Tag: navy
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Operation Demon: The Royal Navy’s Daring Evacuation from Greece
In the spring of 1941, the British and Commonwealth forces in Greece faced a grim reality. The German invasion, launched under Operation Marita, had swept through the Balkans with alarming speed. By mid-April, it was clear that the Allied position on the Greek mainland was untenable. What followed was Operation Demon, a hastily organised and…
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The Battle of Cape Matapan: A Turning Point in the Mediterranean
November 2025 sees the release of In Danger’s Hour (preorder for Kindle now), the second part of the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure Series. Following their earlier adventures in For Those In Peril, in this second instalment, we follow the twins’ service throughout 1941, from the Mediterranean to the coast of west Africa. For our central…
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Scapa Flow’s unique role in the Second World War
Tucked away in the windswept Orkney Islands, Scapa Flow is more than just a natural harbour – it is a place steeped in maritime history, a silent witness to the tides of war and peace. While its strategic importance dates back centuries, it was during the Second World War that Scapa Flow truly cemented its…
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Guardians of the Convoys: The Royal Navy’s Destroyers in the Second World War
In the vast and perilous theatres of the Second World War, the Royal Navy’s destroyers stood as vigilant sentinels of the sea. Agile, heavily armed, and endlessly versatile, these ships were the backbone of Britain’s naval defence – protecting convoys, hunting submarines, and engaging enemy forces from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean. In my…
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The role of the WRNS – the Women’s Royal Naval Service
The Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS), affectionately known as the Wrens, holds a distinguished place in British military history. As the women’s branch of the Royal Navy, the WRNS played a vital role in both World Wars and continued to serve with distinction until its integration into the Royal Navy in 1993. As I discovered…
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The first Japanese Kaiten suicide submarine mission: Attack on USS Mississinewa
Eighty years ago today, on 20th November 1944, the Pacific theatre of World War II witnessed a harrowing and unprecedented event: the first successful Japanese Kaiten suicide submarine attack. This tragic chapter unfolded at Ulithi Atoll in the Caroline Islands, marking a desperate and deadly tactic employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Kaiten, translating…
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