Discharged Dead; A true story of Britain's Submarines at War
London: Odhams Press Limited, 1956. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Hard cover. 208 pages. Frontispiece. Illustrations. Foreword by Commander W. L. King. DJ, in a plastic sleeve attached to boards, has wear, tears, soiling and chips. Some page discoloration noted. Slightly cocked. Contents include Introduction; "Report to Fort Blockhouse"; War Declared; First Patrol; The sea and the enemy; We Penetrate Oslo Fjord; Away Boarding Part!;' Mediterranean-bound; I Join Truant; Torpedoes and gun; The Beacon; Five days in Cairo; Across the Western Ocean; Trapped!; Truant heads Eastward Ho!; H.M. Submarine Thrasher; Two V.C.s for Thrasher; You'll never live to spend it!"; Medway's last voyage; Homeward bound; The George Cross Island; Reflections; Back to General Service; The other side of the Picture; and Postscript. This book has also been described as the Wartime Adventures of a Submarine Stoker. Never for a second does the author relax his grip on the imagination as he recalls the cool audacity of surface gun actions against enemy convoys on the high seas; Sydney Hart has written a worthy monument to the British submariner's simple devotion to duty. His book may well rank as a classic of its kind. HMS Thrasher (N37) was a T-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Cammell Laird & Co Limited, Birkenhead, launched in November 1940, and had an active career in the Mediterranean and Pacific Far East. On 16 February 1942 north of Crete, Thrasher, was attacked after sinking a supply ship. After surfacing later, two unexploded bombs were discovered in the gun-casing. Lieutenant Peter Scawen Watkinson Roberts and Petty Officer Thomas William Gould removed the first one without too much difficulty, but the second was lying in a very confined space and they had to approach it lying full length. Gould lay on his back with the bomb in his arms while Roberts dragged him along by the shoulders. It was 50 minutes before they got the bomb clear and dropped it over the side. As a result of their heroic actions which likely saved Thrasher, both men were awarded the Victoria Cross. HMS Medway (F 25) was the first large submarine depot ship designed and built for the Royal Navy, commissioned at Devonport in July 1929. The ship sailed for China station together with six O-class submarines of the 4th Submarine Flotilla to replace HMS Titania (F 32) and her L-class boats, remaining there until April 1940, when she was sent to the Mediterranean, arriving on 3 May in Alexandria. She was based there to operate the 1st Submarine Flotilla. At 08.24 hours on 30 June 1942, HMS Medway (F 25) (Capt P. Ruck-Keene, CBE, RN) was torpedoed and sunk by U-372 off Alexandria. The ship with the commander of the 1st Submarine flotilla on board was escorted by HMS Dido (37) and seven destroyers. Much valuable equipment was lost with her, but 47 of her stock of 90 torpedoes floated clear and were recovered. The small HMS Talbot (F 06) moved from Malta to replace her at Beirut, changing her name to HMS Medway II. HMS Truant (N68) was a T-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow and launched on 5 May 1939. Truant had a relatively active career serving in the main naval theatres of war – Home waters, the Mediterranean, and the Pacific Far East. Truant was assigned to operate in the Far East, against Japanese shipping in 1942. She was present for the beginning of the Battle of Badung Strait and spotted the Japanese covering force, launching an attack at the light cruiser Nagara but scored no hits, although the crew said to have heard two impact noises from dud torpedoes hitting the target. She sunk the Japanese merchant ships Yae Maru and Shunsei Maru in the Malacca Strait. She also engaged in a gun battle with the Japanese army cargo ship Tamon Maru No.1, which sank shortly after. This was her final patrol. Condition: Good / Fair.
Keywords: Naval Operations, Submarines, HMS Thrasher, HMS Medway, Torpedoes, Mediterranean, Victoria Cross, HMS Truant
[Book #83982]
Price: $45.00