Anson's Navy: Building a Fleet for Empire, 1744 to 1763

By Brian Lavery

When the Royal Navy of Great Britain of the Age of Sail is envisioned, it tends to be recalled through the glories of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. In this period, the Royal Navy ruled the seas with famous victories such as the Glorious First of June, Camperdown, the Nile, and Trafalgar. In short, what is most readily recalled is Nelson's Navy, which Lavery touched on in an earlier book. However, before Nelson could command his formidable forces, they had to be created, and Lavery traces their origins to the often-overlooked middle of the eighteenth century and the forceful series of changes pushed through by George, Lord Anson.

While the Royal Navy had achieved note in both the Anglo-Dutch Wars and the War of Spanish Succession, it was an outdated and lumbering beast heading into the 1730s and 1740s. Ill-suited to the changing face of warfare, Lavery sees Lord Anson's successful circumnavigation and capture of a richly-stocked Spanish treasure ship in 1744 as being a moment of renewed pride for a flagging naval service.

More importantly, combined with his victorious command at the First Battle of Finisterre three years later, in 1747, Anson was propelled rapidly up the ranks, reaching First Lord of the Admiralty from 1751 to 1756 and 1757 to 1762. While he entered the office with no major reforms in mind, Anson repeatedly rose to the task of repairing notable deficiencies within the Royal Navy, including the need for new ships of the line, officer pools deficient in talent, and a lack of modernized naval tactics.

Over the course of thirteen chapters, Lavery weaves together a multitude of factors that served to affect the reformed shape of the modernizing Royal Navy. From an ongoing mixture of rivalry and collaboration between the navy boards and the Admiralty to the internal workings of Parliament and the quality of available men and ships, Anson's challenge is shown in its nearly Sisyphus-like nature. While less detailed than some die-hard naval enthusiasts might prefer, the flowing prose allows readers to engage with the monumental work that Anson achieved without becoming lost in the haze of minutia. In this way, the book quickly proves its worth as an addition to almost any shelf, particularly when paired with Lavery's two most similar titles Nelson's Navy: The Ships, Men, and Organisation, 1793-1815, and Churchill's Navy: The Ships, Men and Organisation, 1939-1945. Those of a more scholarly inclination will doubtlessly appreciate the extensive bibliography, which encompasses multiple centuries of primary and secondary sources, as well as the general layout which allows for a smooth narrative flow. Those of a more casual enthusiast mindset likewise will appreciate that the book does not come to be bogged in the minutia but rather focuses on delivering an easy-to-understand level of information which can then be used to supplement additional research into the era of Anson.

• Barnsley, Seaforth Books, 2021
• Anapolis, Naval Institute Press, 2021
• 10” x 11-1/2”, hardcover, 208 pages
• Illustrations, drawings, maps, notes, bibliography, index. $70.00
• ISBN: 9781399002882

Reviewed by: Michael Toth, Texas Christian University

Maritime London: An Historical Journey in Pictures and Words

By Anthony Burton

This book, as the title suggests, explores the maritime world of London from its humble origins as Roman settlement, through its rise to one of the great global entrepôts, and into its continued maritime tradition today. Burton defines maritime London as the waterways of the Thames River and all other waterways used by Greater London, a history involving mariners, shipbuilders, watermen, lifesaving organizations, and countless others who made London one of the premier ports in the world.

Beginning with bronze age maritime archaeological discoveries and Roman Londinium, Burton weaves a narrative of a town whose very identity was built on the water. Medieval and early modern naval warfare transformed London from a modest port town into a shipbuilding and naval center for the English crown. Burton uses written documents, pictorial and archaeological evidence to convey the rise of London shipbuilding and maritime traffic into the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Local river traffic too represented an important part of life in the London area. Ferries and barges carried people and cargo in an era when the river formed a highway through London and the surrounding port towns. Royal processions and competitions used these vessels too, tying London’s culture to its riverfront.

“The story really begins with improvements to Britain’s rivers” writes Burton at the beginning of his chapter on canals, which he argues revolutionized Greater London’s waterways. Systems of locks and canals reached new towns and connected the Thames to the surrounding countryside, enabling canal barges to transport freight and passengers and make rough and mobile livelihoods for entire households. The rise of steam engine propulsion followed canal building to the Thames, a technological revolution that Burton shows through London’s great shipbuilding accomplishments of the nineteenth century namely HMS Warrior and Isambard Brunel’s Great Eastern. The latter portion of the book shifts away from the great ships built and sailed by maritime London to the city’s port. The city’s overcrowded docks were expanded in the nineteenth century, and Burton charts the struggle of dockworkers and the port, which ultimately declined with the rise of container ships that needed wider berths.

