War And Peace And Other Skirmishes.
'All At Sea' is the fascinating life-story of naval sailor, Jack Harker.
In his best-selling previous works, including 'Well Done Leander' and HMNZS Achilles', he told of specific times in his naval career, and he was later awarded the QSM for his service in recording New Zealand naval history.
Now, in 'All At Sea', he tells his whole life story. Born in 1916 in Governors Bay, his mother died in the 1918 influenza epidemic, and he survived an alcoholic stepmother and a lively childhood of getting into and out of trouble in Christchurch, to sign on as a trainee radio operator with the NZ navy. He served on number of ships, including both Leander and Achilles, which both saw active service in WW2. After leaving the navy, he worked in a variety of occupations, including farming in Northland, and for the NZBC, before settling on civil engineering. In 1972, he was part of the Greenpeace protest fleet sailing to Mururoa on the yacht Tamure, with Maurice Shadbolt. Now 86, Jack lives on the North Shore.
