The Mighty Hood: The Battleship that Challenged the Bismarck
Apr 2014 · Open Road Media
star
4 reviews
Ebook
217
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
About this ebook
The story of the HMS Hood, the last great warship of the British Royal Navy, told by the bestselling author of Hannibal.
When it was launched in 1918, the HMS Hood was the flagship of the Royal Navy. As a battle cruiser, "The Mighty Hood" was fast enough to evade enemy cruiser ships and powerful enough to destroy them. But for all the Hood's might, it had one fatal flaw: armor had been sacrificed for speed.
In 1941, the Hood confronted the legendary German warship Bismarck. A salvo from the enemy penetrated the Hood's ammunition magazine, destroying the British ship and killing all but three of its crew. The brutal defeat marked the end of the Royal Navy's dominance. But it also inspired Winston Churchill's vow to sink the Bismarck—a vow that in time was fulfilled.
Through oral history and documentary research, Ernle Bradford chronicles the Hood's career from design to demise, with colorful insight into life aboard the ship as well as its broader historical significance.
When it was launched in 1918, the HMS Hood was the flagship of the Royal Navy. As a battle cruiser, "The Mighty Hood" was fast enough to evade enemy cruiser ships and powerful enough to destroy them. But for all the Hood's might, it had one fatal flaw: armor had been sacrificed for speed.
In 1941, the Hood confronted the legendary German warship Bismarck. A salvo from the enemy penetrated the Hood's ammunition magazine, destroying the British ship and killing all but three of its crew. The brutal defeat marked the end of the Royal Navy's dominance. But it also inspired Winston Churchill's vow to sink the Bismarck—a vow that in time was fulfilled.
Through oral history and documentary research, Ernle Bradford chronicles the Hood's career from design to demise, with colorful insight into life aboard the ship as well as its broader historical significance.
The story of the HMS Hood, the last great warship of the British Royal Navy, told by the bestselling author of Hannibal.
When it was launched in 1918, the HMS Hood was the flagship of the Royal Navy. As a battle cruiser, "The Mighty Hood" was fast enough to evade enemy cruiser ships and powerful...
Discover more
Ratings and reviews
4 reviews
Mohamed Kamal
- Flag inappropriate
- Show review history
January 18, 2026
Personal Opinion: This reads like a poem at times which is very annoying to the degree that I occasionally found myself wondering: what am I actually reading here ? but then again maybe the book being written nearly 70 years ago has something to do with it, I liked his analysis of the British force movement up until the Hood was hit and sunk, but other than that the book overall just fell flat for me and is OK at best...!!!
About the author
Ernle Bradford was born in 1922 and died in 1986. He was a noted British historian specializing in the Mediterranean world and naval topics. Bradford was an enthusiastic sailor himself and spent almost thirty years sailing the Mediterranean, where many of his books are set. He served in the Royal Navy during World War II, finishing as the first lieutenant of a destroyer. Bradford lived in Malta for a number of years. He did occasional broadcast work for the BBC, was a magazine editor, and wrote many books, including Hannibal, Paul the Traveller, Julius Caesar: The Pursuit of Power, Christopher Columbus, and The Mighty Hood.
Ernle Bradford was born in 1922 and died in 1986. He was a noted British historian specializing in the Mediterranean world and naval topics. Bradford was an enthusiastic sailor himself and spent almost thirty years sailing the Mediterranean, where many of his books are set. He served in the Royal...
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
