Download or read book The Cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni written by Franco Gay and published by Brassey's. This book was released on 1987 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Forever associated with Nelson's last battle at Trafalgar, Victory is one of the most famous ships of all time. An example of the ultimate sailing warship--the three-decker First Rate--Victory was the most popular and successful 100-gun ship of the period, the flagship of half a dozen famous admirals. First published in 1987 in the Anatomy of the Ship series and now updated, this volume provides the most detailed description and illustrations of the Victory available anywhere. A pictorial section contains numerous clear photographs emphasizing close-up and on-board views of ship equipment and spaces. Three hundred perspective and three-view drawings, with fully descriptive keys, illustrate every detail of the ship, including hull construction, masts and yards, armament, rigging, decoration and fittings. These accurate and totally comprehensive drawings offer ship buffs, historians, and model makers a full view of the ship and her position in the development of the First Rate.

Download or read book The Cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni written by Franco Gay and published by US Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 1987 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This popular ship-design series is praised for its superb drawings and full descriptions of each ship's design, construction, operational history, and much more.

Download or read book The War at Sea in the Mediterranean 1940 1944 written by John Grehan and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2014-04-30 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despatches in this volume include those covering the Battle of Matapan in 1941, Fleet Air Arm operations in 1940, the Battle of Sirte in 1942, the action with the Italian Fleet off Calabria (Central Mediterranean) in 1940, the engagement between British and Italian forces off Cape Spartivento (Central Mediterranean) in 1940, the Mediterranean convoys between January 1941 and August 1942 – which includes the famous Operation Pedestal, operations in the Aegean in 1943, the engagement with an Italian convoy in 1941, and the despatch covering Coastal Force actions, including those in the Mediterranean.??This unique collection of original documents will prove to be an invaluable resource for historians, students and all those interested in what was one of the most significant periods in British military history.??The Coastal Forces despatch also includes those vessels assigned to the Levant, Dover and Nore stations – i.e. outside of the Mediterranean theatre.

Download or read book British Commonwealth Cruiser vs Italian Cruiser written by Angus Konstam and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2022-09-15 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This illustrated history explores the cruiser forces of the Italian and British Royal navies, the jack-of-all trades warships of the Mediterranean Naval War. In 1940, when Italy entered World War II, the Royal Navy was badly overstretched, and its Mediterranean Fleet had to face both the Italian Navy and the German and Italian Air Forces in a battle for supremacy. Although the British and Italian battle fleets squared off against each other, they were both often held in reserve, in case the enemy fleet put to sea. So, it was left to the cruisers to wage their own naval war in the Mediterranean. This involved a range of missions, from escorting convoys and hunting enemy ones, to fighting for control of the sea around key locations such as the waters off Malta and Crete. This superbly illustrated study, written by renowned naval expert Angus Konstam, compares and contrasts the design, weapon technologies and combat performance of the opposing cruiser forces. It also documents several major clashes between British, Commonwealth and Italian cruisers, including spirited actions fought off Cape Spada in 1940, a string of actions in the Gulf of Sirte throughout 1941, battles against Axis convoys in 1941–42, and the Battle of Pantelleria in 1942. Among the subjects of the specially commissioned colour artworks are HMAS Sydney, HMS Naiad, RM Trento and RM Raimondo Montecuccoli.

Download or read book The Shipwreck Hunter written by David L Mearns and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-06-05 with total page 565 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: David L. Mearns has discovered some of the world’s most fascinating and elusive shipwrecks. From the mighty battleship HMS Hood (sunk in a pyrrhic duel with the Bismarck) to solving the mystery of HMAS Sydney, to the crumbling wooden skeletons of Vasco da Gama’s sixteenth century fleet, Mearns has searched for and found dozens of sunken vessels in every ocean of the world.The Shipwreck Hunter chronicles his most intriguing finds. It describes the extraordinary techniques used, the detailed research and mid-ocean stamina (and courage) required to find a wreck thousands of feet beneath the sea, as well as the moving human stories that lie behind each of these oceanic tragedies. Combining the adventuring derring-do of Indiana Jones with the precision of a scientist, The Shipwreck Hunter opens an illuminating porthole into the shadowy depths of the ocean.

