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John Winton
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The Forgotten Fleet: The Story of the British Pacific Fleet, 1944-45 (World War Two at Sea) Kindle Edition

by John Winton (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 552 ratings
‘a superb piece of historical research and writing. … does justice to the role of the British navy in the Pacific during World War II.’ The American Historical Review

Perfect for readers of Max Hastings, Jonathan Dimbleby and Ian W. Toll.

World War II in the Pacific is often seen as a conflict between American and Japanese forces, with the importance of the British Pacific and East Indies Fleets often overlooked by all. Yet, by VJ-day they had more than 600 ships and nearly a quarter of a million men — British, Australian, New Zealanders, Indians, Canadians and South Africans.

Recovering from the tremendous blow that they had been dealt during the initial Japanese attacks they had earned the respect of their American allies, learning, supporting and working in conjunction with them to turn back the Japanese tide.

John Winton uncovers some of the epic moments of the Royal Navy’s service in the Far East, from the air strikes on the Palembang oil refineries to the capture of Rangoon and the sinking of Haguro, the daring penetrations of Singapore, Saigon and Hong Kong harbours by midget submarines to the attack on the Japanese home islands with Halsey’s Third Fleet.

‘a tale worth telling, and one worth reading. … a book that should be read by every student of World War II in the Pacific, and of the Royal Navy.’ Warship International

‘…a remarkable book’ Nautical Magazine

‘John Winton has marshalled his facts superbly, with the accent all the time of the people and personalities involved.’ Navy News

‘For its honesty and clarity (and also for the thread of wit and the incisive use of the significant anecdote) his book deserves a place on the same shelf as Stephen Roskill, whose style and high quality have set an admirable standard by which such books must be judged’. The Observer

‘It is a brave story of hardy men and good ships, large and small, and of the surmounting of many formidable difficulties, both administrative and technical.’ Nottingham Guardian Journal
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  1. Part of series
    World War Two at Sea
  2. Print length
    544 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    June 12, 2022
  6. File size
    2.0 MB
  7. Page Flip
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  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09VH1WW79
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 12, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.0 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1800555082
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ World War Two at Sea
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 552 ratings

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John Winton

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4.1 out of 5 stars
552 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this WWII naval history book insightful, with one noting how it fills in the history of the lesser-known British Pacific Fleet. The book receives positive feedback for its accuracy, with one customer highlighting how the maps help understand military history. Customers also praise its readability.

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InterestMap accuracyReadability
9 customers mention "Interest"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting and insightful, with one customer noting how the maps enhance understanding of military history, and another highlighting how it fills in details about the lesser-known British Pacific Fleet.

"Was an interesting part of WW II history I had not really learned about. Many asides I found interesting and informative." Read more

"...the book’s maps were not with the relevant text; maps help you understand military history..." Read more

"This is a very interesting WWII naval history book which covers the little known story of the Royal Navy's operations in the Western Pacific and..." Read more

"I found this to be an interesting read...." Read more

7 customers mention "Map accuracy"5 positive2 negative

Customers appreciate the maps in the book, which provide a lot of information, with one customer noting they are very detailed.

"...Many asides I found interesting and informative." Read more

"I found this to be an interesting read. It provided a lot of information about the problems of maintaining a fleet train to sustain fleet..." Read more

"...Second, the book’s maps were not with the relevant text; maps help you understand military history..." Read more

"...It is the sunset of the once mighty British Navy. Very detailed and insightful history." Read more

4 customers mention "Readability"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well written and easy to read.

"...frequent conversion errors or get a print copy of the book, it’s well worth reading for a better understanding of the Royal Navy’s contribution in..." Read more

"...The book itself is well written and is about part of the war that is not covered by most books." Read more

"Well written and researched strikes me as the Royal Navy's answer to S. E. Morrison's history of WW2 at sea." Read more

"Good read...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good read.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Was an interesting part of WW II history I had not really learned about. Many asides I found interesting and informative.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Mac McCormick III
    4.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Read But a Poor E-Book Conversion
    Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I just finished reading John Winton’s The Forgotten Fleet: The Story of the British Pacific Fleet, 1944-45 about the Royal Navy in the Pacific Theater in the closing stages of World War II. Often times, the most mention you get of the Royal Navy in the Pacific in 1944 and 1945 is that they were there, were greatly outnumbered by the US Navy, and that their carriers had metal instead wooden decks. Winton’s book, therefore, greatly interested me and I enjoyed reading about the Royal Navy’s contributions to naval war in the Pacific and their support of Commonwealth forces in Southeast Asia. Winton didn’t just tell the story of the sharp end of the spear either, he dealt considerably with the British Pacific Fleet’s Fleet Train and the logistics of supporting the fleet at sea for longer times that the Royal Navy had previously done. He also told the story of how the British Pacific Fleet helped repatriate Commonwealth POWs and civilian internees after the Japanese surrender.

