British Warships in the Age of Sail 1817 – 1863 (HC) – Historic Naval Fiction

The final instalment of Rif Winfield’s epic series on the Design Construction, Careers and Fates of British warships will be released on 17 April 2014. British Warships in the Age of Sail 1817 – 1863 is now available for pre-order in Hardcover.

The publication of this book sees the completion of a monumental work listing the technical details and career histories of every significant British warship between 1603 and 1863. Following three earlier volumes, this one carries forward the story from the post-Napoleonic War reorganisation of the Royal Navy’s rating system to the end of sail as the principal mode of propulsion. Although apparently well documented, this is a period of great complexity in the procurement and naval architecture of ships. The introduction of steam radically altered the design of vessels under construction and was later retro-fitted to others, while many ‘names’ lived a ghostly existence on the Navy List: ships ordered but not started, and in some cases having their intended draughts altered more than once before being cancelled entirely. This book meticulously sorts out and clarifies these confusions – a major contribution in itself – but for the first time it also provides outline service histories for an era that is largely neglected. Like its companion volumes, the book is organised by Rate, classification and class, with significant technical and building data, followed by a concise summary of the careers of each ship in every class. With its unique depth of information, this is a work of the utmost importance to every naval historian and general reader interested in the navy of the sailing era and the formative years of the steam navy that supplanted it.

via British Warships in the Age of Sail 1817 – 1863 (HC) – Historic Naval Fiction.

A History of the Royal Navy: The Royal Marines (HC) – Historic Naval Fiction

A new book by Britt Zerbe, A History of the Royal Navy: The Royal Marines, is now available for pre-order in Hardcover. It will be released worldwide on 30 August 2014.

The Royal Marines are the elite force of the Royal Navy. Founded in 1755, but tracing their origins as far back as 1664, the Marines are an iconic amphibious infantry force, combining military and naval skills and operations. During World War I, the Marines were key players in the amphibious landings at Gallipoli and in World War II the Marines were active in a number of theatres including the capture of Madagascar and the defence of Crete. In the post-war world, the Marines were active in the ill-fated Suez crisis. Today’s Marines are highly-skilled maritime-focused commandoes who have played a pivotal role in recent conflicts in the Falklands, Afghanistan and Iraq. This book provides a complete history of the force from formation to the present day. As well as covering the campaigns fought by the Marines – from the Napoleonic Wars to the twenty-first century – the book also looks aspects of change and continuity in marine identity over the 300 years of their existence. As the first complete history of the Royal Marines, this book will be essential reading for all military and naval history enthusiasts.

via A History of the Royal Navy: The Royal Marines (HC) – Historic Naval Fiction.