The Cruel Sea audiobook by Nicholas Monsarrat read by Robert Powell.

The Cruel Sea tells the story of a Royal Navy (UK) ship, Compass Rose, escorting convoys of freight ships across the Atlantic during World War II. It is a crucial and dangerous mission to supply allies while sailing through Nazi U-boat infested waters. But the U-boats are not the only danger. Rather, it is the Atlantic Ocean weather which can bring fury and death to those who sail upon her. Most importantly, The Cruel Sea tells of the men of the Compass Rose who must risk their lives to battle against tyranny. Sadly, it is a never ending battle. Enjoy and remember.
Movie Length.
GBOT Review: Story - Excellent. Reading Performance - Excellent.
Nicholas Monsarrat (1910-1979) served in the Royal Navy during WWII, eventually becoming a ship commander. He used these experiences to write a number of his books while his experience working in the diplomatic service helped him write others including The Tribe That Lost Its Head. Seven of the 30+ books he wrote, including The Cruel Sea, were made into films or TV movies. The TV movie HMS Marlborough Will Enter Port was narrated by Ronald Reagan.
Robert Powell (1944 - ?) is a British actor who began his career in 1964 and continues to this day with Banking on Mr. Toad in pre production (2022). Mr. Powell has risen from playing an uncredited extra to playing the title character in the 1977 Jesus of Nazareth miniseries (which is quite good). Older listeners may remember him for his roles in Shaka Zulu, and The Who's rock opera Tommy, which is about a deaf, dumb, and blind kid who plays a mean pinball.

[@sheila-wn7cn]

I am in my mid 80s. We lived in Birmingham right across the road from the airstrip of the factory where Spitfires were built. My parents had girls living with them who were building them. I saw lots of air action and bombing, along with living in our bomb shelter for weeks on end. The worst we got was chimneys knocked down and roof damage. Although I was only a child I have many strong memories of those times. Thank you I enjoyed listening to this book. We are fewer who remember these brave young men and women .

[@doreekaplan2589]

My American Dad was one of them, serving as of just a teenager for 4 years, twice wounded. His son, with his prodessional filmmaker fruend, Made a documentary with Dad about his WW2 experience that is in the U.S. Library of Congress permanent collection. Otherwise, Dad never spoke about hus war. In 1965 he took the family to Bavaria, to meet his German family friends and to Dachau where we saw the ovens. Thankful my sons were not forced to fight anywhere. The war monger U.S. is at war today on 3 different continents, none our own, dpending Americans hard earned taxes, ignoring tens of thousands today homeLESS with the fastest growing group being ELDERLY unable to continue working, living out their hardest years into the future in DIRE straits. Clearly wrong on every level.

[@lynneforbes4420]

Superlative narration ! Robert Powell’s diction is pure perfection. Thank you!

[@brentinnes5151]

you aint wrong

[@arthuroldale-ki2ev]

Splendid narration by the best person who could be trusted with this gripping story of those oh so brave men of the 1940s.

[@almacmathain6195]

As a young man in the 1960s I worked in the City of London. A rather small unprepossessing man came into our office regularly, one of the older men who worked with me said that before 1939 he had regularly gone swimming with this man who was a very good swimmer. At the starting of WWII he had joined the Merchant Navy and had a been on the convoys North to the Soviet Union sailing around Norway and had survived three sinkings, one when he was on a oil tanker and he had to dive into the sea that had burning oil covering most of the surface with only patches of sea that was not covered with burning oil. He dived under the burning oil from one patch of sea free of burning oil to the next, and so got out of the burning oil and was picked up. All the hours he had spent swimming in the council swimming pool had saved his life.

[@greatbooksontape782]

Wow. If must have been terrible to hear the cries of those who weren't good swimmers. There is a scene like that in the Bogie movie '"Action in the North Atlantic".

[@thee49-d3m]

Of course, they would get lots of cash- love of country plus a fat pay cheque, maybe that's the best mix of soil for breeding heroes...sometimes the booze is enough

[@JohnHirstUK]

@@greatbooksontape782I don’t think you’d hear the cries of those who couldn’t swim on account of all that water in their lungs ‘n’ all that.

