Bibliography

NOTE - Format of Book / Publication / Media entry is:

Name of Book with any subtitle, Journal or Website    

Author(s) name(s)

Publishers name and date of publication (if known)  
Country of publication

ISBN classification, only given where stated within that book. Some books were published prior to the introduction of ISBN classifications

“A Midshipman’s War: A Young Man in the Mediterranean Naval War, 1941-1943” 2nd Edition;  Frank Wade; Trafford Publishing 2013;  Canada;  ISBN 978-1-4120-7069-0(sc)

“A Sailor’s Odyssey”; The Autobiography of Admiral of the Fleet Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope;  Hutchinson 1951;  London

“A Year at Sea on HMS Implacable, 1909: The 1909 Diary of Albert ‘Ajax’ Adams”; Robert Adams;  Ajax Adams Press 2012;  England;  ISBN 978-0-9573729-0-0

“Admiral Lord Anson";  Captain S.W.C. Pack R.N.;  Cassell 1960;  London

“Anzac Fury, The Bloody Battle of Crete 1941”; Peter Thompson; William Heinemann 2011; Sydney Australia; ISBN 978 1 86471 131 8

“Australian & New Zealand Warships 1914-1945"; Ross Gillett; Double Day 1953; Australia

“Battle Honours of the Royal Navy”; Ben Warlow Lt Cdr R.N.; Maritime Books 2004; Liskeard England

“Battle Ships and Carriers”; Steve Crawford; Brown Books 1999; London; ISBN 1-897884-44-3

“Before the Tide Turned (The Mediterranean Experiences of a British Destroyer Officer in 1941)”; Hugh Hodgkinson Lt Cdr DSC R.N.; George G Harrap 1944; England

“Bletchley Park, Home of the Codebreakers” Guide Book; Bletchley Park Trust 2014; Bletchley;   England

“Blue Star”; Tony Atkinson & Kevin O'Donoghue; World Ship Society 1985; Kendall England;

     ISBN 0 90561737 1

“Blue Star Line”; Mike Dovey & Ken Bottoms; The TPO & Seapost Society 2014; England;

     ISBN 978-0-9569662-7-8

“Blue Star Line, A Fleet History"; Tony Atkinson, Ships in Focus Publications 2014; England;

     ISIBN 978-0-9928263-8-3   

“Blue Star Line At War 1939 - 1945”; Taffrail (Captain Taprell Dorling D.S.O. F.R.Hist.S., RN);

      W Foulsham 1973; England; ISBN 0-572-00849-X

Note - There is a further edition of this work, believed to have been an extremely limited private printing for Blue Star Line to distribute to a very selected few. One copy of this "private" edition was presented to Commodore Harwood** on 9th August 1949 (by then Admiral Sir Henry Harwood K.C.B.) with an accompanying letter from Blue Star Line’s Board of Directors**. This edition is bound in blue buckram embossed with gold lettering on the spine and front cover and printed on a heavier paper. The title page has "A Record of Service" added to the title, a Dedication Page has been added as have further pages each with a portrait of one of the company's two founders. There is no mention of the publisher or publication date.

** This copy is in the possession of this author.

“British Battleships of World War Two”; Alan Raven and John Roberts;
In UK - Arms & Armour Press 1976; England; ISBN 0-87021-817-4
In USA - The Naval Institute 1976; USA; ISBN 0-87021-817-4

Note - These two editions are identical in all respects apart from the inner Title Page bearing the name of the respective publisher.   

“British Cruisers of World War Two”; Alan Raven and John Roberts;
In UK - Arms & Armour Press 1980; England; ISBN 0-85368-304-2
In USA - The Naval Institute Press 1980; USA, ISBN 0-87021-922-7

Note - These two editions are identical in all respects apart from the inner Title Page bearing the name of the respective publisher.   

