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The Silent Deep: The Royal Navy Submarine Service Since 1945
'The Ministry of Defence does not comment upon submarine operations' is the standard response of officialdom to enquiries about the most secretive and mysterious of Britain's armed forces, the Royal Navy Submarine Service. Written with unprecedented co-operation from the Service itself and privileged access to documents and personnel, The Silent Deep is the first authoritative history of the Submarine Service from the end of the Second World War to the present. It gives the most complete account yet published of the development of Britain's submarine fleet, its capabilities, its weapons, its infrastructure, its operations and above all - from the testimony of many submariners and the first-hand witness of the authors - what life is like on board for the denizens of the silent deep.
Dramatic episodes are revealed for the first time: how HMS Warspite gathered intelligence against the Soviet Navy's latest ballistic-missile-carrying submarine in the late 1960s; how HMS Sovereign made what is probably the longest-ever trail of a Soviet (or Russian) submarine in 1978; how HMS Trafalgar followed an exceptionally quiet Soviet 'Victor III', probably commanded by a Captain known as 'the Prince of Darkness', in 1986. It also includes the first full account of submarine activities during the Falklands War. But it was not all victories: confrontations with Soviet submarines led to collisions, and the extent of losses to UK and NATO submarine technology from Cold War spy scandals are also made more plain here than ever before.
In 1990 the Cold War ended - but not for the Submarine Service. Since June 1969, it has been the last line of national defence, with the awesome responsibility of carrying Britain's nuclear deterrent. The story from Polaris to Trident - and now 'Successor' - is a central theme of the book. In the year that it is published, Russian submarines have once again been detected off the UK's shores. As Britain comes to decide whether to renew its submarine-carried nuclear deterrent, The Silent Deep provides an essential historical perspective.
825 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2015
72 people are currently reading
376 people want to read
About the author
Peter Hennessy
60 books47 followersPeter Hennessy is an English historian and academic specialising in the history of government. Since 1992, he has been Attlee Professor of Contemporary British History at Queen Mary University of London.
He was born in Edmonton, the youngest child of William G. Hennessy by his marriage to Edith (Wood-Johnson) Hennessy
Hennessy attended the nearby Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, and on Sundays he went to St Mary Magdalene church, where he was an altar boy. He was educated at St Benedict's School, an independent school in Ealing, West London. When his father's job led the family to move to the Cotswolds, he attended Marling School, a grammar school in Stroud, Gloucestershire. He went on to study at St John's College, Cambridge, where he was awarded a BA in 1969 and a PhD in 1990. Hennessy was a Kennedy Memorial Scholar at Harvard University from 1971 to 1972.
Hennessy went on to work as a journalist during the 1970s and 1980s.
He went on to co-found the Institute of Contemporary British History in 1986.
From 1992 to 2000, Hennessey was professor of contemporary history at Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London. From 1994 to 1997, he gave public lectures as Professor of Rhetoric at Gresham College, London. From 2001, he has been Attlee professor of contemporary British history at Queen Mary.
Hennessy's analysis of post-war Britain, 'Never Again: Britain 1945–1951', won the Duff Cooper Prize in 1992 and the NCR Book Award in 1993.
Furthermore, his study of Britain in the 1950s and the rise of Harold Macmillan, 'Having It So Good: Britain in the 1950s', won the 2007 Orwell Prize for political writing
Hennessy was created a life peer on November 8, 2010.
He was born in Edmonton, the youngest child of William G. Hennessy by his marriage to Edith (Wood-Johnson) Hennessy
Hennessy attended the nearby Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, and on Sundays he went to St Mary Magdalene church, where he was an altar boy. He was educated at St Benedict's School, an independent school in Ealing, West London. When his father's job led the family to move to the Cotswolds, he attended Marling School, a grammar school in Stroud, Gloucestershire. He went on to study at St John's College, Cambridge, where he was awarded a BA in 1969 and a PhD in 1990. Hennessy was a Kennedy Memorial Scholar at Harvard University from 1971 to 1972.
Hennessy went on to work as a journalist during the 1970s and 1980s.
He went on to co-found the Institute of Contemporary British History in 1986.
From 1992 to 2000, Hennessey was professor of contemporary history at Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London. From 1994 to 1997, he gave public lectures as Professor of Rhetoric at Gresham College, London. From 2001, he has been Attlee professor of contemporary British history at Queen Mary.
