Edward Young was the wartime commander of HMS Storm - a British S Type Submarine. Speaking as one who has studied and even visited one of that vessel's many sister ships (HMS Stubborn - deliberately sunk off Malta in 1946 as an Asdic target), I know a little (albeit very little) of the excitement these ships are able to generate. This book vividly brings to life the work and experiences of those who took part in WW2 in such craft and it is the very combination of that war, that type of submarine and the daily events of routine, danger, deprivation and even fun, which is something at which we who enjoy the freedom for which they fought can only marvel.
This is a well written book which tells a story. Though centred on the wartime life of the author, it is not a book which is just about him and his boat (submarines are boats, not ships). It is about the people and the events which he encountered along the way and theirs is a story which forms part of the huge jigsaw which was World War Two. Such a contribution was a vital part of the overall war effort and is made all the more interesting by the way in which it is told.
At over 300 pages of well written dialogue with the addition of just the right amount of photographic plates and maps, this book represents real value for money and reads better than any novel.
NM