Download or read book A Ceaseless Watch written by Angus Britts and published by Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 2021-04-15 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Ceaseless Watch: Australia’s Third Party Naval Defense, 1919–1942 illustrates how Australia confronted the need to base its post–World War I defense planning around the security provided by a major naval power: in the first instance, Britain, and later the United States. Spanning the period leading up to Australia’s greatest security crisis—the military threat posed by Japan throughout the majority of 1942—the work takes the reader all the way up to the defeat of the Imperial Japanese Navy by the United States Navy in the Solomon Islands campaign. Angus Britts focuses on Anglo-Australian defense relations from 1919–42 when the British were Australia’s primary naval protectors until they were superseded in the Pacific by the United States in May 1942 at the battle of the Coral Sea. Britts traces the process of the alignment or divergence of differing strategic interests between Australia and Britain in particular. Taking place against the backdrop of Imperial Japan’s expansionism debates within Australian political and defense circles during this period, namely the nature of the most likely threat to the continent itself, what became an important subplot to the events then unfolding in the Pacific. Looking at the development of the “Singapore strategy” which utilized the British fleet at Singapore to protect Australia’s interests, Britts lays out how the cornerstone for Australian defense planning was based on the continued assurances from successive British governments that they would honor their naval commitments should Australia itself eventually come under serious threat from Japanese aggression. The Australian-American defense relationship evolved at a later stage within the timeframe in this work, but the varying interactions between both nations throughout the interwar years are likewise addressed, as is the foundation of their wartime relations. Britts illustrates the difficulty in forming a defense relationship between small and great powers, where the needs of the former are not subsumed by the interests of the latter, from the interwar years to the start of World War II. In an era when the entire Pacific region was at war, the inability of a larger power to fulfill its side of a defensive pact with a smaller power shaped the future of the region itself.

Download or read book Called to Arms written by Edward Lambah-Stoate and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2011-09-30 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On a cold day in January 1944, as war raged in Europe, Betty Hussey and Jack Stoate were married. In so doing they brought together two families, whose members fought across the globe to defeat the Axis. In Called to Arms, Edward Lambah-Stoate traces the wartime experiences of nine relatives, including his parents, to present a fascinating account of the impact of conflict on the ordinary people of Britain who gallantly came forward to do their bit. These included a decorated fighter pilot, a Land Girl, a member of the Home Guard, a Royal Marine, an artilleryman, an RAF doctor and a merchant seaman, who between them fought in North Africa and Italy, were captured by the Japanese and worked on the Burma-Siam Railway, and took part in D-Day. Not all of them survived, but their contribution was invaluable – and representative. Using a wealth of previously unpublished material including log books, private correspondence and memoirs and interviews with surviving friends, this book provides a unique insight into one family's war – and by extension, everybody's war.

Download or read book Italian Cruisers of World War II written by Mark Stille and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-05-31 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina) operated one of largest cruiser forces of World War II. As a signatory to the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty, the Regia Marina immediately attempted to reinforce its treaty-limited battleship force by building seven large 10,000-ton heavy cruisers. Italian light cruisers also possessed an interesting design history and were involved in every major fleet engagement in the Mediterranean, as well as several smaller encounters with units of the British Royal Navy. Fully illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, this fascinating volume examines the history of the Regia Marina's cruisers during World War II where they came up against the might of the British Royal Navy.

Download or read book The Sinking of HMAS Sydney written by Doctor Tom Lewis and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2024-01-03 with total page 429 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: HMAS Sydney was the pride of the fleet during the Second World War. A light cruiser and one of Australia’s main combat vessels. On the 19th November 1941, off the coast of Western Australia, The Sydney engaged in a fierce and bloody battle with the German raider Kormoran. Following this action, The Sydney failed to return to port. An extensive search and rescue carried out, but the warship had disappeared with all 645 men on board. Whilst the battle lasted little more than an hour, this single ship engagement remains Australia’s greatest naval disaster. More Australian servicemen died in the battle between the German raider Kormoran and the light cruiser HMAS Sydney than perished in the Vietnam War. It was not until 2008 that the wreck was discovered. The passage of time between the sinking and the discovery led to numerous mystery and conspiracy theories, all of which started replacing the truth. Now, with an explanation of how those on board lived, fought, and died, this book tells the full story.