Hennessy's analysis of post-war Britain, 'Never Again: Britain 1945–1951', won the Duff Cooper Prize in 1992 and the NCR Book Award in 1993.
Furthermore, his study of Britain in the 1950s and the rise of Harold Macmillan, 'Having It So Good: Britain in the 1950s', won the 2007 Orwell Prize for political writing
Hennessy was created a life peer on November 8, 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 24, 2025
It’s a slippery slope from The Hunt for Red October to The Silent Deep, but I’m very pleased to have slipped down it.
April 4, 2023
This remarkable book at least twitches the curtain of secrecy around British submarine development and operations since the Second World War. At the time of writing it is also very current, tracing political developments up to the beginning of 2016. The authors seem to have enjoyed extraordinary access to people, places and events as well as doing their homework at the National Archive. It's difficult to imagine it being bettered for some time - and it's generally a good read.
It's not quite perfect though. If I were being churlish I could point to some editing slips that I know from experience are almost impossible to avoid (so I won't). The Falklands chapter covers the movements of the Argentine surface fleet reasonably well but it would have been good to have some discussion of the role of the Type 209 submarine ARA San Luis, which claimed to have fired two SST-4 (anti-ship) and one Mk37 (anti-submarine) torpedo at task force elements without result.
Not enough quibbles to drop a star though.
It's not quite perfect though. If I were being churlish I could point to some editing slips that I know from experience are almost impossible to avoid (so I won't). The Falklands chapter covers the movements of the Argentine surface fleet reasonably well but it would have been good to have some discussion of the role of the Type 209 submarine ARA San Luis, which claimed to have fired two SST-4 (anti-ship) and one Mk37 (anti-submarine) torpedo at task force elements without result.
Not enough quibbles to drop a star though.
January 19, 2025
Just so good. Nearly 700 pages dripping with detail, but also very readable.
Makes me think being a submarine captain could have been an alternative career…
Would highly recommend.
Makes me think being a submarine captain could have been an alternative career…
Would highly recommend.
November 12, 2020
This is absolutely one of the most fascinating and informative books I've read in a long time. Truly is it said, you don't know how much you don't know. I'm almost scandalised that I had never heard about the submarine intelligence gathering aspect of the Cold War before. Also unimpressed that the other naval history book I read recently only expended a handful of pages on the Submarine Service and glossed over them entirely in the handwringing about the size of the current RN fleet at the end.
I have a terrible feeling I've been converted into one of Those People 😂
I have a terrible feeling I've been converted into one of Those People 😂
June 19, 2020
As someone who has always believed in the British Nuclear Deterrent, I havevactually known very little about it. Reading this book has changed that considerably.
The level of detail that Hennessy and Jinks go into is staggering. Sometimes it can be a tad heavy but all on all it's a fantastic read.
The level of detail that Hennessy and Jinks go into is staggering. Sometimes it can be a tad heavy but all on all it's a fantastic read.
August 1, 2025
An almost unbelievable book with an astonishing level of access into the Submarine Service, especially given the exceptional first chapter on the processes and perils of the Perisher Course. Any budding submariner should have read this before considering the service, and everyone in the country should read it to understand the work that Submariners did throughout the Cold War to keep the country safe.
July 16, 2023
A comprehensive history, absolutely chock full of technical information and policy which maybe slightly killed the flow at times, but still a great read for anyone interested.
June 9, 2021
This is an outstanding history of the UK Submarine service. There is an adept mix of high-action tales at sea, and serious analysis of the policy, governance and strategic choices of the UK's submarines. As such, though it will natively appeal to military history types, it is an equally important study in policy and governance.
The extended analysis of how the UK came to develop the Polaris Nuclear second-strike submarines, and the challenging of maintaining a genuine nuclear deterrent is well worth reading. Many options were discussed as to how to establish and sustain such a presence, and how even to get it running in the first place, perhaps through a loan from the US. Leading one MP to quip "You can rent a car, you can even rent a television, but by god you can not rent an independent nuclear deterrent". What a line!