The narrative could include more about maritime London’s role in the vast British Empire, but Burton’s chapter on lifesaving and firefighting shows a side of a maritime city that is often overlooked, a testament to the breadth of this history on the Thames area. Additionally, the book features over 130 pictures and illustrations of the ships, canals, and people that made London a maritime metropolis. Burton ties many of these illustrations into the larger narrative so that their number does not distract the reader. Maritime London’s gripping story and valuable visual additions will be of interest to British, maritime, and urban history enthusiasts alike.

• Barnsley, Pen & Sword Transport, 2022
• 8-3/4” x 11-1/4”, hardcover, 144 pages
• Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index. $60.00

Reviewed by: Anthony Peebler, Texas Christian University

HMS Terror: The Design, Fitting, and Voyages of the Polar Discovery Ship

By Matthew Betts

The Arctic and Antarctic, as some might say, are some of last frontiers to be explored on this planet. The history of polar survey expeditions is extensive with a multitude of famous vessels that have ventured into the treacherous environment. When discussing these histories, HMS Terror must be included among the ships that took part in those voyages. Canadian archaeologist Matt Betts has brought together a comprehensive assembly of resources to give a chronological history of HMS Terror that shed insight on its life as a British bomb ship, its success as a polar exploration vessel, and the disaster that befell the ship in 1848. Detailed plans have been organized that show the ship in its various configurations throughout its life, as well the first set of lines plans that show the ship as it was in 1845. These plans are used as a reference in this book as Betts offers an extensive guide to modeling Terror in this later design.

The book is organized into three sections with the first that includes four chapters dedicated to the history of HMS Terror from 1812 to 1848. The second section details the construction of Terror from 1835 to 1845. It includes both plans and historical accounts that allow for an easy understanding of the material. In the third section, Betts outlines his step-by-step methodology for creating a 1:48 scale model of the vessel in its 1845 configuration. In the eighth chapter he discusses his role in the AMC television series ‘The Terror,’ and the 1:1 model of the ship that were based off his plans. The book concludes with discussing the rediscovery of Terror in 2017 and summary of the Canadian Underwater Archaeology Team’s report on the site.

Scholars of history, maritime archaeology, nautical archaeology, avid ship modelers, and enthusiasts of the subject will want to add this book to their libraries. As mentioned previously the book is laid out in a chronological fashion. The scanned images of the original plans, and digitized plans are of high quality and easy to read. Betts has designed a scantling table that goes into minute detail that should prove useful to modelers of this vessel. He is transparent with the challenges he faced in modeling the ship and offers several workarounds for those that might face similar issues. The bibliography is separated into primary and secondary sources, making it easy for the reader to locate documents of interest to them. Coupling the history of Terror and the construction of a scaled model allows the reader to become closer to the vessel, to truly understand the purpose of the vessel. 

• Barnsley, Seaforth Publishing, 2022
• Anapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2022
• 7-3/4” x 10”, hardcover, 240 pages
• Illustrations, drawings, maps, appendix, notes, bibliography, index. $31.95
• ISBN: 9781526783135

Reviewed by: Raymond Phipps, East Carolina University

Atlantic Linchpin: The Azores in Two World Wars

By Guy Warner

Roughly 870 miles west of Lisbon, nine volcanic islands collectively known as the Azores rise from the Atlantic Ocean. Settled by the Portuguese in the fifteenth century, the islands became a crucial victualing station for maritime empires well through the Age of Sail. As World War I raged on, both the Allied and Central Powers recognized the islands’ importance in controlling the commercial sea lanes vital to continuing the war effort. Guy Warner’s Atlantic Linchpin: The Azores in Two World Wars is the product of his research into the military history of the Azores during the two global conflicts, as well as their unique role in the development of the airplane for commercial and military applications.

As German U-boats wreaked havoc across the Atlantic during World War I, Portuguese and American military leaders responded by establishing naval bases on the island of Ponta Delgada. U.S. Navy vessels escorted merchant vessels and countered the U-boat threat through regular patrols and rescue operations. By 1918, Ponta Delgada hosted the U.S. Marines Aeronautic Company and the first successful flights in the Azores. Planes like the Curtiss R-6 flew hundreds of missions in support of the Allied U-boat countermeasures. 