[@gstoddard1325]

I thought you were going to say he never swam again. It's hard to open your eyes in salt water also. Plus oil on it, crazy.

[@andrewreeds1558]

In 1982 we got our first video recorder. The night before I deployed to the Falklands I watched the superb film version. Not long afterwards I felt like I was living the movie. It resonated hugely, especially when I lost friends. After that it became a tradition to watch the film before I deployed on operations. Possibly the best British war film ever made.

[@john1653]

Those men, that People...the British people...and we Americans...left such big shoes for guys like me to fill. After a Navy career spanning twenty three years, calling six ships home during my time, and three tours of duty in South Vietnam...I sincerely doubt whether I adequately filled those big shoes. But I tried. The Lord knows I tried. These guys are my personal heroes. Master Chief John S, U.S.Navy (Ret.)

[@matthbhhh2439]

Lol

[@samb7652]

As did we all.

[@kwd3109]

Thank you for your Service

[@gazza2933]

This audio book just has the edge over the film for me. I never tire of either but Robert Powell's narration is brilliant and puts the listener right there in tbe scene. 👍

[@xanaduhouseguest]

I agree that it's a fine reading from an excellent actor but for me the film remains one of the best produced here about WW2. It's a grim story about men battling two enemies, the Germans and, of course, "the cruel sea". The film has a fine cast playing their roles as people just getting on with their jobs as best they can in often terrible conditions without false "John Wayne" type heroics and I imagine, which must be a fair reflection of what actually happened.

[@wiredspeaker5658]

His character's voices are amazing. He's a natural.

[@edithpiaf9250]

Outstanding work, outstanding reader. My parents were the WWII generation; as they die off, so too do the memories of this horrific conflict. Young people today know nothing of it, and could not care less. (I taught history for a number of years.) The sacrifices of these brave men will be forgotten, to humanity's loss.

[@johnbevan4684]

Agreed, just like WWI which in many ways was far worse than WWII. All wars are gruesome and all wars are soon forgotten.

[@DaveSCameron]

James Donald Cameron 32, 1943, HMS Celendine. RIP. #LestWeForget ☘️

[@edithpiaf9250]

@@DaveSCameron God rest him.

[@vaughanpower4538]

People believe they live forever nowadays. Complacency and entitlement.

[@eleveneleven572]

​@@vaughanpower4538 Yes, at a conference in 2001 during my speech I mentioned our mortality. A woman in the audience had a panic attack and started screeching. Obviously mortality hadn't occurred to her. 😕

[@markmarion9887]

For those of us that have sailed the north Atlantic the bravery and struggles of the sailors in the convoy system is amazing.

[@DaveSCameron]

Kudos and respect. #LestWeForget ☘️ 🇬🇧📚☘️

[@ShirleyZhang-bt4dj]

Absolutely.We owe them so much.

[@tonysadler5290]

I was a Petty Officer (L/s acting up) Coxswain of a small ship in the mid 70s. A few of the senior NCOs had seen service in the closing years of the war. They were brilliant, I learned so much from them. I loved smaller ships, you got to do so much more. Thanks for posting this. Always a favourite, many of the discriptive passages were all too familiar in my past memories.

[@ShirleyZhang-bt4dj]

A classic story. One of the best.

[@almacmathain6195]

Another book, this time about a Royal Navy ship escorting one of the Murmansk convoys that in WWII took aid to the Soviet Union is Alistair MacLean’s HMS Ulysses. It really shows what the sailors, Merchant Navy and Royal Navy had to endure, well worth a read.

[@greatbooksontape782]

I checked on Amazon and found this comment in the description of HMS Ulysses. "The story of men who rose to heroism, and then to something greater, HMS Ulysses takes its place alongside The Caine Mutiny and The Cruel Sea as one of the classic novels of the navy at war." //There is an excellent movie that takes place on WW2 convoys titled "Action in North Atlantic" starring Humphrey Bogart, who also starred in "The Caine Mutiny".

[@rogernicol9162]

I truly enjoyed listening to "the Cruel Sea" . Very well written & very well narrated. Thank you.

