Excellent read on the British Arctic Squadron

[John Gilinsky]

The 1922 book "Under the Black Ensign" was published in London, England in 1922 and was written as an autobiographical service oriented memoir by Captain Charles Rupert Gwatkin-Williams. It is excellently written, partially because the author had already written a couple of published books. It is highly recommended for a concise yet very informative first person account by a senior British naval officer associated with the WWI "British Arctic Squadron." The entire book is well scanned and is available for free here:

http://www.archive.org/stream/cu3192402783...ge/n11/mode/2up

John

Toronto, Canada

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Thanks, I've been trying to find the book.

[David B]

Its great to get some these old books which were written whilst the GW was a recent memory, they are generally much more accurate than books written

nearly a century later.

David

[John Gilinsky]

Your'e welcome gentlemen. Since 1991 with the great revival of interest in WWI and Imperial Russia in Russia and former Soviet Union controlled states there have been very interesting discoveries both archivally and archaeologically. Sunken Russian WWI ships and subs, battlefield archaeology (including unfortunately looting and desecration of graves and burial sites) etc.... I posted the notice of this book recently digitized and made available free because of this current great topical interest and because the book really is well written of an obscure theatre of operations. I am glad I helped you out in your interests and/or research objectives.

John

Toronto

[John Gilinsky]

I should also have added that due to the command position of the author, the small scale and isolated obscurity of the theater of operations and that the book came out after the war had ended yet still when it was fresh in the memory of everyone the author was able to furnish numerous details such as ship's names, locations and other local incidents that give a real feel for being up in the Russian Arctic as observed by a British naval officer. Many war time books that are in the same genre are too bland, don't give details (due to war time censorship and the fog of war) and are written with a definite propaganda heavy hand resting on the author's shoulder or indeed in the author's hand.

John

Toronto

[auchonvillerssomme]

Thanks, I've been trying to find the book.

Plenty of the solid ones on abe per.

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchRe...he+Black+Ensign