Sharing the story widely

When I first started researching and writing about HMS India and her men I spent a significant amount of time hunting out descendants of the men who were on board and so it seemed like quite a well known story - certainly everyone I spoke to knew about it. Well, of course they did, their ancestors were on board. Over the past few years, however, in trying to promote my work and writing and the website it has become very clear how little known HMS India's story is. I have been interviewed by First World War experts who had never heard the 10th Cruiser Squadron let alone HMS India and let alone internment in Norway. It is apparent that most experts on the Great War still centre most of their research on trench warfare or Gallipoli but not war at sea. My area of interest is a unique one. I do not profess to have any expertise on any other area of World War One but HMS India and her crew are my Mastermind subject - they would have to use my research to formulate the questions so that wouldn't be very fair.

As well as being a writer, I am a public speaker and my most popular talk is the one I give on HMS India and her men. I have given this talk twenty-five times in the past two years and it continues to interest audience members. They are fascinated by the whole premise of internment in a neutral country during the war. There are always plenty of questions about the men being given permission to take leave as well as those who married. I have spoken to many different groups. The philatelists are interested in all of the letters, envelopes and ephemera and it is a delight to lay out many of the archival material for them to pour over. The forces history groups are intrigued about a part of this war that they had not encountered before and ask many questions, some of which I struggle to answer as they are beyond what my comprehensive research has uncovered. The U3A, Rotary, Probus and history groups are just captivated by the human side of the story and are impressed by the depth and breadth of my research.

Initially, I wanted to research and write this book for my father-in-law, a man whom I respect and love dearly, and to see his delight in all I have uncovered has been the most rewarding and joyous thing about the whole project. The importance of this initial desire still exists but I know also have a real drive to see the story of HMS India, her crew and Arnold Clarke spread widely. I want my books to keep selling. I check on the hits on my website daily to see how many people are looking and I get a buzz every time I get another booking for a talk. I feel I owe it to Arnold and to those who lost their lives or survived but were interned for 39 months to keep telling their story and for them to have a place in the wider history of the First World War. If you read this independently of the website then please, have a look at the website or contact me, I would love for you to know this real life, different war story.

British internment camp, Jorstadmoen 1915-1918