Library Results | Royal Museums Greenwich

The diaries of John Dee Dee, John, 1998 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 133.1"15/16"

Atlantic escorts : ships, weapons & tactics in World War II /David K. Brown. "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."--Provided by the publisher 2007. • FOLIO • 1 copy available. 355.49"1939/1945"(261)

Knights of the sea : the true story of the Boxer and the Enterprise and the War of 1812 /David Hanna. On a September day in 1813, as the Age of Fighting Sail was coming to an end, two maritime warriors faced each other in the waters off Pemaquid Point, Maine. Samuel Blyth was the youthful commander of His Britannic Majesty's brig Boxer, and William Burrows, younger still, commanded the USS Enterprise. Both men valued honor over life and death, and on this day their commitment would be put to the ultimate test. The battle lasted less than an hour, and its outcome was uncertain, but when the cannon smoke cleared, the U.S. Navy's position in the war had changed. Historian David Hanna brings to life a lost era--a time when sailing vessels exchanged broadsides and naval officers considered it the highest honor to harness the wind to meet their foes.--From publisher description. 2013. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 355.49"1812"(42:73)

The modern system of naval architecture / by J. Scott Russell. Russell, J. Scott-(John Scott), 1865. • OVERSIZE • 1 copy available. 629.12

Appointment in Normandy An account of the SS Jeremiah O'Brien's voyage back to the beaches of Normandy for the 50th anniversary of D-Day. Contains details of the voyages out and back to Portland, Maine. The crew were volunteers, many of them Second World War veterans. 1995 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 629.123.4:940.545

Shackleton's whisky : the extraordinary story of an heroic explorer and twenty-five cases of unique MacKinlay's Old Scotch /by Neville Peat. An account of Ernest Shackleton's 1907-1909 Nimrod expedition which attempted to reach the South Pole, and the surprise discovery in 2007 of several surviving cases of its whisky provisions beneath the base camp hut at Cape Royds, Ross Island. The book includes a brief biography of Shackleton, descriptions of the preparations for the expedition, accounts of day-to-day life during its time in Antarctica with a particular focus on food and drink, and the succesful recovery and subsequent recreation of the whisky. 2013. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92SHACKLETON

A deck boy's diary The book is John Richardson's account of the day-to-day events onboard his first ship, the Willesden, which he joined in 1953, aged 16. He was born in Liverpool in 1937 and was interested in joining the navy from a young age. Before joining, he completed two years at the Wellesley Nautical School. His diary is inspired by a book he read there; a nineteenth century boy's account of his first trip to sea. In the same way he wanted to leave 'a record of the times'. The diary reveals a lot about the period, a time in which Britain relied more heavily on shipbuilding and the Merchant Navy. 2000 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92Richardson, John

Slayer of the Bismarck and D-Day saviour "The Royal Navy battleship HMS Rodney was one of the most famous warships of the Second World War and remains a legend in the pantheon of naval history. In May 1941 Rodney turned Bismarck, the pride of Hitler's navy, into twisted metal, then participated in hard-fought Malta convoys and later supported the D-Day landings. Rodney's vital role, via formidable naval gunfire support, in breaking the morale of German troops during the battle for Normandy, is outlined here. Through the eyewitness accounts of her sailors and marines we discover what it was like to live and fight in a battleship at war. We learn of the many famous fighting admirals who served in, or commanded, Rodney, including Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham and Admiral Sir John Tovey. The stories of previous British warships to carry the name Rodney, dating back to the 1750s, are covered too, including the vessel that took on the batteries at Sevastopol during the Crimean War. In addition to a fresh perspective on Bismarck's destruction, the author seeks to present new insights into the inter-war mutiny that saw Rodney dubbed 'the Red Ship' and a bomb hit in 1940 that nearly destroyed her. There is even an account of how a group of HMS Rodney's sailors took part in a trailblazing British commando raid. It all makes for a thrilling, epic account of naval warfare."--Provided by the publisher 2012 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.82RODNEY

