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TASK FORCE 57; the British Pacific Fleet 1944-45. H/B (1) 1969 (SBN 7183 0251 6). H/B (2) 1994 (ISBN 0-947554 45 9). P/B 2000 (ISBN 0-947554-85-8)
Foreword by Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fraser of North Cape, GCB, KBE.
Introduction by Admiral Sir Michael Denny, GCB, CBE,DSO.
The first, and still a major account of the British Pacific Fleet, which was formed from the chaos of defeat and turned into a the major British contribution to the defeat of Japan. A summary of the historical background to the Royal Navy in the Far East is given, and then the detailed account of how, while trying to fight both the Germans and Italians and supply the Russians, the Navy tried to build up sufficient front line strength to hit back at Japan.
The formation of the BPF, centred around the six armoured aircraft carriers and the new battleships built since 1940, took a long time; the fleet train of supply ships and tankers necessary to sustained this huge force was hampered by the needs of the supply of Britain and her armies in Europe and by a reluctant Ministry of Transport; but eventually the job was done. Starting with strikes of Japanese oil installations and bases in South-East Asia the BPF went on to join with the US Navy in striking telling blows at Okinawa in the face of Kamikaze attack and then took the war to the home islands of Japan itself with air strikes and battleship bombardments on the Tokyo Plain. A list of the ships that formed the fleet and a unique destroyer pendant number listing are also given.
Arthur J. Marder wrote to the author, just before his death, "I have been reading, and re-reading, your excellent Task Force 57, with great profit." Scott Spenser of faasig stated in his review: "..this book should be a part of any Royal Navy/Fleet Air Arm enthusiasts library."
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