The Book
"25 years in the making - from diary & notes to manuscript and finally paperback & e-book"
Paperback ISBN: 9781805411413
E-Book ISBN: 9781805411420
" ... This is a remarkable first-hand account of the author's time at sea during the Second World War. He served on seven ships and four of them were subsequently sunk. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the war at sea."
Michael Kirwan (E13KO), for 'The Radio Officers Association' (ROA).
See Further Book Reviews below ....
The (Dundee) Courier UK Weekend Magazine (Sat 14th October 2023) by Michael Alexander, Lead News Feature Writer
"It’s early 1939. The nineteen-year-old son of a local schoolmaster graduates Dundee Wireless College and sets off on a gruelling six-month Antarctic Whaling Expedition. It barely prepares him for what comes next.
On the North Atlantic Convoys, he faces attacks from U-Boats, aerial bombing and mines in the longest campaign of WWII, the Battle of the Atlantic. For five long years he sends and receives sensitive communications on poorly-defended vessels suppling the war effort with everything from oil to fighter planes, and coal to invasion barges. Experiences range from surreal to tragic, heart-warming to heart-breaking.
A compelling first-hand account of the war at sea from one of the 185,000 merchant seamen and women who served - 1 in every 6 of whom were lost. With 4 of his 7 vessels lost to enemy action, his journey from ‘Hunter to Hunted’, becomes a rite of passage, and his life’s work."
Book Reviews
john bryce, 16 March 2024, for "Amazon" *****
"... Hunter to Hunted is a gripping account of the dangers merchant seamen faced during the hostilities of the war years 1939 until 1945 ... What makes this book so worthwhile is the fact that it came from the very heart of the author reliving his own experiences ... There is nothing exaggerated about this book, just the honesty of a young man catapulted into the very heart of conflict at sea and experiencing first hand the horrors of war."
https://amzn.eu/d/4jl9LtK
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JMacK, 21 Feb 2024, for "Amazon" *****
"This work dedicated to the author's father gives a massive covering of life of a Wireless Operator in the Merchant Navy in the "in between years" of the World Wars and service during WW2. These operators were the backbone of safety of ships as the sole means of communication during hazardous times ... In the history of wars, this book has a significant place exhibiting the vital offices and officers keeping the captains afloat ... A very worthwhile read."
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Kintra, Jan 13, 2024 - for "The Library Thing' ****
"This is a diary of his father’s merchant navy experiences during WWII, carefully edited by his son Bill to omit normal diary entries that a quick reader would skip to save time, thereby missing an important event that the writer was attempting to convey. I found this book more interesting than some of the WWII books I have read. Excellent illustrations - supporting documents and of course photographs make this an interesting and easy read. As an early reviewer for “LibraryThing”, I received this book for an honest review and I award it 4 stars."
https://www.librarything.com/work/30899209/reviews
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JohnChic, Jan 6, 2024 - for 'The Library Thing' *****
"I received this book as part of LT’s Early Reviewers Program. A 'compelling read' hardly suffices to describe this memoir/diary. No neatly crafted plot-line here. Whaling was a dangerous and difficult occupation. But once the transition from hunter to hunted happens the author's sense of duty while surrounded daily by death and disaster draws you in and makes it a difficult book to put down. This book gets a full five stars."
https://www.librarything.com/work/30899209/reviews
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kristincedar, Dec 30, 2023 - for 'The Library Thing' *****
"Oh I was so happy to read this book. Although my grandpa was American, he served alongside Anderson and so many other brave merchant marines during World War Two. I was thrilled to see this book on early reviewers and just grateful there are records and proof these heroes existed, and what their daily life was like. I’m thrilled to have this book in my collection and hope it takes off as required reading for high school (middle school?) kids everywhere."
https://www.librarything.com/work/30899209/reviews
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armature, Dec 23, 2023 - for 'The Library Thing' ****
"Hunter to Hunted - Surviving Hitler's Wolf Packs is a fascinating read, providing a window into the day-to-day life of a radio officer in the British Merchant Navy, just before and during World War II. Since the source is the author's diaries, the surfacing of the occasional dry passage and slow pacing are completely understandable, and didn't impact my enjoyment of the book. Some readers might be disturbed by the descriptions of some of the whaling industry activities, but that was the reality of the time. As both an amateur radio operator and a veteran, this book held my interest from start to finish. While technically correct, I thought the title was too narrow a description of the account as a whole."
https://www.librarything.com/work/30899209/reviews
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Mr, 13 Oct 2023, for "Amazon" *****
"The modest, understated but insightful memoires of a young man who goes to sea as a newly qualified radio operator and comes home a seasoned mariner. The book gives a rare and fascinating glimpse into the pre-war world of whaling. As WWII unfolds in the oceans of the world, the circling leviathans give way to the even more dangerous, U boats in pursuit. Our author is lucky, so many others are not."
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The Courier (UK) On-line Feature