In the fall of 1943, Operation Alacrity brought the Royal Air Force to Lagens Airfield on the island of Terceira. Aircraft from Lagens brought greater air coverage to merchant convoys bound to and from the United Kingdom. By December, U.S. aircraft in the form of two Consolidated Liberators and two Douglas C-54 Skymasters were stationed at Lagens. The Allied aircraft stationed there again played a pivotal role in preventing German U-boats from halting the merchant convoys bringing the sorely needed supplies and materials to continue the war effort. 

The greatest component of Warner’s work is the exhaustive primary source material conveyed to the audience. Warner frequently includes direct quotes from those stationed on the Azores, as well as the local inhabitants. These consist of soldiers’ personal journal entries recounting successful attacks on German submarines and reflections upon garrison life on the islands. To capture the islanders’ perspective, he references several newspapers which expressed the gratitude of the locals towards the Allied soldiers. Including these primary sources gives the audience a glimpse into the efforts of British, American, and Portuguese personnel into constructing and maintaining these remote outposts.

In contrast, these quotes often take away from the author’s own voice and perspective on the source material. So many lengthy direct passages from journals, newspapers, or other accounts can overwhelm readers. Especially those exploring the topic for the first time. Yet, this remains the solitary criticism of Warner’s work and, in fairness, the second half of the book possesses less block quotes than the first. 

Warner’s extensive research conducted on the military and aviation history of the Azores culminates in Atlantic Linchpin. His thorough examination of personal accounts and government documents permits him to brilliantly describe the careful planning and politicking behind the military operations on the islands. He compliments the grander narrative of the formation of American and British aviation presence there with passages from local newspapers and soldiers’ journal entries, portraying the intersection of military and island life. Atlantic Linchpin: The Azores in Two World Wars remains an excellent companion for anyone interested in learning about the naval and aeronautical roles these islands played in, and between, both World Wars. 

• Barnsley, Seaforth Books, 2021
• 7” x 19”, hardcover, 160 pages
• Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index. $44.95
• ISBN: 9781399010900

Reviewed by: William Nassif, University of South Carolina

On Wide Seas: The US Navy in the Jacksonian Era

By Claude Berube

While much has been said about the presidency and times of Andrew Jackson, Claude Berube finds a serious gap regarding the question of the Navy and naval policy under a man who rose to note on the shoulders of his militia service in the War of 1812. He contends that the eight-year period under Jackson saw the beginnings of what would become the modern United States Navy. In particular, with the creation of the Naval Academy, he argues that an increasingly professionalized officer pool emerged. This pool brought ideas and innovativeness, which would serve them well in two wars (the Mexican-American and American Civil Wars) and produce thinkers like Alfred Thayer Mahan. This professionalization was crucial for several reasons, the most important being that the Age of Sail was rapidly transitioning into the Age of Steam. While many still held a deep traditional affection for the stately ships of the line, the increasing reliability of steam made its rise to primacy inevitable. With this new technology came a need for well-trained and knowledgeable commanders, and while not touched on by Berube, an equal need for skilled enlisted engineers. To Berube, Jackson was a man who was not generally overly fond of the Navy, almost certainly in part because of the lack of significant direct control that he could exert on far-flung commanders. Yet, he recognized the significance of waterborne trade in promoting the nation's well-being and the need for a strong navy to protect and promote it. Thus, he worked to strengthen the national navy, albeit without increasing the debt.

Berube has made rich use of many sources, the two most significant of which are the records of the Congressional and Senate Naval Committees and the court-martial records of the period. This allows him to show how there was ongoing serious debate around the Navy and how to supply and expand it- some of which never made it into the broader Congressional chambers- but also demonstrates how the Navy was moving towards being a more formalized and standardized service. In particular, by increasingly standardizing punishments for various infractions, the Navy was, in a sense coming into maturity as a modern professional military service where all persons could have a generally shared experience regarding how things were supposed to work.

In stepping away from the overt land focus of typical Age of Jackson research, Berube has ensured that his contribution to the field will not soon be overshadowed. Future historians will almost certainly refer to the paths of inquiry that it has opened up. Further, by placing the origins of the professionalized Navy in this period, he also brings the navy into the broader military history discussion, which often overlooks the contributions and importance of maritime events, particularly in the Early Republic. Long known for his land-based military accomplishments, Jackson now might be seen as possessing some Live Oak in his grove of Hickory.

