BRITAIN'S SEA WAR: A DIARY OF SHIP LOSSES 1939-1945.

UK,8vo HB+polythene protected dw/dj,ex-public library,1st edn. [Complete number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1.] VG+/VG.Colour photographic illustrated upper panel of dw/dj,with white lettering; with some minimal chipping/rubbing and reciprocal loss to both head+ foot of spine/backstrip and a couple of the corners, otherwise negligible shelf-wear and creasing to remaining edges,due to protective polythene sleeve. Red ink,rectangular boxed 'Withdrawn from Plymouth Library Services' library stamp to ffe,along with residue of removed,pasted paper library bookplate/label,and residual sellotape ghost marks to both pastedowns, price-clip to clear,polythene protected dw/dj.The only other library marks present,are a red inked Plympton Library stamp to verso of title page,another library stamp to foot of last page of book,before the index and a faded and barely decipherable,complete black inked library stamp to bottom edges of book - no other library markings noted.Top edges slightly aged/toned - as usual/normal - with some light,minimal and sporadic spotting/foxing,fore-edges similar with some grubbing/thumbing; contents bright, tight and clean, book has a slight lean too.Some minimal,but unobtrusive underscoring and a few corrective annotations in places,within the text - possibly no more than a handful combined? Publisher's bright, crisp,clean,sharp-cornered,original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked silver gilt letters to spine/backstrip,with already mentioned pale blue endpapers with concommitant markings.UK,8vo HB+ protected dw/dj,ex-public library,1st edn,12-288pp [paginated] includes 1939-45 Yearly sections with month-by-month details of losses etc. interspersed with relevant,related contemporary b/w photographs and an index of ships.Plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,contents list/table with contemporary b/w photographic frntis to verso,author's introduction,with Key+Abbreviations to verso,and acknowledgements.
Within an hour of Britain's declaration of war on Germany in 1939,the passenger liner Athenia bound for Montreal was torpedoed by a U-boat and sank with the loss of 112 lives.Throughout the ensuing six years,Britain's Merchant fleet lost a further 4,000 vessels and some 29,000 personnel.
The important part played by the Royal Navy during the Second World War is well documented,but throughout the conflict enemy submarines and aircraft also exacted this terrible toll from the ships and men of the Merchant Navy.While the military forces fought to defend Britain,the often unsung Merchant fleet battled equally fiercely to deliver essential cargoes.
John Young goes some way towards redressing the balance here, highlighting the vital role of Britain's Merchant Navy, sailing under the famous Red Ensign.He gives a day-by-day account of the fortunes of the world's largest Merchant fleet from 3 September 1939 to 14 September 1945,with details of each vessel's size,ownership, route and cargo,and loss of life.This invaluable book is the culmination of 15
years' painstaking research and forms the most comprehensive reference work available on this fascinating topic (then 1989).
John Young has been a journalist for over 25 years,and has contributed to many maritime publications.He is former editor of the naval magazine 'Quarterdeck'.
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