Borrow it
Coverart for item
The Resource The scrap iron flotilla, Mike Carlton

The scrap iron flotilla, Mike Carlton

Creator
Author
Summary
When the Second World War broke out in September 1939, the British asked Australia for help. With some misgivings, the Australian government sent five destroyers to beef up the British Royal Navy in the Mediterranean. HMAS Vendetta, Vampire, Voyager, Stuart and Waterhen were old ships, small with worn-out engines. Their crews used to joke they were held together by string and chewing gum; when the Nazi propaganda minister Josef Goebbels heard of them, he sneered that they were a load of scrap iron. Yet by the middle of 1940, these destroyers were valiantly escorting troop and supply convoys, successfully hunting for submarines and indefatigably bombarding enemy coasts. Sometimes the weather could be their worst enemy -- from filthy sandstorms blowing off Africa to icy gales from Europe that whipped up mountainous seas and froze the guns. Conditions on board were terrible -- no showers or proper washing facilities; cramped and stinking sleeping quarters; unpleasant meals of spam and tinned sausages, often served cold in a howling squall. And always the bombing, the bombing. And the fear of submarines. When Nazi Germany invaded Greece, the Allied armies -- including Australian Divisions -- reeled in retreat. The Australian ships were among those who had to rescue thousands of soldiers. Then came the Siege of Tobruk -- Australian troops holding out in that small Libyan port city. The Australian destroyers ran 'the Tobruk Ferry' -- bringing supplies of food, medicine and ammunition into the shattered port by night, and taking off wounded soldiers. But the four destroyers now left were struggling, suffering from constant engine breakdowns, with crews beleaguered by two years of bombings, wild seas and the endless fear of being sunk. In late 1941 the ships were finally sent home, staggering back to Australia, proudly calling themselves the Scrap Iron Flotilla in defiance of the Goebbels' sneer. That flotilla is now an immortal part of Australian naval legend, and this is its story
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xv, 432 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Note
"Five valiant destroyers and the Australian war in the Mediterranean" -- Cover
Isbn
9781761042003
Instance
Label
The scrap iron flotilla
Title
The scrap iron flotilla
Statement of responsibility
Mike Carlton
Creator
Author
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
When the Second World War broke out in September 1939, the British asked Australia for help. With some misgivings, the Australian government sent five destroyers to beef up the British Royal Navy in the Mediterranean. HMAS Vendetta, Vampire, Voyager, Stuart and Waterhen were old ships, small with worn-out engines. Their crews used to joke they were held together by string and chewing gum; when the Nazi propaganda minister Josef Goebbels heard of them, he sneered that they were a load of scrap iron. Yet by the middle of 1940, these destroyers were valiantly escorting troop and supply convoys, successfully hunting for submarines and indefatigably bombarding enemy coasts. Sometimes the weather could be their worst enemy -- from filthy sandstorms blowing off Africa to icy gales from Europe that whipped up mountainous seas and froze the guns. Conditions on board were terrible -- no showers or proper washing facilities; cramped and stinking sleeping quarters; unpleasant meals of spam and tinned sausages, often served cold in a howling squall. And always the bombing, the bombing. And the fear of submarines. When Nazi Germany invaded Greece, the Allied armies -- including Australian Divisions -- reeled in retreat. The Australian ships were among those who had to rescue thousands of soldiers. Then came the Siege of Tobruk -- Australian troops holding out in that small Libyan port city. The Australian destroyers ran 'the Tobruk Ferry' -- bringing supplies of food, medicine and ammunition into the shattered port by night, and taking off wounded soldiers. But the four destroyers now left were struggling, suffering from constant engine breakdowns, with crews beleaguered by two years of bombings, wild seas and the endless fear of being sunk. In late 1941 the ships were finally sent home, staggering back to Australia, proudly calling themselves the Scrap Iron Flotilla in defiance of the Goebbels' sneer. That flotilla is now an immortal part of Australian naval legend, and this is its story
Cataloging source
SALS
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Carlton, Michael
Dewey number
940.545994
Illustrations
  • illustrations
  • maps
  • portraits
  • plates
Index
index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • Destroyers (Warships)
  • Tobruk, Battles of, Tobruk, Libya, 1941-1942
Target audience
adult
Label
The scrap iron flotilla, Mike Carlton
Instantiates
Publication
Copyright
Note
"Five valiant destroyers and the Australian war in the Mediterranean" -- Cover
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
  • cartographic image
  • text
  • still image
Content type code
  • cri
  • txt
  • sti
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Control code
000072275783
Dimensions
24 cm.
Extent
xv, 432 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Form of item
regular print reproduction
Isbn
9781761042003
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations (some colour), portraits (some colour), maps
System control number
(OCoLC)1298887528
Label
The scrap iron flotilla, Mike Carlton
Publication
Copyright
Note
"Five valiant destroyers and the Australian war in the Mediterranean" -- Cover
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
  • cartographic image
  • text
  • still image
Content type code
  • cri
  • txt
  • sti
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Control code
000072275783
Dimensions
24 cm.
Extent
xv, 432 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Form of item
regular print reproduction
Isbn
9781761042003
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations (some colour), portraits (some colour), maps
System control number
(OCoLC)1298887528

Subject

Library Locations

    • Lionel Bowen Library and Community CentreBorrow it
      669-673 Anzac Parade, Marouba, NSW, 2035, AU
      -33.938111 151.237977
    • Malabar Community LibraryBorrow it
      1203 Anzac Parade, Matraville, NSW, 2036, AU
      -33.962293 151.245961
    • Margaret Martin LibraryBorrow it
      Level 1, Royal Randwick Shopping Centre, Randwick, NSW, 2031, AU
      -33.9151421 151.2408898

Library Links

Structured data from the Bibframe namespace is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Randwick City Library. Additional terms may apply to data associated with third party namespaces.