MEDITERRANEAN MAELSTROM: HMS Jervis and the 14th Flotilla.

UK,8vo HB+protected dw/dj,1st edn. FINE+.FINE+. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp, clean,glossy colour pictorial illustrated front panel of dw/dj,with capitalised,red-lettered part-title and other black-lettered sub-title and author's name; spine/backstrip with similarly coloured+lettered part-title,white lettered author name and publisher's capitalised,white-lettered name to foot of same,rear panel with author's portrait b/w photograph with a potted biography. Negligible shelf-wear,bumping,creasing to edges and corners – no nicks, tears or splits present and appears scoring/indent free. Top+fore-edges clean without foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips,appears unread, other than my own collation. Publisher's bright,crisp,clean, sharp-cornered,original plain blue cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt lettered spine/backstrip,and clean,plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,9- 272pp [paginated] includes a list of illustrations, Acknowledgements,a Preface,VII (7) chapters,profuse contemporary b/w photographs,b/w map,charts, illustrations throughout the text and the book,Appendices (1-5),Sources,a Bibliography and an Index; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,a dedication,and a Contents list/table with first page of illustrations list/table to its reverse. Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional,and particularly internally,the book is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation for a book of its 35+ year-old age. It really is an exceptional, exemplary copy for its cleanliness,brightness and lack of detracting faults,plus its scarcity as an original title out-of- print from this publisher. From the outbreak of WW2 until the conclusion of conflict in Europe HMS Jervis was involved in almost continuous action,first in home waters and then for three years in the Mediterranean.She returned to the UK for the Normandy landings before returning to the Mediterranean to continue her active career. The destroyer flotilla leader, commanded by a succession of outstanding Captain D's, led the 14th Flotilla on numerous day and night actions - classic gun and torpedo attacks on the Italian battle fleet, ship to shore bombardments,submarine hunts,and as escorts of siege supply and invasion convoys.In spite of inadequate and rudimentary anti-aircraft armament,she defended both herself and units under her protection from very many air assaults. HMS Jervis was awarded thirteen battle honours,a position shared by just two other ships of the fleet,the cruiser Orion and Tribal class destroyer Nubian. This is the story of the ship as leader of the 7th and then the 14th Flotilla. G. G Connell,having interviewed many of her officers and men,records the achievements of the Jervis, where possible through first-person accounts.Her fighting career though second to none is surprisingly little known considering the fact that she delivered so many powerful blows to the Axis naval forces in the Mediterranean.This book concentrates on her years at the head of the 14th Flotilla and gives a vivid picture both of vital episodes in the war at sea and what it was like to live aboard a destroyer in wartime. HMS Jervis was a J-Class Destroyer ordered from Hawthorn Leslie at Newcastle on 25th March 1937 under the 1936 Build Programme and laid down on 26th June 1937. The ship was launched by The Hon. Hilda Maud St. Leger Jervis on 9th September 1938 as the first Royal Navy ship to carry the name which commemorates the name of Admiral Sir John Jervis,Earl St Vincent,victor of the Battle of Cape St Vincent 1797. Fitted for use as a Flotilla Leader she had more cabin and office accommodation for use of the Flotilla staff. Her build was completed on 12th May 1939 when she became Leader of the 7th Destroyer Flotilla in the Home Fleet. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in November 19411 this ship was adopted by the civic community of Bath Somerset. Her magnificent record includes the fact that she suffered no casualties from enemy action despite being continuously in hazardous deployments. Only one other ship of the eight in this Class survived WW2. Book is out of print as the publisher ceased trading in the late 1980's.
William Kimber himself,worked for Hutchinson for about 17 years before founding "William Kimber & Co" in 1950.It specialized in aviation, war memoirs,autobiographies and motor-racing titles until 1973 when "Haunted Cornwall" took off and the Ghost Stories became another specialty. The company was bought by Thorsons in 1988,and therefore ceased publishing under that name.
William Kimber was purchased by Thorsons in 1988 and therefore ceased publishing under that name. Thorsons was purchased by William Collins in 1989.William Collins became wholly owned by News Corporation in 1990, and was then incorporated into HarperCollins Publishers. The name of William Kimber has not been used for publishing since that,making all previously published titles by them, out-of-print,under that name. Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight and the value of this item,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,that stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of any inexpensive book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **