14 replies to this topic

[Derwent Motorsport]

Like many readers here I have enjoyed the Warbirds Workshop series on restoring old war planes.   Last night it featured A Lockheed used by Sidney Cotton for aerial photography over Germany. However twice in the programme there was a photo of an ERA for no particular reason mentioned.  Was there a mix up with Billy Cotton perhaps?

[JtP2]

After watching many similar programs it would not surprise me due to the current standard of program research..

[red stick]

I notice it more in naval history documentaries, which may just come from more familiarity with the subject matter.  But some things are just inexplicable.  Now, to be fair, I have not read this book, available on Amazon and ostensibly about the U.S. cruiser Marblehead, pictured here:

 

 

 

but the New Mexico-class battleship on the cover does not inspire further investigation.

 

 

 

Edited by red stick, 09 December 2022 - 16:47.

[Doug Nye]

Good Heavens above! 

 

DCN

[RS2000]

From the brief sightings of the ERA in the Warplane Workshop programme the driver did look like Billy Cotton.

 

Marblehead seems a small place to have a cruiser named after it - home to chef Lloyd Grossman and doping/reformed top cyclist Tyler Hamilton.

[Vitesse2]

Marblehead seems a small place to have a cruiser named after it - home to chef Lloyd Grossman and doping/reformed top cyclist Tyler Hamilton.

 

'Birthplace of marine aviation'

[10kDA]

Sailors (oarsmen?) from Marblehead rowed General George Washington across the Delaware River. Marblehead historically has had close connection with the US Army, Navy and Marine Corps.

[Doug Nye]

Even less excuse to choose a photo of an irrelevant vessel on the front cover then.  As a warship nut - my first, now long secret hobby - I am shocked...

 

DCN

[Collombin]

I wonder if it's by the same publisher that did Val Pirie's Moss book?

[GreenMachine]

... A Lockheed used by Sidney Cotton for aerial photography over Germany. 

 

It lives?!  This is the one with the secret/concealed camera (in the wing IIRC)?

 

Is that a BBC program (geoblocked here )?  I must investigate ...

[Stephen W]

It lives?!  This is the one with the secret/concealed camera (in the wing IIRC)?

 

Is that a BBC program (geoblocked here )?  I must investigate ...

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11892420/

 

Follow the above link. 

 

PS it isn't a BBC series.

[Porsche718]

I notice it more in naval history documentaries, which may just come from more familiarity with the subject matter.  But some things are just inexplicable.  Now, to be fair, I have not read this book, available on Amazon and ostensibly about the U.S. cruiser Marblehead, pictured here:

 

 

 

but the New Mexico-class battleship on the cover does not inspire further investigation.

 

 

 

 

Before we start with "all guns blazing", or fire "salvo upon salvo" against the writers George Sessions Perry and Isabel Leighton, it may be worthwhile considering a bit of background.

 

The book "Where Away: A Modern Odessey" was first released in 1944, only two years after the events in 1942. Both Sessions Perry (a novelist) and Leighton (an actress/short story writer) worked as correspondents during WWII.

 

Leighton in particular seemed to have had more first hand details of the events of USS Marblehead and her escape from conflict, whilst Sessions Perry added the somewhat "dated" novelist writing style. 

 

USS Marblehead was sent from Borneo and successfully provided cover for other warships during a number a sea battles toward the end of 1942, eventually suffering much damage herself during the "Battle of Makassar Strait". She was taking on water and her rudder was damaged and locked at a 9 degree angle (among other damage).

 

Her captain tried to head for a number of (relatively) nearby naval ports, but (but by this stage in the war) many had suffered damage and none had the means to carry out repairs.

 

There is obviously a lot more to the story, but it was decided to attempt to make Durban, South Africa to carry out the most urgent repairs and transfer dead and wounded sailors. She navigated to South Africa with bilge pumps running constantly and carrying out direction changes by alternately running her engines at different speeds.

 

After the most severe hull leakage was patched up, and her rudder was freed to allow certain movement. USS Marblehead headed for home. Arriving at Brooklyn Navy Yard on May 4, almost 6 months after her initial damage was sustained. She had travelled almost 26,000 kilometers (yes - 26,000!) during that 6 months, and in that damaged condition. 

 

It is dated in its style, but DCN and "red stick", it is a great read.

 

This is the 1944 cover

 

and a later edition which uses a photo taken of USS Marblehead showing some of her damage

 

So it would be my guess that some unnamed mental giant in some publishing company decided to issue a new edition, and "update" the cover with the first pic they could find on google images.

 

I'm sure George Sessions Perry and Isabel Leighton would be horrified, as well as the disrespect to the story of USS Marblehead and any of the relatives of those who served on her.

 

I'm also so thankful this would never happen in the motoring or motor racing world of book publishing!

 

(I am such a cynic)

 

See ya,

 

Steve W

Edited by Porsche718, 10 December 2022 - 08:44.

[Doug Nye]

Aaah - is the edition under fire not a modern publication then?

 

DCN

[Porsche718]

What makes it worse Doug, the "revised" edition shown was released in 2021 was published by Ship-to-Shore Books based in Charlotte, North Carolina

 

Perhaps one could excuse the error if the publishers were non-maritime based (if that's what "Ship-to-Shore" suggests).

[red stick]

That makes some sense, but is in keeping with my original observation--it's not at all unusual in naval history documentaries to find historic footage or photographs of vessels that have little or nothing to do with the subject matter currently on-screen.  Thanks for the correction--as with newspaper headlines, I realize that authors frequently have little say with how the material is presented.  Moreso when the material is this old.