Library Results | Royal Museums Greenwich

Bloody Biscay : the story of the Luftwaffe's only long range maritime fighter unit, V Gruppe Kampfgeschwader 40, and its adversaries 1942-1944 This is an account of of the Luftwaffe's only long-range maritime fighter unit and its battles against the RAF, the US Army Air Force (USAAF) and the US Navy (USN) between July 1942 and August 1944 in the skies above the Bay of Biscay off the coast of France. The book uses personal accounts of German and Allied survivors. The appendices give details of: the unit's commanding officers and aircrew; the 109 known 'kills' matched to Allied losses and the 88 combat losses of the unit, together with the details of those who shot the aircraft down. There is also a list of the 26 aircraft lost in accidents and further aircraft interned in Spain. There are many black and white photographs, mostly of German origin, which have not been published previously. 1997 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 940.544.9(261.28)

A flight of figureheads : from British warships at The Box, Plymouth /David Pulvertaft. "The perfect accompaniment to the collection of fourteen warship figureheads displayed in the atrium of The Box at Plymouth, this book introduces each of the figureheads, giving details of its design, the ship for which it was carved and the actions it witnessed when serving in the Royal Navy. To put these descriptions into perspective, early chapters tell the story of the development of warship figureheads over the centuries, the evolution of the figurehead collection at Devonport and the work of the figurehead carvers of Plymouth. As most of the figureheads on display come from the Devonport collection, the Directory at the end of the book provides a summary of all the figureheads that have appeared at some time in the collection and their fate."--Provided by the publisher. 2020. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 736.4

South Thames : Tower Bridge to Thamesmead /compiled by Hilary Heffernan. "The River Thames is changing beyond recognition as newly built or converted apartment blocks take over from old warehouses, wharves and river businesses. Gradually the old river is disappearing and only through the recollections and photographs of those who worked, and still work, on the river can its former, bustling glory be recallled. The author has met and travelled with a variety of river people; watermen, River pilots, ex-tug skippers, rowers, dockers, stevedores, lightmen and even the Royal Navy to acquire the information, the memorabilia and the pictures that make up this book. Rivermen recall times not far distant when there were so many ships in the river, docks and wharves they could walk across their decks from one side of the river to the other! THe river was a way of life that is no longer possible because the docks and ships have all gone, no-one builds barges any more and ships seldom sail above Greenwich with their cargoes. This book is a fascinating collection of old photographs, anecdotes and snippets of history depicting life as it was along the south bank of the Thames, from Tower Bridge to Thamesmead."--Provided by the publisher. 1996. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 942.16

The deadly trade : the complete history of submarine warfare from Archimedes to the present /Iain Ballantyne. "This is a comprehensive account of how an initially ineffectual underwater boat - originally derided and loathed in equal measure - evolved into the most powerful and terrifying vessel ever invented, with enough destructive power to end all life on Earth. Acclaimed naval writer Iain Ballantyne considers the key episodes of submarine warfare and vividly describes the stories of brave individuals who have risked their lives under the sea, often with fatal consequences. His analysis of underwater conflict begins with Archimedes discovering the Principle of Buoyancy. Our clandestine journey then moves through the centuries and focuses on prolific characters with deathly motives, including David Bushnell who in 1775 in America devised the first combat submarine with the idea of attacking the British. Ballantyne also looks at pioneers in the area such as Admiral Jacky Fisher who helped to revolutionise the entire Royal Navy in the early 1900s.The Deadly Trade considers the advances in technology during the twentieth century, which helped to make the submarine one of the most feared arsenals in war. Today, nuclear-powered submarines are among the most complex, costly ships in existence. Armed with nuclear weapons, they have the ability to destroy millions of lives: they are the most powerful warships ever created."--Provided by the publisher. 2018. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 359.93

Evolution's captain : the tragic fate of Robert Fitzroy, the man who sailed Charles Darwin around the world A biography of Robert Fitzroy (1805-1865). Joining the navy at the age of 12, Fitzroy became a skilled hydrographer and was given command of the Beagle in 1828. This book concentrates on the two voyages undertaken by Fitzroy on the Beagle and their impact on him, particularly in the light of his later suicide. Fitzroy returned from his first voyage to survey the southern coastlines of South America with four Feugian captives with the intention of educating them in Christian values. He returned to South America on the second voyage (1831-1836) with the three surviving Feugians, this time also accompanied by Charles Darwin. On their return to England, Fitzroy, a devout Christian, became increasingly estranged from Darwin as their views on evolutionary theory diverged. Fitzroy was also a Member of Parliament and briefly Governor of New Zealand before his assignment to the new Meteorological Office within the Marine Department of the Board of Trade. Establishing the fundamental techniques of weather observation and early coastal weather stations, his work went largely unrecognised and his daily forecasts were often ridiculed. He died after committing suicide in 1865. 2003 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.82BEAGLE

