Thursday March 24, 2005

Nicholas Monsarrat - The Cruel Sea

The cruel sea is the best Atlantic war book written. It is not a true story but I am sure it encompasses most of the harsh realities of life for those that crossed its watery depths doing convoy duties. The story starts with the building of a new ship The Compass Rose. Ericson a hardened sailor is back in the navy in charge of this new type of ship a corvette. His crew are a mixture of hastily trained ex bankers, journalists etc who are to help reduce the carnage caused by Hitler's U boats in the Atlantic. Over time the crew turn into a viable fighting force and they go to war. Their reward for the hard work is unkind to say the least, the loss of the ship later in the book and many of the original crew.

Saltash is the replacement ship that Ericson returns to war in and Lockhart his Number one decides to stay with 'his' captain instead of getting his own command. By this time they are close friends. The touching part in both book and film is where Lockhart finds the captain drunk in his cabin and he puts him to bed as best he can. He walks out and says "That is the best I can do for you dear captain, I wish it could be more". Ericson replies "Goodnight number one". There are many plots and charecters in the book that make it an excellent read and the film is brilliant. Here are a few of the cast: Jack Hawkins an excellent Ericson, Donald Sinden is Lockhart and a very young Denholm Elliot plays Morell.

I have read two of Monsarrat's other books "The ship that died of shame" and "HMS Marlborough will enter harbour". The latter also being a good read.