Uncommon Courage: The Yachtsmen Volunteers of World War II
Uncommon Courage: The Yachtsmen Volunteers of World War II
Author: Julia Jones
Publisher: Adlard Coles
Published: 17 March 2022
Pages: 320
ISBN-13: 978-1472987105
The compelling stories of the yachtsmen volunteers of World War II
Julia Jones was searching through items stored at her house and discovered old written material - accounts by her father of his experiences in the RNVSR (Royal Naval Volunteer Supplementary Reserve). Julia had met some of the people mentioned, and although she was too young to truly know them, these memories encouraged her to delve into their history.
In Uncommon Courage, Julia tells the stories of the yachtsmen volunteers of World War II, from famous names such as Sir Peter Scott and Nicholas Monsarrat to ordinary sailors – from the typesetters, lawyers, publishers, university students to the businessmen and designers, who loved sailing and risked their lives to aid the war effort.
Many of the volunteers found themselves in remarkable situations, from commanding destroyers and submarines, to undertaking covert missions of sabotage. Some undertook the dangerous daily drudgery of minesweeping; others tackled unexploded bombs, engaged the enemy in high-speed attacks or played key roles in Ian Fleming's famous intelligence commandos.
This varied crew of courageous men were given tasks requiring endurance, extraordinary bravery, resourcefulness and quick thinking. Some died in the process, but for those who survived, their experiences inevitably changed them forever. Including moving extracts from letters and diaries written by the volunteers, this book is a fascinating exploration of those who were part of the RNVSR at such a significant time in history.
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“From Childers to Monserrat via Shute and Maurice Griffiths, Julia Jones links the world of yachting, literature, the navy and war into an extraordinary account of heroism and sacrifice. An unexpected and important story, rivetingly told. Rip roaring stuff. Get this into the paws of the sea dog in your life.”
“This book, out on 17 March, tells a story that has been a long time coming: the history of the yachtsmen who served their country as volunteers in the RNVSR in World War Two. And who to tell it better than novelist and journalist Julia Jones, who has not only the gift of the pen, but whose father was one of that cadre of sailors who helped ensure that the war was wan ‘in the yacht clubs of England’ to paraphrase Wellington’s (apocryphal) quote about the ‘playing fields of Eton’. The men of the RNVSR included some familiar names, among them Maurice Griffiths, Nicholas Monsarrat (‘The Cruel Sea’), Sir Peter Scott and August Courtauld, along with around 2,000 others, drawn from the white-collar ranks of English society. What started as a chance discovery of some of the author’s father’s old papers and letters in the attic has become a surprising story of heroism and sacrifice, as these volunteers found themselves commanding destroyers (having only “called in for a gin” in one case!) to undertaking covert missions and engaging with the dangerous daily drudge of minesweeping. Some died in the process, and those who survived were changed forever. Here, finally, is their testament.”