[@peterhassall6633]

My dad served on the trail This book makes me think of him and his tales

[@wiredspeaker5658]

I'm 54 and have been a warship enthusiast since i was a kid. Models, books and of course movies. This book is such a moving story. Even my generation has very few that know, or care, about the brave men and women that fought for our freedoms during WW2. It wasn't that long ago that we nearly lost everything.

[@Augh98-nt2zn]

How did you nearly lose everything?

[@janflower4068]

Not knowing the story at all I give credit to this narrator I found it very very moving and I'm 52 years old and have spent my life reading and listening to audiobooks so thank you for introducing this story to me from listening to the comments I understand there is an unabridged version that offers more detail and I will look into it but I think this is a fine rendering thank you very very much

[@billgreen576]

Read it a multiple times. Watched the excellent film many times. Thank you.

[@peterhassall6633]

My dad served on a corvette the Trail he liked this book as I do thank you

[@gazza2933]

An incredible group of men. 👍

[@DaveSCameron]

Our grandfather died abourd HMS Celendine aged just 32 in 1943. #LestWeForget ☘️ 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 📚

[@strelnikoff1632]

Also one off the finest war movies. First rate in every respect.

[@alanwitton5980]

Excellent reading by Robert Powell of a great heart wrenching story!

[@lesleyjulian9446]

Read the book (many times) for English Literature O level 1967. No other book has left such a deeply disturbing lasting impression on me. Beautifully crafted book. The author draws each character with skill and narrates the story in great detail and empathy for his characters. Robert Powell reads beautifully. Very listenable to voice. I got a Grade 1 Eng Lit GCE, mainly due to this set book. Thoroughly recommend listening to this. Thank you for uploading. Very moving story.

[@j.dunlop8295]

My uncle John served in the Merchant marine service WW2, till he mentally broke down! Truly a suicide mission! For the high percentage of losses, that they had!

[@Lexington125]

My grandad did too, I never met him . Them old boys had some guts !

[@jenniferholden9397]

Read it when I was at school, my parents were born in 1914 so had gone through 2 world wars, they explained the finer points and read it themselves. Don’t think I ever took the book back to school.

[@DaveSCameron]

Fantastic upload, our grandfather died abourd HMS Celendine in 1944. 🙏☘️#OurHistory

[@greatbooksontape782]

May you Grandfather RIP. Did a quick internet search of HMS Celandine (k75). During 1942 it rescued 44 survivors of a Belgian merchant ship Elisabeth Van Belgie and 49 out of 69 survivors of the Royal Canadian Destroyer HMCS Ottawa. An honorable record. Both ships had been sunk by German U-boats. Makes me wonder if there's a way to contact actual survivors of those ships or their descendants to hear their survival stories.

[@DaveSCameron]

@@greatbooksontape782 Hey there and many thanks for your reply here and I wonder if you could share the 'site that you visited with me at all? ☘️

[@indigochouinard1601]

Wow. So beautifully written. The beauty of the words are amazing in their contrast to the tragic, yet resilient lives of those that protected us.

[@granthurlburt4062]

The one remaining Corvette in the world, HMCS Sackville, a Flower-class corvette is docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Visited it in July 2023

[@wntu4]

I love the Flowers and have deep respect and admiration for those that sailed the NA in them. Also I am profoundly grateful I never had to. 😁

[@my567car]

Missed you by a month. Loved the tour of the Sackville.

[@chadpenner5059]

Robert powell is top of the food chain of narrators😂

[@tango6nf477]

Gritty, realistic and dark story, almost an anti-war story in many ways. It is one of the best war novels written, there is no glorification of war, no excitement and no over the top heroics. It is utterly brilliant and could only have been written by one who was there. The fil made in the 1950's starring Jack Hawkins, Stanley Baker, and Donald Sinden plus a host of well knowns who's names you can never remember is also excellent if you get a chance to see it.

[@johnking7685]

Agreed . The film which I have on DVD captures the serious unglamorous tone of the book. No schoolboy heroics, one-man "John Wayne" type garbage. Very un-Hollywood & therefore true.

[@andypanda4927]

Sounds as if a film, actually, worth seeing. Had not realized a film of any of his books was out there. 1st time recall reading any novel by Monsarrat was'74 or '75 and was a title cannot recall, but, was about an Aux Cruiser.