Silver State dreadnought : the remarkable story of Battleship Nevada /Stephen M. Younger. "USS Nevada (BB-36) was America's first modern battleship. When its keel was laid in 1912, kings and emperors still ruled much of the world. When it finally slipped beneath the waves in 1948, America was the undisputed global superpower. Nevada was revolutionary for its time: the first "superdreadnought"; the first US warship to be oil fired; the first to have a triple-gun main turret; and the first to have all-or-nothing armor. In World War I, it was based in Queenstown, Ireland, to provide protection for American convoys bringing troops to Europe. The only battleship to get underway at Pearl Harbor, it suffered damage from Japanese bombs and torpedoes and sank in shallow water. Raised and repaired, it did convoy duty in the North Atlantic before joining the invasion fleet for D-Day and the landings in Southern France. Shifting to the Pacific, Nevada provided bombardment support at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The end of the war saw it outgunned and outmoded, but its contributions were not over. In 1946, it survived not one but two atomic tests, the second of which left the battleship too radioactive for scrapping. On a sunny day in 1948, Nevada was towed off the coast of Oahu and used for target practice. The ship died a warrior's death."--Provided by the publisher. 2018. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 359.3/252

Oceans apart : the journal of a seaman /by Michael John Kenn. "The British Merchant Navy fleet in the 1950's and 60's was the largest in the world. The book paints a verbal picture of what life was like in the service at that time. There are many thousands of men and women who have served faithfully both before and after that period, of whom very little is known or has been written about. Oceans Apart is one attempt to redress the balance. It give an autobiographical account of one man's experiences throughout his career from the day he joined the Sea Training School at Gravesend, Kent, aged seventeen to the day he left the sea for good. Written from the viewpoint of an ordinary Deck Hand the book provides an account of the daily life onboard both freighters and tankers, plus one liner. It shows a unique perspective, and gives an insight into the experiences of the silent heroes the country relies upon to ensure provisions for the nation. Oceans Apart is a historical and geographical autobiography where the reader accompanies A.B. Michael John Kenn on his travels and follows his adventures on the high seas. The reader will experience the humorous incidents and endure the hardships, live the solitude and enjoy the camaraderie of a life on the ocean wave. It is a true insight into the souls of the men who have served in the British Merchant Navy."--Provided by the publisher. 2008. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92KENN

Battleship Ramillies : the final salvo /Ian Johnston with Mick French ; foreword by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Johnston, Ian, 2014. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.82RAMILLIES

Dorset : the Royal Navy /Stuart Morris. "Since Tudor times the ships of the Royal Navy have dropped anchor in Dorset's waters. The English fleet first attacked the Spanish Armada off Portland. Four captains at Trafalgar were Dorset-born. Much of the D-Day fleet set sail from Dorset. Until recently, Portland was a major naval and helicopter base, whilst Poole remains a home of the Royal Marines and Special Boat Squadron."--Provided by the publisher. 2011. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.81(423.3)

Towards the South Pole aboard the Franðcais : the first French expedition to the Antarctic, 1903-1905 /Jean-Baptiste Charcot ; with an introduction by Maurice Raraty. The First French Expedition to the Antarctic set sail in August 1903 under the command of Jean-Baptiste Charcot. His diary reveals a man of culture and sensitivity. His descriptions of scenery are lyrical and emotionally charged and his sensitivity to the local wildlife was often in stark contrast to many of the other polar explorers of the day. He charted new coasts, undertook scientific work in oceanography, bacteriology, geography, geology and above all meteorology. This is a fascinating insight into a totally different style of Antarctic exploration and the reader will enjoy the delightful contrast between this expedition and others generally portrayed as more serious. 2004. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 910.4(99)"1903/1905"

Fatal journey : the final expedition of Henry Hudson: a tale of mutiny and murder in the Arctic /Peter C. Mancall. Tells the story of the fourth and final voyage of Henry Hudson (c.1565-c.1611), the English sea explorer and navigator best known for his explorations of present-day Canada and parts of the north-eastern United States, and for his search for the North-West passage, a faster route to Asia from the Atlantic. Leaving England in 1610 on the Discovery, this voyage was sponsored by the Company of the Gentleman under the direction of the East India Company. Entering what would become known as Hudson's Bay, the ship became icebound in James Bay until the spring thaw. Provisions growing scarce and tensions mounting amongst the crew, the voyage ended in mutiny on 22 June 1611 with Hudson, his son and seven others cast adrift and never seen again. After the return of the Discovery to London, the High Court of Admiralty considered charges against Robert Bylot, Abacuk Pricket, the surgeon Edward Wilson, Adrian Matter (Moter), Silvanus Bond and Nicholas Syms. Four of the crew (Abacuk Pricket, Edward Wilson, Francis Clemens and Bennet Mathews) were ultimately charged with murder but acquitted. The text is supported by detailed notes. 2009. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 910.92

