Seapower Ashore: 200 Years of Royal Navy Operations on Land

by Peter Hore

For more than two-hundred years the Royal Navy's dominance of the seas was complemented by its ability to project force ashore. In this book a group of prominent naval historians--Tom Pocock, Michael Duffy, Colin White, Andrew Lambert, Richard Brooks, and Chris Page--examine the naval brigade's role on land. Starting with Sidney Smith's defense of Acre in 1799, it continues through Nelson's Corsica campaign, the Indian Mutiny, the Anglo-Japanese War of 1863-4, the Crimean and Boer Wars, and both world wars. From little-known incidents during "Queen Victoria's Little Wars" to modern Tomahawk missile technology and littoral warfare, this rousing tribute is an essential addition to the Royal Navy canon.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2001

Reviews

[Robin Braysher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whilst I have read some Hornblowers in my time and 'Master & Commander' is one of my favourite films, I've never really embraced naval matters. I am, though, somewhat familiar with the activities of bluejackets ashore, so I found this examination of various Royal Naval operations on land from 1799 to 1944 a fascinating read. Obviously it is not exhaustive but, rather, provides a range of examples from that 150 year period: from classic naval brigade expeditions to the bombardment of fortresses. With each chapter written by a different author, the style and approaches differ and some are more interesting than others (a matter of taste), but it is generally a lively read and well peppered with maps and great photos. You get a good flavour of the character of the Royal Navy and the resourcefulness of 'Jack Tar' on land.

How interesting that Norfolk's own Nelson - although known to posterity for fleet actions - was considered something of an expert on action ashore, indeed, that is where he suffered all his major injuries!