The Fourth Service

Here at last is the true story of the merchant fleet during World War II, the non-fighting service in which 32,000 men died yet whose essential role has never been fully appreciated. The author, himself a member of the service from 1941-47, relates the stories of merchantmen and their crews with unique insight. From the early days of the war to the day of victory on the Rhine, through combined operations in the Mediterranean and at Normandy, the complete operation of the fleet is examined, with vivid accounts of the horrific losses undergone, the heroism of the crews and the sacrifices endured to ensure that Britain received its essential supplies of food, oil, and raw materials. Highly illustrated, this book will be absorbing for the war historian, maritime enthusiast and general reader alike.

John Slader joined the merchant navy in 1941 at the age of 17. Within two years he had survived being torpedoed on two separate occasions. After the war, he worked as an import/export executive for 32 years. Since retiring he has been freelance writer, concentrating on maritime and county life subjects. THE FOURTH SERVICE is his sixth book.