Michael Simpson (editor) - The Somerville Papers: Selections from the Private and Official Correspondence of Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville, GCB, GBE, DSO (Navy Records Society Publications)

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PUBLICATIONS
OF THE
NAVY RECORDS SOCIETY

VOL. 134

THE SOMERVILLE PAPERS

Selections from the Private and Official
Correspondence of
Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville

The NAVY RECORDS SOCIETY was established in 1893 for the purpose of printing unpublished manuscripts and rare works of naval interest. The Society is open to all who are interested in naval history, and any person wishing to become a member should apply to the Hon. Secretary, Deputy Chief Credit Officer, BZW Ltd, First Floor, St Marys Court, Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6JN. The annual subscription is 30, which entitles the member to receive one free copy of each work issued by the Society in that year, and to buy earlier issues at much reduced prices.

SUBSCRIPTIONS and orders for back volumes should be sent to the Membership Secretary, 5 Goodwood Close, Midhurst, Sussex GU29 9JG.

THE COUNCIL OF THE NAVY RECORDS SOCIETY wish it to be clearly understood that they are not answerable for any opinions and observations which may appear in the Societys publications. For these the editors of the several works are entirely responsible.

THE SOMERVILLE PAPERS

Selections from the Private and Official Correspondence of Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville, G.C.B., G.B.E., D.S.O.

edited by

MICHAEL SIMPSON, M.A., M. Litt., F.R. HIST. S.

Senior Lecturer in History, University of Wales, Swansea

with the assistance of

JOHN SOMERVILLE, C.B., C.B.E.

PUBLISHED BY ROUTLEDGE
FOR THE NAVY RECORDS SOCIETY
1995

First published 1996 by The Navy Records Society

Published 2019 by Routledge

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN

52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

The Navy Records Society, 1996

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Notice:

Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Somerville, James

Somerville Papers: Selections from the Private and Official Correspondence of Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville, GCB, GBE, DSO. (Navy Records Series; Vol. 134) I. Title II. Simpson, Michael III. Somerville, John IV. Series 359.331092

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Somerville, James, Sir

The Somerville papers: selections from the private and official correspondence of Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville, GCB, GBE, DSO / edited by Michael Simpson, with the assistance of John Somerville.

p. cm. (Publications of the Navy Records Society; vol. 134)

Includes index.

ISBN 1-85928-207-5 (hardback)

1. Somerville, James, Sir Correspondence. 2. Great BritainHistory; Naval 20th centurySources. 3. AdmiralsGreat BritainCorrespondence. I. Simpson, Michael. II. Somerville, John. III. Navy Records Society (Great Britain) IV. Title. V. Series.

DA89.1.S6A41995

941.08092dc20952621

CIP

Phototypeset by Raven Typesetters, Chester

ISBN 13: 978-1-85928-207-6 (hbk)

THE COUNCIL
OF THE
NAVY RECORDS SOCIETY
1995

PATRON

H.R.H. THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH,
K.G.,O.M.,F.R.S.

PRESIDENT

THE RT. HON. THE LORD CARRINGTON,
K.G., C.H., G.C.M.G., M.C., P.C.

VICE-PRESIDENTS

H. U. A. LAMBERT, M.A.

M. DUFFY, M.A., D. Phil., F.R.Hist.S.

Captain C. H. H. OWEN, R.N.

Professor D. M. LOADES, M.A., Ph.D., Litt.D., F.S.A., F.R.Hist.S.

COUNCILLORS

Miss P. K. CRIMMIN, B.A., B.Phil., F.R.Hist.S.

Professor G. TILL, M.A., Ph.D.

A. D. LAMBERT, M.A., Ph.D.

Professor B. M. RANFT, M.A., D.Phil., F.R.Hist.S.

J. D. DAVIES, M.A., D.Phil.

K. J. JEFFERY, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.Hist.S.

R. GWILLIAM, Esq.

R. W. A. SUDDABY, M.A.

R. J. B. KNIGHT, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.Hist.S.

M. BLACKWELL, Esq.

Admiral SIR BRIAN BROWN, K.C.B., C.B.E.

Rear Admiral J. B. HERVEY, C.B., O.B.E., F.B.I.M.

Rear Admiral J. A. L. MYRES

Rear Admiral J. R. HILL

A. W. H. PEARSALL, I.S.O., M.A.

Captain A. B. SAINSBURY, V.R.D., M.A., R.N.R.

A. N. RYAN, M.A., F.R.Hist.S.

Professor J. B. HATTENDORF, D.Phil.

S. P. ROSE, M.A., Ph.D.

Professor G. E. AYLMER, M.A., D.Phil., F.B.A., F.R.Hist.S.

Lt. Commander L. PHILLIPS, R.D., R.N.R.

E. J. GROVE, M.A.

Hon. Secretary

A. J. MCMILLAN, B.A., A.CI.B.

Hon. General Editor

M.A. SIMPSON, M.A., M.Litt., F.R.Hist.S.

Hon. Treasurer

J. V. TYLER, F.C.C.A.

CONTENTS

Frontispiece

Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville, GCB, GBE, DSO

Maps

The Pursuit of the Bismarck, 26 May 1941

Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville is not one of the best remembered British naval commanders of the Second World War. However, apart from Lords Cunningham and Fraser, no British flag officer rivalled Somervilles experience of widely different high commands Force H, the Eastern Fleet and the British Admiralty Delegation in Washington and none held continuous sea commands for as long as he did (June 1940 to August 1944).

Somerville began his wartime high commands in dramatic if distressing fashion with the bombardment of the French Fleet by Force H at Mers-el-Kebir (July 1940), ran numerous convoys to Malta, raided Genoa, Sardinia and Sicily, and it was aircraft from Force H which crippled the Bismarck. Following the loss of the Prince of Wales and Repulse and the debcle in the Java Sea, he took command of the new Eastern Fleet in March 1942. For more than two years, he defended the sea lanes to India, the Gulf, Suez and Australasia and at the last harried and bombed Japanese bases. At both the outset and the end of his tour of duty, he commanded Britains largest fleet. As the focus of the naval war shifted towards the Pacific, he was aptly if reluctantly cast as the Head of the British Admiralty Delegation in Washington, taking up the appointment in October 1944 and returning home in December 1945. Not only did Somerville command large forces in vital theatres, engaging the enemy as frequently and as closely as his elusive foes and his own meagre resources permitted, but he also led the Navy into the age of radar and became the Royal Navys first true air admiral. Often at odds with Government and Admiralty policy, he was nevertheless well liked by those who served under him.

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