The contribution of the Allied merchant sailors in the Battle of the Atlantic – the longest campaign of World War II – was crucial to the Axis defeat. Despite the magnitude of this sacrifice, their contribution remains largely unknown, especially in Greece, a country that saw over 400 of its ships and 2,000 sailors lost to the depths of the ocean.

In this book, a forgotten epic is resurrected from oblivion and its imprint on popular consciousness is examined. Through the account of the sinking of the steamships "Diamantis" and "Peleas" by German submarines, two diametrically opposed incidents are highlighted: a rare act of chivalry and a heinous crime. These two moments illuminate the drama and greatness of the merchant sailors – the unsung heroes who defended the maritime "lifeline" of the Allies with their lives.