The Cuxhaven Raid : the world's first carrier air strike / R. D. Layman.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 156) and index.

On Christmas Day 1914 a small force of British seaplanes was launched from their carriers to attack the German airship base near Cuxhaven. Since they had little idea of its appearance or even its exact location, not surprisingly results were negligible, but it did produce an aerial counter-attack on the seaplane carriers and their escorts. In this respect it was a highly significant event in the history of warfare: it was the first attempt to exert sea power upon land by means of the air, and it resulted in the first sea battle of a type that would become common in World War II, an engagement in which aircraft were the primary striking arms of both sides. The Cuxhaven Raid therefore may be seen as the birth of the 'carrier task force° concept. This book sets out to describe the operation in detail for the first time, examining its preliminaries, planning, results, aftermath, and immediate influence, as well as its execution. As befits the work of an experienced journalist, it is a story that is as fascinating as it is significant, giving the reader a clear and well-written account of the genesis of a new era in human conflict at sea.

Includes index.