British escort destroyers of the Second World War / Les Brown. "The 'ShipCraft' series provides in-depth information about building and modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each book takes the modeller through a brief history of the subject, highlighting differences between ships and changes in their appearance over their careers. This includes paint schemes and camouflage, featuring colour profiles and highly detailed line drawings and scale plans. The modelling section reviews the strengths and weaknesses of available kits, lists commercial accessory sets for super-detailing of the subjects, and provides hints on modifying and improving the basic kit. This is followed by an extensive photographic gallery of selected high=quality models in a variety of scales, and the book concludes with a section on research references - books, monographs, large-scale plans and relevant websites. This volume covers the many variations of Royal Navy wartime escort destroyers, both the purpose-built 'Hunt' class and the conversions from older fleet destroyers. The 'Hunts' were built in four groups (Types I to IV), while the old 'V&W' classes were modified to Long Range Escort, Short Range Escort and 'Wair' (anti-aircraft) variants. Also included are the fifty ex-US 'flush-deckers' that became the 'Town' class. With its unparalleled level of visual information - paint schemes, models, line drawings and photographs - this book is simply the best reference for any modelmaker setting out to build any of these numerous escort types."--Provided by the pulisher. 2022. • FOLIO • 1 copy available. 623.812540941

Wings over the waves : Fleet air arm strike leader against Tirpitz, the biography of Lt Cdr Roy Baker-Falkner DSO DSC RN. "This is the biography of one of the Royal Navy's legendary pilots. BF or Daddy as he was known, started his career at Dartmouth and then spent his early seagoing years in Hong Kong, Nagasaki and Hiroshima. His wartime experiences as a Fleet Air pilot aboard HMS Glorious included the historic air strike at Taranto and the search for the Graf Spee. In May 1940 he was loaned to Coastal Command and attacked German Panzer tanks in a biplane, defended Allied troops over Dunkirk and was one of only a few naval officers to fight in the Battle of Britain. After a period as a test pilot at Boscombe Down he became one of only four Wing Leaders in the Royal Navy. His successful leadership lead to many more successes, not least the crippling of Tirpitz as part of a diversionary plan in the lead up to D-Day.He was a superb pilot, loved by all the air and ground crew under his command. His reputation as a fearless and dynamic leader remains a legend today. The book contains detailed and graphic accounts of aerial sorties and strikes throughout the dark days over Nazi Europe. Tragically he was killed in action in July 1944, one week prior to promotion and a job ashore. The book includes many of his letters and extracts from his diary."--Provided by the publisher. 2022. • BOOK • 1 copy available.

Jutland letters, June-October 1916 : from Commodore C.E. Le Mesurier RN, 4th Light Squadron ('John Jellicoe's own') to his wife Florence, from the Grand Fleet in Scapa Flow with a recollection by their son, E.K. Le Mesurier RN, Captain of the HMS Belfast 1948-1950 /edited by Harriet Bachrach ; foreward by Major General Julian Thompson CB OBE. The letters of Commodore C. E. Le Mesurier, Commander of HMS Calliope, written to his wife from 1 June 1916 - 17 October 1917 following the Battle of Jutland and edited by his granddaughter. The 4th Light Cruiser Squadron consisted of HMS Calliope, Caroline, Constance, Comus and Royalist. The letters sent from HMS Calliope provide an insight into the naval actions taken at Jutland and include a list of those injured and killed on board, with their addresses so that Florence Le Mesurier could write to members of their families. The letters also provide an insight into life in the Royal Navy at the time as well as social history. 2006. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92LEMESURIER

Scrimgeour's small scribbling diary, 1914-1916 : the truly astonishing wartime diary and letters of an Edwardian gentleman, naval officer, boy and son /compiled by Richard Hallam and Mark Benyon. An edited volume of the First World War diary and letters of Alexander Scrimgeour, who served in the Royal Navy until his death in 1916 in HMS Invincible, aged 19. The book provides considerable insight into the daily life of a junior naval officer in wartime, both on and off duty, described with considerable candour. Includes 16 pages of black and white plates, and a number of Alexander's own black and white illustrations. 2008. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92SCRIMGEOUR"1914/1916"

