"...this book captures the life aboard Coastal Forces’ vessels – the cramped conditions, the heat of the Mediterranean, his ever-present bouts of seasickness, all vividly bring the reality of Chapman’s war to the reader. He writes well and the illustrations add to the narrative. The War of the Motor Gun Boats fills in another piece of the great struggle that was the Second World War."

The Northern Mariner/Le marin du nord (Vol. 33, Nos 3 and 4).

He writes with humility, counting himself lucky to have missed service on the Murmansk Run or the Malta convoys. But most of all he gives a sense of a life lived joyfully...Engagingly written memoirs of a lower-deck telegraphist...He writes fluently and with a nicely self-deprecating wit which make this an enthralling but easy read.

Mariner's Mirror

This is one man's personal war at sea with the Coastal Forces 1943-1945. His account of his introduction to war in the English Channel and later a more in depth escapades in the Mediterranean and Aegean make this a very enjoyable read.

Marine News

A most enjoyable book and any 'Ton' man, especially those who served on Inshore Sweepers, will relate to the description of living on board small ships and the camaraderie that lives to this day.

Bob Dean, Ton Class Association

This is the personal story of a Telegraphist serving in RN Motor Launches and Motor Gunboats at home and in the Mediterranean from 1943 to 1945. Chapman gives us a vivid matelot’s picture of life on the Lower Deck and how he and his like certainly earned their Hard Lying money.

Chapman writes well, with no little wit, and indeed, as well as the grisly bits, beautifully captures the farce that bubbles up from naval life. Besides his at times gripping narrative there is a fascinating selection of photographs, particularly those showing his shipmates, to a man Jack the Lad with their caps flat-aback and their cap tally bow over the nose. The certainly earned their hard-lying money.

Army Rumour Service

His new book is the culmination of more than a decade of memory bank-minding.
Recalled in vivid detail in The War of the Motor Gunboats as well as the everyday lifestyle.
I thoroughly recommend this very readable memoir of a patriot who was happy to do his bit defending this country during the war.

North Devon Gazette