Empire Cruise

The Special Service Squadron 1923-24

Daniel Knowles

$77.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

FONTHILL
21 March 2024

History; 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000; Colonialism & imperialism; Naval forces & warfare; Military & naval ships

In November 1923 the Royal Navy dispatched what was named the Special Service Squadron on a ten-month tour around the British Empire. Led by the battlecruiser HMS 'Hood', the pride of the Royal Navy and, at the time, the largest ship in the world, and including the battlecruiser 'Renown' and the First Light Cruiser Squadron, the role of the Special Service Squadron was to 'show the flag' in a public relations exercise and to strengthen ties across the Empire. Much publicised, the cruise served as a subtle reminder that in the aftermath of the Great War, Britannia still ruled the waves. This book charts the situation faced by Great Britain and the Royal Navy in the years immediately after the Great War, and details the origins of the cruise before charting the course of the expedition.

By: Daniel Knowles
Imprint: FONTHILL
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 248mm, Width: 172mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 948g
ISBN: 9781781558980
ISBN 10: 1781558981
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 21 March 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

"Acknowledgements; Introduction; Chapter 1: Planning the Cruise; Chapter 2: The Ships of the Squadron; Chapter 3: Admirals and Captains; Chapter 4: 'The ""Floating Power"" of Britain'; Chapter 5: 'The Warmest Tribute in its Power'; Chapter 6: 'The Navy Means Everything'; Chapter 7: 'We Only Did Our Duty'; Chapter 8: 'We Surrender Our City Unto You'; Chapter 9: South America; Chapter 10: 'A Halo of Splendour'; Chapter 11: Return of the Squadron; Epilogue; Endnotes; Bibliography; Index"

Daniel Knowles graduated from the University of Northumbria with an Honours degree in history and politics and is part of a new generation of historians. His previous works have been the critically acclaimed Tirpitz: The Life and Death of Germany's Last Great Battleship (2018), HMS Hood: Pride of the Royal Navy (2019), The Battle of the Denmark Strait (2020) and Yamato: Flagship of the Imperial Japanese Navy (2021). He resides in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.