• Tuscaloosa, University of Alabama Press, 2021
  
• 6-1/4” x 9-1/4”, hardcover, xiii + 234 pages
  
• Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index. $54.95
  
• ISBN: 9780817321079
  

Reviewed by: Michael Toth, Texas Christian University

Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read

By Rebecca Alexandra Simon

With the thousands of publications about the histories of different male pirates from throughout history, it is refreshing to read one focused on the female. Rebecca Alexandra Simon has published what she describes as the first full length biography of the pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Beyond telling the stories of these female pirates, Simon sets the goal of giving insight into the world these women existed in, specifically regarding their gender, and how they continue to be cultural icons today.

Staring with a discussion on period politics Simon gives early insight into the lives of not only Bonny and Read, but also their mothers. Interestingly, both Bonny and Read come from similar situations where the mothers conceived their daughters out of wedlock and chose to conceal their daughters by dressing them as boys.

As Simon describes the exciting duels, love trysts, and drama that unfolds in these women’s stories, she continues to include engaging discussions on the world that these events unfolded in. Early in her life when Bonny joins the military, Simon includes information about the different ongoing military conflicts that Bonny would have participated in. This information illustrates the world that shaped Bonny in her early years, unknowingly training her to become a pirate later in her life.

Simon dedicates almost a whole chapter exclusively to a discussion on the politics surrounding piracy and how they would affect the lives and pirating careers of Bonny and Read. The detailed look at the world of pirates during this time helps draw a contrast between the worlds they had grown up and the ones they were now entering.

Ultimately, both women end up on the ship of Jack Rackham (aka Calico Jack). During her discussion on Bonny and Read’s careers with Rackham, Simon gives an intriguing look at the geography, economics, and politics that would have influenced Rackham’s choices.

Simon’s final chapter concludes with a discussion on some of the more prominent publications on Bonny and Read over the last three hundred years. She starts with an intriguing description of the history of Captain Charles Johnson’s General History of Pirates, and ends her chapter with a look at the modern television series “Black Sails.” She finishes with the conclusion that Bonny and Read’s, “memory is alive and well and will remain so for years to come.”

In conclusion, Simon’s publication and writing style is one that will hold the reader’s attention. The information that Simon provides to create context for the narratives is intriguing and greatly adds to the stories. The publication would be improved with a few more citations regarding some the facts presented. Ultimately, Simon has successfully met the goals that she set out for herself of giving insight into the world these women existed in, specifically regarding their gender, and how they continue to be cultural icons today.

• Barnsley: Pen & Sword History, 2022
  
• 6-1/2” x 9-1/2”, hardcover, xxii + 181 pages
  
• Illustrations, appendices, notes bibliography, index. $32.95
  
• ISBN: 9781526791306
  

Reviewed by: Christine Brin, North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort

Secret Projects of the Kriegsmarine: Unseen Deigns of Nazi Germany’s Navy

By Nico & Alessio Sgarlato


I was expecting to read about the German Navy's secret and unseen successful projects leading up to and including World War 2 for new combatant craft. However, my takeaway after reading this book was the large number of cited designs, while often creative, had serious flaws ending in either incomplete or failed outcomes. This came as a surprise to me given that the Germans have a long-standing reputation for excellent engineering that, among other endeavors, produced a wide variety of novel and successful military aircraft, rockets, land-based vehicles and armament systems. On the other hand, perhaps these numerous failures were typical for ALL combatants but (to my knowledge) few, if any, books have been written addressing this aspect of warfare. Probably the winners of such conflicts are unlikely to confess or reveal their less successful efforts?

Having said this, I feel that any student or enthusiast of all things warfare may find this an interesting read given the numerous and detailed examples of the challenges facing a technically advanced military (such as Germany's). The authors are to be commended for their research and the amazing amount of related information. At times I even felt that there might have been too much detailed information provided, but I also feel the authors needed to share what they had discovered. In my view, this is not necessarily a book for a large market but is certainly commendable for its detailed and authentic research plus unusual subject matter.

• Barnsley: Greenhill Books, 2022
  
• 6-3/4” x 9-3/4”, hardcover, ix + 182 pages
  
• Photographs, drawings, bibliography. $63.00
  
• ISBN: 9781784386970
  

Reviewed by: Robert Johnson, Largo, Florida

Shipping on the Thames & the Port of London During the 1940s-1980s: A Pictorial History

By Malcolm & Reg Batten

Reg Batten was a professional photographer who worked for a London photography business. He had a lifetime interest in shipping; especially that on the nearby Thames River. After retiring in the mid-1970s he began to visit the Port of London to photograph its marine activity. He continued to do so until 1983. Now his son Malcom has organized Reg’s photographs as well as some of his own in a handsome picture history published by Pen & Sword Transport.