That curious fellow : Captain Basil Hall, R.N. /James McCarthy. "Son of a scientifically-minded Scottish aristocrat, Basil Hall joined the Royal Navy at the age of 13 in 1802. His first naval engagements in America and Spain during the Peninsular War are described, as are his travels in India and the Far East. His renowned interview with Napoleon, while still a prisoner on St. Helena, is featured. He was a confidante of Sir Walter Scott, Dickens and many other distinguished authors of his day. He was renowned for his curiosity and energy and became a popular writer himself based on his world-wide travels and adventures. As an amateur scientist, Hall made important contributions to nautical astronomy, geology and naval technology, being a Fellow of both the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and numbered Sir John Herschel, Mary Somerville, and Sir Humphrey Davy among his scientific friends."--Back cover. 2011. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92HALL

The great British seaside : Photography from the 1960s to the present "Many of us in Britain look back with fondness on memories of paddles in the sea and picnics on the promenade. Yet the seaside can also be a place of faded glory and acute deprivation. These tensions have provided fertile ground for documentary photographers who have sought to capture the ambiguities and eccentricities that define a day at the British seaside. Featuring works by some of Britain?s best-loved photographers ? Tony Ray-Jones, David Hurn, Martin Parr, and Simon Roberts ? this book explores our changing relationship with the seaside over the last six decades and holds up a critical and affectionate mirror to a much-loved and quintessentially British experience. Published to accompany the 2018 National Maritime Museum exhibition The Great British Seaside: Photography from the 1960s to the Present, this book showcases over 100 photographs, including material from each of the photographers? archival collections, newly commissioned works, and never-before-seen images."--Provided by the publisher 2018 • BOOK • 2 copies available. 77(42)"1960/2018"

The British way of war : Julian Corbett and the battle for a national strategy /Andrew Lambert. "How a strategist's ideas, catastrophically ignored in 1914, shaped Britain's success in the Second World War and beyond. Lawyer, civilian and Liberal, Julian Corbett (1854-1922) brought a new level of logic, advocacy and intellectual precision to the development of national strategy to meet the emerging threat of German militarism, and enable the British Empire to evolve into a Commonwealth of nations. Corbett skillfully integrated classical strategic theory, British history and emerging trends in technology, geopolitics and conflict to prepare the British state for war. He emphasised that strategy is a national construct, rather than a set of universal principles, and recognised the importance of domestic social reform. Working with Admiral Lord Fisher, Corbett replaced the naval strategy theory of Alfred Thayer Mahan with a unique, 'British way of war'. Corbett's concept of maritime strategy dominated by the control of global communications and economic war, survived the debacle of 1914-18, when Britain adopted the German 'way of war' at unprecedented cost in lives and resources. It was taken up again in the Second World War, and shaped Churchill's conduct of the conflict from the Fall of France to D-Day. And as Andrew Lambert shows, Corbett's ideas continue to influence British strategic thinking."--Provided by the publisher. 2021. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 359.4

Oil, ice & bone : arctic whaler Nathaniel Ransom /Helen Hiller Frink. A biography of Nathaniel Ransom, who spent almost 20 years working as a whaler on voyages throughout the world with the New England whaling fleet, based out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, from 1860, written by his great granddaughter. Based largely on Ransom's own ship journals, the book provides an account of day-to-day life on board the whaling boats, the practicalities and economics of the whaling industry, and the 1871 ice trap, which saw some 33 vessels trapped in Arctic pack ice and their crews forced to abandon ship. Black and white illustrations throughout. 2015. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92RANSOM

Destroyer leader : the story of HMS Faulknor 1935-46 /Peter C. Smith. "This book tells HMS Faulknor's story from her design and launching to the scrap yard where her proud years of service eventually ended. Faulknor had the honor of sinking the first U-boat of the war, and her life from then on was one of ever-active service including the Norway campaign; as part of Force H based in Gibraltar; and seeing service against the Vichy French, the Italians and the German Luftwaffe in the Mediterranean. Her active war service ended at D-day."--Provided by the publisher. 2004. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.82FAULKNOR

