Land forces and warfare Books
Fonthill Media Ltd Bersaglieri: The Devil's Griffins-A Visual
Book SynopsisMilitary historians have often regarded the roll of the Italian military as somewhat "bi-polar." During the First World War, Italy sided with the Allies including Britain, France, Russia and the U.S. against Germany and the Central Powers. During the Second World War it signed on as a member of the Tri-Partite powers joining Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. The legacy of the latter often presents a less than positive appraisal of the Italian soldier's performance... one espoused both by its enemies and allies. However a positive consensus appears when focusing on the Bersaglieri... translating as "sharp shooter"... and acting as shock troops often leading both assaults and defences. As "The Tip of the Spear" they would thus pay the price during the Italian Wars of Unification, the early colonial forays into Africa, WWI, the Ethiopian War and lastly WWII with much Bersaglieri blood soaked up by European soil as well as the burning sands of Africa and frozen in the vastness of Russia. Over 300 images including rare unpublished photographs chronicle Italy's elite "Plumed Warriors."
£28.50
Fonthill Media Ltd Panzersoldaten!: Italian Blackshirt Division of
Book Synopsis‘Panzersoldaten!’ is a history of the Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (MVSN), commonly referred to as the Blackshirts due to their wartime attire. They were an anti-Communist paramilitary organisation that fought for Mussolini while Italy was under fascist rule; following the Duce’s removal from power, the organisation was quickly swept up by the Italian Army, and forced to swear allegiance to the king. Some, however, defected and continued to fight for the Axis alliance as volunteer units in the German Army. This volume covers the history of the Blackshirt Division during the campaign on the Eastern Front, focusing on its relations with the Italian Army, the history of the MVSN, its advance into Ukraine, and the First and Second Battles of the Don River. Morisi, using almost exclusively contemporary resources and battalion war diaries, as well memoirs from senior officers of the division, has created a definitive analysis of the Blackshirts.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Introduction; 1: The Italian Army and Operation Barbarossa; 2: A History of the MVSN; 3: From the Initial Advance into Ukraine to the Christmas Battle; 4: First and Second Battle of the Don River; 5: The M Armoured Division; Conclusion: final assessment; Bibliography; Appendix: Anthem of the M Battalions.
£28.50
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Monty's Marauders: the 4th & 8th Armoured
Book SynopsisWhen Monty was given Allied command of the D Day landings he wasted no time gathering around him individuals and formations he could trust. Foremost among the latter were two armoured brigades: 4th (Black Desert Rats) and 8th (Red Fox's Mask). Both these brigades had unrivalled fighting records whether in North Africa, Sicily or Italy. They had proved themselves in bitter fighting against Rommel's Afrika Korps and the Italians. Once ashore in Normandy the two superb brigades went on to enhance their reputations on the journey to the heartland of Hitler's Third Reich and final victory. The author has written a fast moving and enthralling account of war at the sharp end.
£26.52
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Galloglass 1250–1600: Gaelic Mercenary Warrior
Book SynopsisGalloglass, from the Gaelic galloglaigh for 'foreign warriors', were mercenaries from the Western Isles of Scotland who fought in the retinues of Irish magnates from the mid-13th century until the early 17th century. This work looks at the clan and family structures of the galloglass, their performance in battle, their weapons and armor and how these were made and by whom. The unique fighting skills and tactics of the galloglass are also studied, as well as how they were organized on the battlefield and their command structures and systems of rank.Trade Review'Cannan's text includes an enormous amount of fascinating detail ... The text is enriched by a wealth of photographs, maps and other graphics, including a series of very fine, full-page, colour reconstruction graphics by Sean O' Brogain. ... Everyone reading this book will gain much in the way of information and a vivid puicture of the lives and impact of Galloglass. Andy Halpin, Ulster Journal of ArchaeologyTable of ContentsIntroduction/ Chronology/ Recruitment/ Training and Selection/ Appearance/ Conditions of Service/ On Campaign/ The Galloglass Experience/ Ethos and Motivation/ Select Bibliography/ Places to Visit/ Glossary/ Index
£14.24
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC World War II US Armored Infantry Tactics
Book SynopsisLittle has been published on US armored infantry units and tactics over the years. However, their contribution to the war effort was hugely important. There were a total of 57 armored infantry battalions and two regiments that served throughout the war and in all theaters. Equipped with halftracks, they fought as part of combined arms teams and combat commands alongside tanks, tank destroyers and artillery battalions. Significantly, they were not simply standard infantry battalions provided with halftracks. Their company and platoon organization was very different from the standard infantry unit and these highly mobile, heavily armed battalions fought in an entirely different manner. Using period training manuals and combat reports this book provides an exclusive look at the unique tactics developed by US armored infantry units including movement formations and battle drills.Table of ContentsIntrodution /Armored Infantry Organization /Armored Infantry Weapons and Equipment /Tank-Infantry Coordination /Armored Infantry Tactics /Units in Action /Assessment / Conclusion /Bibliography
