When Nicholas Monsarrat wrote his WWII novel The Cruel Sea, he drew on three actual Atlantic convoys for inspiration. Naval historian Edwards delves into the factual events of the three convoys and their journeys from Liverpool to Gibraltar: the disastrous convoy OG 71 of August 1941, the convoy HG 73 of September 1941, and HG 76, a convoy of 31 merchantmen with a heavy escort of 15 warships. Edwards' account makes it clear that the true stories of the convoys are just as dramatic as Monsarrat's classic tale. Appendices offer an extract from the onboard diary of an officer in one of the convoys, and a 1990 letter describing a first-hand account. B&w historical photos are included. The author, a retired seaman, has written other books on naval history. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)