[@georgekforrpv6857]

Seems to me that any book or movie that tells the real truth about war and the horrors people face and terrible sacrifices people had to make must be anti war!

[@DavidBrown-fb5gt]

I really enjoyed this narrator, his accents for the different characters was off the hook. The story was equally entertaining

[@alexandradane3672]

Thank you for all your hard work. Yes it’s a shame that the books are abridged but still quite spoiling to be read to ! I’m so pleased to have found your channel and am delighted to subscribe.

[@christrinder1255]

Enjoyed enormously thank you so much for posting 👏👏👍

[@SaintPatrick1970]

Fantastic story. My time with the 6th fleet was the most dangerous and exciting part of my Marine Corps service.

[@nedrobinson7490]

When was your service? Tell me more about the 6th fleet? Obviously an admiralty thing? - a curious American

[@RailRoad188]

6th fleet is the US Mediterranean fleet. OPs handle includes 1970 so if he enlisted around 18 he could have been in the Med as early as 1989, probably in for Gulf War 1 and possibly into the mid 90s Balkan Wars.

[@davedewsnap288]

Powerful. It does seem short. My Dad’s copy is close by, and it’s time I read it again.

[@louiskleinman1853]

Puts one directly into the action and in consequence shows the matter of fact heroism of the Merchant Marine. 'Mariners died at a rate of 1 in 26, which was the highest rate of casualties of any service.' One of the best of its type.

[@sean_d]

And in the merchant marine if you were torpedoed and took to a lifeboat your pay stopped the day the ship sank.

[@lordrexus]

Didn’t bomber command crews die at rate of nearly 50%

[@j.dunlop8295]

The novel, based on the author's experience of serving in corvettes and frigates in the North Atlantic in the Second World War, gives a matter-of-fact but moving portrayal of ordinary men learning to fight and survive in a violent, exhausting battle against the elements and a ruthless enemy.

[@richardthomas9263]

I loved it, reminded me of the radio theater programs of my youth. I miss the greatest generation, I so enjoyed listening to their remembrances of the war. Now, I'm the old man repeating my adventures over and over again to those who will listen.

[@robertalan2427]

my friend Norm Freeman of Batersea Ont started as a secretary to the captain in late 39 and was released from duty in 45. he said it was 5 years of wet misery too cold and too hot always ... don't recall the ship unfortunately since it was so early ion the war the corvette was probably English made and loaned to the Canadian navy. he survived the war and became probably one of the first teaching professors of Ecological science. he was a riveting personality in Battersea.

[@harryurz]

We did this book for O level English in the mid 1970s....its still one of my favourites.

[@adamharris6608]

Brilliant book, beautifully read,

[@granthurlburt4062]

Paraphrase of one of the opening paragraphs. The corvettes were experimental, anti-submarine, escort ships for convoy carrying vital supplies across the N. Atlantic to Britain, with a crew of 88. They were floating platforms for depth charges with a high forecastle carrying a single 4“ gun. They were 200 feet long, broad, chunky, and graceless. They had been produced quickly and had no forced air and no refrigeration. They were hot in the summer and cold and damp in the winter. They’d be a bastard in any seaway and thrown about like a chip of wood in any Atlantic gale.

[@granthurlburt4062]

My 6'4" father was a navigator on one of the Canadian Navy's corvettes in the WWII convoys across the Atlantic. It might have been the Forest Hill,

[@elgato9534]

My dad was on watch in the north Atlantic, he looked down and saw two torpedoes, they ran under and hit a tanker inside the convoy

[@reeswillow]

Simply excellent..

[@jamesa7506]

Hearing this recording makes one truly appreciate the "unabridged", the original, version of this fine novel.

[@benedict7335]

I am grateful for the superb reading of this version.

[@xanbex8324]

What a great voice.....reminds one of the actor Michael Renee{SP?}

[@suburbanbanshee]

Michael Rennie?

[@20chocsaday]

It is a wonderful book you can come back to time and again.

[@TheCampsies]

Great story, great narration, greatly appreciated.

[@bobmurdoch4719]

One of my favourite books. Great narration. Pity it was so cut.

