Battle in the Baltic: The Royal Navy and the Fight to Save Estonia and Latvia, 1918-1920

(Hardback)

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Though, for most participants, the First World War ended on 11 November 1918, the Royal Navy found itself, despite four years of slaughter and war weariness, fighting a fierce and brutal battle in the Baltic Sea against Bolshevik Russia in an attempt to protect the fragile independence of the newly liberated states of Estonia and Latvia. This new book by Steve R Dunn describes the events of those two years when RN ships and men, under the command of Rear Admiral Alexander-Sinclair, found themselves in a maelstrom of chaos and conflicting loyalties, and facing multiple opponents - the communist forces of the Red Army and Navy, led by Leon Trotsky; the gangs of freebooting German soldiers, the Freikorps, intent on keeping the Baltic states under German domination; and the White Russian forces, bent on retaking Petrograd and rebuilding the Russian Empire. During this hard-fought campaign there were successes on both sides. For example, the Royal Navy captured two destroyers that were given to the Estonians; but the submarine L-55 was sunk by Russian warships, lost with all hands. Seeking revenge in a daring sequence of attacks and using small coastal motor boats, the RN sank the cruiser Oleg and badly damaged two Russian battleships. Today few people are aware of this exhausting campaign and the sacrifices made by Royal Navy sailors (three VCs were won), but the pages of this book retell their exciting but forgotten stories and, using much first-hand testimony, bring back to life the critical naval operations that prevented the retaking of the new Baltic countries that Churchill saw as an essential shield against the encroachment of the Bolsheviks into Europe. An uneasy peace prevailed until 1939. AUTHOR: Steve Dunn is an author with a special interest in the Royal Navy of the late nineteenth century and the First World War. He has written biographies and narrative histories, most recently Blockade, Securing the Narrow Sea, Bayly's War and Southern Thunder all published by Seaforth. Steve lives in Worcestershire and southwest France. 35 b/w illustrations

Reviews

This story is packed full of colourful portraits of British naval personnel. Battle in the Baltic is a fine tribute to those Britons who served in the Baltic between 1918 and 1920, especially the 128 servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice in a campaign that Dunn judges was 'a triumph, if only marginally, for the bloody-minded resolve of the Royal Navy.'" --Warships: International Fleet Review "Anyone interested in naval operations is likely to find some useful food for thought in Battle in the Baltic for those interested in small naval, the interwar history of the Baltic littoral, the career of Winston Churchill, or even the roots of German fascism." --StrategyPage "Dunn's text is well-presented.... While most people in the West have forgotten about this particular Royal Navy action, it is fitting that both of these Baltic countries have not. Thanks to Dunn, we have now also been reminded of this endeavour." --The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord

Author Bio

Steve Dunn is an author with a special interest in the Royal Navy of the late nineteenth century and the First World War. He has written biographies and narrative histories, most recently Blockade, Securing the Narrow Sea, Bayly's War and Southern Thunder all published by Seaforth. Steve lives in Worcestershire and southwest France.