Confession Time

It’s confession time. To my horror, I note the last blog I posted, prior to this one, was dated August 2^nd 2013. The dog days of July and August caught up with me, at least as far as keeping up the blog is concerned.

My only defence is that the days have been very busy. My next book, working title “Sailor Down”, is due on the editor’s desk by September 1^st, meaning it's panic stations to get the story put to bed. The next deadline will be November 1^st, with an edited manuscript in to the publisher.

“Soldier of the Horse”, my first book, has also been receiving some attention. The audio book rights have been bought by Amazon, and production is under way with a professional narrator on the job.

In the meantime, potential topics for future items are piling up. Personal stories from submariners, the loss of an Indian navy Kilo class boat, World War I centennial observations...

Great things to come. Thanks for hanging in.

"Soldier of the Horse" is available as an ebook or hard copy from Amazon here. 

Critics of Canada's Submarines "Full of Holes"

It has become an article of faith for many that Canada's Victoria class submarines are lemons at best, and that the British sold us a bill of goods. That was exemplified by a recent article by Michael Byers and Stewart Webb that received wide dissemination in the popular press.
In a paper published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Paul T. Mitchell demolishes many if not all the points made by Byers and Webb. His excellent and though-provoking piece can be seen here.

One of the interesting points he makes is that many Royal Navy submarine officers were very upset when the British government sold the Upholders (Victorias) to Canada.

 HMCS Victoria is shown above in a nonwarlike moment.

Video of HMS "Alliance" Interior

At right is a photo of HMS Alliance during her heyday. I am guessing it was while she was on active service in the Far East, judging by the camouflage paint job.
No longer in commission, the Alliance has survived some hard times to become the centrepiece of the Royal Navy Submarine Memorial and Museum in Gosport, Hampshire.
Here is a link to a recent video that shows how well the Museum has preserved and rebuilt her both inside and out.
The Alliance is a particularly interesting exhibit from my point of view, in that she was a sister to my only Royal Navy boat, the Alderney, long gone to the breaker's yard. And my next historical novel, bearing the working title "Sailor Down", is set in an A-boat.
For a look at the Amazon page for my cavalry story, "Soldier of the Horse", click here.

Strange Bedfellows in the World of Submarines

Everybody wants submarines, and lots of people want to build them. But here is an online story that surprises me. It seems the Italians and Russians are working on a next-generation submarine project together. The S-1000, a thousand-ton diesel, was originally presented in 2006, but no orders were forthcoming. That doesn't stop the project though--the unlikely partners are upgrading their plans. They see the Middle East and Southeast Asia as their target markets.
Here is a Russian news story about the earlier model.
And here is what it may look like:

Last time I checked, Italy was a member of NATO, and Russia was not. It's enough to make a cold warrior's gyro topple. I bet the U.S. won't be sending the Italians any recent technology to include in the project.

My prize-winning novel, "Soldier of the Horse", is available from Amazon, here.
My next project, set in a Cold War submarine, will be out in September 2014.

Submarines--Here to Stay

There is hardly a week goes by that a letter to the editor or an op-ed column doesn't slam Canada's commitment to its navy and its submarines, and in particular the much-maligned Victorias.

They get more and more sophisticated, like all military hardware, but submarines are still basically steel hulls that can't be seen from the surface and carry a huge wallop. As a trading nation, we can ignore them at our peril.

From our own HMCS Victoria, top, to Iran's eye-catching and singular Sina 7, below, to the latest nuclear-driven hunter-killer in the hands of a superpower, no nation with seaborne commerce can not at least consider getting into the submarine business. Canada is in the submarine business, and we should be figuring out what our next step will be, not arguing in favour of tying up our now-serviceable undersea fleet.

Canadians have served in submarines since 1914, in our own boats and those of our allies. Next year will mark the centenary of the service. Watch for my next historical novel. More details to come!

"Soldier of the Horse" Gallops On

I am very excited that "Soldier of the Horse", my prize-winning (see the gold Independent Publisher medal in the photo) has reached an exciting milestone. It will soon be available on "Audible", Amazon's audiobook publishing arm.

The sale to Audible was made through the good offices of my publisher, TouchWood Editions. In other news, TouchWood has now committed to publishing my next historical novel. The action in "Sailor Down" (working title) takes place in a Cold War submarine.

For a personalized, signed copy of "Soldier of the Horse," email me at bob.mackay@hotmail.com.

Memories of Cold War Submarine Service--and Tight Shorts

Readers of this site will know something of Project Ojibwa, the highly successful effort to land the former HMCS Ojibwa ashore at Port Burwell, Ontario. She is now open to the public.
Browsing the project's website, I came across a couple of interesting photos.
In the June archive is a shot of me, along with my sister and her "Cooking Ladies" partner, when we did a walk-through of the Ojibwa. And in July, the first photo shown is of Ron Pearks, who commanded the boat 1972 to '74.
Ron came to my rescue in 1967, when I was serving as a junior officer in HMS Alderney. We were scheduled to do a cruise to Gibraltar and the Mediterranean, and since it was summer, tropical white uniforms were the rig of the day. That included white shorts, which I did not own. Ron loaned me a pair. Alas, I had put on some excess weight, what with the nonexistent submarine fitness program and the effects of good British beer. When I put on the shorts to step ashore in Gibraltar in all my glory, I had to leave the top button undone and fold down the waist in order to look barely presentable.
I am grateful there are no photos that record that particular rig.