Tag: Second World War
-
HMS King Alfred – the RNVR’s wartime training site
During the Second World War, HMS King Alfred in Hove, Sussex, became the nerve centre for training officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). In this blog, I’ve pulled together some intriguing facts that reveal the importance of this unique establishment. HMS King Alfred plays a key role in my new book – For Those…
-
The Wavy Navy: Seven key things to understand about the RNVR in World War II
The Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) played a pivotal role during World War II, contributing significantly to the Allied war effort. But the initials might mean nothing to some people in the 21st century. The RNVR was established in 1903 to supplement the Royal Navy with trained volunteers. By the time World War II erupted,…
-
Mersey memories breathed life into my novels
Author David Clensy on how decades after their deaths, the lives of both his grandfathers continue to echo through his writing One of my earliest memories is of getting my head stuck between the railings on the Pier Head in Liverpool. I must have only been three or four years old. My grandad would often…
-
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…
-
Understanding the Bombing of Pompeii during World War II
Earlier this year, I released my debut novel Prayer in Time of War. It tells the story of elderly veteran Ernie as he returns to an Italy transformed from his experiences during the Second World War, in search of the girl he left behind in the back streets of Naples half a century before. A visit…
-
Understanding the Battle of Monte Cassino – Ten key facts
Earlier this year, I released my debut novel Prayer in Time of War. It tells the story of elderly veteran Ernie as he returns to an Italy transformed from his experiences during the Second World War, in search of the girl he left behind in the back streets of Naples half a century before. The…
-
Understanding the impact of the 1944 eruption of Mount Vesuvius – Ten key facts
Earlier this year, I released my debut novel Prayer in Time of War. It tells the story of elderly veteran Ernie as he returns to an Italy transformed from his experiences during the Second World War, in search of the girl he left behind in the back streets of Naples half a century before. The…
davidclensy.com 