Churchill's Pirates

The Seafaring Heroes Who Helped Win World War II

Will Iredale

One of the last great untold narratives of World War II: the story of how a group of motley navy men and fishermen worked tirelessly to keep Britain safe in her darkest hour.

Just after midnight on September 2nd, 1939, a German U-boat quietly slipped out of its berth at the Wilhelmshaven naval base. Its mission: to begin infesting the waters around Britain with deadly mines that would trap the country in a chokehold and force them into conceding defeat.

As those first mines found their marks, sinking innocent shipping vessels just off the coast, the nation called its men and women to arms in its defense. The result was an eclectic group of sailors and volunteers that came to form a "navy within a navy"—the Royal Naval Patrol Service—an often motley crew making do with converted fishing trawlers, dinghies, and pleasure yachts.

Though scrappy and easily overlooked, they became Churchill’s secret weapon. With incredible resilience and ingenuity, their little ships were deployed in their thousands around the world, to destroy the mines, heroically rescue stranded Allied forces at Dunkirk, escort merchant ships through stormy Arctic and Atlantic waters, hunt submarines off the coast of America, carry out secret missions in France and the Mediterranean, spearhead the D-Day invasion of Normandy, and patrol the deadly jungles of Burma.

Drawing on fascinating first-hand accounts with surviving veterans, exclusive interviews, original papers, and new archive material, Churchill’s Pirates brings the heroes of the small ships to life, taking us into the action alongside the brave crews that played a critical role in helping the allies win the war. Themes of US-British camaraderie form a strong current throughout the narrative—particularly given the crucial role these “pirates” played in cementing the close relationship between Churchill and Roosevelt.

Will Iredale joined the London Sunday Times in 1999, working first on the foreign news desk and subsequently undercover investigations. He lives in London with his family. This is his first book.

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Endorsements & Reviews

Early praise for Churchill’s Pirates:

"Fantastic. Iredale masterfully explains how command of the sea required little ships with rugged, swash-buckling crews, just as much as the castles of steel. Exciting and important.” Dan Snow, History Hit podcast host and author of Medieval England

"Iredale's brilliant new book tells the revelatory and thrilling nautical tale of the 70,000 men of Churchill's pirate fleet—the Royal Naval Patrol Service—who risked life and limb to keep Britain's sealanes safe and ports open, and the hundreds of Wrens who supported them. A hugely welcome addition to Britain's wartime story.” Saul David, author of Devil Dogs

"Will Iredale has carved out a formidable reputation as a chronicler of overlooked corners of World War II, and Churchill’s Pirates is his finest achievement yet. This is history at full throttle: deeply researched, richly peopled, and propelled by a narrative energy that reveals the work of those who should be regarded as central protagonists in Britain’s fight for survival.” Guy Walters, author of Stealing Hitler's Rocket

"This book breaks new ground whilst also building thoughtfully on existing scholarship. Drawing from a wide range of sources, this is both rigorously researched and highly readable. An engaging and valuable contribution to the field.” Kate Jamieson, author of Maritime Britain in the 21st Century

"What a fabulous book! Will Iredale has done those forgotten heroes of Harry Tate’s navy a long overdue service, telling the story of these immensely courageous men—fishermen, coastal sailors and civilian seafarers—who toiled in often appalling conditions with little protection to protect our vital coastal waters. This is a tale, above all, of human endeavour, fortitude and ingenuity, told both compellingly and rich in human drama. Superb.” James Holland, author of Victory '45 and Normandy '44