Just posted a new video tour of the wreck of the Japanese WWII transport Hoki Maru sunk at Truk Lagoon on 18 February 1944 during Operation HAILSTONE by Task Force 58 fast carrier planes.

My author copies of the new book have just arrived – what a lovely production from Pen & Sword

The book is at the printers – and should be reaching my publishers warehouse soon. Can’t wait to see it become a reality!

Here’s a link to a video tour of the magnificent wreck of the Japanese WWII oiler IRO at Palau.

About 20 years ago I dived the Corryvreckan Whirlpool for an Equinox TV documentary called Lethal Seas. The program has just resurfaced – much as we did rather surprisingly after diving the Pinnacle. Here’s a link to the documentary if you want to see the fun we had back in the day ….

https://licensing.screenocean.com/r/133579?fbclid=IwAR2ZOkJJHgkGD4iVsAzriq8e0rXCemtj9d7kskPp0JmXKycokhwkmcz_bcs

My work is done! The final page set proof is done and dusted – and it’s all over to my publishers from here on.

It has been quite a task – it’s a massive story, from the genesis of naval aviation to the creation of the ultimate fast carrier striking force – Task Force 58. It has taken some 450 pages and 185,000 words to recount the brutality of naval air power from the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, through to the creation of Task Force 58 and the famous strikes against Truk, then Palau, the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot off Saipan – on to the complicated and near disastrous Battle of Leyte Gulf, to Iwo Jima, Okinawa and on to strikes against Japan itself.

Publishing this september in the UK with a US version being published by the Naval Institute Press in November.

This documentary about capital ships that I assisted with airs on Thursday 22 July 2021 at 2200 on More4. Covers Bismarck, Hood and Prince of Wales

Delighted to announce that my new military history book about the legendary US Navy fast carrier Task Force 58 will publish in September 2021.

It was the fast carrier strike force that neutralised the Japanese fortress of Truk, then hit Palau, before devastating Japanese carrier air at the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot off Saipan, as the Allies moved to close Luzon bottleneck and the war moved towards Japan itself and its crashing nuclear finale.

The new 10-part series World’s Greatest Shipwrecks begins on Monday 26 April at 2100 on More 4 (and will be on Nat Geo Channel, Discovery etc). The series launches with a 1-hr special on HMS Hampshire & HMS Vanguard.