Fourth Force: the Untold Story of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Since the War by Geoff Puddefoot

Fourth Force: the Untold Story of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Since the War by Geoff Puddefoot

Set up in August 1905, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary was originally a logistic support organization, part of the Navy proper but run on civilian lines, comprising a miscellaneous and very unglamorous collection of colliers, store ships and harbour craft. Just over a century later it has evolved beyond recognition: its ships compare in size, cost and sophistication with all but the largest warships, and the RFA itself has developed into an essential arm of all three Services. It is truly the 'Fourth Force' - as it is known to its own personnel - and without it, the current worldwide deployment of British service men and women would be simply impossible. This book charts the veritable revolution that has overtaken the RFA since the end of the Second World War. New technology and techniques reflect the rapid growth in the importance of logistics in modern warfare, while the broadening role of the RFA is to be seen in the history of its operations, many of them little known to the public. Woven together from a combination of technical ship data, official correspondence and personal recollections, it is predominantly about the men and women of the RFA and their stories - an insight into the underreported history of a service whose initials unofficially translate as Ready For Anything.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781848320468
ISBN 10	1848320469
Title	Fourth Force: the Untold Story of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Since the War
Author	Geoff Puddefoot
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Year published	2010-02-20
Number of pages	254
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.