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Warships International Fleet Review, June 2024

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Model Boats, May 2020

Extract taken from HMS Rodney and Warspite to mark D-Day anniversary.

Warship IFR, July 2019

A well-research book about the famous Royal Navy battleship HMS Rodney. Nicely flowing text and new insights makes this a 'must-read' book. Highly Recommended.

Read the full review here.

Firetrench

Just four years after entering service, the battleship Rodney found herself at the centre of the Invergordon Mutiny during which she became known as 'The Red Ship'. Despite that inauspicious start, she went on to become one of the most famous ships in the fleet.

Her story is vividly brought to life in this book in the Warships of the Royal Navy series by a host of eyewitness accounts which highlight what it was like to serve in a battleship in both peace and war.

Ships Monthly

Ballantyne begins with a brief account of the eponymous admiral and previous ships of the name. He then explores the background to the battleship’s design and construction between the wars. Technical data is covered in detail, but the author’s vivid style ensures that the narrative is never dull and conveys something of the power and majesty of these vessels. He also covers the wider context, explaining the effect of various inter-war treaties on ship construction. Colour is also provided by interweaving accounts from members of the ship’s company throughout the story.

Among the accounts of major and minor actions, one of the book’s strengths is its coverage of life on board. These stories capture the spirit of the officers and ship’s company, whether under air attack on the Pedestal convoy to Malta or on a run ashore in Gibraltar.

Well-illustrated with black and white photographs and drawings, the book also contains reference notes, indicating the depth of research. However, the text would have benefited from careful copy-editing and the price of £16.99 seems high for a relatively slim volume. In summary, though, this account is recommended for its dramatic portrayal of a ship and her company who were in the thick of the action throughout the war.

The Naval Review