British Heavy Cruisers 193945
By (Author) Angus Konstam
Illustrated by Mr Paul Wright
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Osprey Publishing
20th May 2012
United Kingdom
General
Non Fiction
Modern warfare
Naval forces and warfare
Military vehicles
European history
940.545941
Paperback
48
Width 184mm, Height 248mm, Spine 5mm
166g
The idea of a heavy cruiser emerged in the aftermath of World War I, and was closely linked to the limits set by the inter-war Washington Naval Treaty. The pre-World War I concept of armoured cruisers had been abandoned, but in their stead the Admiralty saw a place for powerful cruisers, able to patrol the sea lanes of the British Empire, and which were well-armed enough that they could destroy enemy commerce cruisers. The result was a group of British warships, known as the 'Washington Treaty Cruisers', that did everything the Admiralty wanted, but which conformed to the limits imposed by the treaty. These impressive cruisers were high-sided, spacious and stately perfect peacetime ambassadors for British power. In war they also packed a considerable punch. During World War II the Royal Navy's thirteen heavy cruisers saw service in every theatre of the war, whether facing the Bismarck in the North Atlantic or enduring kamikaze attacks in the Pacific.
"...enthusiasts will find his pithy prcis an excellent introduction to this spellbinding subject." --David L. Veres, www.cybermodeler.com
Angus Konstam hails from the Orkney Islands, and is the author of over 50 books, 30 of which are published by Osprey. This acclaimed andwidely published authorhas written several books on piracy, including The History of Pirates, and Blackbeard: America's MostNotorious Pirate.A former naval officer and museum professional, he worked as the Curator of Weapons at the Tower of London and as the Chief Curator of the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida. He now worksas a full-time author and historian, and lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.