The Coal Black Sea (Winston Churchill and the Worst Naval Catastrophe of the First World War)

September 1914. When three Royal Navy armored cruisers were sunk in a single morning in the southern North Sea, causing 1,459 deaths, the British public reacted with shock and dismay. It was only six weeks into the war, and the loss was a huge blow to national morale. The incident also triggered a public relations disaster, a barrage of criticism, and a political crisis for the highly ambitious, 39-year-old First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill. And yet, curiously, few have even heard of the incident. Even today, it has no proper name and is not even officially designated as an action by the Royal Navy.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Churchill spun a false narrative for the press and seemingly doctored official documents, all to save his faltering career. He claimed that the cruisers (part of the so-called 'live bait squadron' due to their supposed inefficiencies) were old and expendable, when they were anything but, and, in betraying those who died, shifted the blame onto commanding officers for their handling of the attack. Some of that false narrative was so skillfully woven that it still permeates official histories of the First World War, creating a lasting legacy of misinformation and fake news more than a century later.

While major retailers like Amazon may carry The Coal Black Sea (Winston Churchill and the Worst Naval Catastrophe of the First World War), we specialize in bulk book sales and offer personalized service from our friendly, book-smart team based in Portland, Oregon. We’re proud to offer a Price Match Guarantee and a streamlined ordering experience from people who truly care.

We’re trusted by over 75,000 customers, many of whom return time and again. Want proof? Just check out our 25,000+ customer reviews—real feedback from people who love how we do business.

Prefer to talk to a real person? Our Book Specialists are here Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST and ready to help with your bulk order of The Coal Black Sea (Winston Churchill and the Worst Naval Catastrophe of the First World War).