Lieutenant Donald Cameron thought himself inured to the rigours of the wartime Navy . . . until he joined the destroyer Burnside, and one of the most important convoys of 1942.Defense and civilian suppliers, liners crammed with soldiers, and a 21,000-ton tanker — the British Racer — loaded with highly inflammable aviation spirit made up a massive, unwieldy convoy bound for the besieged island of Malta; and a full complement of aircraft carriers and warships was detailed to protect it. Having suffered few losses from German U-boat harassment before reaching Gibraltar, morale in the Burnside seemed high — though the chances of reaching Malta unscathed were minimal.Despite a constant barrage of anti-aircraft guns, the dive-bombing Stukas closed in rapidly, forcing the convoy into the path of the E-boats’ menacing torpedo trails . . . the Lieutenant is keeping his wits about him. A true test of determination, resilience and good old fashioned strategic warfare is essential. But will it be enough to get them across the Mediterranean to safety?Storm of War is the fifth instalment in the Donald Cameron Naval Thriller series. It was originally published as Cameron in the Gap.PRAISE FOR PHILIP ‘A nautical war buffs feast . . . [McCutchan] keeps an authoritative hand on the wheel and his descriptions of battles at sea ring with laconic truth.’ The New York Times Book ReviewABOUT THE AUTHORPhilip McCutchan served at sea in the Royal Navy throughout World War II. From destroyers on Atlantic and Mediterranean escort duties, to a battle-cruiser, a battleship and an ocean boarding vessel, he ended his war service in an aircraft-carrier. His interests include naval and military affairs prior to 1946. He is the author ‘Convoy of War’, ‘Dangerous Waters’ and ‘Deed of Glory’.
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.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this series of books so far. This one has one glaringly wrong historical fact, which if unsure writer should of either omitted or looked up, the aircraft Faith, Hope and Charity were not Fairey Swordfish, but Gloucester Gladiators. Such a well known fact, was badly researched
A difficult and trying mission, the book as well as the plot. It is a testament to the story writing that I could maintain sufficient interest to finish this book. It is an interesting plot but for an American reader it is a tough sloth. The dialog is very difficult to follow with slang and unfamiliar terminology.
As good as the first four, I enjoy the Donald Cameron series. Ex Navy I understand the terminology, ‘Jackspeak’ and know my Naval History. A good series so far but these books will appeal to all, either as part of the series or as a stand alone story. Give them a try - you won’t be disappointed.
Excellent tale of naval warfare and human resilience
A thoroughly enjoyable tale of the war at sea. Plenty of action and some really moving stories mo of the men of the Royal and Merchant Navy, who lived and died in an effort to keep the sea lanes open. Definitely worth 5 big stars.
Having done some binge reading, this Storm of War is the most polished yet and has a feel of authenticity about it. Nice play of the antagonists who make up in the end, boys own adventures en route and Cameron pulls it off once again. Enjoyable breakfast reading.
Another great read. The story just keeps going with another exciting adventure for Donald Cameron. This one shows how he is developing into a top rate officer.
A reasonably interesting story, but by the end, the ‘disaster porn’ was getting a bit tedious. It would have been simpler at the start of the book to just say nearly every ship is sunk and almost everybody dies.
If you ever find yourself on a ship with David Cameron, get off. As I go through this series, I really should have kept score of the percentage of each crew that he is assigned to in order to see if the survival rate ever crosses fifty percent. In any case, they make a fun read.
Over the years I have forgotten just how bloody and terrible the Second World War really was. This story gave me a vivid reminder of how it was for those at sea.
This is a superb story of life and death on a warship on convoy duty in the Mediterranean sea, lots of action and good human storyline make this book a winner.
Not Mr. MeTuchen's best book by far, but still a different kind of story from what he usually writes. I've never heard of a torpedo getting stuck in a rudder, and so this book was of a different tone.