“British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603-1714 ”; Rif Winfield; Seaforth Publishing Pen & Sword Books 2009; England; ISBN 978-I-84832-040-6

“British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792”; Rif Winfield; Seaforth Publishing Pen & Sword Books 2014; England; ISBN 978-I-84415-700-6

“British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793-1817”; Rif Winfield; Seaforth Publishing Pen & Sword Books 2014; England; ISBN 978-I-84415-717-4

“British Warships in the Age of Sail 1817-1863”; Rif Winfield; Seaforth Publishing Pen & Sword Books 2014; England, ISBN 978-I-84832-169-4

“Broadsides, The Age of Fighting Sail, 1775 - 1815”; Nathan Miller; John Wiley & Sons 2000; USA;

ISBN 0-471-07835-2 (paper)

“Chatham Dockyard, The Rise and Fall of a Military Industrial Complex"; Philip MacDougall; The History Press 2012; England; ISBN 978 0 7524 6212 7

“Chatham Naval Dockyard & Barracks”; David T Hughes; Tempus Publishing 2004; England;

ISBN 0 7524 3248 6

“Cochrane, Britannia's Sea Wolf”; Donald Thomas; Cassell Military Paperbacks 1978; England;

ISIBN 0-304-35659-X   

“Crete 1941, The Battle At Sea”; David A Thomas; Cassell Military Paperbacks 2003’ England

ISIBN 0-304-36400-2  / Greek (English language) Edition – A Efstathiadis Group 1980; Greece;

ISBN 960-226-085-8

“Cruiser, The life and loss of HMAS Perth and her Crew”; Mike Carlton; William Heinemann 2010;

Australia; ISBN 978 1 86471 133 2

“Cruisers of World War Two, An International Encyclopaedia”; M J Whitley; Arms and Armour Press 1995; England; ISBN 1 86019 8740

“East of Malta, West of Suez, The Official Admiralty Account of the Mediterranean Fleet 1939-1943”;  “Bartimeus” (Paymaster Captain Ritchie R.N.); Little Brown 1944; USA

“Fifty Years of Naval Tugs"; Bill Hannon; Maritime Books – publication date not known; Liskeard; England

“Harwood and the Battle of the River Plate”; Henry & Stephen Harwood; Published privately -

jppharwood@outlook.com 2014; England

                                                              

“Haul Down Ceremony 30 September 1983" (Official programme for the closure of HM Dockyard Chatham, HMS Pembroke, The Flag Officer Medway and Port Admiral Chatham); David Hunter (Part) 1983; The Admiralty; England

 “HMS Ajax 1935-1949”; Jeff Stevens; Self Published 2014; UK

“HMS Ajax, The British Light Cruiser HMS Ajax (1941-1942)”; Slawomir Brzezíński; Profile Morskie Series - Firma Wydawniczo-Handlown 2006; Poland; ISBN 83-87918-79-2

 Note -Designed and published for modellers

“I Was Graf Spee's Prisoner”; Captain Patrick Dove*; Cheery Tree Books 1940; England

* Master - S.S. "Doric Star", of Blue Star Line, captured and sunk by Graf Spee on 2 December 1939.

“Lost Voices Of The Royal Navy”; Max Arthur; Hodder & Stoughton Ltd 2005; England;

ISBN 978 0 340 83814 3

“Maritime History of Britain and Ireland”; Ian Fiel; The British Museum Press 2003; England;

ISBN 0 7141 27183

“Navy News, January 2010, Ajax Supplement” (Magazine); A special double page spread of fully sectioned ship drawings; Navy News HMS Nelson; England

“Nelson's Navy - The Ships, Men & Organisation 1793-1815”; Brian Lavery; Conway Mainline Press 1992 reprint; England; ISBN 0-85177-521-7

“Nelson’s Trafalgar, The Battle That Changed the World”; Roy Adkins; Viking 2004; England;

ISBN 0-670-03448-7

“Pasha”; Julian Stockwin; Hodder & Stoughton Ltd 2014; England; ISBN 978 1 444 78539 5

“Ray Parkins Odyssey”; Pattie Wright; MacMillan Australia 2012; Australia; ISBN 0-9781405039970

“Sea War, Great Naval Battles of World War II”; Frank Pearce; Robert Hale 1990; England;

ISBN 0-7090-4013-X

“Ships Monthly" Magazine; various issues, Kelsey Media; England

“Ships of the Royal Navy, The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy”; J J  Colledge & Ben Warlow;

In USA - Casemate 2010; ISBN 978-1-935149-07-1

In UK – Casemate 2010; England; ISBN 978-1-935149-07-1

“Ships of the Royal Navy: Vol 2, Navy-Built Trawlers, Drifters, Tugs& Requisitioned Ships”; J.J. Colledge; Lionel Leventhal, 2nd Edition 1989; England; ISBN 1-85367-028-6

“Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy, A  List of Static Ships and Establishments”; Lt. Cdr. Ben Warlow R.N. Retd; Maritime Books, Second Edition 2000; England; ISBN 0 907771 73 4

Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogues  “British Commonwealth Part 1”&  “Simplified World Catalogue”; Stanley Gibbons Publications; England,

“Struggle for the Middle Sea, The Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean 1940-1945"; Vincent O'Hara;

In UK – Conway 2009; England: ISBN 978-1-84486-102-6

In USA - Naval Institute Press 2009; USA; ISBN 978-1-84486-102-6

"Stukas over the Mediterranean, 1940-1945” (Part of the Series “Luftwaffe at War”); Peter C Smith; Green Hill Books 1999; England; ISIBN 1-85367-376-5

                                           

“Task Force, The inside Story of the Ships and Heroes of the Royal Navy”; John Parker; Bounty Books 2005; England; ISBN-13: 9780753712962

“The A to Z of Royal Naval Ship’s Badges, 1919-1989, Vol 1”; B. Wilkinson, T.P. Stopford & D. Taylor; Neptune Books 1987; England; ISBN 1 8709842 00 X  

“The A to Z of Royal Naval Ship’s Badges, 1919-1989, Vol 2”; B. Wilkinson, T.P. Stopford & D. Taylor; Neptune Books 1988; England; ISBN 1 870842 02 2    

“The Battle for Crete”; Capt S.W.C. Pack RN; Ian Allan 1973; England

“The Battle for the Mediterranean”; Donald Macintyre; B.T. Batsford Ltd 1964; England

“The Battle of the River Plate” Republished in “Great War Stories” P479; Octopus Books 1978; England; ISBN 0 7064 0926 4  

“The Battle of the Atlantic, How the allies won the war”; Jonathan Dimbleby; Viking 2015; England; IBN 978 0 241 18661 9

“The Battle of the River Plate, a Grand Delusion”; Richard Woodman; Pen & Sword Military 2008; England; IBN 978 184415 689 4

“The Complete Encyclopaedia of Battleships and Battlecruisers”; Tony Gibbons; Salamander Books 1983; England; ISBN 0 86101 142 2

“The Fall Of Crete”; Alan Clark; Cassell Military Paperbacks, 2004 Reprint; England; ISBN 978 0 3043 5348 4

“The Historic Dockyard Chatham Guide Book”; The Historic Dockyard 2006; England

“The King’s Cruisers”; Gordon Holman; Hodder and Stoughton 1947; England,

“The Med, The Royal Navy in the Mediterranean, 1939-45”; Rowland Langmaid; The Batchworth Press 1948;  England

“The Mediterranean Fleet, Greece to Tripoli. The Admiralty Account of Naval Operations: April 1941 to January 1943”; The Admiralty through The Ministry of Information; His Majesty’s Stationary Office 1944; England 

    

"The Naval Side of British History 1485-1945"; Sir Geoffrey Callender & F H Hinsley; Christophers, 1952; England

“The Nelson Encyclopaedia”; Colin White;

In UK - Chatham Publishing 2002; England

In USA - Stackpole Books 2005; USA

“The Royal Navy in World War Two: An Annotated Bibliography”; Derek G Law; Greenhill Books 1988; England; ISBN 1-85367-002-2

“The Royal Navy, An Illustrated Social History 1870 - 1982” ; Capt John Wells, RN; Wrens Park Publishing & Alan Sutton Publishing 1999; England: ISBN 0-905-778-308

“The Second World War"; Anton Beevor; Weidenfeld & Nicolson 2012; England; ISBN 978 0 297 844 97 6

“The Silent Landscape. Discovering the world of the oceans in the wake of HMS Challenger’s epic 1872 mission to explore the seabed”; Richard Corfield;  John Murray (Publishers) Ltd 2005; England; ISBN 0 7195 6531 6

“The Struggle for the Middle Sea – The Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean 1940-1945”; Vincent O’Hara

In UK - Conway Books; 2009; England; ISBN 978-1-84486-102-6

In USA - Naval Institute Press 2009; USA

“The Voyage of the Challenger”; Eric Linklater; John Murray (Publishers) Ltd 1972; England; ISBN 0 7195 2626

“Trafalgar, The Men, The Battle, The Storm"; Tim Clayton & Phil Craig; Hodder & Stoughton 2005; England; ISBN 0 340 83028 x 

“Underwater Warriors”; Paul Kemp; Brockhampton Press 1999; England; ISBN 1 86019 991 7

“Warships of World War II”; H.T. Lenton & J.J. Colledge; Ian Allan 1964; England.

