During the bleak, heartbreaking days of early 1942, when beleaguered Malta was reeling under bombardment and blockade and Rommel was making his last desperate thrust towards Egypt, only one British submarine was operating in the western Mediterranean - the tiny, 600-ton Unbroken.In twelve months in the Med, Unbroken sank over 30,000 tons of enemy shipping, took part in four secret operations, three successful gun actions, and survived a total of over 400 depth charges, as well as innumerable air and surface attacks.This account of the 26-year-old Alastair Mars' command of this outstandingly successful submarine embraces her construction, sea trials and voyage to Gibraltar preparatory to her vital role in the Mediterranean. Once there, she was responsible for the destruction of two Italian cruisers and played a pivotal part in Operation Pedestal, the convoy that saved Malta from surrender. Alastair Mars writes simply and without pretension, and his words evoke the claustrophobic yet heroic world of the submariner.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By K. Plowman
Format:Paperback
Alastair Mars commanded the British submarine Unbroken for the whole of 1942, during the Siege of Malta. During that time he and the ship's crew sank 30,000 tons of enemy shipping.
The submarine also engaged the enemy on land - landing and picking up secret agents on the coast of Occupied Europe, and shelling enemy rail traffic. On one occasion, Unbroken blew up a train carrying 14,000 tons of supplies for Rommel.
'Unbroken' takes you right through Mars' time in command of her, what it was like to operate in the Mediterranean at this point in WW2 - the stress, the foul air of the submarine - stewed cabbage was particularly bad in this respect ... (hiding from the enemy was more important than surfacing to change the air), chancing their luck going through minefields, or enduring depth charging. As well as the sub's successes, Mars mentions the errors made by the crew (which seems to have been relatively inexperienced) and reversals of fortune.
You get a real feeling for the vital contribution the Royal Navy's Submarine Service made to the war in the Mediterranean and on land in North Africa, by a real breed of heroes.
The submarine also engaged the enemy on land - landing and picking up secret agents on the coast of Occupied Europe, and shelling enemy rail traffic. On one occasion, Unbroken blew up a train carrying 14,000 tons of supplies for Rommel.
'Unbroken' takes you right through Mars' time in command of her, what it was like to operate in the Mediterranean at this point in WW2 - the stress, the foul air of the submarine - stewed cabbage was particularly bad in this respect ... (hiding from the enemy was more important than surfacing to change the air), chancing their luck going through minefields, or enduring depth charging. As well as the sub's successes, Mars mentions the errors made by the crew (which seems to have been relatively inexperienced) and reversals of fortune.
You get a real feeling for the vital contribution the Royal Navy's Submarine Service made to the war in the Mediterranean and on land in North Africa, by a real breed of heroes.
27 of 29 people found the following review helpful
By J. Hood
Format:Paperback
Alastair Mars was not just a very successful submarine commander but a naturally talented writer, which makes "Unbroken" a wonderful book for anyone who has never read any naval history in their life and a must for all who have. His style is economical, fast-paced and engaging, through the dramatic to the the moving and the funny - and the operational detail and technical jargon never gets in the way of the narrative. Something of a maverick, he used his initiative to spectacular effect during Operation Pedestal, and his leadership comes through in the unity and efficiency of the crew in whatever situations they find themselves. You close the book with the illusion of having shared a few patrols in Unbroken, and my only criticism of the book is one that I would level at all my favourite reads: I wish it could have gone on for longer.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By John Middleton
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
This book, written back in the early 50's, is the tale of HMS Unbroken under Alastair Mars, her captain for a tour in the Med during 1942, the "hinge of fate" in the second world war. It starts out with his travel to Gibraltar, landing Commandoes into Vichy France, and then proceeding to the Malta station during the height of the Siege.
From there, HMS Unbroken goes out on a number of patrols - shelling a railway line or two to disrupt the flow of supplies to Rommel in the Western Desert, sinking a merchantman or two, and damaging couple of Italian heavy cruisers so badly they took no further part in the war. There are also another few occasions where Unbroken is dropping special forces ashore: and the heartbreak of a failed insertion is all too real when things go wrong.
Unbroken is a little 600-ton submarine with a crew of 30-odd men, originally built as a training boat: tiny and fragile by today's standards, and small even by the standards of the 1940's. It is with dark humour we learn that after a heavy depth charging from which she was lucky to survive it is quipped that her name should be changed to "badly bent" or words to that effect.
All up, this is a compelling little read, which takes you under the sea on a series of WWII patrols in a close little boat. You feel every rivet popping, every leak, and the wait for a torpedo to hit its far-off target. There is little of the big picture here, but as a personal memoir of submarine warfare this is one of the best.
From there, HMS Unbroken goes out on a number of patrols - shelling a railway line or two to disrupt the flow of supplies to Rommel in the Western Desert, sinking a merchantman or two, and damaging couple of Italian heavy cruisers so badly they took no further part in the war. There are also another few occasions where Unbroken is dropping special forces ashore: and the heartbreak of a failed insertion is all too real when things go wrong.
Unbroken is a little 600-ton submarine with a crew of 30-odd men, originally built as a training boat: tiny and fragile by today's standards, and small even by the standards of the 1940's. It is with dark humour we learn that after a heavy depth charging from which she was lucky to survive it is quipped that her name should be changed to "badly bent" or words to that effect.
All up, this is a compelling little read, which takes you under the sea on a series of WWII patrols in a close little boat. You feel every rivet popping, every leak, and the wait for a torpedo to hit its far-off target. There is little of the big picture here, but as a personal memoir of submarine warfare this is one of the best.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic!
Not as good as his later book 'HMS Thule Intercepts' but as a story of the slaughter in the Mediterranen, this is a superb account. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Combover
5.0 out of 5 stars
malta ww2
excellent story of the hardship experienced by the submariners sailinbg from Malta (and thus being 'a thorn in Rommels side')
during ww2 by one of the officers who were there... Read more
during ww2 by one of the officers who were there... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mogens H. Jensen
3.0 out of 5 stars
Average
A reasonable book but not a patch on "Sea Wolves" which covers the same area. Interesting in its own way however as it puts the emphasis on just one crew.
Published 2 months ago by book worm
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unbroken
I really enjoyed this book, it has facts in it that you would otherwise miss and explanation on why submarine life was difficult and challenging at the same time. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Richard o'Donnell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unbroken
I haven't actaually read the very book I bought because it was a present (I had read it when it was first published many years ago) but I remember it as a cracking good wartime... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Robert T. Graham
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unbroken
I found this an excellent book and wholeheartedly agree with the previous reviews from the military and historical standpoint. Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2011 by Steven George
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unbroken
Well written and written with honesty a better read than I thought it would be and I've read a lot of books on submarine warfare.
Published on 20 Oct 2010 by narkdup
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great read
I purchased this book many years ago and I would rate it as the best autobiography of a RN submarine commander. Litotes is a natural British characteristic. Read more
Published on 24 July 2010 by Big Dud
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
As having a long standing interest in naval history and in particular the submarine service. I like to read most books I can find on the subject. Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2010 by P. Cross
5.0 out of 5 stars
Should be read by any submariner
Any submariner who has been 'on scene unseen' after 1945 should read this book.
A lot of things will seem similar, but soon one realises that our experiences are nothing... Read more
A lot of things will seem similar, but soon one realises that our experiences are nothing... Read more
Published on 2 Jan 2010 by Johan Fr Knudsen
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