Actual copies of the various books published
22 Saturday Jun 2019
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in22 Saturday Jun 2019
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in09 Sunday Jun 2019
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inCaptain Ernst Hashagen describes in this book his experiences as a submarine officer and commander from 1915 to 1918 in various theaters of war- North Sea, Irish Sea, Western Approaches, English Channel and Bay of Biscay. The result is an enthralling work on the horrors of war and at the same time the fascination of the then new technology.
09 Sunday Jun 2019
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inThe Last Cruise of the Majestic is a compelling addition Great War literature. It is a rare book both in terms of quantity printed and content. John George Cowie (b.1876) served twelve years in the Royal Navy 1891-1904, as an enlisted sailor then in the Coast Guards prior to being recalled to active duty in 1914. His log-books provide considerable detail into the key events of naval aspects of the ill-fated Dardanelles operation from the point of view of a senior enlisted man or Other Ranks in the peculiar terminology of the Royal Navy of the day. Cowie details the initial preparation for bombardment duty, the travails of the fleet assembled at the Dardanelles to include his eyewitness account of the loss of six battleships and the damages suffered to numerous others. No doubt adding to factual occurrences in Cowie’s log-books is the vivid text provided by the amazing George Goodchild, who was at the nascent stage of his literary career. The source material is presented in a detailed and engrossing manner. Particularly when contrasting the pre-combat enthusiasm of the sailors being ground under as stress, death and defeat create an atmosphere of impending doom. A rarity in wartime naval literature, the text deals extensively, factually and sympathetically with cases of shellshock or stress induced conduct as we would describe it a century later. Also, unlike wartime literature which to the modern mind reads quaint or affected, the majority of the text still stands with today’s vernacular.
09 Sunday Jun 2019
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inVice Admiral Andreas Michelsen’s work details the submarine war as experienced by a senior officer, (Commander of Submarines from 1917 on), responsible for implementing the orders and policies created by those far removed from actual combat conditions. As a professional military man he evaluates and critiques from the point of view of naval officer, and not a statesman or diplomat. Michelsen served ably in his senior command roles. He commanded the torpedo boat raids on The Dover Patrol when leader of torpedoboats. He brought the same exacting nature in his tenure as commander of submarines. The detail in the text is rigorous as are the views. The chaotic workings of naval aspects of German ware making policy are detailed. He delves into the condition of submarine warfare as understood prior to the war, commencement and the ebb and flow of policy as the war progressed. The military accomplishments and fighting tactics of German submarines, his view of Allied anti-submarine efforts, the growth and training of the submarine branch, and the reasons for failing to achieve victory. The work is a polemic as Michelsen grapples with Germany’s defeat and virtual destruction of his navy and overwhelming changes occurring to Germany. It is a valuable work; having been translated by Allied Naval Intelligence for study by professionals. A fitting title for inclusion in the Great War at Sea series. Footnotes have been added to clarify information which is now obscure and correct errors due to contemporary research.