The Merchant Navy Association Recommended Reading

The following books are Highly recommended by the Merchant Navy Association. They contain excellent material in pictorial as well as word format. You are sure to find it hard to put either of these books down!

Gus, of his Royal Majesty's Merchant Marine
The story of a young boy and his encounter with an old sailor and through his experience he inquires into the 'Secret of the Sea' and finds adventure in the yarns and exploits of Gus's forty years as am ocean sailor.

Complete with 118 nautical photographs and illustrations, British Board of Trade and Swedish certificate books, lyrics to Gus's favourite sea chanties, CD nautical chart and more.

Ture 'Gus' Alfvegren served as a merchant seaman from 1897 to 1936. His ship the T.S.S. Lake Michigan hit a mine in 1916 and was later torpedoed by U-Boat 100 in the North Atlantic in 1918.

Enjoy this wonderful story of a man who 'exemplified the ideal that there is 'no institution in which man's ambition is sooner recognised than in the Naval Services'
Price: $17.95 +$3.50 S&H
Order online at www.lilysohl.net

Under The Red Duster
The unsung heroes of the North Atlantic, the Arctic seas and other oceans during the war torn years between 1939 and 1945 were, without doubt, the sailors who manned Britain's merchant ships.

This book contains a collection of some of the most extraordinary incidents that occurred to the ships and men who kept Britain's vital maritime lifeline open at that difficult time. It describes the hooros of destruction and survival in mid-Atlantic, how lightly armed trawlers and tramp ships took on attacking U-boats - and won - and many other portrayls of the contribution and sacrifices made by the merchant seamen.

Available From www.AirlifeBooks.com
Priced £18.99

Seeing The World Through A Porthole
After finishing Sea School training at Gravesend in Kent; England, in 1938 John Townsend joins his first ship as a “Bellboy”. Describing the grandeur found on a liner to the “Crossing of the Equator” ceremonies, humorous incidents and various promotions he came upon during his time at sea. John goes on to describe how the outbreak of World War 2 affected the various ships he served on, telling where applicable the tragic stories of ships being sunk and many lives being lost. He tells of a Captain who was mugged with tragic consequences and describes all his voyages through “The Battle of The Atlantic” to being on “The Russian Convoys” A wrong diagnosis in a hospital causes John to “Call it a day” and in 1949 he comes ashore to seek his fortune. Feeling very fortunate to survive the six long years of war he recalls the various people he met along the way and some of the wonderful “Shipmates” that were not so fortunate as himself.
Available from: http://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore

Links to other Books:

Events during World War Two in the area Mackay to Horn Island, North Queensland (Australia).

http://www.northqueenslandatwar.com

This site introduces you to "North Queensland at War" Volume.1, compiled by Peter Nielsen. It chronicles all Allied shipping movements (Merchant Ships and Warships) in North Queensland (Australia) waters from the outbreak of WW2 on 3rd September 1939 to end of 1942.