This is not a single story, rather this book is three short stories based on scenarios of WWII.

The first story is "H.M.S Marlborough will enter the Harbour". It is the story of a WWII convoy escort that takes a torpedo while on duty and the efforts of the seamen and Captain of the ship trying to save the ship and pilot her home. It is a very well character study written from the Captain's point of view. I was surprised at how readable this story is. I enjoyed it very much.

The second story is "Leave Cancelled". This was a surprise for me... totally unexpected. It is the story of a couple, mainly told through the eyes of the man, in London after they have just been married. He has been on active duty and was on leave for 3 weeks... or so he thought. The leave is cancelled and reduced to 24 hours and the story revolves how this couple lives this short period of time.

This is a very sensual story with no outright sex in it... hints but not described. It is a real engaging story with the banter between the lovers on many levels, candid and believable to me. I wished I experienced a love like this story described. You don't know if he survives to return to his love, somehow you don't think he will........A real tear-jerker at times.

The last story is titled "Heavy Rescue". A story about Godden, a hen-pecked husband with a disrespectful daughter, unemployed basically through the great depression and at a low point in his life. He decides to join the Home Guard in the "Heavy Rescue" squad. You read as he gains confidence and camaraderie of doing his bit for the war effort and how he finds purpose that lifts him above his home life. Again it is a character study in a different setting.

Three well written and interesting character studies. Not at all the impression you get from the cover of the book. 4.5 stars ( )

A short novel based on personal experience. ( )

Originally published as one of three short stories in Monsarrat's Depends What You Mean by Love, this extraordinary tale of a Commander desperate to get his badly wounded battleship back to port is as much a love story as a tale of war at sea. Writing of such ease and almost hidden beauty that it sneaks up on you and makes you go back to read whole passages again; extraordinary! ( )

Nicholas Monsarrat is a recent discovery, and I'm totally bowled over! A bit like C.S.Forester in that his writing is so natural, it sneaks up on you until you suddenly realise that you're reading something utterly remarkable. ( )

This is a novella of 90 pages in which Monsarrat does his usual outstanding job of bringing to life what it was like to serve aboard a ship at war. In this case, the ship is torpedoed in the opening paragraph thus we struggle along with the crew to keep her afloat so we can get her home. The crew overcome many crises to do so including having over half the staff dead so a shortage of crew, collapsing bulkheads and a second attack by the submarine. Once you start this story, you will have difficulty putting it down. ( )