[@michaelplanchunas3693]

There is an excellent book written during WW1 which describes life on a British War Ship in the North Sea and North Atlantic. Written by a young navy officer, Stephen King-Hall titled "North Sea Diary". A young officer aboard the HMS Southampton a light cruiser, it was one of two ships which took part in all four major battles between Germany and the UK.

[@DaveSCameron]

#LestWeForget ☘️ 11th November. 🇬🇧☘️📚

[@lindaleh6371]

thank you!

[@greatbooksontape782]

Your welcome, though Monsarrat, Powell and all the good people at the now defunct "Listen For Pleasure" company deserve the real credit. For me, even though it was fiction, "The Cruel Sea" is a powerful story of the type of thing the men in the allied navies of World War 2, and to a degree the convoys they escorted went through. It was brave, terrifying, and heart wrenching. During WW2, 3500 allied merchant ships plus 175 allied warships were sunk. 72,200 sailors died in the Battle of the Atlantic. Never forget.🫂

[@michaelwilkins5841]

Thank you!!! Bravo!! Well Done!!!

[@simonsmith7251]

Incredibly well read, thankyou…

[@Trek001]

One of the things about these old recordings is the fact you can hear previous recording attempts on the tape and sometimes bumps and knocks of people moving around close by

[@franknisi1998]

Fantastic reader!

[@petermartin5569]

Still a brilliant book so we'll written and so true

[@MsNimitz25]

Some scenes have been left out, scenes that I remember very well from reading the book years ago. I’ll stop listening now and find the book.

[@bodegabreath4258]

I have the book. Bought it from Amazon. An abridged work is an abomination. Day Of The Jackal is another of their abominations. Shame, I would have liked to have a listen to them in their entirety.

[@jackwhite9395]

Excellent reader!!!!

[@RailRoad188]

Thanks for the upload OP! And such great narration by Robert Powell!

[@louiskleinman1853]

Yes in answer to a point. If you take a slice of the Army Air Corps 51% of aircrew were killed on operations, 12% were killed or wounded in non-operational accidents and 13% became prisoners of war or evaders. Only 24% survived the war unscathed. Of course aircrew was not the total of the Air Corps. However you want to look at it the death toll for both branches (as well as others) was horrific and amplifies the heroism of the combatants.

[@richardyeo9332]

This is quiet brilliantly done all ‘round! Thank you for the upload 👍🏼😁

[@janflower4068]

Oh my God I can honestly say in all of my years of reading and listening to audio stories this is the number one most horrific and tragic and speaking of the scene where the boat returns and comes upon the shore of its rectum village

[@john1653]

Rec...oh, never mind.

[@OldSethOnetooth]

Re rectum village, you have made a mistake, their ports were Glasgow and Liverpool, not Edinburgh and Manchester.

[@RailRoad188]

​@@john1653😅😂

[@Chris-um3se]

Riveting, fear and hope continuously ensnares the reader.

[@redwawst3258]

Love this audiobook 😊

[@costelkat]

Riveting! Thank you

[@philhealey4443]

I can recall reading this probably 45 years ago, a green covered hardback. Time to go ferreting in the loft and read it in full again as well as hunt out the film version.

[@edwardspencer3906]

Have seen Mr. Powell in the role of Jesus and wondered what happened to this great actor.. other than being typecast but, I would know that voice anywhere! Great Story and Great Actor! Thank You!!

[@simonf8902]

Please read the book. It’s riveting

[@jasonbromhead5257]

A little gem.👍

[@debacofzomb9889]

1:00:11 I literally spouted "Oh Fu--!" 😂 Do you think Lockhart poisoned Bennett? Or perhaps another member of the crew? Such a thing is not unheard of. Take Vietnam for example... Frag out! Oops sorry sarge, here's one of your legs, lemme see if I can find the other one, hold on.

[@iainmacmillan2548]

Very good, but what happened to "Snorkers, good-oh!" ?

[@ellenthorne8222]

The film inspired to read the book, funnily it's same with many of the books I've read and in some cases the books have been better.

[@cpoldunit2834]

Always enjoy this story, as someone from the "Dominions" the condescending tone re the Australian First lieutenant has always irked me.

