Halfhyde at the Bight of Benin

Halfhyde Adventure #1

by Philip McCutchan

It's the 1890s and Royal Navy Lieutenant St Vincent Halfhyde finds himself out of favor with the Navy and on half-pay ashore when he is summoned to the Admiralty. His mission: to sail to the Bight of Benin in West Africa and spy on the not-so-secret Russian presence there. As a Russian speaker who is familiar with Benin, Halfhyde is confident he's the man for the job--until he runs into Admiral Prince Gorsinski, cousin of the Czar and Halfhyde's former jailer.

Genres: Historical Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

aka Robert Conington Galway, Duncan MacNeil

Philip McCutchan (1920-1996) grew up in the naval atmosphere of Portsmouth Dockyard and developed a lifetime's interest in the sea. Military history was an early interest resulting in several fiction books, from amongst his large output, about the British Army and its campaigns, especially in the last 150 years.

Reviews

[Johnny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagine, if you will, that Patrick McCutchan set out to write a pre-World War I sailing novel with all of the conventions of the Napoleonic and Revolutionary (American) eras of fighting sail. His protagonist, St. Vincent (after the famous Earl?) Halfhyde, would be a low-ranking naval officer with no political influence or aristocratic connections. He would be totally dedicated to the Royal Navy to such an extent that he rubbed against the grain of those aristocratic (or aristocratic “wannabe”) officers who considered their service to be a sinecure. He would be fiscally-challenged with the threat of being deposited ashore at half-pay. So, we would begin with a built-in underdog as a protagonist.

If Mr. McCutchan was true to the formula, the protagonist would also have something in his past that might give one pause. In this case, the past experience which would normally cause suspicion (some time in captivity with the Russians) has become an opportunity for activating Halfhyde for a special mission—in spite of the fact that the captain to whom he is assigned is one of those toadying, aristocratic “wannabes” who doesn’t really want Halfhyde because there is no advantage to having the lieutenant under his command. He would rather have someone with connections who might be able to put in a good word for him at a future time.

Further, if McCutchan kept to the formula, Halfhyde would form an attachment with an inexperienced midshipman (or lower-ranking lieutenant) who would become a more or less permanent addition to the supporting cast. The character isn’t quite Bucky to Captain American or Robin to Batman, but you get the idea. Indeed, such a midshipman exists in this book and I will look forward to my expected re-acquaintance with him in future episodes within the series of books.

Unlike the formula, there is no actual broadside-to-broadside battle in this book. There is action and there are ships that sink, but ship-to-ship action is not the primary vehicle by which McCutchan sails the plot. In that sense, the book breaks out from the expected and offers a nice mixture of comfort and surprise. Without giving too much away, our hero goes undercover, gets the goods on an aggressive Tsarist Russian empire, and must escape with the information that will prevent a major war. Can he possibly succeed, especially when his cover is blown before he starts? It’s an enjoyable premise and a worthy enough effort that I plan to read the entire series.

[Burt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Halfhyde at the Bight of Benin, Philip McCutchan, Kindle edition, 3. Wanting a diversion from my Age of Sail readings, I turned to McBook's Press reprinting of this 1974 original. We go from sail power to the age of coal-fired cruisers. Set in the 1890s, Lieutenant St. Vincent Halfhyde finds himself summoned from half-pay to service on HMS Aurora, a cruiser bound for the waters off Africa. Halfhyde's task is to assess the Russian presence in Benin. Adventures abound, including whorehouses, torture (his own), a diabolical Russian causing to the Czar, sandbars, malaria, mutiny, the sinking of ships.

This is a good read, but not a great one. Still, it does feature the Royal Navy.

[Steve Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good but rather improbably novel about a clash between Russia and Great Britain in the late 1890's. Russia is suspected of setting up a trading post on the west coast of Africa with implications for interfering with British trade along the whole African coast. Lt Halfhyde of the Royal Navy has hazy orders to check it out and maybe do something about it. Interesting novel about a period that is not much explored in fiction.

[Mike Harper · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an unabashed adventure novel featuring a British navy lieutenant, a Russian admiral, a whore, a midshipman and various rough and ready supporting characters. The setting and characters are refreshing, after my recent diet of cop thrillers, and I liked it well enough that I expect I'll read another novel in the author's series.

[Mike Glaser · Rating 3 out of 5]

An author that I have just started to read but a new character. What is interesting about this series is that these early armored vessels are rarely written about and this is the first fictional series that I have seen covering this era. A quick read and an interesting tale, recommended if you like maritime adventures.

[Paul Donald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why the Czarist Navy Collapsed

I thought the British Navy had its problems w Engineering Warrant Officers seen as a dirty- hands sub class, but in the Russian Navy of 1890, anyone below officer rank was subject to hideous torture at any time- mutiny was commonplace.

[Rocky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great characters

Great characters. Interesting story. Halfhyde has nothing to lose, so he'd willing to take risks. Nice historical setting, as naval power is changing.

[Glen]

A fun and rollicking adventure book set in the 1890's.
Surprisingly had some twists and turns which kept me interested.

[Christina Pikas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found another naval series I haven't read yet. Not napleonic so should be different it was ok. The main character seems like a jerk - not like Sharpe, hornblower, Aubrey, Bolitho - all whom I liked right away. I'm not convinced it would or could have worked out this way. I'm not convinced he could have been fluent in Russian, would have memorized all the navigation instructions for the bight, and would still be remembered by the local population. Not to mention that he was told to prevent a war and he did everything to start one. Wrong man for the job! Plus what's with attacking that officer in the beginning. Weird.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lt H. faces mutiny, malaria, obese brothel mistress, ex-jailer Russian prince, antagonistic Captain of steamship Aurora scouting off Africa. Subordinate attitude, eager "wart" midshipman add wry moments. Courage, creativity to take fort remind me, beside sails, why I like naval tales. Add McCutchen series to favorites.

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