The Hand-me-down Ships

Reed, Ken (SIGNED)

ISBN 10: 0952238705 / ISBN 13: 9780952238706

Published by Self Published, Spalding, Lincolnshire, England, 1993

About this Item

Light wear to book and some edge wear to the jacket, which is protected now in a Mylar archival sleeve. 181 pages with Index. Includes a section at the end of the book about Cutters' Captains and technical data. True account of World War II exploits of 10 ex-American Coast Guard cutters and the Officers and men in the Royal Navy who served in them. SIGNED by author Ken Reed. Gift inscription on the half-title page from Winston G. Churchill, Capt., USCG (Ret.) to Admiral Robert E. "Bob" Kramek, 20th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.

Seller Inventory # 09391

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Hand-me-down Ships
• Publisher: Self Published, Spalding, Lincolnshire, England
• Publication Date: 1993
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0952238705
• ISBN 13: 9780952238706
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • War & Military: World War II

About this title

Synopsis

This is the true account of the exploits of the ten ex-American Coast Guard cutters in World War 11 with photographs and personal accounts. By 1941 Britain's resources were severely stretched and President Roosevelt's offer to supply ships for convoy escort duties was very welcome. Among these were ten "Lake" class cutters, among the most modern ships of the US Coast Guard fleet. Cayuga, Tahoe, Champlain, Chelan, Itasca, Mendota, Saranac, Pontchartrain, Shoshone and Sebago were assigned to the Royal Navy in 1941 and this book is the story of their exploits in the Atlantic and the Pacific until the end of the war. Re-named after British Coastguard Stations they became HMS Banff, Fishguard, Hartland, Culver, Lulworth, Walney, Totland and Sennen, Landguard and Gorleston. These little ships and those who served on them played out their part with courage and persistence. The author, who served on HMS Totland, has brought together a mass of unpublished information from personal accounts in an entertaining and moving tale. This would make a great gift for anyone, young or old, interested in the history of the Royal Navy or with United States connections.