Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The destroyers trailed a net behind them as they steamed southwards, leading the Japanese cruiser to believe they were retreating. When they turned north to attack, the giant ship was there. #2 The flotilla leader was attacked by the cruiser and the destroyer that were following her. The noise of the battle was intense, with men shouting and banging on each other’s shoulders to get attention. The flotilla leader was eventually saved by another destroyer. #3 The battle against the Japanese cruiser Haguro was a brilliant, but very risky, operation. It could not have taken place if the C-in-C’s initial orders had been obeyed, and it could never have been successful but for Japanese negligence. #4 The story of the battle of the Java Sea lived on in the memories of the Royal Navy, and was taught to new generations of officers. It was never to be repeated, but it proved that nothing had been lost in the Royal Navy’s ability to fight.

Twenty-three riveting true stories of the heroic acts that earned WWII Royal Navy sailors their awards for gallantry.Includes photos. The story of the Royal Navy in the Second World War is an epic, consisting of both dramatic battles such as the River Plate and Matapan, and drawn-out campaigns such as the escort of convoys to Malta and northern Russia. Sailors Behind the Medals examines the careers of twenty-three sailors whose part in these actions resulted in the award of their medals. The author illustrates a cross-section of the wartime navy: long-service regulars, volunteers, recalled veterans of the Great War, Hostilities Only ratings. They served on nearly every kind of warship and in all the main theaters of the war, and their individual acts of gallantry under extreme conditions make for inspiring reading. Also included is an examination of the medals that were awarded for gallantry.