The photos in the 223-page book are organized topically into chapters; each chapter dealing with a different type of shipping. There are also a number of brief essays on topics relating to the docks and the shipping that visited them. The book is printed on glossy paper and the photographs that usually take up half or all of this large format book are crisp and clear. The range of dates given in the book’s title, 1940-1980s is somewhat of a misnomer. Readers will find few photographs of subjects before the 1970s.

After the usual introductory remarks, the book begins with an essay about The Port of London Authority, (PLA) the organization founded in 1909 to manage the huge collection of enclosed docks along the Thames River; the largest in the world. The book includes a series of maps showing the docks. It took considerable effort on my part to mentally stitch these together into an understandable whole. Entered and exited by a series of locks these very large impoundments allowed vessels to dock, unload and load unaffected by tides in the river. While the essay nicely explains the history and organization of the PLA, I wish that the author had included more technical details of the operation of the locks and impoundments that they served. Another interesting essay described in better detail the central hydraulic system that the PLA built to operate the hundreds of cranes along the waterfront.

By far the largest chapter deals with photographs of “Cargo Shipping;” Thames barges, general cargo ships, tankers, coasters, colliers, container ships, and so on. Most of these pictures are formal portraits taken from the bow or stern quarter. This is understandable as Mr. Batten would not have had access to take photographs on board. Of interest to ship modelers is the overall appearance of these working vessels. While it seems that many modelers want to add realism with dirt and rust, most of those that Mr. Batten photographed appear to be well maintained. Of particular interest to me are several photographs of the Lykes LASH (Lighter Aboard Ship) vessels. These American-flagged ships competed against container ships in the 1980s.

The rest of the book includes chapters on Passenger Ships, Service Vessels, and other miscellaneous visitors to the port. I especially enjoyed the more detailed photographs of the smaller service vessels. Most spectacular are the photographs of the very large floating cranes owned and operated by the PLA. One is shown lifting the steam locomotive Flying Scotsman into the hold of a ship for a voyage to Australia. One of these large floating cranes would be an unusual and interesting subject for an ambitious modeler.

Economic change is often bittersweet, and the book reflects this. The vibrant activity around the docks and the coming and going of handsome, well-maintained ships has been replaced with upscale high-rise housing incorporating vestiges of the area’s industrial past, entertainment venues, and even an airport. But the Port of London has not died. Where it once sprawled for twenty plus miles along the Thames from the Tower of London to Tilbury, it has now been concentrated at its downstream end around Tilbury.

Readers with an interest in late twentieth-century shipping will appreciate this wonderful collection of photographs taken during the time when the industry was being transformed from transportation of traditional break-bulk to containerized cargo.

• Barnsley: Pen & Sword Transport, 2022
  
• 9-3/4” x 11-1/4”, hardcover, 228 pages
  
• Extensive photographs, maps. $60.00
  
• ISBN: 9781399018401

Reviewed by: C. Roger Pellett, Duluth, Minnesota

German and Italian Aircraft Carriers of World War II

By Douglas C. Dildy & Ryan K. Noppen

German and Italian Aircraft Carriers of World War II, by Douglas C. Dildy and Ryan K. Noppen dives into the aborted efforts of these two Axis powers to create a seagoing air arm to combat England in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

Forty-eight pages, packed with period photographs, color artwork, and a fast-moving text tell the story in chronological fashion, starting with German efforts in World War I to create seaplane carriers for scouting purposes, due to the slow speed of the Zeppelin airships in this role. Very surprising is the early plan for an actual aircraft carrier, Ausonia, a converted ocean liner envisaged in 1918! Events, of course, ended that plan, but the seed of the ocean liner-to-carrier conversion idea were planted, and there is a full-color rendering of Europa, a 1942 conversion that was eventually cancelled due to the reduction of performance that such a conversion would have resulted in.

The authors move on to Nazi Germany’s Plan Z, which called for a true flush-decked fleet carrier, Graf Zeppelin, which was laid down, and proceeded to about 85-percent completion before war’s end. The authors lavish some detail on this ship, its construction, and the turmoil that eventually sealed its fate. There is a section on the proposed aircraft for this carrier, Bf 109T (Toni) fighters, Ju 87C-0 dive bombers (with folding wings), and Arado Ar 96B-1 naval trainers. There is even mention (and a rare photograph) of the proposed Me 155 shipboard fighter—I had never seen this before.

