Books Thorny's - an oral history of Vosper Thornycroft's shipyard, Southampton Edited by Krista Woodley, Padmini Broomfield and Sheila Jemima Published by Southampton City Council ISBN 0954394151 Price £12 hardback John I Thornycroft started shipbuilding in Woolston, Southampton in June 1904 but almost a century of shipbuilding in the area ended with the sale of the site in 2003. Southampton City Council's Oral History Unit, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, spent a year documenting'Thorny's' history, resulting in this book.

The accompanying CD contains extracts and anecdotes in the interviewees' own voices: the pride workers felt in seeing a ship they'd helped build launch; home time, when the traffic stopped for so many men and bicycles; the riveters and drillers who couldn't work in the rain and were sent home without pay. This fascinating book is a fitting tribute to both workers and company.

Jack Aubrey commands - an historical companion to the naval world of Patrick O'Brian By Brian Lavery Published by Conway Maritime Press ISBN 1844860124 Price £12.99 paperback For dedicated followers of the fortunes of Jack Aubrey, this is a fascinating excursion into the real world of Nelson, Collingwood and Cochrane, generously furnished with contemporary illustrations and & helpful diagrams. The foreword by Peter Weir, director of Master and Commander, confirms that the late Patrick O'Brian was as much master of Napoleonic naval history as he was storyteller.

This is a scholarly and entertaining volume. Devotees of ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin would perhaps have wished for a greater insight into the medical world of the time but this is more than compensated for by a well-presented account of all things nautical, from trade winds to press gangs.

Shot down and in the drink - RAF and Commonwealth aircrews saved from the sea 1939-1945 By Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork MBE Published by The National Archives ISBN 1903365872 Price £19.99 hardback Following his successful Shot down and on the run about aircrews who got home from behind enemy lines, Air Commodore Pitchfork turns his attention to those who made it home after ditching in the sea.

Charting the development of the RAF Air Sea Rescue Service, the book also gives moving accounts from survivors using official records from the National Archive and many previously unpublished photographs. We learn of the endurance, fortitude and, often, sheer luck of those who became unintentional members of the Goldfish Club.

An inspiring and authoritative book celebrating an organisation born of need and continued with skill and courage.

Unless other ordering details are stated, all books reviewed in the Lifeboat are available from all good bookshops and online from Amazon via the RNLI website at rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/rnli_books_and_films.

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