Royal Navy Force H 1940–42

Formed to project British naval power from Gibraltar, Force H was the Royal Navy's unique strategic task force. This fully illustrated study explains its roles, organization and history.

In June 1940, the fall of France and its powerful fleet completely changed the naval balance in both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. To counter this, the Admiralty formed Force H, a unique task force based at Gibraltar, which was assigned some of Britain's most powerful capital ships. Command was given to James Somerville, one of Britain's finest admirals, who reported directly to the Admiralty. Force H would be the Royal Navy's 'fire brigade' in the theatre.

In this book, naval historian Angus Konstam presents a detailed study of Force H's purpose, capabilities, organization, and how it fought to dominate the seas around the crucial Straits of Gibraltar. Until the Italian surrender in 1943, Force H would be tasked with crucial actions from the destruction of the French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir to hunting the Bismarck in the Atlantic, and from Malta convoy escort to supporting Allied amphibious landings from Madagascar to Sicily.

Packed with spectacular original artwork, maps and diagrams, it demonstrates how Force H, more than any other British naval force, had the strategic flexibility and firepower to turn the tide of war in not just one, but two vital theatres.

About the Author

Angus Konstam is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and has written widely on naval history, with well over a hundred books in print. He is a former Royal Navy officer, maritime archaeologist and museum curator, who has worked in the Royal Armouries, Tower of London, and Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. Now a full-time author and historian, he lives in Orkney.

Paul Wright has painted ships of all kinds for most of his career, specializing in steel and steam warships from the late 19th century to the present day. Paul's art has illustrated the works of Patrick O'Brian, Dudley Pope and C.S. Forester amongst others, and hangs in many corporate and private collections all over the world. A Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, Paul lives and works in Surrey.

Table of Contents

• The Fleet's Purpose
  • The Mission
• Fleet Fighting Power
  • The Ships
  • Technology
• How the Fleet Operated
  • Command and Organization
  • Intelligence, Communication and Deception
  • Logistics and Facilities
• Combat and Analysis
  • The Fleet in Combat
  • Analysis
• Further Reading
• Index