- Author
- Book reviewer
- Subjects
- WWII operations, History - WW2, Book reviews, Naval Engagements, Operations and Capabilities
- Tags
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- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- June 1994 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
No other sea presents so many mysteries to the naval historian as the Aegean. Battles have been lost and won in this island-studded waterway since antiquity but none were more interesting than those of World War II. The cloak of mystery veiling these have only recently been revealed with the lifting of Winston Churchill’s 50 year ban.
I can think of no writer better equipped to write the first authoritative account of the Battle of the Wine Dark Sea than the Foundation President of this Society, Lew Lind. This is the author’s 18th published book, three of which are set in this area. He served in the area during the Second World War, was taken prisoner of war in Crete, escaped and joined resistance forces and later British Intelligence. Lew Lind in his later career served 25 years as Public Relations Officer at the Royal Australian Navy’s main base, Garden Island. The book is published in Australia by Kangaroo Press and a paperback edition is being published in Greece.
The title of the book, “The Battle of the Wine Dark Sea” is taken from Ulysses and is particularly apt for a story steeped in intrigue, violent fighting, heavy loss and unswerving purpose. Lew Lind rightly traces the origin of the “soft belly” strategy of an assault on Europe, to Churchill in the 1890s. The British leader never swerved from his belief even when it cost him American support in 1943.
As First Lord of the Admiralty in 1914-1915, Churchill convinced the Allies to attack Turkey and Germany through the Dardanelles. History condemned Churchill but it was lack of purpose by the British and French Naval leaders which caused the loss of the operation.
The “soft belly” philosophy was still in Churchill’s mind when he assumed power in 1940 and the first operation to achieve this purpose was launched in 1940. It almost succeeded. The Greek Campaign followed again with disastrous losses but this opened the way to irregular operations which were to occupy such groups as the SAS, SBS, LRDG and the Greek Sacred Squadron. When Rommel was pushed out of North Africa the Royal Navy entered the Aegean. Unfortunately, air support was not available and Navy operations in the Aegean by 1944 had exceeded all losses in the Mediterranean theatre of war.
Lew Lind has thoroughly researched the Allied operations and has brought to light the actions which were under wraps under the ban. Not the least of these was those of the Levant Schooner Flotilla which numbered some 300 vessels in 1944.
“The Battle of the Wine Dark Sea” is profusely illustrated with Allied and enemy photographs and drawings. The dust jacket was painted specially for the book by Official War Artist, Dennis Adams.