http://www.historynet.com/if-the-gods-are-good-the-epic-sacrifice-of-the-hms-jervis-bay-book-review.htm From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:31:52 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.historynet.com/if-the-gods-are-good-the-epic-sacrifice-of-the-hms-jervis-bay-book-review.htm/comment-page-1#comment-107571 Peter Tyson Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:45:08 +0000 #comment-107571 The impression is given that the MN Officers and crew were somehow substandard until put into shape, as it were, by Fegen and Blackburn. They may not have been fighting sailors, but they were certainly efficient seamen, and there seems to be an underlying disparagement of them, at least in this part of the book. I certainly doubt whether Fegen and Blackburn could have had the knowledge or understanding to improve the Engineering Officers, many of whom had been on that ship for some time, and who knew its engineroom intimately. The use of American expressions for German and both RN and MN ranks is more than a little irritating too. A MN Second Mate isn't a "line officer"! It is also unfortunate that the role of the Merchant Ship "Beaverford" is paid such little attention, given that, arguably it was the action of the "Beaverford" which actually saved the convoy!. The impression is given that the MN Officers and crew were somehow substandard until put into shape, as it were, by Fegen and Blackburn. They may not have been fighting sailors, but they were certainly efficient seamen, and there seems to be an underlying disparagement of them, at least in this part of the book. I certainly doubt whether Fegen and Blackburn could have had the knowledge or understanding to improve the Engineering Officers, many of whom had been on that ship for some time, and who knew its engineroom intimately.
The use of American expressions for German and both RN and MN ranks is more than a little irritating too. A MN Second Mate isn’t a “line officer”!
It is also unfortunate that the role of the Merchant Ship “Beaverford” is paid such little attention, given that, arguably it was the action of the “Beaverford” which actually saved the convoy!.

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