Another highlight is the discussion of the submarines role in the Falklands War. It's a good account of the frustrations of war, both the difficulty of finding the enemy, as well as the (increasing) interference and second-guessing from political leaders. It is abundantly clear many of the British Government had no comfort with thinking strategically and treated the force akin to a yoyo, to be kept on a string and pulled back at any second.
Though very readable, the book is far too long. There are long discussions of operations where not much happens, before turning to the account of another submarine mission where again not much happens. That gives a flavour of the difficult and dull life of many who serve on submarines, but that point can simply be told, rather than demonstrated through the reader's exhaustion!
Overall however, this is an excellent book for anyone who is interested in how countries develop and use military force. Given the scarcity of good material on submarines, it is a particularly useful analysis of a far less well known though absolutely crucial part of modern military forces. Recommended.
The extended analysis of how the UK came to develop the Polaris Nuclear second-strike submarines, and the challenging of maintaining a genuine nuclear deterrent is well worth reading. Many options were discussed as to how to establish and sustain such a presence, and how even to get it running in the first place, perhaps through a loan from the US. Leading one MP to quip "You can rent a car, you can even rent a television, but by god you can not rent an independent nuclear deterrent". What a line!
Another highlight is the discussion of the submarines role in the Falklands War. It's a good account of the frustrations of war, both the difficulty of finding the enemy, as well as the (increasing) interference and second-guessing from political leaders. It is abundantly clear many of the British Government had no comfort with thinking strategically and treated the force akin to a yoyo, to be kept on a string and pulled back at any second.
Though very readable, the book is far too long. There are long discussions of operations where not much happens, before turning to the account of another submarine mission where again not much happens. That gives a flavour of the difficult and dull life of many who serve on submarines, but that point can simply be told, rather than demonstrated through the reader's exhaustion!
Overall however, this is an excellent book for anyone who is interested in how countries develop and use military force. Given the scarcity of good material on submarines, it is a particularly useful analysis of a far less well known though absolutely crucial part of modern military forces. Recommended.
April 20, 2025
Peter Hennessy’s The Silent Deep: The Royal Navy Submarine Service Since 1945, co-authored with James Jinks, is a masterfully detailed and quietly gripping examination of one of the most secretive and consequential arms of the British military. Drawing on a wealth of declassified material, interviews, and privileged access, Hennessy and Jinks illuminate the shadowy world of the UK's post-war submarine operations, from Cold War cat-and-mouse games in the North Atlantic to the silent guardianship of the nuclear deterrent.
At its core, The Silent Deep is a study in paradoxes. These vessels are instruments of extraordinary violence, designed to strike with devastating force—yet they operate in an almost monk-like silence, rarely firing a shot in anger. Perhaps one of the most striking revelations, when stepping back from the operational detail, is the fact that in all the decades since the first nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) entered service, they have only once sunk an enemy vessel in combat: the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano, torpedoed by HMS Conqueror during the Falklands War in 1982. Given the scale and savagery of submarine warfare during the Second World War—when German U-boats and Allied subs wreaked havoc on merchant shipping across the globe—this restraint is nothing short of extraordinary.
Hennessy and Jinks don't labor this point, but they don't need to. The implication is clear: the mere presence of SSNs, operating unseen beneath the waves, has been enough to shape events and deter adversaries without resorting to overt violence. These submarines are silent instruments of statecraft as much as they are weapons of war—lurking threats that exert strategic pressure through their invisibility and ambiguity. That such vast power has been wielded so sparingly speaks not only to the discipline of their operators, but to the delicacy of modern geopolitical balances in which a single misjudgment could escalate catastrophically.
This theme of restraint and responsibility finds a powerful echo in the book’s treatment of submarine captaincy—a process that emerges in The Silent Deep not merely as a career milestone, but as an existential crucible. The tension surrounding the "Perisher" (the Submarine Command Course) is palpable: a pass-or-fail ordeal in which the margin for error is razor-thin, and failure spells the end not only of a command dream but of a career in submarines. The psychological burden on candidates is immense. These are individuals being tested not just for tactical brilliance or technical competence, but for their ability to make irrevocable decisions under conditions of extreme isolation, pressure, and potential peril. In the unforgiving environment of deep-sea command, poor judgment isn’t a matter of academic critique—it’s a matter of life, death, and potentially national security.
