Book Index

HMS London

Warships named HMS London have been associated with some of the most triumphant and controversial episodes in British naval history. In this second volume of the Warships of the Royal Navy series, Iain Ballantyne tells their thrilling story including the bungled sea battle that lost King George III his American colonies, the shambles of Gallipoli in The Great War and the notorious decision by the Admiralty to abandon convoy PQ17 in 1942.

The Second World War cruiser HMS London was also tasked with hunting down the German battleship Bismarck's supply ships, using information provided by Bletchley Park after it cracked the Enigma Code. Later she made a brave attempt to rescue HMS Amethyst during the famous Yangtze Incident which gripped the world's attention. The last HMS London,  a type 22 frigate, was flagship of the British Task Group in the Gulf War of 1991.

Ian Ballantyne's fascinating account of the lives of all the British warships honoured to carry the Capital's name is illustrated with copious photographs, many of them never published before. In HMS London the Author lets those who served in these ships tell the story in their own words. This Book will be enjoyed for being both a thoroughly researched and exciting narrative of naval history.