The correspondence of John Flamsteed, the first astronomer royal : Volume Two, 1682-1703 /compiled and edited by Eric G. Forbes, and (for Maria Forbes) by Lesley Murdin and Frances Willmoth. "The Correspondence of John Flamsteed: The First Astronomer Royal, Volume Two contains the letters Flamsteed wrote and received from June 1682 to the spring of 1703. A leading figure in the final phases of the seventeenth-century scientific revolution, his extensive correspondence with 129 British and foreign scholars touches on many of the scientific discussions of the day. Some of these exchanges involved established correspondents, chiefly Newton and Wallis, but members of a younger generation, such as Stephen Gray, William Derham, and Abraham Sharp, appear with increasing frequency, especially after 1700." 1997. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 52

The new maritime history of Devon 1992-1994 • FOLIO • 2 copies available. 942.35(26)

Henry Hudson : in search of the Northwest Passage /by Steven Otfinoski. Aimed at young readers, this is the story of Henry Hudson (c.1565-c.1611) the English sea explorer and navigator best known for his explorations of present-day Canada and parts of the north-eastern United States, and for his search for the North-West passage, a faster route to Asia from the Atlantic. Employed by the Muscovy Company, Hudson's first two attempts were in 1607 and 1608 on the Hopewell. His third attempt was on behalf of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in 1609 on the Half Moon during which he explored what is now known as the Hudson River. His fourth and final voyage in 1610 on the Discovery was sponsored by the Company of the Gentleman under the direction of the East India Company. This voyage ended in mutiny with Hudson, his son and seven others cast adrift and never seen again. Hudson did not find the North-West passage, but his exploration of the Hudson River and surrounding area laid the foundations for the Dutch settlement of the present New York state and Manhatten Island. His discovery and exploration of Hudson Bay on the fourth voyage led to the formation of the Hudson's Bay Company, the English fur trading company. c2007. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92HUDSON

The correspondence of John Flamsteed, the first astronomer royal : Volume One, 1666-1682 /compiled and edited by Eric G. Forbes and (for Maria Forbes) by Lesley Murdin and Frances Willmoth. "Professor Eric Forbes left behind at his death an important collection of the letters of John Flamsteed (1646-1719), First Astronomer Royal. A leading figure in the final phases of the seventeenth-century scientific revolution, his extensive correspondence with 129 British and foreign scholars all over the world touches on many of the scientific discussions of the day. A detailed, scholarly work of reference, The Correspondence of John Flamsteed, The First Astronomer Royal: Volume 1 is an essential guide to the exciting developments in scientific thinking that occurred during the seventeenth century. It supplements the published correspondence of Isaac Newton and Henry Oldenburg, and will be an invaluable research tool, not only for historians of astronomy, but also for researchers examining how scientific thought developed." 1995 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 52

The Lancastria tragedy / Stephen Wynn. "The story behind the sinking of the Lancastria comes in two parts: the sinking of the ship itself and the people who died, and the aftermath which led to allegations of a government cover up ordered by Winston Churchill. There is an 'officially accepted' list of those who died, but allegations that hundreds more went down with the ship, and have not been accounted for, still linger to this very day. The Lancastria, a pre-war Cunard cruise liner, was requisitioned by the Admiralty and turned in to a war-time troop ship. On 17 June 1940, whilst being used as part of Operation Aerial to evacuate civilian refugees and British military personnel from France, it was anchored about 5 miles from the coast of St Nazaire. While waiting for a naval escort to see it safely back to England, the Lancastria was attacked by enemy aircraft and sank within 20 minutes. As no official figures have ever been released, there is no way of knowing exactly how many lives were lost. Winston Churchill placed what was known as a 'D' Notice on the tragic events, thereby restricting the Press from reporting it. However, once a New York newspaper had broken the story, the flood gates were opened for British newspapers to follow suit. But what was the purpose of the 'D' Notice? Was it because the British public had already received too much bad news since the war had begun, as Churchill declared? Or was it a cover-up? Those who survived the incident were told in no uncertain terms not to speak about their experience, although plenty did. With much of the information about the Lancastria's sinking in the public domain within a matter of days, the question has to be asked, why are official documents in relation to the matter being kept secret until the year 2040?"--Provided by the publisher. 2020. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 940.54/21428

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