Murder on the High Seas - Softcover

Great Britain has for many centuries been one of the world's great sea-faring nations. The Royal Navy has defended her territory and the merchant fleet has been instrumental in creating the nation's wealth. The courage, industry and exploits of many of her sailors and the names of the ships in which they served have become legendary. However, the sea has also provided the backdrop to great crimes and for Murder on the High Seas, the author has selected murders that have been committed in many parts of the globe on board different types of vessels, over a period of more than one hundred years. The motives behind these crimes have included revenge, lust, greed and survival. Nevertheless, they share one common feature as all of those accused of responsibility were brought back to Great Britain to stand trial. Among these fascinating accounts is a description of the trial of the survivors of a shipwreck who killed and fed on a shipmate. Also included is the murder by slavers of several Royal Navy seamen who were part of the West Africa Squadron, formed to put an end to the slave trade of the South Atlantic.

Martin Baggoley was born in Eccles, Lancashire. He began his working life in the civil service but in the mid-seventies, he trained as a probation officer. Baggoley has a master's degree in criminology and has contributed articles and book reviews to professional journals in the United Kingdom and USA. He has also written several true crime books, which reflect his interest in 19th-century murder. A lifelong Manchester City supporter, he is now retired and lives in Ramsbottom.