A military historian from Hexham has released his latest book which looks at the experiences of sailors from both the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy during the Second World War.
James Goulty holds a master’s degree and doctorate in military history from the University of Leeds and has a special interest in the training and combat experience of ordinary soldiers during the world wars and Korean War. His previous books have covered subjects including the Korean War, the experience of wartime airmen in the RAF and a guide to researching military history.
His new book, “Naval Eyewitnesses: The Experience of War 1939-1945’ is published by Pen and Sword and focuses on the personal experience of individuals caught up in the war at sea. Some were professional naval men or officers while others were eager volunteers or conscripts, who’d only signed up for the duration of hostilities.
The book considers their training, their expectations, and aspirations, contrasted with the realities of service life aboard a host of vessels or ashore. Offensive and defensive roles are covered, along with convoy work, amphibious landings, coastal defence, minesweeping, anti-submarine warfare and naval aviation. Moving and graphic sections describe how it felt to be in action, the impact of casualties, and in the words of survivors how it felt when your ship was sunk by the enemy. The book also contains a timeline that will provide readers with a chronological framework covering major events in the war at sea during 1939-1945.
British naval casualties for the entire war were 1,525 ships of all types lost, equating to over two million tons of shipping, and over 50,000 personnel killed, many from the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). A further 28,000 seafarers aboard British merchant ships were killed, and thousands more died from wounds suffered during their war service or in accidents. Equally as significant was the loss of 4,800 merchant ships, equating to 21.2 million tons. Had the supply of food, raw materials, and armaments from overseas been severed, then it is unlikely that Britain would have been able to continue the war. Merchantmen were also important during the various amphibious operations embarked upon by the Allies, as the war gradually shifted towards the offensive. During Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943, for example, around half a million tons of shipping was assembled, including fourteen British hospital ships.
“I found that with the passage of time the numbers of surviving wartime veterans able to tell their stories was very small. I’d like to thank everyone who was able to contribute, and I’d like to think that my book provides a fitting tribute to that generation as well as being an accurate record of their experience,” said James. “Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to those who served in the Merchant and Royal Navy during the war.”
The book is available from www.pen-and-sword.co.uk