Merchantmen in Action: Evacuations and Landings by Merchant Ships in the Second World War

by Roy V. Martin

Overview

During World War 2, the Merchant Navy's main task was to run the German blockade, bringing essential food, fuel and materials to a besieged nation. The civilian crews came from all parts of the Empire and beyond - more than one in six were killed. Even less is known about the part played by merchantmen in evacuations from countries that were overrun. They saved over 90,000 troops from Dunkirk and went on to rescue more than 200,000 troops and civilians from other parts of France. When Singapore fell, the Merchant Navy again helped many to escape. They moved men and materials for the landings of Madagascar, North Africa and the Mediterranean coast of Europe. A British government press release reported that 50,000 volunteer British merchant seamen manned over 1,000 ships for D-Day. They also manned salvage ships, rescue tugs and other specialist craft. Merchantmen in Action tells the story of these other achievements. Chapters include Singapore; the Norwegian campaign; Dunkirk; the Channel Islands; Greece and Crete; Sicily and Italy; the Normandy landings; the South of France, Gibraltar, etc, with detailed ship listing and human stories.

This electronic edition of "Merchantmen in Action: Evacuations and Landings by Merchant Ships in the Second World War" contains 32 illustrations.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940015696813
Publisher:	Fonthill Media LLC
Publication date:	09/19/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

ROY MARTIN joined the Merchant Navy in 1953, serving his four-year apprenticeship on tramp ships, or worldwide traders as the owners preferred to call them. He then spent five years on the Baltic trade, gaining his Master’s Certificate in 1962. From 1964 he was Chief Officer/Navigator of Risdon Beazley’s recovery vessel Droxford; while there he developed his interest in historical research. After gaining further experience he joined the Risdon Beazley management team, where his first job was to get salvage equipment to Brunel’s Great Britain. In 1975 he was appointed general manager of the company, now a subsidiary of the Smit group. He was transferred to manage their Asian company in 1979.

Roy left Singapore in 1986 to resume recovery work with Lyle Craigie-Halkett. They found the Southern Sung wreck off the Chinese coast and undertook an environmental clean-up of the whaling stations in South Georgia. His papers on this second operation are in Southampton City Archives. With Lyle Craigie-Halkett Roy Martin wrote and self-published "Risdon Beazley, Marine Salvor". He is now working on a history of admiralty salvage
and deep-sea rescue towage. He and his wife, June, live near Southampton; they have two children and five grandchildren.