Hennessy, ever the constitutional historian, is especially attuned to the institutional and ethical weight borne by the submarine service. The book subtly draws attention to the unique status of submariners as stewards of the nation’s most terrifying weapons. In no other branch of the armed forces is the burden of command so intimately tied to existential questions of sovereignty, democracy, and deterrence.
The Silent Deep is not a swashbuckling tale of naval exploits; it is something more enduring and unsettling. It is a study of power held in abeyance, of professionals trained to the highest possible standards precisely so that their skills may never be called upon in war. It is also, by implication, a quiet argument for the value of maturity, discipline, and humility in the exercise of military power.
In an age of noise, The Silent Deep reminds us of the power of silence—not as absence, but as presence held in reserve. It is a remarkable and sobering achievement.
At its core, The Silent Deep is a study in paradoxes. These vessels are instruments of extraordinary violence, designed to strike with devastating force—yet they operate in an almost monk-like silence, rarely firing a shot in anger. Perhaps one of the most striking revelations, when stepping back from the operational detail, is the fact that in all the decades since the first nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) entered service, they have only once sunk an enemy vessel in combat: the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano, torpedoed by HMS Conqueror during the Falklands War in 1982. Given the scale and savagery of submarine warfare during the Second World War—when German U-boats and Allied subs wreaked havoc on merchant shipping across the globe—this restraint is nothing short of extraordinary.
Hennessy and Jinks don't labor this point, but they don't need to. The implication is clear: the mere presence of SSNs, operating unseen beneath the waves, has been enough to shape events and deter adversaries without resorting to overt violence. These submarines are silent instruments of statecraft as much as they are weapons of war—lurking threats that exert strategic pressure through their invisibility and ambiguity. That such vast power has been wielded so sparingly speaks not only to the discipline of their operators, but to the delicacy of modern geopolitical balances in which a single misjudgment could escalate catastrophically.
This theme of restraint and responsibility finds a powerful echo in the book’s treatment of submarine captaincy—a process that emerges in The Silent Deep not merely as a career milestone, but as an existential crucible. The tension surrounding the "Perisher" (the Submarine Command Course) is palpable: a pass-or-fail ordeal in which the margin for error is razor-thin, and failure spells the end not only of a command dream but of a career in submarines. The psychological burden on candidates is immense. These are individuals being tested not just for tactical brilliance or technical competence, but for their ability to make irrevocable decisions under conditions of extreme isolation, pressure, and potential peril. In the unforgiving environment of deep-sea command, poor judgment isn’t a matter of academic critique—it’s a matter of life, death, and potentially national security.
Hennessy, ever the constitutional historian, is especially attuned to the institutional and ethical weight borne by the submarine service. The book subtly draws attention to the unique status of submariners as stewards of the nation’s most terrifying weapons. In no other branch of the armed forces is the burden of command so intimately tied to existential questions of sovereignty, democracy, and deterrence.
The Silent Deep is not a swashbuckling tale of naval exploits; it is something more enduring and unsettling. It is a study of power held in abeyance, of professionals trained to the highest possible standards precisely so that their skills may never be called upon in war. It is also, by implication, a quiet argument for the value of maturity, discipline, and humility in the exercise of military power.
In an age of noise, The Silent Deep reminds us of the power of silence—not as absence, but as presence held in reserve. It is a remarkable and sobering achievement.
August 21, 2021
A brilliant, very comprehensive review of the history of the Submarine Service since the end of the second world war. Lots of tales of derring-do from early boats in the 50s to SSNs in the height of the cold war. Exciting stuff.
A reader of this book would be forgiven for thinking that the Submarine Service was made up of a bunch of admirals and a handful of submarine captains. There are exactly three paragraphs about an interview with 'other ratings' (with an Admiral and the submarine captain overseeing). This is a shame as 'other ratings' is exactly where most of the action is in a submarine. Sure, submarine captains are exceptional people who did amazing stuff but the 16-year-old sonar operators were amazing too as well as the 18-year-old MEMs in the engine room and the 21-year-old tiffs watching the reactor and the sonar systems.
I did one patrol on HMS Revenge and the chapter about a Polaris patrol captured many of the highlights of what it is like to sail out of the Clyde and stay submerged for 10 weeks. But they missed a lot of the human interest stuff: how Polaris submariners entertain each other, week after week, on a Saturday night; what it's like to run into a fire in the engine room; what happens when all the electrolysers fail and the submarine is running out of oxygen.
