On Her Majesty's Nuclear Service

by Eric Thompson

Overview

A journey inside the submarines that patrolled beneath the surface to keep the peace during the Cold War, from a Royal Navy officer and engineer.
 
During the Cold War, nuclear submarines quietly helped prevent a third world war, keeping watch and maintaining the deterrent effect of mutually assured destruction. For security reasons, very few knew the inside stories—until now. Eric Thompson is a career nuclear submarine officer who served from the first days of the Polaris missile boats until after the Cold War, ending up as the top engineer in charge of the Navy’s nuclear power plants. Along the way, he helped develop all manner of kit, from guided torpedoes to the Trident ballistic missile system. In this vivid personal account of his submarine operations, he reveals what it was like to literally have your finger on the nuclear button.
 
He leads the reader through top-secret submarine patrols, hush-hush scientific trials, underwater weapon developments, public relations battles with nuclear protesters, arm wrestling with politicians, and the changes surrounding gender and sexual preference in the Navy. It is essentially a human story, rich in both drama and comedy, like the Russian spy trawler that played dance music at passing submarines. There was never a dull moment—but it was always a deadly serious game. Among other subjects, Thompson discusses:
 
• The two American nuclear submarines Thresher and Scorpion, which sank with no survivors during the Cold War
• The history of submarines, including the Hunley  a Confederate submarine during the US Civil War, which was the first sub to ever sink a ship—though it did so kamikaze-style
• What a submarine base is like
• How a Soviet sub in the Mediterranean was flushed out, earning the crew a crate of champagne from America
• The author’s personal experience with the Polaris and Trident classes of submarine, and more
 
“Interesting, sometimes thought provoking, but above all an entertaining read.” —Nuclear Futures

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781612005720
Publisher:	Casemate Publishers
Publication date:	01/10/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
File size:	17 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Eric Thompson was born in Scotland during the Second World War. He won a scholarship to Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth at sixteen, was streamed as an Engineer Officer, volunteered for submarines and thirty-seven years later retired as Commodore of Britain's principal nuclear submarine base at Faslane. A creature of the Cold War, he served in five submarines, two squadrons, the staff of Submarine HQ and the Ministry of Defence. In addition to being a nuclear propulsion specialist, he took a Masters degree in Acoustics and became a lead officer in the ultra-secret world of underwater warfare and stealth technology. His MBE was awarded for leadership during a submarine emergency on patrol.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements vii

Foreword xi

Introduction xiii

1 On Patrol 1

2 In the Beginning 7

3 The Four-Minute Warning 13

4 A New Religion 19

5 The Small Matter of a Journal 27

6 Welcome to Submarines 37

7 Resurrection 53

8 Corporate Constipation 65

9 God of the Underworld 73

10 Walter Mitty 85

11 Trials and Tribulations 93

12 Going Nuclear 109

13 Things That Go Bump in the Night 117

14 Fire Down Below 131

15 The Strategic Nuclear Deterrent 137

16 Senior Engineer 151

17 My Last Patrol 157

18 War and Peace 169

19 The Joint Service Defence College 185

20 Stealth 191

21 Squadron Life 203

22 The Directorate of Naval Lost Property 211

23 The Nuclear Business 217

24 The Chief Strategic Systems Executive 233

25 The Peace Dividend 237

26 'Commodore Eric' 243

27 Leros 261

Glossary of Terms 263

Editorial Reviews

"This book is highly recommended, not just for the detail and historical perspective it gives, but also for the lightness of the writing. This reviewer could almost sense Eric Thompson smiling wryly as he put his memories down on paper or computer screen."

Warship World

"Endowed with a wry sense of humor and a literary bent, Thompson paints at times a disquieting picture of the darker, human side of life in submarines. His characters are portrayed vividly, and anyone who has served will recognize their types instantly."

Naval War College Review

…an engaging, thoroughly entertaining read, which also serves up contemplation (and education) about the unthinkable.

Warships International Fleet Service

After so often reading of accidents and problems afflicting Britain's nuclear submarine fleet in often sensationalised articles in the general media, it is refreshing to learn what really happens directly from a knowledgeable and reliable source.

Baird Maritime

A revealing book and essential reading for those wanting to understand the chilling detail of how Britain's nuclear deterrent is operated.

Britain at War

"The book is well-written and the story flows smoothly from one topic to another. In time, this book will become one of the autobiographical accounts that future naval historians will consult when writing about the Royal Navy during the Cold War."

PowerShips

"This is a personal memoir, but a superior one. As well as being a cracking read, Thompson puts his professional experiences in their wider context which is why this book should have broad appeal. There is much to learn here about the RN’s submarine service and about the UK’s nuclear weapons policy."

Naval Review

Overall, I would thoroughly recommend the book. It was an interesting, sometimes thought provoking, but above all an entertaining read.

Nuclear Futures

"This memoir is not just a personal tale but a chronicle of insights and activities during the period of [Commodore Thompson's] service (1961-1998). Both witty and serious, his social commentary is as insightful as those of a maritime nature. This book is not just easy but fun to read. The language alone is worth the trip."

Naval Historical Foundation

"It is written in a delightfully understated, humourous style with some quirky turns of phrase, which forms an unusual didactic prose but nevertheless makes it an absorbing read."

Scuttlebutt

"Presented with humility, humour, and political and technical awareness, this remarkable book provides a succinct insight into the daily reality of maintaining nuclear deterrence."

Mountbatten

A well-written book offering readers a fascinating glimpse into the little-known world of the modern Navy and its submarine service. Littered with amusing stories and anecdotes, Thompson’s writing entertains as well as informs. I was a little surprised some of the content isn’t covered by the Official Secrets Act but we must be grateful that its time constraints allow us to now read what was actually going on beneath the waves and how these dedicated people helped prevent the Cold War becoming more.

Love Reading

"...well and entertainingly written and thus, easy to keep on with, as well as informative of a submariner’s career."

The Northern Mariner

One wonders now if the "mutually assured destruction" threat has any real meaning with respect to Britain's nuclear deterrent. Fascinating slice of cold war history.

Books Monthly