S. W. Roskill (1903–1982)

While labelled "an Intimate Biography", perhaps this book could be called "A more Intimate Biography", but the author Stephen Roskill was one of the most prominent historians of the Royal Navy of the World War period. Beatty was a "Celebrity" who was placed in the position of seriously influencing world events. WWI was a period when technology had out-paced the education of the sailors trying to exploit it. A good tactician, Beatty is more famous for his flawed performances at Dogger Bank show more and most famously, at Jutland, than for his careful handling of the Grand fleet for the last two years of the war, which culminated in the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in 1918. No one on the German side ever had such a chance at his fleet, as they did against that fleet when under Jellicoe's command. So it's hard to see him as a clumsy fleet handler. And he did fumble his way to victory in the skirmish at Heligoland, and Dogger Bank. Roskill tries to bring some form to the man's career, and succeeds as well as anyone could, I think.. show less

This turns into the story of why the UK settled for building the King George V class of battleships, and the inception and reasons for the creation of the carriers with armoured flight decks that served the allies so well off Okinawa. Roskill has the advantage of being a serving officer during this period, and more correctly translates the naval officers' difficulties with the politicking of this period.

This Volume one, the period of Anglo-American hostility. It covers in clear prose and with adequate maps the creation of the Washington Naval treaties, and the massive cutbacks in planned world armaments. We are also given a description of the history of the Singapore naval base and of its importance in British naval policy in the interwar period. Roskill also investigates the reasons for the rising irritation of the Japanese with the Anglo-american dispensation in the Far East. Well worth show more reading. show less

This is where one begins a serious study of the Commonwealth's war at sea. While there's no mention of the results of Ultra or the other intelligence successes, the text is clear, the Orders of Battle are relatively complete, and the maps are excellent. Capt. Roskill, who commanded HMNZS Leander at the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, does his best to describe the efforts of the Royal and Allied Navies and succeeds in doing so. (A three volume set) Read twice.