by Red Morgan

The Other Side of Hell

A true account of courage, chaos, and survival in the Merchant Navy during WWII.

A true, no-holds-barred account of life in the Merchant Navy during World War II. Written in the author's own voice, it tells the story of men who served aboard some of the most dangerous ships afloat — petrol tankers — facing extreme danger with courage, humour, and resilience.

The book captures the harsh reality of long, perilous days at sea, brief moments ashore in ports around the world, and the friendships, laughter, and losses that came with wartime service. Told honestly and without glamour, it is a powerful tribute to the Merchant Seamen whose sacrifices helped secure the freedom we enjoy today.

$29.95 AUD

+ $10.00 flat-rate shipping (Australia only)

“We watched the ship ahead of us take the torpedo. One moment she was there, heavy in the water with her cargo of fuel. The next, a column of flame rose higher than her masts. Nobody said a word. We just kept sailing.”

— from The Other Side of Hell

What's Inside

Follow Red from the shores of Wales to the most dangerous shipping lanes in the world. This book takes you through:

—Life aboard petrol tankers during WWII
—The constant threat of torpedoes and fire at sea
—Brief, wild moments ashore in ports around the world
—Friendships forged under impossible circumstances
—The losses that stayed with him forever

“Thank God for the Ladies of the Night”

The Merchant Navy at War

During World War II, the British Merchant Navy suffered a higher casualty rate than any branch of the armed forces. Over 30,000 merchant seamen lost their lives — one in four who served. Their ships carried the fuel, food, and munitions that kept the war effort alive.

Petrol tankers were the most dangerous vessels afloat. A single torpedo could turn an entire ship into an inferno in seconds. The men who crewed them knew the odds, and they sailed anyway — voyage after voyage, convoy after convoy.

Red Morgan was one of those men. A young Welshman, barely old enough to serve, he shipped out on tankers across the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and beyond. His account captures the terror, the dark humour, and the quiet heroism of men whose sacrifice is often overlooked.