Mike Carlton Knihy

When the Second World War began in September 1939, Australia responded to Britain's call for assistance by sending five aging destroyers to strengthen the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean. The HMAS Vendetta, Vampire, Voyager, Stuart, and Waterhen were small, outdated vessels, often humorously described by their crews as being held together by string and chewing gum. Despite their condition, by mid-1940, these ships were courageously escorting convoys, hunting submarines, and bombarding enemy coasts. They faced harsh weather, from sandstorms to icy gales, which made their already difficult conditions even worse. Onboard life was grim, with no showers, cramped quarters, and unappetizing meals often served cold. The constant threat of bombing and submarines added to the crew's anxiety. During the German invasion of Greece, the Australian destroyers played a crucial role in rescuing thousands of soldiers. They also supported the Siege of Tobruk, running supply missions to the besieged port. However, by late 1941, the remaining ships were suffering from engine failures and the toll of relentless warfare. They returned to Australia, proudly calling themselves the Scrap Iron Flotilla, defying their critics. This flotilla has become an enduring part of Australian naval history, embodying bravery and resilience.

Mike Carlton was born to controversy. His father Jimmy, a renowned Olympic athlete and later a Catholic priest, married his mother after a whirlwind wartime courtship. This scandal was hushed up at first, but eventually it made headlines. Six years later, Jimmy Carlton died in his wife's arms, felled by asthma. It was a tough beginning. Mike would have a Sydney suburban childhood where every penny counted. Unable to afford a university education, he left school at sixteen to begin a life in journalism that would propel him to the top, as one of Australia's best-known media figures. In an often turbulent career of more than fifty years he has been a war correspondent, political reporter, a TV news and current affairs reporter, an award-winning radio presenter in both Sydney and London, an outspoken newspaper columnist and a biting satirist. In later life he realised a lifelong ambition -- to write three bestselling books of Australian naval history. On Air is his story, no holds barred. With characteristic humour and flair, Mike tells of the feuds and the friendships, the fun and the follies, writing candidly of the extraordinary parade of characters and events he has encountered in the unique life he has led.

Submariners are a special breed. Not for them a life on the ocean wave, the fresh air and sunshine of other naval sailors. With stealth and daring they go deep and dark, alone and unseen, in often dangerous waters. They sometimes call themselves the Silent Service, with good reason.Australian submariners have done extraordinary deeds in the First and Second World Wars and, more recently, the Cold War. In April 1915 the Australian submarine AE2 penetrated the Dardanelles Strait to ' run amuck' , a historic feat that was a turning point in the Gallipoli campaign. Eventually captured, her crew spent three harrowing years as prisoners-of-war in Turkey.In the Second World War Australian naval volunteers made their name serving in midget submarines, attacking Hitler' s mightiest battleship, the Tirpitz, in the icy waters of a Norwegian fjord. Later, they fought the Japanese in the South China Sea.And in the last half of the twentieth century, RAN submarines played a vital role tracking the Soviet navy in the Pacific Ocean. One wrong move could have led to outright war. The risks they ran, the perils they met and the intelligence they gathered are still classified Top Secret.