Battle in the Baltic

"The Royal Navy and the Fight to Save Estonia and Latvia, 1918-20"

By Steve R. Dunn
  • Subject: Royal Navy
  • Format:
    Hardcover
  • Pages:
    320
    pages
  • Published:
    February 15, 2020
  • ISBN-10:
    152674273X
  • ISBN-13:
    9781526742735
  • Product Dimensions:
    9.13 × 6.38 × 1 in
  • Product Weight:
    22 oz
Hardcover $42.95
Member Price $34.36 Save 20%
Book: Cover Type
Overview Author Reviews

Overview

Though for most participants World War I ended on 11 November 1918, the Royal Navy found itself, despite four years of slaughter and war weariness, fighting a fierce and brutal battle in the Baltic Sea against Bolshevik Russia in an attempt to protect the fragile independence of the newly liberated states of Estonia and Latvia. This new book by Steve R. Dunn describes the events of those two years when Royal Navy ships and men, under the command of Rear Admiral Alexander-Sinclair, found themselves in a maelstrom of chaos and conflicting loyalties, and facing multiple opponents. Today few people are aware of this exhausting campaign and the sacrifices made by Royal Navy sailors, but the pages of this book retell their exciting but forgotten stories.

About the Author

Steve Dunn

Steve Dunn has a special interest in the Royal Navy of the late Victorian, Edwardian, and World War I eras. His books include biographies of Admirals Cradock and Troubridge and the story of the first British battleship, Formidable, to be sunk by a torpedo. His most recent books, Blockade, and Securing the Narrow Sea, cover those other significant naval theatres in the great trade battles of World War I.

More Stories From This Author View Biography

Editorial Reviews

“Dunn’s text is well-presented.... While most people in the West have forgotten about this particular Royal Navy action, it is fitting that both of these Baltic countries have not. Thanks to Dunn, we have now also been reminded of this endeavour.” —The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord

“This story is packed full of colourful portraits of British naval personnel…. Battle in the Baltic is a fine tribute to those Britons who served in the Baltic between 1918 and 1920, especially the 128 servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice in a campaign that Dunn judges was ‘a triumph, if only marginally, for the bloody-minded resolve of the Royal Navy.’” —Warships: International Fleet Review
“Anyone interested in naval operations is likely to find some useful food for thought in Battle in the Baltic for those interested in small naval, the interwar history of the Baltic littoral, the career of Winston Churchill, or even the roots of German fascism.” —StrategyPage
“Steve Dunn’s research and thorough documentation in Battle in the Baltic are conveyed in an easily readable manner. This book will become a reference manual for the ‘Royal Navy’s Baltic Campaign of 1918-20’ for Estonian and Latvian wars of independence historians.” —Estonian World Review
“Dunn is a very engaging writer and an expert on naval warfare of the era. His research makes heavy use of important British sources, such as the Imperial War Museum collections and the Liddle Collection…. Specialists will appreciate its detailed treatment of this important but neglected episode of naval history.” —History: Reviews of New Books
“Battle in the Baltic is a welcomed addition to scholarship on the Royal Navy during World War I, and Dunn’s book uncovers some lesser-known history about the Royal Navy. Recommended to anyone interested in naval warfare during World War I and the Royal Navy. However, what sets Dunn apart is that this book is written to appeal to academics and those with just a general interest in maritime warfare. Plus, bringing a lesser-known naval history to light, Dunn masterfully pays homage to those that lost their lives.” —Nautical Research Journal