British Battleships 1939–45 (1): Queen Elizabeth and Royal Sovereign Classes

Osprey New Vanguard #154

by Angus Konstam, Tony Bryan (Illustrator), Paul Wright (Illustrator)

With the outbreak of World War II, Britain's Royal Navy and her fleet of battleships would be at the forefront of her defence. Yet from a fleet of 12 battleships, ten were already over 20 years old, venerable veterans of World War I. Extensive modifications throughout the 1930s allowed these ships to perform a vital service throughout the six long years of conflict, and further improvements made during the course of the war enabled them to hold their own against their German and Italian counterparts. This title offers a comprehensive review of the development of these British battleships from their initial commissioning to their peacetime modifications and wartime service. Detailed descriptions of the main armament of each ship will offer further analysis of individual battleships' effectiveness, discussing how the guns were manned when engaging the enemy. Describing HMS Warspite during the battle of Matapan in 1941, the author details how this British battleship, together with other Royal Navy and Australian vessels, defeated the might of the Italian navy so that they never again threatened Allied fleets within the Mediterranean. With specially commissioned artwork and a dramatic retelling of key battleship engagements, this book will highlight what it was like on board for the sailors who risked their lives on the high seas.

Genres: History, Military History, Military Fiction

48 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2009

About the author

Angus Konstam is a Scottish writer of popular history. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland and raised on the Orkney Islands, he has written more than a hundred books on maritime history, naval history, historical atlases, with a special focus on the history of piracy.

Reviews

[Mike Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easily readable, in depth study on Great Britain's two oldest classes of battleships entering WWII. This work provides a background of the evolution of the Dreadnought as well as the design rationale and development of the Queen Elizabeth and Royal Sovereign classes. There is also a detailed listing of wartime modifications made to each ship of the two classes, followed by a brief service history and photos of each as well.

Highly recommended for fans of Naval Warfare, the Royal Navy or Battleships in general.

[Sean Chick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid book that goes in some detail over the development of British battleship design during the era in question.

[Alfredo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conciso, preciso, bien escrito y fácil de leer.