The biggest miss is the institution of Part Three which is what makes submariners special. You are not considered a proper submariner until you pass your Part Three exam.
If you join a surface ship as a chef, you have to learn how to work the ovens and cook tasty grub. If you join a submarine as a chef, you have to learn how to work the ovens and how to open the valve to flood the main ballast tanks and how to fight a fire in the auxiliary machinery space and how to operate the escape tower. You have to know where every valve and circuit breaker is. It's just a totally different world. Folks on a ship just need to know their little corner of the ship. Submariners have to know everything about their submarine. You are not entitled to sleep in a proper bunk until you have passed your Part Three. I think a book about submarines should have covered that.
That aside, the content was awesome. It was cool to learn the politics of the Special Relationship and the adoption of Polaris & Trident. The Cold War shenanigans were edge-of-the-seat exciting. We have good submarines and great submarine commanders. Made an old submariner proud.
The book was a bit wordy and repetitive at times. There were whole paragraphs that were repeated almost verbatim and some of the "and then he said this" stuff could have been compressed. 685 pages could have easily been squeezed down to 300 with no loss of information.
A reader of this book would be forgiven for thinking that the Submarine Service was made up of a bunch of admirals and a handful of submarine captains. There are exactly three paragraphs about an interview with 'other ratings' (with an Admiral and the submarine captain overseeing). This is a shame as 'other ratings' is exactly where most of the action is in a submarine. Sure, submarine captains are exceptional people who did amazing stuff but the 16-year-old sonar operators were amazing too as well as the 18-year-old MEMs in the engine room and the 21-year-old tiffs watching the reactor and the sonar systems.
I did one patrol on HMS Revenge and the chapter about a Polaris patrol captured many of the highlights of what it is like to sail out of the Clyde and stay submerged for 10 weeks. But they missed a lot of the human interest stuff: how Polaris submariners entertain each other, week after week, on a Saturday night; what it's like to run into a fire in the engine room; what happens when all the electrolysers fail and the submarine is running out of oxygen.
The biggest miss is the institution of Part Three which is what makes submariners special. You are not considered a proper submariner until you pass your Part Three exam.
If you join a surface ship as a chef, you have to learn how to work the ovens and cook tasty grub. If you join a submarine as a chef, you have to learn how to work the ovens and how to open the valve to flood the main ballast tanks and how to fight a fire in the auxiliary machinery space and how to operate the escape tower. You have to know where every valve and circuit breaker is. It's just a totally different world. Folks on a ship just need to know their little corner of the ship. Submariners have to know everything about their submarine. You are not entitled to sleep in a proper bunk until you have passed your Part Three. I think a book about submarines should have covered that.
That aside, the content was awesome. It was cool to learn the politics of the Special Relationship and the adoption of Polaris & Trident. The Cold War shenanigans were edge-of-the-seat exciting. We have good submarines and great submarine commanders. Made an old submariner proud.
The book was a bit wordy and repetitive at times. There were whole paragraphs that were repeated almost verbatim and some of the "and then he said this" stuff could have been compressed. 685 pages could have easily been squeezed down to 300 with no loss of information.
October 5, 2018
Great insight into the submarine service. Whatever one might think about the Ballistic Missile vessels, the importance of a submarine (hunter-killer) force cannot be overlooked. This book describes the true excellence of the UK submarine fleet up until recent years. Although it may still be excellent, one wonders whether expertise is being lost and the fleet is really sufficient. Research outside this book reveals that the UK struggles to man/woman the submarines that it has. It is also a disgrace that our surface and airborne ASW capabilities have virtually been absent in current years. This book describes, therefore, something that the UK is losing.
March 22, 2020
Lent to me by someone who once served as a submariner, this isn’t the kind of book I’d usually read (the authors are obviously right-wing in their politics and almost worshipfully in favour of nuclear armaments) but it gave me an insight into a subject I’d never really considered before, and it’s jaw-dropping to discover that the Royal Navy is only *just* emerging from an a damn near total reliance on America for its submarine technology. The level of technical jargon can be overwhelming, though, and Hennessy and Jinks deliver much of the book in a leaden prose style.