    I vacillated between giving this book three stars or four stars, but eventually settled on four. My problems with the book had nothing to do with subject material or how Winton wrote about it, my problems were with the e-book conversion and maps. First, the e-book conversion was poor; many words were misspelled as a result of the conversion and apparently the publisher didn’t bother editing it to correct the errors. The frequent errors were a major distraction. Second, the book’s maps were not with the relevant text; maps help you understand military history (particularly when dealing with lesser known and remote areas of the Pacific and Southeast Asia) much better, and particularly with an e-book are best placed with the relevant text instead of at the beginning of the book. Were it not for the conversion errors, I would likely have had no qualms giving it a four star review, although the maps may have prevented me from giving it five. That said, if you can work your way through the frequent conversion errors or get a print copy of the book, it’s well worth reading for a better understanding of the Royal Navy’s contribution in the Pacific Theater of World War II.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • J. Stevenson
    3.0 out of 5 stars Slogging through the escapades
    Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Indescribable detail. Innumerable abbreviations, some defined but easily forgotten unless the reader is a dyed in the wool British military expert. Sheer tedium. The author wanted to be sure to mention, by name and all the awards and affiliations, of each person involved in command, action or killed/wounded. It seemed like I would not be able to get to the end of all the pages in the book but, fortunately, at the end were many pages of appendices listing all the ships and all the aircraft. Which means that the author did not need to mention them all in the narrative but could have referred to an appendix or an end note with the details. Then the reader could get on with the story. The reader can easily get lost since there are no maps for guidance. Slogging through the escapades of the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) about which the book is supposed to be about (note the Title: FORGOTTEN FLEET The Story of the British Pacific Fleet 1944-5) seemed interminable and suddenly Chapter 6 turns out to be about the land war in Southeast Asia. In Chapter 5, and earlier, it seemed that the war was almost over - talking about the battle for Okinawa and what went on before. Author does mention in the preface ”The book is intended to be a record of the operations of the East Indies and British Pacific Fleets...” but not so much as a plural ”Fleets” in the title. Did I mention that there are no maps! Again, the casual reader is completely lost in all the mention of places without reference to a map.
    One note about inter-ally conflict is that when the combined fleets were bombarding Japan, itself, the Americans refused to let the British aircraft bomb the remnants of the Japanese navy because the Americans wanted for themselves the revenge for the attack on Pearl Harbor.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • TWB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Filling in the historical pieces
    Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is a very interesting WWII naval history book which covers the little known story of the Royal Navy's operations in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean areas. The book will interest both naval history aficionados as well as the general reader.
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  • Marilyn Darke
    4.0 out of 5 stars The forgotten fleet
    Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I found this to be an interesting read. It provided a lot of information about the problems of maintaining a fleet train to sustain fleet operations so far from home. It also showed showed the contributions made by the British Pacific Fleet in World War II.
    One person found this helpful
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  • PABLO
    5.0 out of 5 stars A story of strength and determination
    Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Despite being weakened by years of war prior to the US declaration of war on Japan, the British found a way to do what they perceived as their share in the Pacific even before VE day. Great examples of inspired military leadership and teamwork, sometimes in spite of ignorant meddling from Washington & London. The book contains many examples of ways to insure combined operations are successful.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Merrill Guice
    4.0 out of 5 stars British try hard
    Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Basically an apologia for sending the RN into the Pacific where it was punished by the Admiralty's lack of vision and inability to gain proper funding. Also suffered as the object of Churchill's vanity. The only real strategic good was to hang around till the end of the war so it could regain (and swiftly lose) all of its colonies save Hong King. The navy was valiant but I am of the opinion that risking lives for glory and politics is a poor use of lives.

    The book itself is well written and is about part of the war that is not covered by most books.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • John R
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fills in history of lesser known fleet in Pacific
    Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Though they got in late to the end of the Pacific War, this history is important. It is the sunset of the once mighty British Navy. Very detailed and insightful history.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • bluevapo
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very comprehensive book.
    Reviewed in Australia on June 24, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This was written 50 years ago, while the participants were still alive and able to contribute. The book sets out in great detail the course of British, Empire and Dutch actions in the Pacific war, and remains very readable all the while. It's a long book, and i haven't had time to finish it yet; but i look forward to doing so.
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  • George Wilton
    5.0 out of 5 stars A hidden gem.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 8, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    David Hobbs’ excellent book on the BPF has become the go to source for the Royal Navy’s activities in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific in the closing days of the Second World War.

    And yet, there is real depth in John Winton’s work that makes me question why this is not the standard source.

    The author ably deals with the events and the almost insuperable logistics problems faced by the BPF and RN/USN relations which were not always friendly.

    This is a great, and serious history book from an author often seen as dealing in lighter weight material.

    Highly recommended.
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  • Jason Abraham
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Reference
    Reviewed in Canada on August 11, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Great book on an oft overlooked theatre for the British Navy. My only qualm: grammatical errors abound and ship names are misspelled on several occasions. It is bizarre for a book that has been in circulation for as long as this one has to see it “kindleized” and nothing done to correct these blatant errors.
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  • SPAD
    4.0 out of 5 stars The Fleet Air Arm in the Pacific
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 26, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    A good comprehensive history of the BPF. Lots of detail. Recommended.
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  • john f heaton
    5.0 out of 5 stars So much excellent detail.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 23, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Great read with eye opening detail Marvellous
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