Bennett, G.H. & Bennett, R. (1999) Survivors: British Merchant Seamen in the Second World War. Hambledon Press. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Bennett, J.G. (1998) The Rohna Disaster. Xlibris. [The sinking of the troopship Rohna involved the loss of over 1,000 US seamen - the greatest single loss of American lives at sea during WW2. Amazon.com
Browning Jr, R.M. (1996) U.S. Merchant Vessel War Casualties of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Bunker, J. (1995) Heroes in Dungarees: The Story of the American Merchant Marine in World War II. Naval Institute Press. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Butler, J.A. (1997) Sailing on Friday: The Perilous Voyage of America's Merchant Marine. Brasseys Inc. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Cooper, S. (1997) Liberty Ship: The Voyages of the John W. Brown, 1942-1946. Naval Institute Press. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Elliott, G. (1995) Liberty Ships Eastward. Provincial. [The adventures of a young Merchant Marine officer aboard a World War II Liberty ship on the Murmansk run and in other convoys.] Amazon.com
Elphick, P. (1999) Lifeline. Chatham Publishing. [From countless interviews with survivors Elphick has succeeded in portraying what it was really like to serve under the Red Ensign in every theatre of the war. As well as the convoy battles in the North Atlantic and the epic stories of survival at sea by torpedoed sailors, he covers the role of merchant ships in the evacuation of Singapore in 1942 and escapes by merchant seamen from POW camps. This study shows just what the sailors of the Merchant Navy had to face in keeping Britain's "life-line" open.] Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Elphick, P. (2001) Liberty: The Ship That Won the War. Chatham Publishing. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Felknor, B.L. (ed.) (1999) The U.S. Merchant Marine at War, 1775-1945. Naval Institute Press. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Goodman, S. (2001) Fighting Merchantmen. Halsgrove. Amazon.co.uk
Grossmith, F.T. (1994) The Sinking of the 'Laconia': A Tragedy in the Battle of the Atlantic. P. Watkins. Amazon.co.uk
Gunn, G. (1999) Tramp Steamers at War. Gomer Pess. Amazon.co.uk
Gyles, T. & Stobart, N. (1998) Deep Their Grave: Diary of a Merchant Ship & Her Crew During the Battle of the Atlantic 1942. Pod Publications. Amazon.co.uk
Haining, P. (2004) The Jail That Went to Sea: An Untold Story of the Battle of the Atlantic, 1941-42. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Halford, R.G. (1998) Unknown Navy : Canada's World War II Merchant Navy. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
de Hartog, J. (1988) The Captain. Nautical & Aviation Pub Co. [Fictionalized account of Convoy PQ17.] Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Heal, S.C. (2000) A Great Fleet Of Ships: The Canadian Forts and Parks. Naval Institute Press/ Chatham Publishing. [The contribution of Canadian-built cargo ships during the U-boat war.] Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Hoehling, A.A. (1996) The Fighting Liberty Ships: A Memoir (Bluejacket Books). Naval Institute Press. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Hogg, P. (1997) Using Merchant Ship Records. Federation of Family History Societies. Amazon.co.uk
Humphries, S. (1997) The Call of the Sea: Britain's Maritime Past 1900-1960. BBC Books. [Personal reminiscences of Britons in whose lives the sea has played a central role this century. Includes a chapter on 'Sailors at War'.] Amazon.co.uk
Imperial War Museum. (2000) Tracing Your Family History: Merchant Navy. IWM. Amazon.co.uk
Jackson, C. (1996) Forgotten Tragedy: The Sinking of HMT Rohna. [The sinking of the British troopship Rohna involved the greatest single loss of American lives at sea during WWII - l,0l5.] United States Naval Inst. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Jaffee, W.W. (1997) The Lane Victory: The Last Victory Ship in War and Peace. Glencannon Pr. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Johnson, R. (1999) Different Battles: The Search for a World War II Hero. Sunflower Univ Pr. ["Rody Johnson has given us a marvelous story of his research and his quest to uncover the activities of his father in WWII; at the same time he gives us a graphic portrait of the "enemy," the U-Boat captain, and of his father's battle with a another "enemy," alzheimer's disease."] Amazon.com
Jordan, R. (1999) The World's Merchant Fleets, 1939: The Particulars and Wartime Fates of 6,000 Ships. Chatham Publishing. [At the outbreak of war in 1939 over 6,000 ships traded across the world's oceans and they were to become the pawns in the global conflict which was to permeate the operations of every shipping line on every continent. This book gives the details of al those ships which were extant in 1939 and describes the fate of all those which were lost between 1939 and 1945.] Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Kaplan, P. & Currie, J. (1998) Convoy: Merchant Sailors at War 1939-45. Aurum. [Beautifully illustrated 'coffee-table' book with a large selection of interesting quotes.] Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Kennedy, G. (ed) (2000) The Merchant Marine in International Affairs, 1850-1950. Frank Cass Publishers. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Lane, T. (1990) The Merchant Seaman's War. Manchester University Press. [In this strongly recommended book Lane delves behind the popular perceptions of the merchant seamen. Drawing on original research and a wide range of sources he explores the reality of service in the merchant navy during the war. As well as the bravery and tragedy he also sheds light on everyday experiences, grievances and conflicts].