Mr Midshipman VC : the short accident-prone life of George Drewry, Gallipoli hero /Quentin Falk. Biography of George Leslie Drewry, a Royal Navy Reservist who was awarded the Victoria Cross for service at Gallipoli in the First World War. The book covers Drewry's early childhood, his apprenticeship in the merchant service and early employment by P&O, and his impressive war record as a midshipman, including at Gallipoli, before his death in an accident at Scapa Flow, aged just 26. Includes 16 pages of black and white plates. 2018. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92DREWRY

Bibliotheca Pepysiana : a descriptive catalogue of the Library of Samuel Pepys. A four-volume catalogue, digitally reprinted from the 1914 editon, containing a list and descriptions of items in the library of Samuel Pepys. Part I is a bibliography of 114 volumes classified by Pepys as the 'Sea' manuscripts. They consist mainly of official documents penned by retiring officials of Pepys's own time and documents brought together to serve as material for a projected History of the Navy. These include the naval discourses of Monson, Hollond and Slyngesbie, Mountgomery's Book of the Navy, Fragments of Ancient English Shipwrightery, and Deane's Doctrine of Naval Architecture. Also included are books and papers, not necessarily dealing with naval history, that Pepys found of interest, and a subject and personal name index. Part II contains a general introduction to the library and its history, including extracts from Pepys's diary, will and accounts. It lists the early printed books including several liturgical books in the Sarum Rite and 1557 editions of Malory's La morte d'Arthur and the works of Thomas More. It also includes an index of printers. Part III is a catalogue of mainly Mediaeval Manuscripts and includes a brief list of these by title and an index of contents. Part IV, a bibliography of Pepys's books on stenography, also contains an alphabetical list of the authors of various methods of shorthand together with a similar list for works not found in the collection at its close in March 1695. A list of abbreviations comes before the introduction. 2009. • BOOK • 4 copies available. 017.1(425.9):091

Indonesia pilot : volume II south coast of Jawa, north coast of Jawa east of Tanjung Awarawar, east coast of Jawa, Nusa Tegnara, south coast of Kalimantan east of Tanjung Puting, east coast of Kalimantan south of the parallel of 4 deg 10' N, Sulawesi and the west part of Kepulauan Sula Great Britain. Hydrographic Department 1976. • FOLIO • 5 copies available. 527.83

Thames shipping in the 1960s and 1970s / Campbell McCutcheon. "At one point London had one of the largest dock systems in the world, and certainly one of the busiest. From Gravesend and Tilbury, all the way to the Pool of London, the sides of the river were crowded with ships, with large dock systems from St Katherine's to the King George V and Tilbury Docks, full of ships loading and unloading their cargoes. Passenger ships called too, as well as numerous coasters feeding the power stations that served London. Campbell McCutcheon uses a unique collection of images, all taken by the one person, to show the docks, wharves and the river as it was, teaming with ships from Blue Funnel, Clan Line, Ben Line, British India Steam Navigation Company, P&O, Union Castle Line and navy vessels as well as numerous foreign ships, ferries, ocean liners, cruise ships, tugs and barges. For those old enough to remember the glory days of Thames shipping, the book will evoke memories of the days before container boats and when the dock system was a sea of masts and funnels, rather than housing, offices and even an airport. With nostalgic views of the Pool of London, ships being repaired in the numerous dry docks, all of the docks, some of the creeks, the book sets out to show the docks at the peak of their importance before the long decline of the 1970s and 1980s and wholesale redevelopment of the London Docklands and the banks of the Thames."--Provided by the publisher. 2011. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 656.61(282.242.1)"196/197"

