The mission is named Operation Scatter.
They are there to do what the RAF could not: blow the pens that berthed the deadly German U-boats to kingdom come.
It’s a pet scheme cooked up by high-ups, reportedly by the man himself, to penetrate the French port of Brest.
Lieutenant-Commander Cameron has orders not to reveal a word of the mission until they have left port, but for the crew, the detachment of marine commandos on board are a dead giveaway that this is no ordinary mission.
On a crumbling old P-class destroyer with less than adequate supplies and firepower, Cameron has a sneaking suspicion that no one even expects them to return. His suspicions are confirmed when he realizes the overwhelming odds he and his men face.
A band of fierce and resilient maquisards await Churchill’s special mission on land, but as Cameron and Operation Scatter near Brest they are met by fierce German artillery. As the senior officer’s ship is blown out the water and command falls into Cameron’s hands, all seems lost.
But with German warships closing in and the French Resistance still miles away, Cameron puts into action a plan of his own.
Cameron faces division amongst his officers, overwhelming firepower from the Germans, and the sense on board that the men are already doomed. But he is determined to carry out his mission objective and bring as many men home safely as possible.
Will Cameron overcome all odds and carry out Operation Scatter? Will the French Resistance and British commandos come together to deal the Nazis a fatal blow?
Against All Odds is a gripping and convincing tale of nautical adventure and the staggering horrors of war, told by an author who is both a fantastic story teller and someone with first-hand experience of WWII and the Royal Navy.
It was previously published as Cameron’s Raid.
‘A nautical war buffs feast...[McCutchan] keeps an authoritative hand on the wheel and his descriptions of battles at sea ring with laconic truth.’ - The New York Times Book Review
’His character conflicts are well organised.’ - Daily Telegraph
‘A most exciting successor to his first novel — and it is just as rugged.’ - The Times
‘A nautical war buffs feast...[McCutchan] keeps an authoritative hand on the wheel and his descriptions of battles at sea ring with laconic truth.’ - The New York Times Book Review
Philip McCutchan (1920-1996) grew up in the naval atmosphere of Portsmouth Dockyard and developed a lifetime's interest in the sea. Military history was an early interest resulting in several fiction books, from amongst his large output, about the British Army and its campaigns, especially in the last 150 years. He served at sea in the British Royal Navy throughout World War II, spending time on everything from destroyers to battleships to aircraft carriers.
They are there to do what the RAF could not: blow the pens that berthed the deadly German U-boats to kingdom come.
It’s a pet scheme cooked up by high-ups, reportedly by the man himself, to penetrate the French port of Brest.
Lieutenant-Commander Cameron has orders not to reveal a word of the mission until they have left port, but for the crew, the detachment of marine commandos on board are a dead giveaway that this is no ordinary mission.
On a crumbling old P-class destroyer with less than adequate supplies and firepower, Cameron has a sneaking suspicion that no one even expects them to return. His suspicions are confirmed when he realizes the overwhelming odds he and his men face.
A band of fierce and resilient maquisards await Churchill’s special mission on land, but as Cameron and Operation Scatter near Brest they are met by fierce German artillery. As the senior officer’s ship is blown out the water and command falls into Cameron’s hands, all seems lost.
But with German warships closing in and the French Resistance still miles away, Cameron puts into action a plan of his own.
Cameron faces division amongst his officers, overwhelming firepower from the Germans, and the sense on board that the men are already doomed. But he is determined to carry out his mission objective and bring as many men home safely as possible.
Will Cameron overcome all odds and carry out Operation Scatter? Will the French Resistance and British commandos come together to deal the Nazis a fatal blow?
Against All Odds is a gripping and convincing tale of nautical adventure and the staggering horrors of war, told by an author who is both a fantastic story teller and someone with first-hand experience of WWII and the Royal Navy.
It was previously published as Cameron’s Raid.
Praise for Philip McCutchan
‘A nautical war buffs feast...[McCutchan] keeps an authoritative hand on the wheel and his descriptions of battles at sea ring with laconic truth.’ - The New York Times Book Review
’His character conflicts are well organised.’ - Daily Telegraph
‘A most exciting successor to his first novel — and it is just as rugged.’ - The Times
‘A nautical war buffs feast...[McCutchan] keeps an authoritative hand on the wheel and his descriptions of battles at sea ring with laconic truth.’ - The New York Times Book Review
Philip McCutchan (1920-1996) grew up in the naval atmosphere of Portsmouth Dockyard and developed a lifetime's interest in the sea. Military history was an early interest resulting in several fiction books, from amongst his large output, about the British Army and its campaigns, especially in the last 150 years. He served at sea in the British Royal Navy throughout World War II, spending time on everything from destroyers to battleships to aircraft carriers.
