“For
in war the character and personality of the leader is decisive in events much
more than questions of material.”
The Good Shepherd is a naval military classic - perhaps
slightly dated for contemporary readers as it revolves around a group of naval
vessels protecting numerous merchant ships in convoy transporting cargo from
the US to its World War Two allies in Europe. Ships from several allied navies under
the command of a young US naval officer, George Krause, are assigned to guard a
convoy from marauding German submarine predators.
Forester’s
novel is about character and leadership. The fast paced action and naval duelling
are simply the containers through which the author reveals his insights.
Forester
does an amazing job getting the reader inside Krause’s head. We know Krause
loves black coffee and can guzzle an entire jug – hot or cold - without
flinching. We also know he is a religious man whose decision making is
influenced by his notion of Christian ethics.
Lives
hang in the balance as the captain makes life and death decisions instantaneously,
sometimes literally as whether to pick up enemy survivors drifting in the open
sea. In these split second decisions, Krause must reach urgent compromises
between husbanding convoy resources, cultural / political factors given the presence
of ships from navies like Poland, etc., attack versus defence, maintaining
moral leadership over his crew and inspiring the other crews.
Sometimes
his decisions are explained while at other times these choices seem almost
random flips of a coin. (Luck as a crucial element in leadership?)
More
often than not, war literature is associated with armies and land based
warfare. The Good Shepherd by C.S.
Forester is a pleasant change. It brings to life the hopes, fears and
desperations of a generation of seafarers who fought on earth’s vast oceans. The
work is not only an adventure novel but also wanders into the realms of psychology.
Though first published in 1955, Forester’s work has not lost any of its allure during
the ensuing six decades.
__________________
Imran is a Singapore based Tour Guide with a special interest in
arts and history. Imran has lived and worked in several countries during his
past career as an international banker. He enjoys traveling, especially by
train, as a way to feed his curiosity about the world and nurture his interest
in photography. He
is available on Instagram (@imranahmedsg); twitter (@grandmoofti) and can be
contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.
Posts
