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Through a Canadian Periscope: The Story of the Canadian Submarine Service Hardcover – October 1, 1995
- Print length364 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherDundurn Group
- Publication dateOctober 1, 1995
- Dimensions6.2 x 1.2 x 8.9 inches
- ISBN-101550022172
- ISBN-13978-1550022179
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Product details
- Publisher : Dundurn Group (October 1, 1995)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 364 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1550022172
- ISBN-13 : 978-1550022179
- Item Weight : 1.38 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.2 x 1.2 x 8.9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #5,255,024 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #661 in Canadian Military History
- #4,888 in Canadian History (Books)
- #10,231 in Naval Military History
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
A writer since 1971, Julie H. Ferguson is the author of four books on Canadian history (Through a Canadian Periscope: 1st ed. Dundurn 1995, 2nd ed. Dundurn March 2014 to celebrate the centenary; Deeply Canadian: New Submarines for a New Millennium - 1st ed. Beacon Publishing 2000, 2nd ed. Beacon Publishing 2014; Sing a New Song: Portraits of Canada's Crusading Bishops - Dundurn 2006). Her first young adult biography-adventure story, James Douglas: Father of British Columbia, is also from Dundurn 2009.
Julie has also published six books for writers and teachers. Book Magic: Turning Writers into Published Authors, her bestseller in this series, is available in the 3rd edition on Kindle, and so were Crafting Irresistible Query Letters and Writing with Power.
As a serious photographer, she has published thirty-six portfolios, many of which are about travel, using Blurb.com. Her many articles have appeared in national and international magazines, as well as online. Since 2009 she has focused on the travel market writing articles and providing her own images and videos.
Julie owns and operates Beacon Literary Services, from which she is semi-retired. It focused on offering products and services for writers seeking traditional or self-publication. Until 2017, she was also a sought-after professional speaker for writers' conferences and facilitated the well-respected writers' group in Port Moody. Now she does the same in Penticton.
Julie is also a passionate golfer, an addicted traveler, a curious foodie, and a proud Gramma. A lover of life!
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This traces the Canadian Submarine Service from the early days of WWI to today. The intrigue was provided by a province, not the country buying their first submarine almost out of the trunk of a car--then they had to slip it out of the US and into Canada. If that wasn't enough, they had to fight the British as well as the Canadian governments to exist.
While the Canadian force was never a large one, it was capable and provided excellent service when required. This was a nice filling of a hole in understanding the Canadian military.
The first 2 boats were bought from the US Electric boat company literally days before WWI started, for use on the west coast in British Columbia as protection against German cruisers. Think on that for a minute and let it sink in. After realizing the threat was not warranted, the boats sailed to Halifax, the journey almost doing them in. For the balance of the war, these 2 boats plus 2 more were used in ASW training. No more were attained after the war, and Canada had no subs when WWII broke out. Canada after the war leased boats from other countries, including 2 old WWII US subs with Guppy conversions in the ‘60s from the US reserve fleet. Canada finally bought 3 O boats from Great Britain, almost 50 years after their WWI boats were done in. Canadians did serve in both world wars, some even were captains of subs, but did so in British boats.
The author does a good job describing the initial acquisition of the 2 boats in 1914; the Canadians who served in British subs in the wars and their careers; and a great job in the British Perisher course for boat captains. A big piece of the book however describes not battles of subs vs. convoys or destroyers, but political battles in the navy and between the navy and government on funding, which boats to buy or lease, and how many. The quest for nuclear boats died, Canada’s current Victoria class is still diesel/electric (3 Boats active and one under repairs).
If you are Canadian, this would be a very good book to learn from, or to anyone who just wants to be informed of our neighbor to the north. Unfortunately, the battles described are for the sub services survival, over keeping boats in the fleet at all, and how many, for what cost.
The author research is outstanding ever lititle tid-bit of information is uncovered and excellent woven inot an outstanding book about a little known subject.
Excellent
Not only does the author manage to give us a detailed history of every boat from CC-1 to the current Victoria class, but she also includes a generous helping of anecdotes throughout the book’s pages. Ferguson has clearly spent many, many long hours researching this work and, I suspect, shared more than a few mugs of beer while listening to the submariners whose stories are intertwined within its pages. From history to sea stories – this book has it all.
Admittedly, I often saw ads for Through a Canadian Periscope on-line, and kept thinking that I really should order this book someday, but I kept procrastinating. I don’t know why, but that did work out in my favour as now I have the recently released Second Edition which brings us up to date with the goings on of the Victoria class boats. This edition’s timing is perfect as it appears that all four of Canada’s submarines will soon be ready for active service, in spite of what the nay-sayers (most of whom have no idea what they’re talking about) have been preaching for years.
If you enjoy naval history, you will want to read this book. If you are a submariner or just someone fascinated by the ‘secret service’ you need to read this book. Then, you will want to consider Ferguson’s next book, Deeply Canadian: New Submarines for a New Millennium, to learn even more about the Victoria class SSK’s and why Canada must ensure that it always possesses a viable submarine capability.
[...]
Top reviews from other countries
Not only does the author manage to give us a detailed history of every boat from CC-1 to the current Victoria class, but she also includes a generous helping of anecdotes throughout the book’s pages. Ferguson has clearly spent many, many long hours researching this work and, I suspect, shared more than a few mugs of beer while listening to the submariners whose stories are intertwined within its pages. From history to sea stories – this book has it all.
Admittedly, I often saw ads for Through a Canadian Periscope on-line, and kept thinking that I really should order this book someday, but I kept procrastinating. I don’t know why, but that did work out in my favour as now I have the recently released Second Edition which brings us up to date with the goings on of the Victoria class boats. This edition’s timing is perfect as it appears that all four of Canada’s submarines will soon be ready for active service, in spite of what the nay-sayers (most of whom have no idea what they’re talking about) have been preaching for years.
If you enjoy naval history, you will want to read this book. If you are a submariner or just someone fascinated by the ‘secret service’ you need to read this book. Then, you will want to consider Ferguson’s next book, Deeply Canadian: New Submarines for a New Millennium, to learn even more about the Victoria class SSK’s and why Canada must ensure that it always possesses a viable submarine capability.
[...]