All Brave Sailors: The Sinking of the Anglo-Saxon, August 21, 1940

J. Revell Carr has written an outstanding and disturbing book that deserves a much wider readership than it will probably get. It centres on the fate of a group of survivors from a merchant vessel sunk by one of the Kriegsmarine's most notorious raiders, who found themselves in a disastrous survival situation, with the nearest practical landfall 2,700 miles away. In a fluent and well-written narrative, he provides a wealth of convincing detail while never losing sight of the wider picture. In addition to telling the survivors' compelling story, he also provides a fascinating insight into the tactics and practicalities of raider warfare, and particularly, the career and complex personality of the raider's commanding officer, Hellmuth von Ruckteschell. One of the great strengths of this book is the author's style, which will no doubt remind some readers of Martin Middlebrook and Patrick Mahoney's classic book `Battleship'. For those unfamiliar with this work, beyond a compelling story, this means a careful use of sources and an even-handed style that is never hectoring or partisan, that does not seek heroes or villains, and aims squarely at finding the truth. Yes, there are a few minor errors - the name of the old battleship Schlesien is misspelt, for example - but these are quite incidental to the story and in no way undermine the book. In short, this is a book that you will find difficult to put down and thoroughly deserves the highest possible recommendation.

All Brave Sailors by J. Revell Carr is the amazing story of the sinking of the British freighter Anglo-Saxon by a German raider, and the seventy day voyage of the ship's seven survivors in a small boat. Carr also tells the story of the German raider, its captain and crew. Although the entire book is extremely well written and very interesting, it is the time spent in the small jolly boat that really captures the reader's attention and imagination. How the two sole survivors were able to hold on, how they found land is a remarkable tale. This book also very ably highlights the contributions made by the men of the Merchant Marines during World War II. These men were every bit of the heroes that the men who actually fought in combat were and it is about time a book singing their praises was written. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII.

The remarkable tale of those lucky few that survived the sinking of the English merchant ship, the Anglo Saxon by a German raider is a compelling story. But author J. Revell Carr does not leave it at that. He also tells the story of the German raider who sunk it, most especially it's notorious captain. In relating the extraordinary life and character of Hellmuth von Ruckteschell, Carr has not drawn a stick figure villain, but has presented a fully realized and complex figure. This is the mark of top-notch storytelling and history.Obviously the more inspiring story is that of those who survived on the Atlantic Ocean aboard the jolly boat for two months. Their struggles with hunger, exposure, thirst; injury and madness are the stuff of legend. That anyone could have survived on so small a boat from the mid Atlantic to the shore of the Bahamas is awe-inspiring. Carr wisely lets their story speak for itself. While filled with admiration for those plucky few who survived (and those who didn't as well) he does not embellish. He doesn't need to.Among the many attributes of this book -- perhaps most notably that it's a cracking good read -- is that it gives recognition to the merchant seamen who so bravely and at such extraordinary risk served the allied cause during both world wars (my father among them). Merchant seaman suffered the highest proportionate losses of any service group during World War II."All Brave Sailors" is the story of war and the terrible cost it extracts from ordinary people. Not just those who perish, but those who they leave behind. We also see the costs extracted from those who survive.I would have liked more pictures and a few maps, but these are mere quibbles. This is a book worthy of the story it endeavors to tell and is highly recommended.

An excellent tale, not only of the survival story of seven men from the Anglo-Saxon, but also of the biographical sketches of all of the characters in this tale and their association with the historical events of the time. Revell Carr has used his knowledge of the sea and his ability to ferret out interesting detail through hours of research and interviews to produce a story that is not only worth telling, but was very enjoyable to read. Highly recommended.

Revell Carr has done a masterful job making history come alive in this riveting tale of survival and death at sea brought about by the sinking of a merchant ship in the early stages of WWII. He writes in a style that presents historical detail in a fresh and interesting way. For me, it was a page turner. His research was extraordinary. The story of merchant marine service in WWII is truly one worth telling. Mr. Carr did it well by developing the characters, explaining the times in which they lived and served, the frightful events that took place in 1940 on the high seas, and the extraordinary human will to live when abandoned in the middle of the ocean in not much more than a large row boat when there was no hope. The pages devoted to survival at sea in a small "jolly boat" were gut wrenching. When two of the seven men made in across the Atlantic, there were still more twists to this heroic tale of survival. Even if one has never seen the ocean, Mr. Carr's words will allow you to sense its power, desolation, and beauty, as wells man's frailty in trying to survive while at its mercy.