{"title":"Roy V Martin","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"merchantmen-in-action-book-roy-v-martin-9781781550458","title":"Merchantmen in Action","description":"During World War 2, the Merchant Navy's main task was to run the German blockade, bringing essential food, fuel and materials to a besieged nation. The civilian crews came from all parts of the Empire and beyond  -  more than one in six were killed. Even less is known about the part played by merchantmen in evacuations from countries that were overrun. They saved over 90,000 troops from Dunkirk and went on to rescue more than 200,000 troops and civilians from other parts of France. When Singapore fell, the Merchant Navy again helped many to escape. They moved men and materials for the landings of Madagascar, North Africa and the Mediterranean coast of Europe. A British government press release reported that 50,000 volunteer British merchant seamen manned over 1,000 ships for D-Day. They also manned salvage ships, rescue tugs and other specialist craft. Merchantmen in Action tells the story of these other achievements. Chapters include Singapore; the Norwegian campaign; Dunkirk; the Channel Islands; Greece and Crete; Sicily and Italy; the Normandy landings; the South of France, Gibraltar, etc, with detailed ship listing and human stories.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49584881336593,"sku":"GOR007238161","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/178155045X.jpg?v=1750766500"},{"product_id":"ebb-and-flow-book-roy-v-martin-9781660511204","title":"Ebb and Flow","description":null,"brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ WELL_READ \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49654490857745,"sku":"GOR013580993","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51044657135889,"sku":"NIN9781660511204","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1660511208.jpg?v=1751058497"},{"product_id":"merchantmen-at-normandy-book-roy-v-martin-9780955744150","title":"Merchantmen at Normandy","description":"At low water on the grey dawn of the 6 June 1944 the greatest invasion force ever assembled lay off the Normandy coast. Among them were thirty six Infantry Landing Ships manned by the British Merchant Navy. During that morning they landed forty thousand soldiers, at all five beaches. They then returned to the south coast of England to reload and continued to ferry troops throughout Operation Neptune and beyond. That evening the first convoy of civilian coasters arrived; these small ships brought fuel, ammunition and more men. The next morning the Liberty ships, both British and American, came with vehicles, fuel and even more troops. Then the hospital carriers and salvage ships joined, as did more and more coasters, and so the build-up continued. Roy Martin describes this vital, but largely forgotten, part of the landings. He explains how the planning involved other civilian organisations and how the various types of ships evolved. He shows how the press correspondents reported the landings and how some of the crews remembered their involvement.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50536510587153,"sku":"GOR013123338","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51009829077265,"sku":"NIN9780955744150","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0955744156.jpg?v=1750704968"},{"product_id":"suffolk-golding-mission-book-roy-v-martin-9780955744174","title":"The Suffolk Golding Mission","description":"Early in 1940 a swashbuckling aristocrat and a member of Military Intelligence, with their secretaries, went to Paris as agents of the British Government. They left on 10 June, when Paris was declared an 'open city'; taking with them many records and details of scientists who wished to continue their work in the UK.At Bordeaux staff at the British Embassy introduced them to the Master of a tramp steamer, one of 180 merchant ships standing by to evacuate troops and civilians in the three weeks after Dunkirk. Thirty three scientists were embarked, many with their immediate family. Two Belgians joined with a fortune in gem diamonds packed in two wooden crates. Two more French scientists boarded; bringing all of the 'heavy water' (deuterium oxide - a nuclear moderator) that then existed. Six hundred tons of machine tools were also loaded.The ship escaped from Bordeaux three days before the city fell and carried the passengers and cargo to safety at Falmouth, where there were ninety six other refugee ships. A special train took the passengers, and the most valuable items, to London. The diamonds were put into the vaults of a bank controlled by De Beers and most of the heavy water was stored beneath the library of Windsor Castle, with the Crown Jewels and with the King's knowledge. The House of Commons was only told of the 'Mission' when in secret session; there was no publicity and no awards were made.The Earl, his secretary and their driver, formed a successful bomb disposal team. They lost their lives in May 1941, when their thirty fifth bomb detonated prematurely. The Earl was awarded the George Cross and his companions were 'Commended for Bravery.'Much of the rescue was witnessed by a young naval lieutenant on his first overseas assignment. After the war he became an author and it is probable that the colourful characters involved in this mission first gave him the idea for one of the most famous fictional agents of the twentieth century.In 1943 Twentieth Century Fox wanted to make a film about 'The Incredible Earl of Suffolk', but were prevented from doing so by Lady Suffolk and the British government. Fox would have first heard of the story when a brief mention of the Earl's exploits appeared in press reports of his death. In 1973 the BBC made a four part series about him; they do not seem to have obtained copies of the official records, which were released at about that time.Much of the material for this book came from the British National Archives at Kew, near London; from the descendants of several of those involved and from researchers elsewhere in Europe.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":51009840480529,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51009844805905,"sku":"NIN9780955744174","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52116311277841,"sku":"GOR007220518","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0955744172.jpg?v=1751331861"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/author-books-by-roy-v-martin.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}