Strike from the Sea

Rating:
Summary: A Suberp Description of Submarine Warfare
Review: This book tells teh true strain of submarine warfare on the crew of the soufriere submarine.

Captain ainslie is portrayed as a veteran of war who is constantly on the brink of losing control over events with his life. The story is set against the backdrop of the fall of singapore to the Japanese armies. The soufriere is the only submarine available and is sent on ever increasing dangerous missions against a relentless foe.

The story also tells superbly the affect of warfare on different individuals and the endurance of the human spirit to overcome the horrors of war.

Rating:
Summary: It Really Did Exist
Review: This was my first real novel. The front cover is what sold me all those years ago.

A great story based in 1941 about a young submarine commander who has already seen enough action fighting for his country's (Great Britain) life against the onslaught of Nazi Germany.

After losing his previous command cause by a fluke attack in the fiords of Norway, Commander Robert Ainslie has been assigned to Singapore on a secret mission to capture the revolutionary advanced French submersible "Soufriere" before the ever advancing Japanese forces in the region discover her first.

Sucessfully finding and capturing the still French flagged sub, The now Captain Ainslie just bearly escape with his new charge from right under the Japanese's noses.

Returning to Singapore the Soufriere is layed up and studied over untill December the 7 when all hell in the Pacific breaks loose.

During this time Robert Ainslie meets a love interest and starts to bond with his crew as he and his monster of the deep are sent out on secret missions to rescue and shore up the ailing Allied effort on the Malayan Penninsular.

Fully aware of his previous command's untimley demise, Robert seems to protect is charge and crew and soon builds up enough confidence to really use the Sofriere to it's full adantage.

The story concludes dramatically with the fall of Singapore and we leave Captain Robert Ainslie blooded but battle hardened for the long struggle ahead. Along with his massive charge and the remains of his crew, he sets about cleeveing his way through the Japanese forces in the Pacific.

What a shame there was no sequal.

Amazingly Douglas Reeman based his submarine adventure on an actual vessel the french did build in the 1930's. Fully equipped with the weponery and small aircraft per "Soufriere" she was to be one of a class. However just like everything french, she was expensive to build and when the dark clouds of war began to fall on Europe, France's decision to go ahead with the construction of the class came far too late.

Based in Indochina (thus avoiding German capture)and used by the free french navy this real "Soufriere" escaped the Japanese but came to grief at the mouth of the Panama Canal after colliding with a supply ship some time in 1942. She was on her way to the Atlantic Theater to help escort the large convoys that were being decimated by the U-boat fleets at that time.