Official History of the South African Naval Forces during the Second World War 1939-1945, Commander H.R. Gordon-Cumming

A comprehensive history of the South African Naval Forces (SANF) during the Second World War, resurrected from manuscript and published by the Naval Heritage Trust in 2008 after decades out of print. From three officers and three ratings in September 1939, the SANF expanded to some 9,455 men serving on 78 ships — mostly trawlers and whalers taken up from trade, alongside three newly built Loch-class frigates. Covers anti-submarine operations along the Cape Sea Route, service in the Mediterranean, the sinking of U-714 by HMSAS Natal, and convoy escort duties across multiple theatres. Author Commander H.R. Gordon-Cumming co-authored the earlier published short history War in the Southern Oceans (1961); this is the long-form official account never formally released. Illustrated with maps and full index. Soft cover, A4, 372 pages. Publisher: Naval Heritage Trust, Simon's Town, 2008.