 World Ship Society; England; 1985;  ISBN 0 90561737 1

“World At War”, (Magazine) Issue #41 May-June 2015, P6-23 "Mare Nostrum: War in the Mediterranean"; Joseph Miranda; Strategy & Tactics Press 2015; USA.

Wikipedia - While this is a wonderful reference and research source with much respected ethical objectives which assists me greatly in the course of this project, the very manner in which information is collected may occasionally allow unauthenticated entries to be made. Care should therefore be taken if using this as the single unqualified source. 

Links

Ajax – Town, Canada
College of Arms
HMS Pembroke & H.M. Dockyard Chatham
HMS Ajax & River Plate & Veterans Association website
HMS Ajax – British Pathe Cinema News Reel 1949. Her last trip, to the breakers yard
Lofts, Graeme Our Consulting Editor
Pickering-Ajax Digital Archive
Royal Navy News & Events
Rudel, Hans Ulrich - German Stuka Pilot (Officer)
The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Other Resources

Eden Camp
                    Historical Theme and Military Museum. (Britain at War in World War II).  
                        Malton, Ryedale, North Yorkshire, YO17 6RT, England
                  

Advisors & Assistance

We sincerely thank the following who so generously helped to bring this long project comprising the Painting, Prints and this Website to fruition and to its ongoing research.

Collis, Malcolm	Archivist, HMS Ajax & River Plate Veterans Association, England
Danks, Peter	Chairman, HMS Ajax & River Plate Veterans Association, England
Dixon, Trevor	Navy Blue, Dartmouth, Devon. Ship’s Badge (Bob's Niece) Sharplin family Archive
Kriz, Brenda	Records Manager and Freedom of Information Coordinator for the
	Town of Ajax, Civic Historical Research and Town Council liaison, Ontario, Canada
Manark, Tony	Managing Director, Manark Printing, Melbourne, Australia
Nelson, Roger	Technical assistance, Royal Naval tugs, Gillingham, Kent
Pilbeam, Charlotte                   Paul, Gerry	Advisor - Central Library, Medway Campus Universities of Greenwich, Kent and Christchurch and ex RN Barracks HMS Pembroke, Chatham, Kent, England Captain R.N. Rtd.  Royal Naval practices & terminology
Sells, David W	Maritime Historian, Northumberland, England. Technical advice
Sharplin, Jill                            Sharplin, Roger                      Sis, Joe	Genealogical research (2nd Wife of Bob's stepbrother {Phil}) (A nephew of Bob's)  Sharplin family archive Lt Cdr, R.N. Rtd. HMS Ajax & River Plate Veterans Association, England Administration, research & archival management.
Town of Ajax, Ontario	Photographic resources
White, Nicholas	(A grandson of Bob’s), Sharplin family archive – genealogical research
White, Peter	(A grandson of Bob’s), Technical assistance
White, Ray	(Bob’s son-in-law), Technical assistance and Sharplin family archive
White, Wendy	(Bob’s daughter), Sharplin family archive

Author & Webmaster

Author & Webmaster - Clive Sharplin

“From a Past Life”
In Transit, Panama Canal, August 1958 
My first deep sea voyage
M.V. Wellington Star (Blue Star Line)
Photo: Sharplin family archive 

Coming from a family where the past four out of five paternal generations together with my father’s elder brother, my mother’s brother-in-law, one of my brothers-in-law and two great uncles all served in the Royal Navy one could reasonably assume that I would follow suit. Certainly I can readily recall that when I was approaching the first point of a career decision with one year remaining I was at Holcombe, Chatham Technical School for Boys, ensconced in the mock Tudor grand house which was its main building and once the home of one of the Kent family Style & Winch brewery owners. I decided to start with an Admiralty Apprenticeship in the Royal Naval Dockyard at Chatham which I entered, aged 16, by way of a written examination as an indentured Marine Engine Fitter for five years.



Auckland Harbour, New Zealand, September 1958
aboard  M.V. Wellington Star (Note 1)
Photo: Sharplin family archive
 

At the second career decision point near the end of those five years, which included studying at The Admiralty’s Chatham Dockyard Technical College, I considered three choices. To enter the Royal Navy in the rank of a Petty Officer Engine Room Artificer, or as an Engineer Officer in either the Royal Fleet Auxiliary which operates the fleet replenishment and support vessels to the Royal Navy under the blue ensign rather than the white, or as an Engineer Officer in the Merchant Navy? For better or worse I chose the latter where I spent my next few years with Blue Star Line, one of the largest British fleets.


