aviation, the marines of both navies, anti-submarine and mine warfare, uniforms, propulsion systems, shipbuilding and building programs, commanders and national leaders, ratings and officers, ship design, geographical environments, naval bases, hammocks and bunks, the deployment of women – these are among the myriad big and small themes that will open the eyes of naval historians and enthusiasts, and show anyone with an interest in the Second World War how these two great allies came together to defeat the Axis forces.

Atlantic Escorts

Atlantic Escorts PDF Author: David K. Brown
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1783469013
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 184

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Book Description
“Altogether, a very detailed year-by-year account of escort development for anti-submarine work from the period between the wars to post World War II.” —The Nautical Magazine Winston Churchill famously claimed that the submarine war in the Atlantic was the only campaign of the Second World War that really frightened him. If the lifeline to North America had been cut, Britain would never have survived; there could have been no build-up of US and Commonwealth forces, no D-Day landings, and no victory in western Europe. Furthermore, the battle raged from the first day of the war until the final German surrender, making it the longest and arguably hardest-fought campaign of the whole war. The ships, technology and tactics employed by the Allies form the subject of this book. Beginning with the lessons apparently learned from the First World War, the author outlines inter-war developments in technology and training, and describes the later preparations for the second global conflict. When the war came the balance of advantage was to see-saw between U-boats and escorts, with new weapons and sensors introduced at a rapid rate. For the defending navies, the prime requirement was numbers, and the most pressing problem was to improve capability without sacrificing simplicity and speed of construction. The author analyses the resulting designs of sloops, frigates, corvettes and destroyer escorts and attempts to determine their relative effectiveness. “Atlantic Escorts has flowed from the pen of a master who has written so many fine books about the history of ship construction. It is a small masterpiece.” —Warship International Fleet Review

Tribals, Battles & Darings

Tribals, Battles & Darings PDF Author: Alexander Clarke
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
ISBN: 1526772914
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 424

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Book Description
The conception and evolution—through inter-war tensions, global war, and years of Cold War hostility—of the Royal Navy’s large fleet destroyers. The Tribal class destroyers are heroes of the Altmark incident, of the battle of Narvik, and countless actions across all theatres of operation. Yet there has been surprisingly little written about these critical ships, still less about their wartime successors, the Battle class, or their postwar incarnations, the Daring class. This book seeks to rectify this by describing the three classes, each designed under different circumstances along destroyer lines but to general-purpose light cruiser form, from the interwar period through to the 1950s, and the author explains the procurement process for each class in the context of the needs and technology of the times. Taken together these classes represent the genesis of the modern general-purpose destroyer, breaking from the torpedo boat destroyer form into a self-reliant, multi-purpose combatant capable of stepping up to the cruiser’s traditional peacetime patrol missions whilst also fulfilling the picket and fighting duties of the wartime light cruiser or heavy destroyer. This is the first work to analyze these three classes side by side, to examine their conception, their creation and their operational stories, many heroic, and provide an insight into ship design, operation and culture. In doing so, the book aims to contribute a better understanding of one of the most significant periods in the Royal Navy’s history. In its clear description of the genesis of the modern destroyer, this book will give the reader a clearer picture of its future as well. Historians, professionals and enthusiasts will all enjoy this wide-ranging and detailed study.

Royal Naval Officers from War to War, 1918-1939

Royal Naval Officers from War to War, 1918-1939 PDF Author: Mike Farquharson-Roberts
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 113748196X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 294

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Book Description
In the context of their war experience in the First World War, the changes and developments of the Executive branch of the Royal Navy between the world wars are examined and how these made them fit for the test of the Second World War are critically assessed.

Liberty's Provenance

Liberty's Provenance PDF Author: John Henshaw
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1526750643
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 220

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Book Description
“Deserves consideration from anyone interested in how the ship design process is translated into actual product which in turn can win a war.” —Warship International The Battle of the Atlantic, fought by the Allies to maintain lines of communication and vital trade routes for armaments, men, and basic sustenance, could not have been won without the 2,710 Liberty ships that were designed and built for those critical one-way voyages to Europe—more than one voyage was considered a bonus. The kudos for the Liberty’s construction rightfully belongs to America, but few people know that the groundwork for the shape of the hull and its basic hydrodynamics took place in the North Sands shipyard of Joseph Thompson & Sons Ltd on the banks on the River Wear in Sunderland, England. This new book follows the path of the critical designs that flowed from Thompson’s shipyard, commencing with SS Embassage in 1935, to SS Dorington Court in 1939, through the SS Empire Wind/Wave series for the Ministry of War Transport in 1940 to SS Empire Liberty in 1941. These led to the sixty Ocean Class vessels built by Henry J. Kaiser and, from these, the Liberty ship was adapted by American naval architects Gibbs & Cox who, to this very day, still claim they designed the Liberty ship. With the use of beautifully drawn ship profiles, starting with World War I designs, then the critical designs from Thompson’s shipyard, and particularly a drawing comparing the Liberty ship with its British progenitor, the author demonstrates just how much of the former was borrowed from the latter. While some credit has been given to Thompson’s designs, this new book offers the first real proof as to the direct link between his work, the Empire Liberty/Ocean Class, and the Liberty ship that followed. In addition, the book demonstrates the versatility of the Liberty ship and explores those that were developed for specialist use, from hospital ships and mule transports to nuclear-age missile range ships.

The Last Big Gun

The Last Big Gun PDF Author: Brian Lavery
Publisher: Pool of London Press
ISBN: 1910860093
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 378

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Book Description
As she lay in dry dock, devastatingly damaged by one of Hitler’s newly deployed magnetic mines after barely two months in service, few could have predicted the illustrious career that lay ahead for the cruiser HMS Belfast. After three years of repairs to her broken keel, engine- and boiler-rooms, and extensive refitting, she would go on to play a critical role in the protection of the Arctic Convoys, would fire one of the opening shots at D-Day and continue supporting the Operation Overlord landings for five weeks. Her service continued beyond the Second World War both in Korea and in the Far East before she commenced her life as one of the world’s most celebrated preserved visitor ships in the Pool of London. Her crowning glory however came in December 1943 when, equipped with the latest radar technology, she was to play the leading role in the Battle of the North Cape sinking the feared German battlecruiser Scharnhorst, the bête noir of the Royal Navy. In doing so the ship’s crew made a vital contribution to, what was to be, the final big-gun head-to-head action to be fought at sea. In The Last Big Gun Brian Lavery, the foremost historian of the Royal Navy, employs his trademark wide-ranging narrative style and uses the microcosm of the ship to tell the wider story of the naval war at sea and vividly portray the realities for all of life aboard a Second World War battleship. The book is lavishly illustrated with photographs and illustrations and will appeal to all those with an interest in military history and life in the wartime Royal Navy. • The illustrious survivor of the last big-gun head-to-head ‘broadside’ engagement at sea • The very first complete ‘biography’ of HMS Belfast • Exhaustively researched from primary sources and interviews and written in the matchless narrative style of the award-winning, Sunday Times bestselling author Brian Lavery • An original work of popular history juxtaposing an in-depth technical understanding with an highly evocative use of quote and anecdote