A life at sea, from the age of sail to the dangers of the First World War.
About the Book
In 1893, at just fifteen years old, Frank H. Shaw went to sea for the first time, apprenticed to an old shipkeeper who claimed to have fired the opening gun of the Crimean War. It was the beginning of a lifetime spent crossing the world’s oceans.
These vivid reminiscences chart Shaw’s extraordinary career in the Merchant Navy and his service as a captain during the First World War, by which time he was already an established and popular writer. With warmth and humour, he recalls the curious characters he sailed with, the hardships and pleasures of life afloat, and the remarkable adventures he experienced both at sea and ashore.
Most gripping of all are Shaw’s accounts of commanding a ‘Q-boat’ during the Great War, sailing disguised as a harmless tramp steamer while secretly hunting German U-boats. The danger is constant, the stakes deadly, yet the stories are told with Shaw’s characteristically understated style.
Rich in atmosphere and first-hand detail, this is an essential read for anyone interested in maritime history, naval warfare, and the romance, peril, and excitement of a life spent at sea.
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