- Author
- Book reviewer
- Subjects
- History - general, Book reviews, Naval Engagements, Operations and Capabilities, Non Commonwealth Navies
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- March 2008 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Storm and Conquest. The Battle for the Indian Ocean, 1805-1810.
By Stephen Taylor.
Published by Faber and Faber
Review by John Smith
The Battle of Trafalgar was not the finale of British and French naval engagements. Ile de France (Mauritius to us) was still in French control in 1808 and strategically placed to act as a base for intercepting the lucrative British East India Company’s ships. This book deals, in part, with the eventually successful British attempts to occupy the island, including, of course, the release of Matthew Flinders.
Over the many years of this campaign, there were several East India Company convoys which were devastated by wild storms in the Indian Ocean. The loss of ships was relevant to the naval operations and so is also covered in detail.
This is an interesting, well researched book based on official and personal writings and is also recommended as a good read.