In pursuit of the Essex : a tale of heroism and hubris in the War of 1812 /Ben Hughes. "On 26 October 1812, during the war between Britain and the United States, the frigate USS Essex set sail on the most remarkable voyage in the early history of the US Navy. After rounding Cape Horn, she proceeded to systematically destroy the British South Seas whaling fleet. When news reached the Royal Navy's South American station at Rio de Janeiro, HMS Phoebe was sent off in pursuit. So began one of the most extraordinary chases in naval history. In Pursuit of the Essex follows the adventures of both hunter and hunted as well as a host of colourful characters that crossed their paths. Traitorous Nantucket whalers, Chilean revolutionaries, British spies, a Peruvian viceroy and bellicose Polynesian islanders all make an appearance. The brilliant yet vainglorious Captain Porter of the Essex, his nemesis Captain James Hillyar of the Phoebe, and two young midshipmen, David Farragut and Allen Gardiner, are the principal narrators. From giant-tortoise turning expeditions on the Galapagos to the perils of rounding Cape Horn, via desperate skirmishes with spear-toting natives on the Marquesas and a defeated duellist bleeding his life out onto black, volcanic sands, the reader is immersed in the fantastical world of the British and American seamen who struggled for supremacy over the world's oceans in the sunset years of the age of sail."--Publisher web site. 2016. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 355.49"1812/1815"(42:73)

Tramp to Queen / Captain John Treasure Jones ; edited by Richard J. Tennant. "Born and raised on a small farm in Pembrokeshire, Wales, John Treasure Jones went to sea when he was fifteen. For the first four years he was indentured as an apprentice, surviving the ocean's in a small tramp steamer. Slowly, however, he worked his way up to become Captain of the most famous ocean liner afloat, Cunard's RMS Queen Mary. During the Second WOrld War, as a Commander in the Royal Navy Reserve, he was torpedoed in the Atlantic and mentioned twice in Despatches. In the post-war years he mixed with film stars and royalty, commanding several of the famous Cunard liners, such as the Saxonia, Mauretania and Queen Elizabeth. In 1967 he took his final command - Queen Mary on her last voyage - a 12,000 - mile trip from Southampton to her retirement home in Long Beach, California. Captain Treasure Jones dies in 1993, but his manuscript was recently found and has been edited by his son-on-law to be reproduced here for the first time."--Provided by the publisher. 2013 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92JONES, JOHN TREASURE

Britain's island fortresses / Bill Clements. "During the 19th Century the Royal Navy played a key role defending the expanding British Empire. As sail gave way to steam power, there was a pressing requirement for coaling stations and dock facilities across the world's oceans. These strategic bases needed fixed defences. The author describes in detail, with the aid of historic photographs, maps and plans, the defences of the most important islands, Bermuda, Ceylon, Hong Kong, Jamaica and Singapore, and a number of lesser ones including Antigua, Ascension, Mauritius St Helena and St Lucia. He describes how the defences were modified over the years in order to meet the changing strategic needs of the Empire, and the technological changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution. Only three of these bases had to defend themselves in war (Hong Kong, Singapore and Ceylon) and the author relates the battles for these bases. The book will appeal not only to readers whose interest is in the study of fortifications, but also to those readers interested in the maritime history of the British Empire."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.1(42)

Scapa 1919 : the archaeology of a scuttled fleet /Innes McCartney. "The German High Seas Fleet was one of the most powerful naval forces in the world, and had fought the pride of the Royal Navy to a stalemate at the battle of Jutland in 1916. After the armistice was signed, ending fighting in World War I, it surrendered to the British and was interned in Scapa Flow pending the outcome of the Treaty of Versailles. In June 1919, the entire fleet attempted to sink itself in the Flow to prevent it being broken up as war prizes. Of the 74 ships present, 52 sunk and 22 were prevented from doing so by circumstance and British intervention. Marine archaeologist and historian Dr Innes McCartney reveals for the first time what became of the warships that were scuttled, examining the circumstances behind the loss of each ship and reconciling what was known at the time to what the archaeology is telling us today. This fascinating study reveals a fleet lost for nearly a century beneath the waves."--Provided by the publisher 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 355.49"1919"(411.2)

International seafarers and transnationalism in the twenty-first century / Helen Sampson. "This ethnographic account of seafarers considers issues of transnationalism in the twenty-first century and discusses the detailed life experiences of migrant workers in this context. It argues for a consideration of the social space available to transnational migrant workers and suggests that the transnational experiences of migrants may be more likely to involve exclusion and alienation than an expansion of social space as a result of bi-location in more than one community. Based upon original qualitative research in three different settings, the book draws upon voyages undertaken by the author on five different working cargo ships. This highly readable book will be of interest to readers from a variety of disciplines who are interested in issues of migration, transnationalism, work, the shipping industry and globalisation. It will also appeal to individuals with a connection to, or an interest in, the merchant navy."--Provided by the publisher. 2013. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 387.544