It was a choice I have never regretted as it taught me to accept total responsibility, gave me a strong sense of duty and a deep work ethic, all of which still manifest themselves today in my more mature years of retirement.

All through my life the sea has influenced me and since leaving it I have been fortunate that my profession involved me in both national and multinational engineering environments giving me long periods still associated with ships, naval and merchant, and marine engineering. I consider myself doubly fortunate that my service in the British Merchant Navy in the late 50’s and early 60’s was at the period now regarded as to when it was at its zenith in size, quality and prominent place in the global fleet.

So I have moved from the schoolboy in Kent who devoured C.S. Forester’s “Hornblower” novels to now in retirement in Australia impatiently waiting for Julian Stockwin’s next “Thomas Kydd” novel while enjoying my continual research for this website.




 MV Wellington Star (2)   
Outward bound in the English Channel, probably mid 1950’s
Blue Star Line Postcard
(Note 1)
 

Note 1.
            My first ship. Built by John Brown Clydebank in 1952, MV "Wellington Star" had the largest refrigerator space at 594,560 cubic feet of any ship ever owned by Blue Star or of any other ship on the London to New Zealand trade. Her naval architects gave her what was to become recognised as the classic Blue Star Line profile. Of 12,539 grt she was fitted with two John Brown Doxford oil engines.  At this time Blue Star Line with some 40 deep sea ships had one of the largest fleets within the British mercantile marine.

SHIP'S PARTICULARS**
  Builder: John Brown & Co. Ltd., Clydebank, Scotland
  Order No: 184692
  Yard No: 670
  IMO No. 5387439
  Call sign: GNPD
  Keel laid: 31st March 1951
  Launched: 7th May 1952 as "Wellington Star"' for Blue Star Line Ltd.
  Completed: August 1952
  Ran trials: 29th August 1952
  Type: Refrigerated Cargo Liner
  Dimensions: 522.2 x 72.7 x 37.1 feet
  Tonnage: 12,539 gross
  Propulsion: Two 6-Cyl, 2SCSA Doxford oil engines by shipbuilder, driving twin screws developing
           14,700 BHP
  Sold: November 1975 to Broadbay Shipping Co. Ltd., Panama and renamed "Hawkes Bay",             July 1976 completed conversion to a partial livestock carrier by Keppel Tuas Shipyard,  
            Singapore.              
  Fate: Sold and on 14th August 1979 delivered Nan Kwan Steel & Iron Co. Ltd., Taiwan and arrived
           at Kaohsiung  9th August 1979 to be broken up.  

             ** Particulars sourced from (ibid) "Blue Star Line a Fleet History" by Tony Atkinson.
  

Ajax Prints ®

Victoria Australia

www.hmsajaxatcrete.com.au

ABN (Australian Business Number): 53 509 791 496

Authorities

I am much indebted to and acknowledge the most valuable material confirmation, advice, expertise, guidance and information provided by these particular Authorities. Without them significant portions of my material would either not have been found, made available or my own research able to be confirmed.

The Admiralty

1. ”Certificate of the Service of Robert John Sharplin in the Royal Navy” and other personal service records and papers.
2. Various War Diaries and Operational Accounts.

The National Archive, Kew, England

The Cruiser HMS Ajax Ship’s Log

HMS Ajax & River Plate Veterans Association, England

Ongoing assistance and advice in regard to the Association's activities particularly President Peter Danks, archivist Malcolm Collis and Alf Larkin Association Member and Cruiser Ajax Crew Member at the time of The Battle for Crete.

Peter C Smith, England 

Noted published author of some 67 books of aeronautical, naval and military history including the Series “Luftwaffe at War”.

Adams, Robert - England 

Biographical assistance re his Father, Albert “Ajax” Adams, Naval Constructor and designer of HMS Ajax.

The Town of Ajax, Ontario, Canada    

The Mayor, Steve Parish, and his staff  who are unstinting in their access to the Town's Archives and assisting in everything related to the ships named "Ajax".  In particular their generous hosting of my and my Wife's visit to the town along with fellow members of The Ajax & River Plate Veterans Association in June 2014 to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate. Also for  the dedication ceremony at that time of "Sharplin Drive" to the memory of my Father, Robert John Sharplin, in the presence of my Wife and myself and other Association Members, a truly moving experience.