Early British battlecruisers were not a "failed design" as is so often claimed, but a very successful and revolutionary one that was critical to, and instrumental in, Britain winning the naval war of 1914-18. This book contains new information on these innovative ships, using previously untapped evidence from the wrecks of the sunken battlecruisers and detailed analysis of admiralty records to show why Admiral Fisher's famous battlecruiser concept was a revolution that drew together technological breakthroughs, global communications and intelligence gathering to create the first worldwide rapid-response task force.

Introduction·Admiral Fisher and the Transformation of the Navy·Committee on Designs, 1904·British Battlecruisers·Construction·Modifications·Battlecruisers at War·Conclusion·Select Bibliography·Colour Plate Commentary·Index