Military Model Scene

Title:  British Warship Recognition, Vol 7...

Author: Richard Perkins

Publisher:  Seaforth Publishing

ISBN:  978-1-5267-3738-0

...The Perkins Identification Albums: VII. Convoy Escorts, Mine Warfare Vessels and Naval Auxiliaries 1860-1939

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A new hardback book from Seaforth Publishing, the seventh and final part of this joint project between Seaforth Publishing and the National Maritime Museum.  I continue to be amazed at the level of detail that Richard Perkins recorded in his albums.  He  was unable to continue his work after 1939 as security issues of the war meant he was not allowed the same level of access he had enjoyed over the earlier years.

Actually this large format new book is actually more than just Volume VII of the series.  It starts with an 'overflow' from volume VI which simply didn't fit in the previous book, then we get the content of volume VII and on the end we get volume VIII included, as this was an 'unfinished' piece of work by Richard Perkins.  This contains details of Oil Tankers, Tugs, Tank Vessels, Hospital Boat, Store Ships, Mooring Steamers, Dredgers, Boom vessels, Steam Launches, 'X' Lighters, Coaling Lighters, Crane Lighters, Sailing Barges and even Store Hulks!  The detail and sheer level of detail held within the book as a whole is once again simply amazing.  The hand written tables and notes, all in the authors hand written work is all clear to read and simply beautiful.  The other important thing for me is to see both the variety and the sheer number of vessels which served in the Royal Navy in it's hey day.  This volume(s) also includes more tables which provide the individual details, such as where specific/individual vessels were stationed over the years. 

Even the neatly written text notes show changes as the author added or updated notes over time.  One or two have been added by archivists over the years, but surprisingly few.  What you have is very much a 'bible' of help to identify not only individual ships in archive photos, but also to indicate what year it shows the vessel.  Individually the series of books are a delight to see and now we have the complete set makes a magnificent reference.  A major archive reference which Seaforth and the National Maritime Museum have made such a marvellous collection available to everyone

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Robin