The Kelly's; British J, K & N Class Destroyers of World War II Hardcover - 2002

London: Chatham Publishing, 2002. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. John Lambert (Drawings) and John Roberts (Colour P. 224 pages. Illustrations (some in color). Footnotes. Appendices (includes Specifications). Sources. Index. The author is a trained historian. This is his first book. This superbly illustrated book is the first comprehensive history of the British J, K, and N class destroyers. Known for their exploits in many theaters during World War II, eleven of the twenty-three ships were eventually lost in battle. They included the renowned HMS Kelly under the command of Lord Mountbatten, which was sunk by dive bombers in April 1941. The author's full account of the destroyers? valiant service history is balanced with in-depth coverage of the Kelly-class design, construction, and armament. The first full class of ship to be given longitudinal framing, they were also the first class since 1895 to have single funnels. With line drawings by the well-known naval draftsman John Lambert, full-color camouflage designs by naval historian and illustrator John Roberts, and rare photographs, this work is a classic volume that will be valued for years to come.