Naval Battles of the Second World War

Naval Battles of the Second World War written by Leo Marriott and published by

Pen & Sword Books - £20.00 - Hardback - Pages 160

The Second World War was a truly global conflict and maritime power played a major

role in every theatre of operations. Land campaigns depended on supplies transported

by sea, and victory or defeat depended on the outcome of naval battles. So Leo Marriott’s

highly illustrated two-volume account of the struggle sets naval actions in the wider

strategic context as well as giving graphic accounts of what happened in each engagement.

This first volume concentrates on the Royal Navy’s confrontation with the ships and submarines of the German Kriegsmarine during the Battle of the Atlantic, the Arctic convoys and the struggle across the Mediterranean against the Italian navy to supply the opposing armies in North Africa. The Battle of the River Plate, the pursuit of the Bismarck, the PQ17 convoy to the Soviet Union and Operation Pedestal, the most famous convoy sent to relieve Malta, are among the episodes described in vivid detail and illustrated with a selection of striking photographs.

This concise but wide-ranging introduction to the naval war emphasizes the sheer scale of the conflict in every sea and shows the direct impact of each naval battle on the course of the war.

This book is the first book of two called, Naval Battles of the Second World War in the first of two books looking at the Atlantic side of World War II the book gives you a view of the strategic naval process and battles including the role of the German Navy (the Kriegsmarine) and the Royal Navy. The book highlights a number of key naval battles throughout the war including the Battle of the Atlantic, the Arctic convoys and the battle in the Mediterranean, I personally found this a fascinating book as I am trying to improve my knowledge of naval warfare. Both in the west and the Far East I found the book very informative and detailed but then I am probably counted as a beginner in this subject so whilst I found the book very helpful and informative others might prefer to read a more detailed assessment as they are classed as more knowledgeable. With the author Leo Marriott a specialist in this subject, his highly detailed knowledge is evident in this book and makes for a very good read. I enjoyed all the facts and details along with many good photographs and I especially enjoyed the appendix at the back of the book listing all the warships involved I would recommend this book but if you already have a sound knowledge of naval battles it might not be for you.