At 14 Alec knows what he wants to be a seaman. Instead of working at hisfamilys inn he prefers roaming through the busy streets and docks of Dover.When the capt... » 

At 14 Alec knows what he wants to be a seaman. Instead of working at hisfamilys inn he prefers roaming through the busy streets and docks of Dover.When the captain of the Britannia one of the fishing vessels in the Channelasks him to be a galley boy he seizes the opportunity in spite of his fathersobjections. On his first day at sea he weathers a severe storm similar to theone that took the life of his cousin and best friend Georgie months earlier.Alec still feels guilty for having not been able to save Georgie. England is atwar with Germany and soon Alec is doing more than swabbing the deck andhandling the ropes of the fishing vessel. He wonders why shadowy figures aredisappearing into the tunnels under the old stone castle and who the specialsoldiers being billeted at the inn are. Then comes terrible news hundreds ofthousands of British forces are trapped on the beach at Dunkirk. All ships inthe Channel large and small are ordered to undertake a massive evacuation.Alecs transformation from galley boy to courageous seaman is a rivetingjourney in this dramatic debut novel. «