February 17, 2020
Very interesting, and clearly researched to a great depth... awful pun wasn't intended!
As someone else said, the best bit is probably the coverage of the submarines' role in the Falklands, I also enjoyed a lot about the decision making that went into what to build and when, and some of the challenges involved there.
At the same time, it's a rather dense 687 pages, it's not a sit down and just enjoy reading type book.
As someone else said, the best bit is probably the coverage of the submarines' role in the Falklands, I also enjoyed a lot about the decision making that went into what to build and when, and some of the challenges involved there.
At the same time, it's a rather dense 687 pages, it's not a sit down and just enjoy reading type book.
July 13, 2020
Lots of depth with this book, which takes the form of a series of chronologically ordered stories from various characters in the submarine service usefully glued together with some context for the uninitiated. Fascinating read giving insight into the goals (and thus behaviours) of various different submarine types, and ends with some brief speculation into how what was seen during the Cold War may currently apply. This speculation takes a while to get to - the book is long.
August 23, 2021
This book is an exhaustive look at the development of the submarine service in Britain. What makes this book so interesting is that it looks at the political, financial, strategic, and military aspects of the decisions to deploy new generations of nuclear submarines in the UK. Although no decisions ever precluded Britain laminating its submarine force, there were times when it was very much in question. Fortunately for deterrence reasons, it never happened.
October 1, 2020
A good book on the general history of the Royal Submarine service post WW2. As to be expected from a general history it lacks the detail and specifics of other books but it is a very good read for directing you on where to go next.
July 19, 2021
Good read
Interesting read on development of the post war submarine service and the general decline of the RN due to short sighted politicians i.e there on going corruption and greed for the high speed rail.
Interesting read on development of the post war submarine service and the general decline of the RN due to short sighted politicians i.e there on going corruption and greed for the high speed rail.
September 19, 2023
Great book on the British submarine service post-war. Personal highlights are all mentions of Rickover and US-UK relations, Falklands actions, discussions of tracking Soviet forces in the Cold War, discussions of industry, policy and public relations, fleet deployments - so really the whole book.
September 17, 2017
Excellent. Made me interested in submarines.
September 18, 2018
The book to read if you want to know anything and everything about the Royal Navy's submarine service.
October 27, 2018
A tremendous insight into British cold war activities and our strange relationship with the United States. The stories regarding Admiral Rickover are an amusing highlight.
July 10, 2019
An excellent tale of derring-do.
July 19, 2019
Very detailed! Impressive research and ideal for someone who finds that level of detail fascinating but at times was too much for me
July 19, 2021
Fascinating
February 19, 2023
Revealing and, thus, interesting. Satisfied my burning curiosity to learn about the British submarine program and the underlying functionality behind the British nuclear deterrent.
September 3, 2025
The Silent Deep compellingly conveys the thrill, adventure and huge contribution of Royal Navy submarines. Reminded me of stories told by an ex-Soviet submariner friend from Tajikistan.
March 3, 2017
A broad look at UK submarine policy and activity since 1945. This book covers technical aspects (testing ideas concerning new propulsion systems, sonar techniques, hulls, etc), politics (moving from diesel to nuclear, the Bomb), and personal (how does a commander justify firing a nuclear warhead? what is it like spending months from home with limited messaging capabilities).
The author makes it plain from the beginning that this is not an official history but was supported by the RN and as such contains a lot great deal of interviews and official documentary evidence. Some parts of the narrative break off with a sad comment that information is still subject to state secrecy, understandable as these events could harm the security of submarine operations, or because events could be politically harmful even now, although it does detail two occasions when British submarines collided with Soviet vessels. The author ably relates otherwise dry areas such as ministerial debates while also distilling the essence of the combat operations during Operation Corporate in a way that a layman can understand.
Overall a valuable addition to the shelf of anyone with interest in military history, political debate over military issues, and the Cold War. The final chapter is already dated as it was written in 2011 when Dreadnought was still called Successor and the Astutes were still starting their shakedowns.
The author makes it plain from the beginning that this is not an official history but was supported by the RN and as such contains a lot great deal of interviews and official documentary evidence. Some parts of the narrative break off with a sad comment that information is still subject to state secrecy, understandable as these events could harm the security of submarine operations, or because events could be politically harmful even now, although it does detail two occasions when British submarines collided with Soviet vessels. The author ably relates otherwise dry areas such as ministerial debates while also distilling the essence of the combat operations during Operation Corporate in a way that a layman can understand.
