Westbound, Warbound

by Alexander Fullerton

In 1939, as the S.S. PollyAnna sails from Cardiff on yet another tramping voyage, the world is shifting into war. By the time the ship has discharged her coal, Chamberlain has warned Hitler that Britain will stand by Poland—and Poland is invaded on the day she enters the Suez Canal, bound for Calcutta. It’s September 1st, a Friday; on Sunday the 3rd, when Britain declares war, PollyAnna is ploughing south through the Red Sea. The crew has no idea that a fortnight earlier, the German pocket-battleship Admiral Graf Spee left Wilhemshaven, slipping away into the Atlantic under cover of darkness. Her mission is to seek out and destroy all the British and Allied merchant vessels she can find. Five days out of Cape Town, PollyAnna is westbound for Montevideo, Uruguay—which, as it happens, is just where the Graf Spee is heading.

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II

281 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Alexander Fullerton (1924–2008) was a British author of naval and other fiction. Born in 1924 in Suffolk and brought up in France, he was a cadet during the years 1938-1941 at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth from the age of thirteen. He went to sea serving first in the battleship Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean, and spent the rest of the war at sea - mostly under it, in submarines.

Fullerton's first novel SURFACE! sold over 500,000 copies. Then he worked on the 9-volume Nicholas Everard series that made his reputation.

Series:
* Nicholas Everard Saga
* Rosie Ewing

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[Johnny · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read on the cover that this novel was connected to the sinking of the Graf Spee, I was instantly hooked. I couldn’t figure out why a tramp steamer (rather inappropriately named Pollyanna) would have been even peripherally involved in that famous incident (where three British cruisers took down a pocket battleship or Panzerschiffe), but I knew that Alexander Fullerton is brilliant in terms of depicting nautical action, and so I grabbed the book.
Third mate Andy Holt is the protagonist of Westbound, Warbound, a soon-to-turn 21-year-old merchant navy sailor from a family tradition of sailors. Part of his baggage is that he believes he is contributing as much or more to the war effort in his role as those in the Royal Navy provide in fighting ships. His mother and father don’t agree, but Andy knows that he is risking his life to get raw materials across the seas for the war effort.
Fullerton is strongest in describing nautical procedures and considerations. My personal favorites have usually been “Age of Fighting Sail” novels, but I have very much enjoyed Philip McCutchan’s “Halfhyde” series (first ten volumes) set in the late 19th century, Max Hennessy’s Kelly Maguire trilogy set in WWII, and Fullerton’s “Everard” series of WWI naval action (two out of the first three). Unlike the Hennessy trilogy, don’t expect broadsides and ranging shots in Westbound, Warbound. This novel is about dealing with uncertainty, coping with weather conditions, port authorities, questionable sources, and a fascinating boarding action almost reminiscent of fighting sail. Each consideration ends up with its own repercussions and, while the pacing sometimes follows the details of shipboard procedures (for good and bad), there is an overriding tension due to the proximity of, initially, the Graf Spee and those near-ubiquitous U-boats.

For me, even the process of adjusting the ship to fill the holds with ore was fascinating, as well as details like the use of “fog guns” and “ramming” techniques. The interpersonal aspects seemed like Fullerton was setting up for a sequel, but I am unaware of such. Indeed, one wonders if it would be possible to sustain high seas adventure on a tramp steamer. Since goodreads lists it as Andy Holt Naval Thrillers #1, though, I guess more are out there or to be expected,

[7$MartyQ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read

This book is my first about the British Merchant Marine Navy, and it clearly shows the difficult times that this branch of the wartime services had to live through,
The German U boats were a formidable force at the outset of the war and until sometime in 1942 when the allies finally found an answer to that threat were sinking allied merchant ships bound for England in an attempt to bring her to her knees.

[James Stein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good read

I've been a fan of naval warfare novels for years, from the first Hornblower book to the good ones I find today. So at first glance this book didn't appear to be what I usually read but was a pleasant surprise when I found it interesting and well worthy of being read. It is naval warfare from a different perspective but no less exciting and does such a good job of telling a story about the merchant marines of WW11. I'd recommend this.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[John Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

. Overall a good read

Slow in places but gripping in others. Overall a good read well written seafaring tale of world war 2 merchant navy

[Kurt Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just wasn't for me.

[Wwkeeler · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is rare when I can't finish any book, especially historical naval fiction, but this was not even close.