Bayly's War (ePub)
The Battle for the Western Approaches in the First World War
File Size: 4.4 MB (.epub)
Pages: 304
Illustrations: 20
ISBN: 9781526701251
Published: 22nd January 2018
Best Book award nomination
• Nominated for the Maritime Foundation's 2018 Mountbatten Award for Best Book. View the full list of this year's nominations here.
• Steve Dunn gives Colin Grazier Memorial Lecture part of the Tamworth Literary Festival
| Other formats available | Price |
|---|---|
| Bayly's War Hardback Add to Basket | £17.50 |
Bayly’s War is the story of the Royal Navy’s Coast of Ireland Command (later named Western Approaches Command) during World War One.
Britain was particularly vulnerable to the disruption of trade in the Western Approaches through which food and munitions (and later soldiers) from North America and the Caribbean and ores and raw materials from the Southern Americas, all passed on their way to Liverpool or the Channel ports and London. After the sinking of the Lusitania in May 1915 and the introduction of unrestricted submarine warfare by the Germans, Britain found herself engaged in a fight for survival as U-boats targeted all incoming trade in an attempt to drive her into submission. Britain’s naval forces, based in Queenstown on the southern Irish coast, fought a long and arduous battle to keep the seaways open, and it was only one they began to master after American naval forces joined in 1917.
Vice-Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly was the man appointed to the Coast of Ireland Command. A fierce disciplinarian with a mania for efficiency, and thought by some of his colleagues to be more than a little mad, Bayly took the fight to the enemy. Utilising any vessel he could muster – trawlers, tugs, yachts – as well as the few naval craft at his disposal, he set out to hunt down the enemy submarines. The command also swept for mines, escorted merchantmen and fought endlessly against the harsh Atlantic weather. Relief came When America sent destroyers to Queenstown to serve under him, and Bayly, to the surprise of many, integrated the command into a homogenous fighting force.
Along the way, the Command had to deal with the ambivalent attitude of the Irish population, the 1916 Easter Rising, the attempt to land arms on Ireland’s west coast and the resurgence of Irish nationalism in 1917.
Bayly’s War is a vivid account of this vigorous defence of Britain’s trade and brings to life the U-boat battles, Q-ship actions, merchant ship sinkings and rescues as well as the tireless Bayly, the commander at the centre.
‘…this is an excellent book, looking at one of the key battles of the First World War, making it clear just how hard fought and costly it was, and how Bayly’s men helped win this difficult and dangerous campaign’.
History of War.org
Bayly’s War succeeds admirably as a theatre study……impressive depth, offering up thoroughly detailed accounts of numerous individual cruises and officers who served under Bayly.
Real Clear Defence (USA).
Link to review: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2019/08/14/baylys_war_114665.html
Very well written and because of that—for those of us who take loss of life seriously—it is hard to read...
Marine Technology, January 2019 – reviewed by Roberta Weisbrod Ph.D.
... There are lessons to be learned here. They include the importance of not underestimating the enemy, and understanding and mastering new technology.
I highly recommend Bayly’s War on many levels. It brilliantly addresses an aspect of the First World War that has received little coverage; namely, the demanding struggle to keep a critical supply line open, and introduces the reader to a fascinating British Admiral who has largely been forgotten with the passage of time.
The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord, XVIII, No. 2 (Spring 2018) – reviewed by Louis Arthur Norton West Simsbury, Connecticut
Bayly's command played a vital role in keeping the Atlantic sea routes open, and showed that a joint command could prove decisive. The author is to be congratulated on his book which recounts the wartime success of a man who arguably deserves greater recognition. Highly recommended.
The Magazine of the National Museum of the Royal Navy
Alongside extensive detail on the strategic operations of this command, the book develops detail on his disciplinary leadership style, desire for efficiency and how he took the fight to the Germans.
Jon Sandison - Freelance
As featured by
Workboat World, July 2018
As featured by
Ausmarine, July 2018
Dunn’s book provides readers with a succinct and effective description of the war off of the Irish coast.
The Great War Book Review Page
Read the complete review online here.
Bayly's War is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of military history buffs, as well as both community and academic library World War I Military & Naval History collections and supplemental studies reading.