Linskey, B. (1999) No Longer Required. Pisces Press. [The wartime experiences of a merchant seaman who saw action in Atlantic and Arctic convoys, and who spent seven days in a lifeboat after the SS Ashby was torpedoed.] Amazon.co.uk
Lloyds of London. (1989) Lloyds War Losses: The Second World War. Volume 1. Lloyds of London Press. [Volume 1 of the official British list of ship losses, reproduced in a facsimile edition. Provides information on all British, Allied and neutral merchant ships destroyed or captured, analyzed by nationality and cause of loss.] Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Lloyds of London. (1991) Lloyds War Losses: The Second World War. Volume 2. Lloyds of London Press. [Includes a statistical analysis of the contents of volume 1. Also lists casualties not included in volume 1 - vessels posted at Lloyd's as missing or untraced, British, Allied and neutral merchant vessels seriously damaged by war causes and vessels lost by mines or underwater explosions since the cessation of hostilities.] Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Mitchell, W.H. & Sawyer, L.A. (1990) The Empire Ships: A Record of British-Built and Acquired Merchant Ships During the Second World War. LLP. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Mumford, J. Gordon. (2000) The Black Pit...and Beyond. General Store Pub House. [A first-hand account of the experiences of a 17 year-old merchant navy radio officer during WW2. The infamous "black pit" is an area in the Atlantic Ocean where U-boats were able to operate freely on the surface without fear of attack from the air. Mumford's ship, the Scottish Heather, entered the black pit in December 1942. The ship was torpedoed, and the crew put out to sea in a lifeboat. Thus begins a fascinating narrative. A useful review of this book is available.] Amazon.com
Pearce, F. (1998) Heroes of the 4th Service. ISIS. Amazon.co.uk
Reminick, G. (ed) (2000) Patriots and Heroes: True Stories of the Merchant Marine in WWII. GlenCannon Press. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Sanders, J. (1996) A Night Before Christmas. Buccaneer Books. [Describes the sinking S.S. Leopoldville on December 24th, 1944.] Amazon.com
Saunders, D. (1996) Britain's Maritime Memorials. [Lists all the maritime memorials in the UK, county by county.]. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Seedie. (1997) Seedie's List of Awards to the Merchant Navy for World War II. Ripley Registers. Amazon.co.uk
Sellwood, A.V. (1996) The Damned Don't Drown: The Sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff. United States Naval Inst. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Slader, J. (1988) The Red Duster at War: A History of the Merchant Navy During the Second World War. Kimber. [Slader served in the merchant navy during the war and provides a comprehensive account of the campaign from the perspective of the merchant sailors.] Amazon.com
Slader, J. (1995) Fourth Service: Merchantmen at War 1939-45. New Era. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Smith, K., Watts, C.T. & Watts, M.J. (1998) Records of Merchant Shipping and Seamen. Public Record Office. [Invaluable research aid]. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Stokes, R. (1999) Death in the Irish Sea: The Sinking of the RMS Leinster. Collins Pr. [The story of a ship torpedoed during the First World War.] Amazon.com
Tennent, A.J. (2001) British and Commonwealth Merchant Ship Losses to Axis Submarines, 1939-1945. Sutton Publishing. Amazon.co.uk
Thomas, D.A. (1990) The Atlantic Star 1939-45. W.H. Allen. [Thomas has corresponded with hundreds of British survivors of the Battle of the Atlantic and weaves their memories into a chronological narrative of the 'longest, bloodiest and most wasteful of battles'. With excellent bibliography.] Amazon.com
Thomas, G. (1995) Milag: Captives of the Kriegsmarine - Merchant Navy Prisoners of War. Milag POW Association. Amazon.co.uk
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Duskin, G & Segman, R. (2005) If the Gods Are Good: The Sacrifice of HMS Jervis Bay. Crecy Publishing. 