Download or read book Mussolini s Navy written by Maurizio Brescia and published by Seaforth Publishing. This book was released on 2012-09-30 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a complete guide to the Regia Marina, the navy with which Italy fought the Second World War. Starting with the historical background, it describes how the navy developed, how it was organised, the facilities that supported it, and the operations it conducted both before and after the armistice in 1943. It also details all its ships, with full technical particulars, plans and photos. Furthermore, there are chapters on special topics like camouflage; uniforms, decorations and insignia; and a 'who's who' of important naval personalities; and the reference value of the book is enhanced by a comprehensive bibliography and guide to sources. The illustration is a noteworthy feature of the book as the author's collection of naval photographs is one of the best in Italy. He is also a fine draughtsman, and his ship plans and colour illustrations are both detailed and accurate, adding a particular appeal for modelmakers. Of all the main combatant navies of this era, the Italian is probably the most poorly represented in English publications, so this comprehensive handbook will be especially welcomed by the naval history community.

Download or read book Destroyer at War written by David Goodey and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2017-09-30 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It was headline news on 8 April 1942: One of the Navys most famous destroyers, a ship which survived bombs, torpedoes and full scale battles, has been wrecked. That destroyer was HMS Havock, described in another newspaper as Britains No 2 Destroyer of this war second only in fame and glory to the Cossack.Havock had earned her reputation guarding the convoys across the Atlantic in 1939 and at Narvik in the abortive bid to stave off the German occupation of Norway in 1940. Havock was then transferred to the Mediterranean, fighting at the Battle of Cape Spada in 1940 and in 1941 at the Battle of Matapan and in the evacuations of Greece and Crete.Havocks duties in the Med continued, escorting the convoys to the besieged island of Malta and the equally beleaguered garrison at Tobruk. Then in the Battle of Sirte in 1942 Havock was badly damaged and she limped into Malta for repairs. There she was heavy bombed and when Havock made a bid to reach Gibraltar, she was wrecked off Cape Bon. Her crew was captured and imprisoned in the infamous Laghouat internment camp.The authors have tracked down fifty of the surviving crew and from interviews have been able to compile one of the most detailed, and certainly one of the most dramatic, histories of a destroyer during the Second World War. Destroyer at War tells the story of the battles and operations of a famous ship, and its sad destruction, through newspaper reports, official documents, and the words of the men who sailed and fought in HMS Havock as she earned an astonishing eleven battle honors in her brief but glorious career.

Download or read book British Cruiser Warfare written by Alan Raven and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2019-05-30 with total page 708 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “An outstanding contribution to the historiography of the Second World War at sea . . . . an excellent book.” —The Australian Naval Institute Cruisers were the Navy’s maids-of-all-work, employed in a greater variety of roles than any other warship type. Smaller, faster, and far more numerous than battleships, they could be risked in situations where capital ships were too vulnerable, while still providing heavy gunfire support for smaller ships or anti-aircraft cover for the fleet. As such, they were in the frontline of the naval war from the outset—and from its first days, the fighting provided unexpected challenges and some very unpleasant surprises, not least the efficacy of air power. Cruisers learned to deal with these new realities in the Norway campaign and later in the Mediterranean, partly through the introduction of new technology—notably radar—but also by codifying the hard-won experience of those involved. This highly original book analyses the first years of the war when the sharpest lessons were learned, initially describing every action and its results, and then summarizing in individual chapters the conclusions that could be drawn for the many aspects of a cruiser’s duties. These include the main roles like surface gunnery, shore bombardment, anti-aircraft tactics, and fighter direction, but also encompass technology like radar, ASDIC, and shipborne aircraft, and even tackle more human issues such as shipboard organization, damage control, the impact of weather, and the morale factor. It also attempts to evaluate the importance of electronic warfare, intelligence and code-breaking, and concludes with a comparison between the performance of British cruisers and their Italian and German opponents. Thought-provoking and sometimes controversial, this is a book that should be read by everyone interested in the Second World War at sea. Includes maps and photos

Download or read book All Hands written by and published by . This book was released on 1962 with total page 816 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Commonwealth Cruisers 1939 45 written by Angus Konstam and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-10-20 with total page 109 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the early 20th century Britain's largest colonies established their own small naval presence, and their ships fought alongside the Royal Navy during World War I. These fleets were expanded during the inter-war years, and in 1939 the Royal Australian Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy willingly joined the fight on behalf of the British Commonwealth. For the most part these small navies consisted of a few cruisers and destroyers, designed to protect territorial waters and local sea lanes. However, these warships and their crews soon found themselves involved in a global war, and consequently were called upon to fight wherever they were needed, against the Germans, the Italians and the Japanese. This book tells the story of these small cruiser forces, and the men who served the Allied cause so well during the long and brutal war at sea.

