This book breaks new ground in telling the stories of almost forgotten campaigns, such as the submarine war in the Firth of Forth in 1914-18. In two world wars, and since the 1960s, a large proportion of the Navy's power has been based in Scotland, from the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow to Trident submarines at Faslane. Most British sailors of the Second World War had part of their training in Scotland, and the famous base at Tobermory was only one of many. Yet the Navy never felt at home in Scotland. As one Scottish admiral put it, 'In both wars the Royal Navy flooded into Scotland to make use of our deep water ports and sea lochs for large-scale and safer anchorages. After each war the Navy unimaginatively retreated en masse to the Channel.'

The book ends with a unique account of the setting up of the controversial missile bases in the Holy Loch and Gareloch. Brian Lavery then looks at the future in order to determine the effect devolution and possible independence might have on Scotland and the Royal Navy.