Naval Operations: History Of The War based on official documents: V. 3: Naval Operations (Official History of the War: Naval Operations)

As a former Royal Naval Officer, I have now obtained all five volumes of the Official History of the War at Sea 1914-1919 but, sadly, my budget doesn't stretch to buying hardback editions!Written in Corbett's lucid style [he completed this volume shortly before his untimely death], the first half of Volume 3 focuses on Gallipoli, Salonica and the Near East, including the 1915 campaign in Mesopotamia [modern Iraq], in which RN-crewed riverine craft operated over 100 miles up the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in support of the Army. Elsewhere in the Middle East, the triumphs (and tragedies) of the Gallipoli campaign - including the exploits of British, Australian and French submarines in the Sea of Marmara - make particularly interesting reading.The second half of the book deals with the overture to the Battle of Jutland and with the Battle itself, which is recounted in great detail, using data from both British and German sources. Since the original edition of this volume was largely prepared during Admiral Sir David Beatty's long tenure as First Sea Lord, neither he nor his Flag Lieutenant (Lieutenant Commander Ralph Seymour) suffer any criticism, when both - and certainly the latter - were guilty of several critical errors and omissions during the Battle. Equally, the shortcomings of the Admiralty (which, inter alia, failed to provide Sir John Jellicoe with all of the information he needed to achieve a crushing victory) receive a generous coat of whitewash. In particular, the account completely glosses over the unfortunate intervention of Captain Thomas Jackson (Director of Operations), despite the fact that his ill-judged enquiry of Room 40 - "Where is callsign DK?" - resulted in Jellicoe being told that the High Seas Fleet was still in the Jade eight hours AFTER it had sailed! Those wishing to know more about the latter events are directed to Andrew Gordon's excellent book: 'The Rules of The Game - Jutland and British Naval Command', which is available through Amazon.The above notwithstanding, Volume 3 is a valuable addition to the library of any naval historian but, as highlighted in my reviews of the two earlier volumes, I was very disappointed by the paucity (not to say the very poor quality) of maps and charts. Indeed, there is only ONE chart of the Battle of Jutland [showing the Grand Fleet's deployment into Line of Battle] and that is almost unintelligible. Hence my rating of four stars, not five. In this day and age, it would not be difficult for the Naval & Military Press to offer the charts in DVD format (even if this resulted in additional cost).The above criticisms aside, Volume 3 is still highly recommended.

Excellent book, that makes it possible to understand the reasoning behind many difficulties and decisions by Commanders (most especially relating to Jutland, that more recent books perhaps obscure. I would have given it the top rating but as the idiots who published this and associated volumes did not see the need to produce a separate volume of the many maps that were available when the study was first published after the Great War, it proved quite difficult to visualise the information relating to position, courses and speeds and their effect.

I had the two original first and second volumes of this fascinating history of men,warships,warfare. Also fascinating are antique books, but I had to complete the "tale". I hope to find the third later.

Although the book includes some bias and the very occasional inaccuracy (in the light of subsequent German information) it is a brilliant work, as to research, narrative, interpretation=, detail and charts. The 1920s original is preferable as to paper, charts and general "feel", a real artefact of the times. However this version is well worth the price, and more widely the official history itself is still an essential one.Recommended on all levels.