In “HMS Marlborough Will Enter Harbor,” an old sloop, homeward bound, is torpedoed, leaving her guns out of action, more than three quarters of her crew dead, and radio contact impossible. But her valiant captain steadfastly refuses to surrender his ship. In “Leave Canceled,” an army officer and his young wife concentrate their passionate love into twenty-four hours, knowing that it might be their last chance. And in “Heavy Rescue,” an old soldier, having lived on the scrap heap for more than twenty years, finds that gallantry is once again in demand when he becomes leader of a heavy rescue squad.
Nicholas Monsarrat (1910–1979) was born in Liverpool and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. He served in World War II, first as a member of an ambulance brigade and then as a member of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. His lifelong love of sailing made him a capable naval officer, and he served with distinction on a series of small warships. Resigning his wartime commission in 1946, he entered the diplomatic service. He turned to writing full time in 1959, settling on the Mediterranean island of Gozo until his death.
Simon Vance is an award-winning actor and an AudioFile Golden Voice with over fifty Earphones Awards and thirteen prestigious Audie Awards. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009.