Download or read book Taranto written by David Hobbs and published by Seaforth Publishing. This book was released on 2020-11-30 with total page 426 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “If you only read one book on the development of the Fleet Air Arm and Naval air warfare in the Mediterranean during World War 2 then this should be it.” —Military Historical Society After the Italian declaration of war in June 1940, the Royal Navy found itself facing a larger and better-equipped Italian surface fleet, large Italian and German air forces equipped with modern aircraft and both Italian and German submarines. Its own aircraft were a critical element of an unprecedented fight on, over and under the sea surface. The best-known action was the crippling of the Italian fleet at Taranto, which demonstrated how aircraft carriers and their aircraft had replaced the dominance of battleships, but every subsequent operation is covered from the perspective of naval aviation. Some of these, like Matapan or the defense of the “Pedestal” convoy to Malta, are famous but others in support of land campaigns and in the Aegean after the Italian surrender are less well recorded. In all these, the ingenuity and innovation of the Fleet Air Arm shines through—Taranto pointed the way to what the Japanese would achieve at Pearl Harbor, while air cover for the Salerno landings demonstrated the effectiveness of carrier-borne fighters in amphibious operations, a tactic adopted by the US Navy. The author’s years of archival research together with his experience as a carrier pilot allow him to describe and analyze the operations of naval aircraft in the Mediterranean with unprecedented authority. This provides the book with novel insights into many familiar facets of the Mediterranean war while for the first time doing full justice to the Fleet Air Arm’s lesser known achievements. “A full and fascinating story.” —Clash of Steel

Download or read book Who Sank the Sydney written by Michael Montgomery and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 1983-01-01 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In February 1941, HMAS Sydney, a glamour ship of the Royal Australian Navy in World War II, returned from the Mediterranean to a tumultuous welcome in Australia. The Sydney had crowned her service in that theatre of operations with the Royal Navy by sinking the Italian ship Bartolomeo Colleoni, described as the fastest cruiser in the world. Nine months later the Sydney had disappeared off the coast of Western Australia following an action against the German raider Kormoran. Three hundred and eight men from the Kormoran were eventually requested, but the Sydney's entire complement of six hundred and forty-five men was lost, making her the largest ship in the whole course of the War to go down with all hands. Survivors from the Kormoran at first talked of rowing towards her in the hope of being picked up and then seeing her blow up, but when they were reunited with their officers their story began to change.... In Who Sank The Sydney Michael Montgomery has pieced together hundreds if items of evidence gathered in four years research to provide solutions to the hitherto unanswered questions surrounding what the American historian Hanson Baldwin has described as 'the most curious incident of the seas'. Why were there no survivors from the Sydney and how did all trace of the cruiser disappear so quickly? How was the raider able to destroy the much larger and much more heavily armed cruiser? Was a Japanese submarine involved? Why did the Navy disown a body found three months later in a Carley float from the Sydney? Since this book was first published in Australia in 1981 much more evidence has come to light to support Michael Montgomery's theories of a major cover-up in high places. In particular, he demonstrates that the Navy suspected the Japanese involvement almost immediately, and that on November 26ty Churchill sent Roosevelt a telegram which coursed him to break off negotiations with Japan. Pearl Harbour followed a fortnight later; was the Sydney thus the “Lusitania” of World War II?

Download or read book Air War for Yugoslavia Greece and Crete 1940 41 written by Christopher Shores and published by Grub Street Publishing. This book was released on 2008-08-21 with total page 459 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The air battle for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete began in June 1940 with the Italian declaration of war. In the past, there has been much controversy amongst air historians on many of the details of the operations. It was here, for example, that "Pat" Pattie believed by many to be the Royal Air Force's "unknown" top-scoring fighter pilot of the whole war, saw most of his action. Just how many kills did he achieve and how? Taken from extensive research into available British, Italian and German records, and interviews and correspondence with survivors or relatives of those present, this book seeks to provide an accurate portrait of the air war for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete from 1940-41.