Unusual tale from our maritime past
Britain's Last Invasion by Phil Carradice
In Britain's Last Invasion, historian Phil Carradice tells how the women of Fishguard came particularly to the fore that month when 1,400 drunken and out-of-control French soldiers from the Legion Noire landed for an attempted takeover. When the local men fled, the women stood fast, and one – armed only with a pitchfork – captured 12 enemy soldiers.
The whole incident was hardly in the league of William the Conqueror, as Carradice readily acknowledges, but he makes a good case for this being a genuine invasion.
And although it was all over in a few days, he says it influenced the development of the British fleet – and even led to the introduction of paper money.
Britain's Last Invasion: The Battle of Fishguard 1797
By Phil Carradice
Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978 15267 43268
Buy this book in the Nautilus Bookshop
While you're there, why not browse the rest of the titles in our unique maritime bookshop, which sells all the books reviewed on these pages.
Buy nowMore Books
Spooky thriller dredges the demons of the deep
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart TurtonAuthor Stuart Turton crashed onto the scene in 2018 with his debut novel The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. That uniquely positioned 'manor house murder mystery' became an international bestseller, so his follow up novel was much anticipated.
All you need for an inland waterways adventure
The Canal Guide: Britain's 55 Best Canals By Stuart FisherFor those who fancy the inland waterways for a summer holiday this year, The Canal Guide from nautical imprint Adlard Coles is an attractive guidebook and resource showing off the richness of the UK's heritage.
Vessel views from a seasoned shipspotter
Ferry Good by Geoffrey WatsonFerry Good is also a personal collection of vessel photographs combined with supplementary technical and historical information. Ever ready with his camera, Watson has included more than 200 images of ferries taken in his travels
The Merchant Navy in vibrant verse
A Bucket of Steam by Captain Joe EarlA Bucket of Steam is both a memoir and a work of the imagination – a little gem of a book where the author reflects on his own seafaring life and tells other maritime stories, all through the medium of poetry.