Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #108176 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

Synopsis
This biography draws heavily on the personal diaries of the subject, Robert Hichens (or 'Hitch' as he was universally known). After a brief description of his early life, time at Oxford, his motor racing achievements (including trophies at Le Mans in his Aston Martin) and RN training, the book focuses on his exceptional wartime experiences. Hitch was the most highly decorated RNVR officer of the war with two DSOs, three DSCs and three Mentions in Despatches. He was recommended for a posthumous VC. We read of his early days in vulnerable minesweepers and the Dunkirk 'Dynamo' operation, (his first DSC).In late 1940 he joined Coastal Forces serving in the very fast MGBs, soon earning his own command and shortly after command of his Flotilla. He was the first to capture an E-Boat. His successful leadership led to many more successes and his reputation as a fearless and dynamic leader remains a legend today. The book contains detailed and graphic accounts of running battles against the more heavily armed E-boats. Tragically he was killed in action in April 1943, having refused promotion and a job ashore.

Customer Reviews

The biography of the RNVR's most decorated officer from WW2.
Mention any of history's greatest conflicts and certain names spring readily to mind either because they were great commanders or great heroes. Generally speaking, Robert Hichens is not one of those names - though it should be!

The Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) is the RN equivalent of the Territorial Army and provides a platform for those who are not fully employed by HM Forces to undertake their military training and weekends and other convenient times. During WW2, of course, these reservists were called up for full time duty. Robert Hichens was just one such person.

Commencing his wartime career in minesweepers, he earned his first DSC by twice going ashore at Dunkirk to help organise the evacuation. In October 1940 he transferred to Coastal Forces and was given command of a fast motor gunboat. Such were his skills of seamanship and leadership that he was quickly given command of a flotilla of these craft and was soon operating against the larger and more heavily armed German equivalent. In April 1943, however, Robert Hichens was killed in Action. By this time he had earned two DSOs, another two DSCs and was also Mentioned in Despatches. He had also been recommended for the Victoria Cross.

Despite there being another two years of warfare to endure, Robert Hichens remains the most decorated member of the RNVR from WW2 and this is his story. It is a story about the man from his roots to his final action. It is a complete story recounted by his son Antony. It is a story which should be read by all those with an interest in the wide-ranging subject of World War Two - if only to bring the name of this highly decorated officer more readily to mind.

NM

At long last
At long last someone has picked up this great hero of world war two and given a delightful biography of this famous MGB leader; and who better than his own son.The story is told with little sentimentality and puts Hitchens clearly in focus in his chosen area of operations. Particularly well written is Hitchens' time at University.
I read the autobiography many years ago and I could not understand why this war hero was not better known to the general public. Seemingly every other book about gunboats points to Hitchens as the greatest.
A great read, well done to the author, you must be very proud.

A good story of an unsung hero, but tough going at times.
I bought this book based on a recommendation that Junior Naval Officers should read it, it is after all their heritage. The book is written by the son of Lt Cdr Hitchens, and as such is sometimes very understandably partisan and tends to outline the subjects virtues and seems to miss some of his failings. The author is justifiably proud of his father and this shines through.

The first 2 chapters consist of a long genealogy of the Hitchens family, and an outline of 'Hitch's' time at Magdalen college at Oxford, and this is quite hard going though does help to put the person into context. The book later becomes a series of excerpts from Hitch's war diary, interspersed with comment from his son and corroborated with extracts from other books.

It is apparent that the original book 'we fought them in gunboats' is something of a undiscovered treasure, and the eloquence of the original author is apparent though sometimes, it is tough going and passages tend to be long winded descriptions of a dawn that would make Ransome proud.

The book was worth a read, though not exactly a page turner it is sad that the original author of the work died prior to completing it.