An exciting new book on life on the lower deck in Nelson's Navy. Its intriguing title is based on the famous quotation, attributed to Sir Winston Churchill, about the value of naval tradition.
It tells the true story of Samuel Blackmore, not a famous admiral, but a lower deck sailor in Nelson's Navy from 1793 to 1802.
This book is certain to appeal to all who love the Patrick O'Brian and Hornblower books, Nelson fans and students of naval history.
After nearly two years as an 'A.B.' in 'ships-of-the-line' and five months as a prisoner of the French, Samuel served for more than six years in the former French frigate HMS la Minerve, commanded by George Cockburn, one of Nelson's protégés, and eventually became her coxswain. He served directly under Lord Nelson himself for three months when he employed la Minerve as his flag ship. Samuel was with Nelson in the famous duel between la Minerve and the Spanish frigate Sabina, being put on board with a 40-man prize crew and captured when Nelson was forced to 'cut and run,' abandoning her. He was later given the first clasp to his Naval General Service medal for this action.
He also took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797 (when Nelson briefly came on board la Minerve again) and a daring 'cutting out' boat action at Santa Cruz, carried out in broad daylight, gaining two more clasps to his medal. He had the misfortune to be captured, and released, three times in all, seeing the inside of both French and Spanish prisons. He also earned enough in prize money to buy his own freehold house after the war and afford a servant for the rest of his life.
THIS IS THE HOMEPAGE.
Other pages are:-
SAMUEL'S STORY - AN
OUTLINE OF THE BOOK
COMMENT, QUOTES & REVIEWS
BOOK'S TITLE -
CHURCHILL'S QUOTE - DID HE REALLY SAY IT?
SODOMY - A HANGING and "THE GOLDEN RIVET."
NEWS UPDATE
You may also wish to see my new web site
"BOWEL CANCER - MY EXPERIENCE"
Easy to post, sure to please that uncle or nephew you cannot think what to send for Christmas or birthday !
SORRY - temporarily out of print, but another re-print will be ordered soon, and will be available in plenty of time for Christmas 2009.
But please, PLEASE order DIRECT from me, not through a bookshop! This is because I have to allow bookshops a discount - whereas, if you order DIRECT from me, EVERY PENNY goes to charity!
"HMS La Minerve, off Toulon"
by
Commander Geoff Hunt R.N.
By kind permission of the artist.
(This picture is reproduced in colour in the book)
Recommendation on back cover by Peter Goodwin, Keeper and Curator, HMS
Victory,
and Foreword by Victor Sharman, Chairman, The Nelson
Society; please see extracts below.
ISBN 0-9543674-0-5. Soft cover, 156 pages plus two pages of colour illustrations, including "la Minerve, off Toulon " by Commander Geoff Hunt R.N. .
UK £9.99 (£12.50 including postage & packing)
USA $16 ($22.50 including postage & packing; US checks accepted)
Europe €16 (€20 including postage & packing)
Sterling cheques from Europe and elsewhere - £14
To order your copy please send your check ['cheque' in the UK ! ]
MADE OUT TO:
" E.A.BLACKMORE BOOK ACCOUNT ", with your name
and address, to:-
Anthony Blackmore
Covey House
Upper Dunsforth
YORK YO26 9RU
U.K.
PLEASE NOTE: The book is sold in aid of LYNN'S BOWEL CANCER CAMPAIGN - see "BOWEL CANCER - MY EXPERIENCE" The ENTIRE sale proceeds, not just any profits, go to the charity.
PLEASE, if you are thinking of ordering the book, BUY IT FROM ME ! rather than from your local book-shop or Amazon, as I have to allow them a HUGE discount, so the charity receives far less! Besides, I normally get your book into the post the day I receive your order.
PAYPAL: If you are in the UK or USA just send a check/cheque but, if you don't have a £ Sterling or US $ bank account, why not use PAYPAL ? They handle the currency conversion - you pay them in your own currency - and you can use your credit card. Please use my Hotmail address:-
"In researching his subject and writing this book, which he has so obviously
enjoyed doing, Anthony Blackmore has ferreted out a whole wealth of original
sources to support his story....the tale that he tells will delight all
devotees, like myself, of the era..... the author is to be congratulated."
Victor Sharman, Chairman, The Nelson Society.
"....a fascinating and well researched book, quoting
a wealth of interesting detail from ships' logs and contemporary letters.
This book will certainly appeal to all Nelson fans and students of naval
history."
Peter Goodwin, Keeper and Curator, HMS Victory,
Portsmouth.
"Beautifully told by Anthony Blackmore, the story of this young seaman will
captivate the legions of enthusiasts...because, remarkably, it portrays the life
of the sailors serving below decks.
The author's researches have resulted in a wealth of accurate detail about naval engagements and practices...Accounts of the engagements in which Samuel would have fought are exciting and instructive...This book, with its splendid illustrations, describes a rather warmer and rewarding life than the title suggests.
Devotees of Nelson, family historians and students .... will enjoy immensely Anthony Blackmore's book ....."
Practical Family History, October 2003
"...It is a fascinating book in its context...For anyone who loves sea stories, this would make a wonderful birthday or Christmas gift. After all why read Hornblower when the real thing is available."
The Devon Family Historian (journal of the Devon Family History Society)
August 2003
"Your book will provide our readers with further insights into life at sea ..... It fits in so very well with the other materials at the library on naval history and is greatly appreciated."
Don Wilcox, Curator of Books, William L. Clements Library, The University of Michigan.
". . . . I went on to read ‘The Mauritius Command’ [Patrick O'Brian] and much preferred Blackmore.”
A reader's comment
I may not be a Booker prize winner or another Patrick O'Brian or C.S. Forester, and Samuel may not have been a Hornblower, Jack Aubrey or Maturin (the book is certainly no rival to the 'Master and Commander' film) but his story is fact, not fiction.
Thank you very much for visiting this site. Do please tell your friends about it.
HMS UNICORN HMS Trincomalee's sister ship, another Leda class frigate, now "in ordinary" at Dundee,