This splendid book is far more than one man's memoir. While it is certainly that, it is also a dramatic account of one of the twentieth century's most critical times. Ian Menzies takes us into the crucible of World War II as the drama was played out on the seas. Written with eloquence and authority, this book is a richly detailed and vivid account of life on a British destroyer with its hours of boredom interrupted by harrowing episodes of naval battles and sea rescues. Menzies writes of acts of wartime courage and humanitarianism, and he includes moving accounts of the sinking of The Empress of Canada, the Murmansk convoys, and the D-Day task that earned the D.S.C (Distinguished Service Cross).