Eagles War [978090757953]
Date Added: Wednesday 06. January, 2010
EAGLE'S WAR By Peter Smith
HMS Eagle 1939 to 1942 had a very distinguished career as a FAA Carrier. She served in the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, South Atlantic and the Mediterranean and was finally lost during the famous Operation Pedestal for the relief of Malta..
Eagle's War presents an almost day by day account of her battles and actions as seen through the eyes of former crew members and is a fitting tribute to all who served aboard her or flew from her decks.
I found this book very interesting because it was contributed by men who were actually there. At a recent lecture on the relief of Malta I attended on my Heroes Return cruise, the lecturer, who purported to be a historian, did not mention the FAA once and said the Hurricanes were of no use against the Italian planes and the FAA's operation to deliver Spitfires (Operation Pedestal) was a brilliant idea of Churchill's. No mention was made of the fact that the Royal Navy lost one Aircraft Carrier (Eagle), two Cruisers, a Destroyer and only four Merchant ships got through out of fourteen. Whilst the Spitfires did a great job they would have been of no use without fuel which was supplied by the Tanker Ohio which arrived late, supported by a Destroyer lashed to each side.
To me, this was a classic example of a so called historian getting it wrong again, which made reading Eagle's War so enjoyable.
TAGS Journal - November 2009
HMS Eagle 1939 to 1942 had a very distinguished career as a FAA Carrier. She served in the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, South Atlantic and the Mediterranean and was finally lost during the famous Operation Pedestal for the relief of Malta..
Eagle's War presents an almost day by day account of her battles and actions as seen through the eyes of former crew members and is a fitting tribute to all who served aboard her or flew from her decks.
I found this book very interesting because it was contributed by men who were actually there. At a recent lecture on the relief of Malta I attended on my Heroes Return cruise, the lecturer, who purported to be a historian, did not mention the FAA once and said the Hurricanes were of no use against the Italian planes and the FAA's operation to deliver Spitfires (Operation Pedestal) was a brilliant idea of Churchill's. No mention was made of the fact that the Royal Navy lost one Aircraft Carrier (Eagle), two Cruisers, a Destroyer and only four Merchant ships got through out of fourteen. Whilst the Spitfires did a great job they would have been of no use without fuel which was supplied by the Tanker Ohio which arrived late, supported by a Destroyer lashed to each side.
To me, this was a classic example of a so called historian getting it wrong again, which made reading Eagle's War so enjoyable.
TAGS Journal - November 2009
Rating: 
[4 of 5 Stars!]
[4 of 5 Stars!]
