An awfully big adventure

An eclectic mix of naval reminiscences, this volume gathers sketches and short stories that capture the chaotic, often absurd, side of wartime service. The editor likens the collection to a “scran bag”—a haphazard sack of personal effects salvaged from ship decks, each item a fragment of life at sea. Readers are invited to drift from humour‑laden anecdotes to stark reflections on duty, love, and the strange fellowship forged under fire.

The opening tale, set on a mist‑laden river, follows the spirited captain of the gunboat Mantis as he urges his beleaguered sister ship, the Moth, through tangled rapids and enemy fire. Amid shouted orders, drifting trout and bruised trinkets of battle, the narrative balances gritty combat with a wry, almost theatrical banter among the crew. It offers a vivid portrait of the lean moments between clash and calm, hinting at the larger adventure that awaits beyond the moorlands.