A Merchant Fleet at War

"A Merchant Fleet at War" by Archibald Hurd is a historical telling of how important the British Merchant Navy was in World War I. The book talks about how important sea power is during war and how merchant sailors helped by carrying soldiers and supplies, and even fighting. It tells stories of Cunard ships and their crews during the war and explains the bigger maritime plans. The book starts by looking back at Britain’s sea activities before and during the war and points out it was not easy keeping track of the merchants’ efforts during wartime. The author says that their bravery is important for understanding how Britain's sea power helped keep its empire strong and aid in the war. The book goes on to tell specific stories and changes involving the Cunard fleet as they switched to doing war work, setting the stage in later chapters for more detailed stories of the ships and their sailors.