The hunt for Napoleon
According to both History and Hollywood the story of Napoleon usually ends with a lonely figure in a large hat, one arm thrust into his...
Can't swim, won't swim
On the 29th of August 1782, the Royal George, a hundred gun first rate that was a sister ship to Nelson’s Victory, was anchored in the...
The Man who Counted the Wind
As a child, I inherited an ancient radio from my Scottish grandfather. It was a substantial block of cream and brown Bakelite, fronted by...
Google and the death of knowledge
Don’t get me wrong, I love Google. As a writer of historical novels, it is the search engine that I have open on my PC as I work, ready...
The Age of Sugar
Take a look at the image of George Washington on the back of a one dollar bill. A magnifying glass will help you to see it properly....
The Heroic Bean-Counter
When the Queen Elizabeth class of Dreadnoughts were launched they were the most powerful warships afloat. The capital ships built during...
Navy Blue
Navies throughout the world wear basically the same uniform. Dark blue for temperate and full dress with a white variant for warmer...
Latitude
Use some mapping software, like Google Earth, centre yourself on the middle of the Pacific Ocean and zoom out. A planet will appear that...
The French Nelson
When British and French fleets met in battle during the 18th century, as a general rule, it was always the British that won. Not every...
Why did ships have figureheads?
Figureheads are magnificent things. Stroll along the ranks of huge, colourfully painted ones in the naval museums at Greenwich or...