HMS Warrior: Owners’ Workshop Manual

Man the guns

Throughout its active service during the second half of the 19th century and into the 20th, there were few battleships more feared or awe-inspiring than the mighty

HMS Warrior.

The last surviving member of Britain’s once 45-strong ‘Black Battlefleet’ that dominated the seas, Haynes’ latest manual marks 30 years since its arrival in Portsmouth harbour by providing a customarily insightful and in-depth examination of it, delving into its construction, lifetime and influence as its place in history is assessed, as well as looking at the restoration process that allowed it to live on.

As with most Haynes books, your interest in this will be directly proportionate to how much investment you have in the subject matter. While it’s all very accessible and lovingly presented, it might be hard to persuade those who don’t count themselves among the number of maritime enthusiasts to give this a go.

Even so, they could do worse than give this try. Providing not just a worthy ode to a much-respected participant in Britain’s naval history but also a side-glance of the nation’s growth in these years, Haynes has done it again.

Author: Richard May Publisher: Haynes Price: £25 / $36.95 Release date: Out now