Shining a light on our maritime past
Lightships, by Anthony Lane and Martin Augustus
Image on landing page: Automated Trinity House vessels ALV1 and ALV10 after a refit in 1988. Taken from Lightships
In their new illustrated guide, Anthony Lane and Martin Augustus, showcase a
crucial, but often forgotten part of British maritime history. Prior to the widespread use of modern navigational techniques such as radar and sonar, Britain’s lightships saved thousands of ships from becoming grounded upon the sandbanks and reefs they guarded.
Although some lightships survive today as unmanned vessels, this guide, filled with detailed illustrations and exclusive photographs, highlights the important work of seafarers who operated these vessels, providing a vital safeguard for ships near the notoriously dangerous British coastline.
Readers interested in a comprehensive history of one of the most crucial developments in maritime navigational infrastructure will enjoy this well researched guide, which combines a history of technical development with some fascinating stories of bravery and ingenuity. Certainly, food for thought when considering modern navigational techniques!
Lightships: Their Design, Development and Diversity
By Anthony Lane and Martin Augustus
Amberley, £15.99
ISBN 978 13981 19239
Buy this book in the Nautilus Bookshop
While you're there, why not browse the rest of the titles in our unique maritime bookshop, which sells all the books reviewed on these pages.
Buy nowMore Books
Salvage story told through a treasure trove of images
In the Wake of the Empress of Ireland, by David Saint-PierreThe sinking of the Empress of Ireland in 1914 remains the worst peacetime disaster in Canadian history. Of the 1,477 people onboard, 1,012 died as the ocean liner went down in just 14 minutes.
Fighting on after D-Day
Normandy: The Sailors’ Story, by Nick HewittTo tie in with the 80th anniversary of D-Day last year, Yale University Press published this detailed and readable book by veteran ship restorer and historian Nick Hewitt, which puts the efforts of the Allied navies in the Battle for France centre stage.
Scotland's WW2 supply crews
Never to Return, by Roderick G MacleanAs remembrance season approaches, we often look out for new titles on the Merchant Navy in wartime, and Never to Return fits the bill this year.
New northern take on the Titanic tragedy
Titanic: The Greater Manchester Connections, by James W BancroftFew maritime tragedies have held such a place in the public imagination as that of the Titanic. The tales and testimonies of passengers aboard that doomed voyage in 1912 have inspired countless books and several film adaptations, some more fictionalised than others.