Cameron in Command

Donald Cameron Naval Thriller #8

by Philip McCutchan

After his unexpected success in North Africa, Donald Cameron receives accelerated promotion to lieutenant-commander RNVR. His first command is HM corvette Briar, with orders to proceed south from Sierra Leone to the Falkland Islands with a sapper demolition party embarked to inhibit a Japanese attack on Port Stanley, a base from which to attack Allied convoys moving to and from the Cape of Good Hope. Despite skirmishes with a U-boat on the passage of the South Atlantic, Cameron reaches the Falklands with his first command in good shape. But trouble lies ahead in the plan to penetrate the maze of inlets behind Cape Horn where the Japanese are believed to be lurking, and to land the sappers who will block the Japanese in with explosives as the enemy warships negotiate the narrowest channel.

163 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

aka Robert Conington Galway, Duncan MacNeil

Philip McCutchan (1920-1996) grew up in the naval atmosphere of Portsmouth Dockyard and developed a lifetime's interest in the sea. Military history was an early interest resulting in several fiction books, from amongst his large output, about the British Army and its campaigns, especially in the last 150 years.

Reviews

[John Rosenberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somebody’s gotta figure this shit out - and sometimes that somebody is you!

[Andrew Riess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing Stops Cameron

Wow! Another high seas adventure. I found this story to be interesting and thrilling. Nothing here like any story that I have ever read.

[Paul J. Petersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

McCutchan writes a good story, and this is another. His detail makes you identify the personalities of each character and the WWII action takes you to a theater that you weren't expecting. This is not the first McCutchan book I have read and his detail extends to slang and terminology I suspect was common at the time, so I assume that this isn't a problem for some history buffs, but it is somewhat of a distraction for an American reader.

[Brian Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb tale of incredible sacrifice

I really enjoyed the latest tale in the series. Sent on an almost suicidal mission to prevent lop a Japanese assault on the Falkland Islands, HMS Briar and her crew face incredible hardship as the tiny corvette go into action, hardly daring to hope they'll survive. Brilliant action scenes and incredible sacrifice means a definite 5 star read.

[Don Brenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps going on and on

This is the story of Donald Cameron's first command of Royal Navy corvette. How his crew And he respond to a special operation and how they overcome averse conditions in the South Atlantic.

[Mr Michael R Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Research?

I enjoyed the 8th instalment of Donald Cameron’s war but Japanese trying to enter the Atlantic via the islands and waterways around the tip of South America. OK I know it’s fiction but….
On to #9 and looking forward to it

[Jeff Pinnock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Navel conflict ww2

This series is the best of navel war books I have read and I have read many I heartily recommend it to all interested in this genre

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, if slightly unlikely, naval story.

[MR BARRY COPLAND · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good description of life at sea during WW2

[John Purvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

“In Command” eBook was published in 2015 (the paper edition was originally published in 1983) and was authored by Philip McCutchan. Mr. McCutchan wrote 45 novels about the Navy. This is the 8th of 14 novels in his “Donald Cameron RNVR” series.

I received a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The setting of this World War II era Thriller novel is a British corvette, the HM Briar. While the newly appointed Captain of the HM Briar, Lieutenant Commander Cameron is the primary character, the view points of several crew members are included.

The Briar is being sent to the Falkland Islands, then on to the channels north of Cape Horn (the southern tip of South America). Intelligence indicates that the Japanese Navy will be sneaking a force through those channels. Once through, they will attack and occupy the Falkland Islands.

The British have little forces to spare to stop the Japanese. The Briar is being set with Army Engineers to blast closed the narrow channel to block the Japanese. The Briar and her crew dodge Japanese aircraft and ships in the frigid, narrow quarters of the channels. The plan is to set the Army Engineers with some of the Briar crew ashore so that they can place charges to block the Japanese. The Briar crew must not only battle the Japanese, but the fowl weather around Cape Horn as well.

I enjoyed the 4 hours spent reading this 150 page novel. This was a relatively short read, but did a good job of describing the perils of war. Even though I had not read prior books in the series, this novel read well on its own. It was a good WWII action Thriller. I look forward to read others in this series. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

[Barbara Mutch]

Just started reading this as background research for my next book, which will be set partly during World War 2. I will have to describe naval scenes so this book, plus the classic, The Cruel Sea, will be hugely useful to get the atmosphere right

[Chris Bohl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series excites

These yarns keep you engrossed and filled with anticipation. As the ships rivets strain; the reader is riveted on the action. Lots of excitement and adventure. Absolutely worth the read .

[William K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast Read

Excellent read, former members of the military will certainly find this book entertaining and believable. Tough situation for new Commander.

[James Holliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

I

I enjoy the author's work. His imagination for a good war story is very good. The way he weaves the events so as not to be to obvious is refreshing.