Under the Periscope & The Submarine Campaign in the Early Part of 1917
An authentic and detailed account of the war British submariners knew
The principal work in this book is a naval memoir and historical account, written by an officer who had served in the Royal Naval Reserve. Published in 1919, it provides the reader with an evocative first-hand perspective of the daily operations and challenges of the British Submarine Service during the First World War . Whilst it is apparent that the author is writing about his own experiences, he frames his narrative from the perspective of 'Lieutenant Commander John Raymond', his fellow officers and the crew of H.M. Submarine '123'. Bennett's narrative style humanises underwater warfare and provides an excellent insight into the realities of cramped, claustrophobic living conditions and the camaraderie of men who fought their war under the seas. Unusually, the account contains detailed descriptions of submarine mechanics, steering, and other engineering issues of early 20th-century submersible vessels. The reader joins Submarine,'123', on patrol missions with the tensions involved in action and waiting for enemy contact. The immediacy and detail of Bennett's account has resulted in his book being acknowledged as a culturally important text . This Leonaur edition also includes an account of undersea warfare from a strategic and tactical level during the latter stages of the Great War written by Admiral of the Fleet, Jellicoe.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.