An engrossing history of the last major naval battle in World War Two’s Pacific War. Perfect for fans of Max Hastings, Walter Lord and James D. Hornfischer.

In the late hours of 15th May 1945, the radar operator aboard the destroyer Venus identified a spot of light on his screen. Captain Power was in no doubt that this was the heavy cruiser, Haguro, that they had been searching for, but how could he stop this formidable enemy ship as it steamed hard for Singapore? A trap of torpedo and naval artillery was set by the 26th Destroyer Flotilla, there was no escape for the Haguro.

Drawing upon ships action narratives, message files, diaries, photographs and the memories of the officers and men of the Destroyer crews, the aircrews of Avenger, Liberators and Catalinas, from submarine captains, and from one of the Haguro’s own officers has allowed the author to provide thorough insight into the last major open sea battle of the Second World War.

John Winton uncovers what it was like for these men in the weeks and months prior to that fateful night, how the Royal Navy had been searching for Japanese ships in the Far East and why vital inceptions from ULTRA and the code-breaking specialists was so essential to helping the Allied navy.

Winton injects the book with a colorful flavour of the personalities of the fleet - from the fleet commander to the fireroom stoker … a very readable account Naval War College Review