Two more proposed converted carriers, Elbe and Weser are covered briefly, with color renderings and concise information. Other considered projects are mentioned, and all then comes to a screeching halt with an order from Hitler stopping all work on these (and other) ships. This effectively brought Nazi Germany’s aircraft carrier projects to a close.

The authors move on to Italy next, and we meet the very forward thinking 1920s Italian Navy Chief of Staff, Thaon di Revel, who envisioned conversion of battleships into flush-decked aircraft carriers as far back as the early 1920s. Although several conversions were indeed started, and others planned, the rise of Mussolini soon aborted the projects. The Regia Aeronautica had full control of air matters, and its leadership had no interest in aircraft carriers. Italy did have an operational seaplane carrier, Giuseppe Miraglia, but it was very limited in capability.

The pressure of a losing war against Britain finally forced the Italians to begin conversion of a liner, Roma, into the fleet carrier Aquila (Eagle). Superficially similar in appearance to Graf Zeppelin, Aquila was an ambitious design, and was to have had radar and an air group of about fifty aircraft. Much German technology was incorporated, as the Italians had no experience in building carriers. Italy’s collapse in 1943, however, ended the project.

This volume, although compact, is fascinating reading, and contains details I had never known about the events and people surrounding these mysterious ships. Many pictures were new to me, and the statistics are presented in a clear, understandable format. Recommended!

• Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2022
  
• 7-1/4” x 9-3/4”, softcover, 48 pages
  
• Illustrations, bibliography, index. $19.00
  
• ISBN: 9781472846761
  

Reviewed by: Rick Cotton, Katy, Texas

Balchen’s Victory: The Loss and Rediscovery of an Admiral and his Ship

By Alan Smith

HMS Victory is a name synonymous with Vice-Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson and British naval power. Yet, Nelson’s Victory was not the first Victory, nor the only Victory with an influential role in shaping British sea power. An earlier HMS Victory, its commander Admiral Sir John Balchen, and their loss in 1744 led to significant change in British ship design and construction that allowed for the successes of later British Admirals, including Nelson. Balchen’s Victory rediscovers the importance of Admiral Sir John Balchen and his HMS Victory on reforming British naval power and laying the groundwork for future glory. Alan M. Smith, a former international shipping journalist and current volunteer at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, sets out to explore the intwined lives of Balchen and his Victory through exploring written, visual, and physical evidence. This story presents an intrinsic link between the commander and his ship and their invaluable influence on reforming the Royal Navy.

Smith deftly weaves a story of an admiral and his ship from their conception through their loss and subsequent rediscovery. This story begins at the end with the loss. With this scene of loss set, Smith weaves together different sources of evidence, including artwork, poems, and newspaper articles, to exhibit the importance, mystery, and sadness shrouding the loss. He couples the stories of loss and lamentation with the life histories of both Balchen and HMS Victory. These life histories, as Smith shows, parallel one another. Beginning about the same time, both admiral and ship went through a series of trials, successes, and rests before their connection. Smith brings the story back to the loss with the discovery of the shipwreck and the legal battles over the preservation of the site.

Balchen’s Victory balances biographies of the admiral and the ship with an exposé of the state of the Royal Navy of the early eighteenth century. The breadth of available evidence allows Smith to weave the separate yet parallel life histories together to show the importance of both to their contemporaries. Smith simultaneously illuminates through these histories the state of the Royal Navy shipbuilding enterprise at the time. Balchen through his experiences called for reform to shipbuilding tactics and hull designs, while HMS Victory showed the need for these changes. Smith’s writing style and use of a variety of sources shows the importance of the Navy to Britain’s political aspirations and British society. 

Smith brings together this story of Balchen and HMS Victory to show that the admiral and his flagship were more than the tragedy of their loss. Following similar works that have reanalyzed similar tragedies, Smith adeptly weaves a narrative of adventure for both the admiral and the ship with the repercussions of their loss. Without the role Balchen and HMS Victory played in both service and loss, the Royal Navy reformations that allowed for future naval dominance would have progressed much slower. Balchen’s Victory offers an example of the importance of analyzing the lives and contributions of lesser-known men and ships. More importantly, it illuminates the need to rediscover tragic losses through the lens of their contributions to future improvements.

Reviewed by: Allyson Ropp, North Carolina Office of State Archaeology