The Pressing of American Seamen And The War of 1812
Imagine yourself as an American sailor; the year is 1804. You are 30 years old, born in 1774, and have spent most of your adult…
The Heroic US Coast Guard Who Gave His Life To Save His Shipmates During A Desperate Rescue In WW2
US Coast Guard Cutter Comanche left Boston in January 1943. She made contact with her convoy on the 29th and proceeded as scheduled. It was…
The Many Types Of Ships Used In The Napoleonic Wars
It is a common misconception that the Navies of the Napoleonic Wars used only massive ships, crewed by hundreds of men, which would slowly close and…
As A Mere Lieutenant, Erwin Rommel Earned Germany’s Highest Honor
Erwin Rommel was undoubtedly one of the finest generals of the Second World War, his strategic mind and patient approach led his men to victory…
How the Other Side Ate: Meals of Royal Naval Officers During The Napoleonic Wars
Officers of the Royal Navy at the turn of the 19th century were expected to live charmed and genteel lives. This was reflected in almost…
The Man Who Helped Create The US Navy, And Brought About A New Class Of Warship
Looking back through history it is rare to find a single person who was responsible for a major shift in thought. It is rarer to…
How The Royal Navy Fed Its Sailors Over 200 Years Ago
An army marches on its stomach, and while a Navy sails on the sea, its sailors still need feeding. In the 1790s and early 1800s,…
How An Explosion In Northern New Jersey Put 62,000 People Onto The Front Lines Of World War 1
By October 1918, the 1st World War was winding down. It was clear to most observers that the Western Allies would be victorious. Life in…
How the Royal Navy kept order, Through Caning, Flogging, and Hanging
By the end of the 18th century, the wooden walls of England, as her Navy was so often called, was comprised of one of the…
As The US Navy Does Away With Enlisted Rates, We Look At Their History
The weight of the United States Military has always rested soundly on the back of its non-commissioned officers. In the Navy, these men and women…
VC: Despite Being Shot And With His Plane On Fire, This Pilot Refused To Bail Out Without Taking Down A German Fighter
On a bright sunny morning in August 1940, No. 249 Squadron, Royal Air Force, was patrolling near Southampton, in southern England. There was hardly any…
How HMS Speedy Captured The El Gamo, Which Was 3 Times Her Size & Had 5 Times Her Crew
On March 28th, 1800, a Scottish aristocrat took command of the small Brig-Sloop HMS Speedy, based at Port Mahon. The Scotsman, Thomas Cochrane, was an…