‘HMS Belfast Pocket Manual’ is the fifth book by local author Lieutenant-Commander John Blake FRIN who spent twelve years in the Royal Navy.

A familiar sight on the Thames at London Bridge, HMS Belfast is a Royal Navy light cruiser, launched in March 1938.

Belfast was part of the British naval blockade against Germany and from November 1942 escorted Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union and assisted in the destruction of the German warship Scharnhorst. In June 1944 Belfast supported the Normandy landings and in 1945 was redeployed to the British Pacific Fleet.

After the war she saw action in the Korean War and a number of other overseas actions. She has been part of the Imperial War Museum since 1978, with 250,000 visitors annually. 2018 celebrates the 80th anniversary of her launching.

This fascinating book (published by Osprey - part of Bloomsbury Publishing) comprises a series of documents that give information on the building of the ship, her wartime service history and life on board.

John who lives in Manorbier and is the author of the acclaimed - Charts of War, The Sea Chart, and Sea Charts of the British Isles, as well as The Titanic Passenger’s Guide Pocket Book - has worked extensively with the UK Hydrographic Office, the producers of Admiralty Charts, and is a Fellow of the Royal Institure of Navigation.

The book has been described as a ‘treasure chest’ with the 156 pages of this handy little volume packed with statistics and dits from ABs to Senior Officers who served in this historic ship over her eventful 26 years of operational history.

Tim Lewin calls it a book ‘deserving a salute!’

“I played a very small part in assisting the author with this book so confess that I was lucky enough to be presented with a copy by the publishers.

“The result that John Blake, a former Naval Officer himself, has achieved is an exceptional little gem of a book.

“He has included some recollections, memories and anecdotes or reports of people who served in HMS Belfast during her long active career.

“I am a vice-president of the HMS Belfast Association and had not actually heard any of these tales before so even for a hardened ship’s supporter this book contains much new material.

“In this respect it stands above most of the many other books about this famous WW2 survivor, hearing from those who served ‘puts you there’ making this book a must for both Belfast enthusiasts, and on a wider field, those who want to know what it was like to serve in the Royal Navy when Great Britain commanded a global reach,’ he added.

Published by Osprey (ww.ospreypublishing.com) at just £8.99, this book is a most enjoyable bargain and is thoroughly recommended.

For more information view: www.johnblake.org.uk