Of the Hunter Class
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About the Book
About the Book: To compose Of The Hunter Class I had to search out and wipe the dust, as it were, from the archives of the original records of what was the "Ministry of Information", marked as His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1944. I searched weeks into months in the magnificently co-operative libraries of the Imperial War Museum, The Royal Marines Museum, and a host of other military sources and private elements who have asked not to be named for family and private reasons which I have observed and respected. All other names, events, naval engagements and land skirmishes brought to light are on record within the public domain.
"Of the Hunter Class" is a true history of when, where, how and why the Royal marine Commandos as we know them today came about; the rivals, the imposters, the training failures, but primarily their spectacular success that has grasped and held the imagination of the world, especially that of the lesser military.
We demand from these men a monumental contribution in effort, common sense, forward thinking, sheer guts and determination and a will to win which confounds all our enemies in all theatre of operation.
From the mountainous heights of Robins Nest, which straddles the borders of Hong Kong and China, across the globe to the boiling pits of the Devil's Anvil north of Aden in the Yemen, and on to the drenched, steaming jungles of Malaya, I have crossed these theatres with most elements of the Marines, but where precisely the Commando organisations were dreamed up and forged is to mst people a mystery, even to the modern Army.
So to "paraphrase" the Marines - "Saddle up" - and come back in time with me to a dull, cold, wet and utterly depressive late morning in September of 1939.
David Griffin January 2005
Letter from Field Marshall Lord Bramall - House of Lords: July 22, 2005 Dear David Griffin, Thank you very much for your letter, and for your encouraging words to us 'old guys' who have been fighting hard, including going to see the Secretary of State for proper support to our lads operating in very difficult conditions in Iraq. I particularly liked the point you made about the "increasingly difficult problems in defining that 'gray line' between the right side of the law and a soldier's first duty in defending himself and his colleagues." I would be honored to receive a copy of your book when it comes out, and I will certainly send you my comments. Thank you again. Yours Sincerely, Lord Bramall