Cassell Military Classics: Salvo!: Epic Naval Gun Actions

by Bernard Edwards

Since a simple cannon was first mounted on sailing ships and the warship was thus born, it has had but one principal resolve: to engage and destroy the enemy in action. In the early examples of sea warfare, the guns were fixed, and hence only by manoeuvring the ship itself could they be aimed, and so after much aligning of fleets alongside each other, the power and weight of the all-important first broadside were truly decisive. Despite the huge advances in gun design, mounting, loading and aiming that accompanied the evolution of the warship, this single factor in naval warfare remained relevant throughout. Even in the final warship against warship encounters in late World War Two after the gun had been eclipsed by naval air power, the commander who first fired the heaviest and most accurate salvo immediately influenced the odds in his favour.

This then is the theme of this new study - the hard-fought ship-to-ship battles where the gun was all-important, and where salvo after salvo were fired by the protagonists at all ranges from maximum elevation and distance to virtual open sights point-blank actions. Writing with years of experience of sea life, Bernard Edwards vividly recounts a varied selection of truly classic warship gun actions, emphasising the often sudden change from routine sailing to devastaing and potentially lethal combat with an amost unseen enemy. Specific actions include:

- One of the earliest naval gun battles between ironclads at the Yalu River in 1894
- Celebrated battle honour epics such as the Falkland Islands in 1914 and Cape Matapan in 1941
- Night encounters in the Pacific and the busy English Channel
- Confused and fickle battles such as Dogger Bank and Heligoland Bight in 1914
- Lone duels to the death on the high seas such as Carmania and Cap Trafalgar in 1914, and Stephen Hopkins and Stier in 1942

Bernard Matthews skilfully sets the scene for each action, explaining the background to the naval war at the time as well as that of the individual ships involved, before retelling the stirring and dramatic story of each actual clash. Throughout all accounts too there is the recognition that the warship aganist warship gun battle, while now part of naval history, was a unique experience that often epitomised the most splendid traditions of navies and courage in the face of the enemy. This fascinating collection of epic sea battles and warship stories will both enthral and entertain all with an interest in warships and maritime history.

Genres: Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting book on the surface engagements of various navies starting in the late 1800s.

the book has a slightly British/ally bias i felt. understandable i guess

the Kriegsmarine does not come off well in either war, seeming to look at the lessons of WW1, in which it did not do well and come to the conclusion that it should repeat those same types of actions in WW2. the Kriegsmarine again sent unescorted commerence raiders out to the worlds oceans and they were systematical hunted down, as in WW1. the northern fleet working out of Norway and surrounding area were more intetested in saving their ships then sinking allied merchants, at least in this readers opinion.

the book did a good job of both telling about the various battles. given good details and keeping the interest of the reader.

[Veeral · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edwards flounders a bit describing World War-II battles, especially the ones that didn't involve the Royal Navy, but otherwise quite a competent book to read if you want to know about modern big naval gun battles.

[Ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

MacArthur didn't arrive in Australia in any PT boat. His escape from Corregidor was first initiated by such which took him to Mindanao in the Philippines where he then flew on a B-17 to Australia.