[@billgreen576]

The tone is aimed at Bennett, not all Aussies.🤗

[@maddyg3208]

He also keeps referring to sausages as "snorkers". I'm Australian and I've never heard that in real life, they're called "snags" here

[@cpoldunit2834]

@@maddyg3208 Absolutely right. I still believe in the inherent snobbery in this , despite this a very fine book.

[@guypenrose5477]

The character Allingham is also Australian - he seems to be a reasonable type, perhaps no snobbery there.

[@terrysmith9362]

The very best book about ww2 leading to the best film

[@lordrexus]

This and ‘the cauldron’ by Zeno

[@blusnuby2]

Also: WITH THE OLD BREED, by E.B. Sledge

[@bodegabreath4258]

I have the book. Have read it a number of times. Bought it from Amazon. My two fav WWII naval authors are Nicholas Monserrat & Douglas Reeman. An abridged work is an abomination. Day Of The Jackal is another of their abominations. Shame, I would have liked to have a listen to them in their entirety.

[@john1653]

Wow...you agree with me...Reeman and Monsarrat...the finest naval writers I have ever read. Master Chief, USN, Ret.

[@john1653]

@Bodegabreath Hey shipmate! I enlisted June 1963, retired March 1986...whaddaya mean, ships, if any? Hahaha! Six ships...if I can remember them...USS Camp, USS Ticonderoga, USS Orion, USS Vreeland, USS San Jose, USS Frank Cable. One incountry tour Vietnam...Four Corps, Binh Thuy riverboat base. Officer-in-Charge, Enlisted Dining Facility 1128, RTC, Great Lakes, IL. three years (and a NEY Award First Place , Large Ashore.). And a few other things. How you doing, Bodega breath? You okay?

[@john1653]

@@bodegabreath4258 If I was in charge of the galley the food was good, hot, and plentiful. This is just a wild guess but I suspect you like to talk, don't you? Probably drive me nuts...anyway, Fair Winds, etc. John

[@john1653]

@@bodegabreath4258 Hey buddy...how you doing, bud? Yeah, I was stationed in Rhode Island, too...my first ship. But as soon as Vietnam heated up they sent us over. So I did two deployments to VN at sea, and one incountry. Wow, you have a way of expressing yourself...hahaha! Sounds like you an exciting tour aboard ship. It is not what you see in the recruiting posters, huh? But I had fun, and made Master...wow...a simple guy like me, a master chief. I was blessed of God. But, keep your nose clean and do your job,,,no telling what might happen. I am going back to sleep now...see you!

[@chuckkisner595]

Thanks to you and John for sharing y'alls time in service. I enjoyed reading the texts. I could imagine if u two got together, and the stories y'all would share. Thank you for your service. God bless

[@richardrichard5409]

What no snorkers???!!!

[@doreekaplan2589]

Why did no one build the ship with cupboards, doors?

[@Antmann71]

It wasn't a U-boat. It was tbe the sinking merchant ship

[@stewartlancaster6155]

Royal Navy, not British Navy !

[@greatbooksontape782]

Thanks for the correction.

[@LeonardGarcia-yn2ej]

🆒📘👈🏻🙋🏻‍♂️❤

[@tplandes749]

Sounds like he's in a well

[@SerikPoliasc]

Martin Susan Thompson Mary Lee Lisa

[@abcmyrie]

5

[@sams5963]

The sound quality needs work. There are a lot of chirps, whistles, and lisping noises in the beginning. Later in the recording the sound does improve.

[@Baskerville22]

2.10.00

[@hotjazzbaby]

Too bad! Harsh “S”-sounds makes this impossible for me to listen to...

[@iriswaterford8881]

Don't hear any harsh S sound ?

[@iap-ug3oy]

Perfect at my end ……but some people just have to complain about everything…….

[@alunmorgan7869]

Poor audio shame

[@iap-ug3oy]

The audio for me was perfect…do not know what happened at your end …..

[@marcclement7396]

Audio goes from low to loud. Narrator speaks quickly, hard to follow.

[@batcollins3714]

Montserrat insulted the Irish nation because of their neutrality. He had the typical Imperialist attitude that anti war was anti British. Not a real writer, just a propagandist

[@lizlawrence4553]

Brilliantly read , but is the abridged version of the book. The battle of the Atlantic always gets forgotten .