I recently read Nicholas Monsarrat’s famous book about the Battle of the Atlantic, THE CRUEL SEA.

I have watched the film based on the book many times, but this was the first time I had read the book … and realised that the film only covers about fifty percent of the story.

The film ends pretty well after the corvette HMS Compass Rose is torpedoed and sunk and the two main characters in the book – Lieutenant Commander (later Commander) Ericson and Sub-Lieutenant (later Lieutenant and finally Lieutenant Commander) Lockhart – take over the newer frigate, HMS Saltash in 1944. The book continues the story up until the end of the war, and includes the surrender of the German U-boat fleet.

Sir Donald Sinden (left) as Lieutenant Commander Lockhart RNVR and Jack Hawkins (right) as Commander Ericson RNR in the film ‚The Cruel Sea‘.

In my opinion, the film is excellent … but the book is even better. It is an example of storytelling at its finest, and drew heavily upon the writer’s own experience of the Battle of the Atlantic.

Highly recommended!

Lieutenant Commander Nicholas John Turney Monsarrat FRSL RNVR joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve early during the Second World War and served in the following ships:

• August 1940 – December 1941: 1st Lieutenant, HMS Campanula (Flower-class corvette) (Sub-Lieutenant until October 1940 and then Lieutenant)
• February 1942 – February 1943: 1st Lieutenant, HMS Guillemot (Kingfisher-class corvette)
• March 1943 – October 1943: Commanding Officer, HMS Shearwater (Kingfisher-class corvette)
• December 1943 – March 1944: Commanding Officer, HMS Ettrick (River-class frigate) (Promoted Lieutenant Commander)
• April 1944 – December 1944: Commanding Officer, HMS Perim (Colony-class frigate: a US-built version of the River-class)