Overall a valuable addition to the shelf of anyone with interest in military history, political debate over military issues, and the Cold War. The final chapter is already dated as it was written in 2011 when Dreadnought was still called Successor and the Astutes were still starting their shakedowns.
May 1, 2023
The Silent Deep is clearly a labour of love by two people deeply passionate about telling the story of the British submarine service since 1945. The quality of writing, attention to detail and depth of research throughout is outstanding – and is maintained consistently for 687 pages – a very impressive achievement. The research is very well done, and includes numerous primary sources, as well as well-chosen secondary sources. The style of writing is fast-paced and engaging, making this a good read for people who might struggle with dryer texts.
The book charts the course of Britain’s submarine operations since the end of the second world war, and contains an engaging discussion of the debates over first nuclear propulsion and then ballistic missile submarines, the relationship with the US, Cold War operations, the Falklands War, and the post-Cold War environment. The authors had robust support from the RN, and it shows in the breadth and depth of information provided.
The authors, however, are not naval specialists, and very occasionally there will be odd turns of phrase like “a heavy Japanese cruiser” (rather than “a Japanese heavy cruiser”), or slips like restating the oft-repeated myth that ASDIC was an acronym. None of these are material, they are very rare, and are very minor blemishes on an otherwise excellent achievement.
As well as the text, there are five plates sections (with colour photos where available, particularly for photos relating to the second half of the period covered), thorough referencing, an appendix with profiles and statistics of key submarines during the period for the British, Americans and Soviets/Russians and maps (helpfully located at the front of the book, so easy to find) and a five-page glossary.
All up, as long as someone isn’t daunted by its size (and it is an easy read, so the pages go past pretty easily), it’s an easy recommendation for anyone interested in the British Royal Navy, it’s submarine service, submarine operations in the Cold War or post-WW2 naval history more generally.
The book charts the course of Britain’s submarine operations since the end of the second world war, and contains an engaging discussion of the debates over first nuclear propulsion and then ballistic missile submarines, the relationship with the US, Cold War operations, the Falklands War, and the post-Cold War environment. The authors had robust support from the RN, and it shows in the breadth and depth of information provided.
The authors, however, are not naval specialists, and very occasionally there will be odd turns of phrase like “a heavy Japanese cruiser” (rather than “a Japanese heavy cruiser”), or slips like restating the oft-repeated myth that ASDIC was an acronym. None of these are material, they are very rare, and are very minor blemishes on an otherwise excellent achievement.
As well as the text, there are five plates sections (with colour photos where available, particularly for photos relating to the second half of the period covered), thorough referencing, an appendix with profiles and statistics of key submarines during the period for the British, Americans and Soviets/Russians and maps (helpfully located at the front of the book, so easy to find) and a five-page glossary.
All up, as long as someone isn’t daunted by its size (and it is an easy read, so the pages go past pretty easily), it’s an easy recommendation for anyone interested in the British Royal Navy, it’s submarine service, submarine operations in the Cold War or post-WW2 naval history more generally.
February 11, 2017
parts of this book are excellent
others are trying
interesting history
others are trying
interesting history
April 28, 2016
This was a lengthy, arduous read. I felt it concentrated too much on the command and political point of view when I would have preferred a little more insight to life on board for the crew. You can only take so many dry facts about intelligence gathering from the Soviets during the Cold war.
The section covering the Falklands conflict was the most interesting part of the book together with Polaris/Trident deterrent. That is to say up to around the 70% mark when I abandoned ship, so to speak. If you want a book that details the history of the Submarine service fact by fact then this is the book for you. I found the dozens of footnotes annoying and all the dozens of quotes in smaller print also annoying particularly as I have the e-version.
The section covering the Falklands conflict was the most interesting part of the book together with Polaris/Trident deterrent. That is to say up to around the 70% mark when I abandoned ship, so to speak. If you want a book that details the history of the Submarine service fact by fact then this is the book for you. I found the dozens of footnotes annoying and all the dozens of quotes in smaller print also annoying particularly as I have the e-version.
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