Blockade

'Blockade' is the story of a long-running battle at sea, a battle for trade which both Britain and Germany had to win in order to survive; in particular, it tells the story of the Northern Barrage and the 10th Cruiser Squadron. The Royal Navy's role during WWI in denying Germany access to the sea, trade and vital resources was crucial in helping win the war on the Western Front; the 'Northern Blockade', located across the inhospitable waters between Iceland and Scotland, was to bring the German economy to its knees and destroy her home front morale. Likewise, the Royal Navy's success in negating Germany's attacks on British commerce prevented much suffering in Britain, and the author vividly describes the final destruction of German surface vessel commerce warfare, culminating in the hard-fought battle between the raider SMS Leopard and two British warships. The American reaction to the British naval blockade and to Germany's war on trade and her treatment of American sailors taken prisoner is looked at, while the changes in strategy on both sides through the war and the use of converted liners and armed merchant vessels as warships (AMCs) are examined in detail. With the help of first-hand accounts, the book brings to life the experiences of those who manned the blockade, and creates a vivid picture of the dangers of duty; it lays before the reader a highly significant but, until now, much neglected aspect of the First World War. AUTHOR: Steve Dunn has a special interest in the Royal Navy of the late Victorian, Edwardian and First World War eras. His books include biographies of Admirals Cradock ('The Scapegoat') and Troubridge ('The Coward?') and the story of the first British battleship, Formidable, to be sunk by a torpedo. SELLING POINTS: . Fast-paced narrative describing a crucial but forgotten aspect of the war at sea, and the longest continual naval operation of WWI . Tells the little-known story of the 10th Cruiser Sqaudron 10 illustrations

About the Author :
Steve Dunn has a special interest in the Royal Navy of the late Victorian, Edwardian, and First World War eras. He is the author of The Scapegoat, The Coward?, and the story of the first British battleship, Formidable, to be sunk by a torpedo. He lives in Worcestershire and southwest France.

Review :
"Dunn... tackles several different but related subjects, the operations of cruisers for commerce raiding, trade protection, and the British blockade of Germany... a good read for the student of naval history." - The NYMAS Review "...Blockade will prove a rewarding read for any serious student of naval history." -The NYMAS Review "[T]he physical quality of the book is excellent. The printing is clear, and reproduction of the fifteen centrally located gloss photographs excellent.... Blockade as a text achieves much of what it sets out to do. It recounts for a non-specialist audience an aspect of the naval war that might have been otherwise unfamiliar, and does so in an engaging manner. It contains some reasonable commentary, notes critical factors, achievements, problems and personalities involved." --International Journal of Maritime History