C Class Destroyers

Maritime Books 2012

40 ships of the C Class were planned for the Royal Navy in World War II with 32 completed and the last eight cancelled in favor of newer designs. The class was broken down into five groups of eight, with each octet being given CA, CH, CO, CR and CE names. The Royal Canadian Navy was to receive the who CH group (something I did not know) but due to manning considerations this was deferred to the later CR group. In any event the war ended before the CRs entered service and only two went to the RCN, four to Norway and two to Pakistan.
Each variant of the C Class incorporated improvements over the previous batch with later ships having a large dual purpose gun director which necessitated the removal one of bank of torpedo tubes.
The CA group were given a partial modernization in the 1950s and HMCS Crescent was the only member of the class to receive a Type 15 style modernization. Coming in 1955-56, Crescent's modernization was far and away the best Type 15 style modernization of any navy.
Profusely illustrated in the Maritime Books manner, this book is an entertaining read.

Uncharted Waters: A History of the Canadian Helicopter-Carrying Destroyer Second Edition

By Shawn Cafferky
March 2012
ISBN: 978-1-896440-68-2
$25.00 CDN (plus S&H)

After learning the author was deceased, I was at first tempted to give this book a sympathetic review. However, after due consideration, I decided it would do our readers a disservice. 
The book contains a number of errors, which leaves the other work suspect. Some examples (which should have been caught in proof reading and/or editing):

• Vice Admiral PW Nelles referred to as Admiral
• HMCS Prestonian said to be a Loch Class frigate
• HMS Surprise listed as cruiser instead of the CinC Yacht for the Mediterranean Fleet
• Stated ASROC could not be fitted on a destroyer hull when the US Navy fitted over 150 ships and Canada four
• The McDonnel Banshee was never operated from HMCS Magnificent
• HMCS Crusader was listed as one of the first eight ships to be converted to DDH status - but why this was not done is never revealed.

In addition, the quality of the photos is very poor. Drawings of various proposals would certainly be of use.

For these reasons, we reluctantly cannot recommend this book.