Midwest Book Review
A well and very excitingly written description of the intense and vital activity of the Royal and, later, United States navies in the Western Approaches to England during World War I, this important book reminds us of an important but mostly forgotten aspect of naval history.
Baird Maritime, July 2018
Dunn’s work is a fine piece of historical writing.
Australian Naval Institute
A concise but well-researched and eminently readable account, drawn largely from secondary sources leavened by personal papers, predominantly held by the Churchill Archives Centre, the Imperial War Museum and the National Museum of the Royal Navy. It provides an excellent introduction to a largely forgotten campaign.
Military History Monthly, July 2018 – reviewed by Nick Hewitt
We don't receive many works dealing with the war as it was seen at sea, so this was a most welcome addition this month.
The Great War magazine, May 2018
Highly recommended
An easy-to-read, fascinating account of sacrifice and bravery, shedding new light on the remarkable Bayly.
Warships IFR, May 2018
As previously-noted this book is well-written and researched, and may well become a standard reference work on its subject.
NZ Crown Mines
As featured in
Old Boys Association, Bury Grammar School
Article 'Unsung hero of the First World War from Redditch featured in new book' as featured in
Ledbury Reporter, 25th February 2018
Packed with an astonishing level of detail.
The Village (Worcestershire), March 2018
If you truly want to know and understand ALL of WW1 at sea, then you will not until you have read this book.
Malcolm Wright, Australian Maritime Artist & Author
I give this book five ★★★★★ stars out of five. Were it not impossible I would give it six out of five!
The WWII Battle of the Atlantic has received much more coverage than the WWI Battle of the Atlantic. This new book gives a comprehensive coverage to the subject of the WWI anti-submarine warfare with fresh insight – Strongly Recommended.
Firetrench
Read the complete review here.
This is a fascinating narrative of a vital but too much neglected aspect of our fight for national survival - well researched, well ordered and well presented, with an interesting collection of contemporary photographs.
Robert Griffiths, Amazon
The Bolton News, 5th February 2018
Article: 'New war book on naval man' as featured in
Chichester Post, 13th February 2018
Cotswold Journal, 10th February 2018
Dudley News, 10th February 2018
Article: Moving tales from Willie's wartime diary (page 13 – won't run on Chrome) as featured by
South Warrington News, February 2018
Prestwich and Whitefield Guide, 5th February 2018
Malvern Gazette, 10th February 2018
The Shuttle, 10th February 2018
Stourbridge News, 10th February 2018
Redditch Advertiser, 10th February 2018
Evesham Journal, 10th February 2018
Worcester News, 10th February 2018
Article: 'The son of a Beamont head tacher who was a reluctant First World War hero' as featured by
Warrington Guardian, 10th February 2018
The Oldham Times, 5th February 2018
Article: 'Barnt Green author Steve Dunn releases 6th book Bayly's War' by Emily Collis as featured by
Bromsgrove Advertiser, 10th February 2018
Article: WWI naval reserve was shot dead on shore leave by Stephen Blease as featured in
The Cumberland News, 2nd February 2018
This is Lancashire, 5th February 2018
Topix
Article: 'Lives of heroic Bury First World War sailors retold in new book' by Brad Marshall as featured on
Bury Times, 5th February 2018
Article: 'Cumbrian sailor featured in World War I book that honours unsung heroes' as featured on
Cumbria 24, 31st January 2018
Article: 'Kirkcaldy sailor's story features in new World War I book' by Fiona Dobie as featured on
Fife Today, 2nd February 2018
Article: 'New book honours WWI heroes' by Ryan O'Neill as featured on
Cork Independent, 31st January 2018
Article: 'York war hero features in book' by Daniel Willers as featured on
York Press, 1st February 2018
- Author interview with Steve R. Dunn
About Steve R. Dunn
STEVE R DUNN is an author with a special interest in the Royal Navy of the late nineteenth century and the First World War. He has written biographies and narrative histories including Blockade, Securing the Narrow Sea, Bayly's War, Southern Thunder, The Battle of the Baltic, The Power and the Glory, British Naval Trawlers and Drifters in Two World Wars, The Harwich Striking Force and most recently Petrol Navy, all published by Seaforth. Steve lives in Worcestershire.
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