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The WW1 and WW2 super dreadnought battleship Warspite was a legend, even in her own lifetime, winning the most battle honours of any British warship. In this fascinating book, Iain Ballantyne tells the story of Warspite through the eyes of the men who sailed in her, some of whom are speaking of their experiences for the first time. The author worked closely with the war veterans of the HMS Warspite Association to bring the epic story of their battleship to life, ensuring the book is a fitting tribute to a remarkable generation of fighting men. The text is enhanced by a fine selection of photographs, many previously unpublished, and specially commissioned artwork. While covering the careers of all the vessels to carry a proud fighting name, the book concentrates on the seventh Warspite, for its time a cutting edge warship that was the brainchild of Winston Churchill and the remarkable Admiral John Fisher. That mighty vessel saw action in some of the greatest naval engagements of the 20th Century, including the battles of Jutland, 1916, as well as Narvik, Calabria, Taranto and Matapan in the 1940s, before sailing for the Far East to join the struggle against the Japanese fleet. At one point during the Battle of Jutland, Warspite held off the entire German battle fleet. During the Second Battle of Narvik, in April 1940, she helped wiped out nearly the entire Kriegsmarine destroyer force, while at Matapan, in 1941, as flagship of the formidable Admiral Andrew Cunningham, the Spite delivered a devastating blow against the Italian Navy. Warspite's guns also proved decisive in helping Allied armies liberate north-west Europe in 1944. |
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Author: Iain Ballantyne Title: Warspite Series: Warships of the Royal Navy First Published by: Pen & Sword Books Ltd Place: Format: HC Date: 30 August 2005 ISBN-10: 0850527791 ISBN-13: 9780850527797 |
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