The Royal Navy battleship HMS Rodney was one of the most famous warships of the Second World War and remains a legend in the pantheon of naval history. In May 1941 Rodney turned Bismarck, the pride of Hitler's navy, into twisted metal, then participated in hard-fought Malta convoys and later supported the D-Day landings. Rodney's vital role, via formidable naval gunfire support, in breaking the morale of German troops during the battle for Normandy, is outlined here. Through the eyewitness accounts of her sailors and marines we discover what it was like to live and fight in a battleship at war. We learn of the many famous fighting admirals who served in, or commanded, Rodney, including Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham and Admiral Sir John Tovey. The stories of previous British warships to carry the name Rodney, dating back to the 1750s, are covered too, including the vessel that took on the batteries at Sevastopol during the Crimean War. In addition to a fresh perspective on Bismarck's destruction, the author seeks to present new insights into the inter-war mutiny that saw Rodney dubbed 'the Red Ship' and a bomb hit in 1940 that nearly destroyed her. There is even an account of how a group of HMS Rodney's sailors took part in a trailblazing British commando raid. It all makes for a thrilling, epic account of naval warfare.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Ned Middleton
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
As the illustration on the book's cover reveals, this is a book about the mighty battleship HMS Rodney but, in getting to the subject itself, author Iain Ballantyne provides the reader with 42 fascinating pages of previous Royal Navy vessels of the same name. The first HMS Rodney, for example, was a cutter, the second a 16 gun brig-sloop. With the next being a 74 gun 3rd rate ship of the line and the one after that sporting 92 guns, a picture is painted whereby each successive ship to bear this illustrious name was destined to be larger than its predecessor.
The penultimate Rodney was a Battleship of 10,300 tons launched in 1884 and sold in 1909. Whilst a Battlecruiser of 33,600 tons was ordered in 1916 - as a sister ship to the famous HMS Hood, she was cancelled long before completion. The last HMS Rodney, the subject of this book, was a Battleship of 33,900 tons launched in 1925 and scrapped in 1948 after a career as equally as illustrious as the Admiral after which she was named.
The thing I like most about this book is the attention to detail. HMS Rodney was the last British warship launched with an ornate figurehead - a bust of Admiral Rodney of course. Elsewhere, we learn that, not only was a Royal Marine hanged in 1837 from the yardarm of a previous HMS Rodney, but we also learn much about the implications of his death because he was an Irishman. Whilst that particular incident may be of small consequence to those with an interest in the battleship itself, I mention it in order to underline the fine attention to detail contained within.
This is a book which will reveal something to almost everyone who thought they knew all there was to know about this once great ship. This was one of the capital ships which finally sank the Bismarck, this is the ship which was commanded by Cunningham and later by Tovey - long before they became admirals themselves.
It is a work of supreme research and fascinating insight and I congratulate the author on an excellent achievement.
NM
The penultimate Rodney was a Battleship of 10,300 tons launched in 1884 and sold in 1909. Whilst a Battlecruiser of 33,600 tons was ordered in 1916 - as a sister ship to the famous HMS Hood, she was cancelled long before completion. The last HMS Rodney, the subject of this book, was a Battleship of 33,900 tons launched in 1925 and scrapped in 1948 after a career as equally as illustrious as the Admiral after which she was named.
The thing I like most about this book is the attention to detail. HMS Rodney was the last British warship launched with an ornate figurehead - a bust of Admiral Rodney of course. Elsewhere, we learn that, not only was a Royal Marine hanged in 1837 from the yardarm of a previous HMS Rodney, but we also learn much about the implications of his death because he was an Irishman. Whilst that particular incident may be of small consequence to those with an interest in the battleship itself, I mention it in order to underline the fine attention to detail contained within.
This is a book which will reveal something to almost everyone who thought they knew all there was to know about this once great ship. This was one of the capital ships which finally sank the Bismarck, this is the ship which was commanded by Cunningham and later by Tovey - long before they became admirals themselves.
It is a work of supreme research and fascinating insight and I congratulate the author on an excellent achievement.
NM
By jim
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The HMS Rodney and HMS Nelson are two battleships that I have wanted more information on.
This book gives me what I was looking for with the exception of ships drawings.
Still an excellent book and worth the cost.
This book gives me what I was looking for with the exception of ships drawings.
Still an excellent book and worth the cost.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars
1 review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A most complete work.
Nov 22 2012
By Ned Middleton
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
As the illustration on the book's cover reveals, this is a book about the mighty battleship HMS Rodney but, in getting to the subject itself, author Iain Ballantyne provides the reader with 42 fascinating pages of previous Royal Navy vessels of the same name. The first HMS Rodney, for example, was a cutter, the second a 16 gun brig-sloop. With the next being a 74 gun 3rd rate ship of the line and the one after that sporting 92 guns, a picture is painted whereby each successive ship to bear this illustrious name was destined to be larger than its predecessor.
The penultimate Rodney was a Battleship of 10,300 tons launched in 1884 and sold in 1909. Whilst a Battlecruiser of 33,600 tons was ordered in 1916 - as a sister ship to the famous HMS Hood, she was cancelled long before completion. The last HMS Rodney, the subject of this book, was a Battleship of 33,900 tons launched in 1925 and scrapped in 1948 after a career as equally as illustrious as the Admiral after which she was named.
The thing I like most about this book is the attention to detail. HMS Rodney was the last British warship launched with an ornate figurehead - a bust of Admiral Rodney of course. Elsewhere, we learn that, not only was a Royal Marine hanged in 1837 from the yardarm of a previous HMS Rodney, but we also learn much about the implications of his death because he was an Irishman. Whilst that particular incident may be of small consequence to those with an interest in the battleship itself, I mention it in order to underline the fine attention to detail contained within.
This is a book which will reveal something to almost everyone who thought they knew all there was to know about this once great ship. This was one of the capital ships which finally sank the Bismarck, this is the ship which was commanded by Cunningham and later by Tovey - long before they became admirals themselves.
It is a work of supreme research and fascinating insight and I congratulate the author on an excellent achievement.
NM
The penultimate Rodney was a Battleship of 10,300 tons launched in 1884 and sold in 1909. Whilst a Battlecruiser of 33,600 tons was ordered in 1916 - as a sister ship to the famous HMS Hood, she was cancelled long before completion. The last HMS Rodney, the subject of this book, was a Battleship of 33,900 tons launched in 1925 and scrapped in 1948 after a career as equally as illustrious as the Admiral after which she was named.
The thing I like most about this book is the attention to detail. HMS Rodney was the last British warship launched with an ornate figurehead - a bust of Admiral Rodney of course. Elsewhere, we learn that, not only was a Royal Marine hanged in 1837 from the yardarm of a previous HMS Rodney, but we also learn much about the implications of his death because he was an Irishman. Whilst that particular incident may be of small consequence to those with an interest in the battleship itself, I mention it in order to underline the fine attention to detail contained within.
This is a book which will reveal something to almost everyone who thought they knew all there was to know about this once great ship. This was one of the capital ships which finally sank the Bismarck, this is the ship which was commanded by Cunningham and later by Tovey - long before they became admirals themselves.
It is a work of supreme research and fascinating insight and I congratulate the author on an excellent achievement.
NM
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