North Sea battleground : the war at sea 1914-18 /by Bryan Perrett. "During the First World War the North Sea became the principal battleground between the navies of Britain and Germany. This book explains in chronological order the major encounters between Kaiser Wilhelm II's High Seas Fleet and the Royal Navy. It also includes other important operations such as mine laying and sweeping, the Zeppelin Offensive, the bomber offensive against the UK and complete background operational information within the area. Engagements of special note include The Battle of Heligoland Bight, the attempted first German Bombardment of Yarmouth, the German bombardments of Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool, together with the Scheer's escape and the Battle of Dogger Bank. Other actions include the Zeppelin raids, unrestricted U Boat Warfare, the Battle of Jutland and its consequences, the second Battle of Heligoland Bight, the climax and defeat of the German heavy bomber air offensive against the UK and in 1918 the Zeebrugge and Ostend raids, North Sea mine barriers and the mutiny of the High Seas Fleet."--Provided by the publisher. 2011. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 940.45

North Sea battleground : the war and sea 1914-1918 /Bryan Perrett. "During the First World War the North Sea became the principal battleground between the navies of Britain and Germany. This book explains in chronological order the major encounters between Kaiser Wilhelm II's High Seas Fleet and the Royal Navy. It also includes other important operations such as mine laying and sweeping, the Zeppelin Offensive, the bomber offensive against the UK and complete background operational information within the area. Engagements of special note include The Battle of Heligoland Bight, the attempted first German Bombardment of Yarmouth, the German bombardments of Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool, together with the Scheer's escape and the Battle of Dogger Bank. Other actions include the Zeppelin raids, unrestricted U Boat Warfare, the Battle of Jutland and its consequences, the second Battle of Heligoland Bight, the climax and defeat of the German heavy bomber air offensive against the UK and in 1918 the Zeebrugge and Ostend raids, North Sea mine barriers and the mutiny of the High Seas Fleet."--Provided by the publisher. 2022. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 940.45

Billy Waters is dancing : or, how a Black sailor found fame in Regency Britain /Mary L. Shannon. "Every child in Regency London knew Billy Waters, the celebrated 'King of the Beggars'. Likely born into enslavement in 1770s New York, he became a sailor in the British Royal Navy. But when he lost his leg in a fall from the rigging, the irrepressible Waters created a new role for himself: he became London's most famous street performer. His extravagantly costumed image blazed across the stage and in print, and his legend would live on for decades. But for all his contemporary renown, Waters died destitute in 1823. Mary L. Shannon's biography draws together surviving traces of Waters' life, bringing us as close as possible to the historical figure. Considering Waters' influence on the London stage, his appearances in visual art, and connections with writing by Douglass, Dickens, and Thackeray, Shannon asks what it meant to find fame in nineteenth-century popular culture. This is a vital attempt to recover an individual from historical obscurity - and a fascinating exploration of Black lives in the Regency metropolis."--Provided by the publisher. 2024 • BOOK • 1 copy available. txt

Sea surveys : Britain's contribution to hydrography /Sir John Edgell. Edgell, John, Sir. 1965. • PAMPHLET • 4 copies available. 528.47

Oceans odyssey : deep-sea shipwrecks in the English Channel, Straits of Gibraltar & Atlantic Ocean /edited by Greg Stemm & Sean Kingsley. 2010. • FOLIO • 1 copy available. 930.26(204)

Japanese Combined Fleet 1941-42 : the IJN at its zenith, Pearl Harbor to Midway /Mark Stille ; illustrated by Jim Laurier. "The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) entered the Pacific War as one of the most formidable navies in the world, and its combat power was concentrated into one force, the Combined Fleet. In the months that followed Pearl Harbor it enjoyed an unrivaled string of victories, shattering American, British, Australian, and Dutch naval forces. This period of expansion and constant victories ended at the Battle of Midway, after which the Combined Fleet was forced onto the defensive. In this book, Mark Stille draws on his decades of IJN research to explain what made the Combined Fleet the fighting force that it was. Packed with superb original artwork, explanatory 3D diagrams and maps, it examines the fleet's doctrine, innovative tactics and powerful warships. It also details the qualities and importance of IJN leadership, logistics, naval infrastructure, and Japan's shipbuilding capability, and gives an account and analysis of the IJN's combat performance during these crucial months ? not just in the famous carrier battles, but also exploring lesser-known elements such as IJN amphibious forces and land-based aviation." 2023. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 940.545952

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