£14.24
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Battle East of Elsenborn and the Twin Villages
Book SynopsisThis book tells of the courageous story of men who believed in their heritage, and who, through their heroic teamwork and dedication, stopped the main effort of the German Sixth Army. American veterans who participated in this battle remember the events, even after sixty years, as only yesterday. They also remember their compatriots and friends who died in this battle. The book covers what is essentially a five-day critical battle for the North shoulder of the 'Bulge' at Rochearth-Krinkelt. The Bulge was fought was fought in many areas, but it was won for the First Army on this shoulder.The author, has probed into every possible source for factual information. He has studied official after-action reports, histories and unit reports of organisations involved in the battle. In addition, he has conducted an extensive program of individual contacts, not only with the US Army participants, local villages and resistance fighters, but also with German commanders at various levels in the 3 divisions involved. Such an ample and widespread research effort has enabled the author to separate fact from fiction.Trade ReviewHis knowledge is obviously quite comprehensive and his access to first hand accounts and archive material offers o some really stunning photographs. This book will have huge appeal to those with a strong interest in US operations in north-west Europe and to a general reader who appreciates strong personal accounts. - War History Online
£18.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC European Medieval Tactics (2): New Infantry, New
Book SynopsisWith the development in the 13th century of co-operative tactics using crossbowmen and heavy spearmen, circumstance began to arise in which the charge by Muslim horse-archers, and then by European armoured knights, could be defied. Infantry were far cheaper and easier to train than knights, and potentially there were far more of them. Tactics emerged by which more numerous and more varied infantry played an increasing part in battles. This book traces these and other examples of this 'jerky' and uneven process through its regional differences, which were invariably entwined with parallel cavalry developments – the balanced army of 'mixed arms' was always the key to success. By the time serious hand-held firearms appeared on battlefields in large numbers in about 1500, the face of medieval warfare had been transformed.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Background – the experience gained from defeats at the hands of the 13th-century Mongol invasions, and of Muslim armies in the Middle East /Development of infantry weapons and tactics as result of meeting these basically light cavalry enemies. (e.g. Tagliacozzo, 1268; Falkirk, 1298; Courtrai, 1302) /The decline of lance and the rise of close-quarter cavalry weapons – confusion of tactics (e.g. Najera, 1367; Aljubarotte, 1385; Castagnaro, 1387) /Crossbow and longbow – reasons for divergence between mainland European and English armies – how each type worked alongside cavalry and dismounted men-at-arms (e.g. Crecy, 1346; Agincourt, 1415) /‘Blip’ in rise of infantry dominance as heavier cavalry armour becomes arrow-proof (e.g. San Romano, 1432) /Decline of archery in favour of combined-arms infantry armies – bows subsidiary to massed pikes and halberds (e.g. Grandson, 1476) /Increasing importance of field artillery (e.g. Castillon, 1453) and hand-held firearms (e.g. Cerignola, 1503) /Plate commentary /Bibliography /Index
£14.24
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Merkava Main Battle Tank MKs I, II & III
Book SynopsisThe Merkava, or Chariot, was the first tank entirely designed and built by the Israeli Army. The IDF had previously been using a variety of vehicles, acquired from various sources, including in particular the Sherman and Centurion. The Merkava was designed specifically for the type of warfare and opponents that Israel faced. The resulting tank was heavily armoured and packed a powerful 105mm main gun backed up with a digital fire control system and laser range-finder. This title examines the development and deployment of the Merkava, investigating the changing technical aspects of the various marks, creating a useful and comprehensive study of Israel's most formidable tank.Table of ContentsIntroduction · Background · The Chariot Programme · The Blue and White Merkava · Baptism of Fire in the Lebanon · The Mk II and III's · Mk IV and Beyond
£12.99
Piano Nobile Publications John Armstrong: Paintings 1938-1958: An Enchanted
Book SynopsisFirst published to accompany the exhibition at Piano Nobile, John Armstrong: Paintings 1938-1958; An Enchanted Distance is a fully illustrated catalogue re-establishing John Armstrong A.R.A. as a pre-eminent Surrealist. Propelled to the forefront of British Modernism as a member of Unit One, Armstrong later rejected the confinement of artistic groups yet was at the heart of inter-war and post-war British art. Consistently producing prophetic, dreamlike paintings of emotional and political insight, Armstrong’s works speak of the universal through his own individual language. The most significant exhibition of Armstrong's works in over thirty years, the catalogue focuses on two decades of immense productivity, creativity and innovation.
£28.50
Casemate Publishers A Footsoldier for Patton: The Story of a Red
Book SynopsisA rarely frank account of the U.S. infantry experience in northern Europe, A Foot Soldier for Patton takes the reader from the beaches of Normandy through the giddy drive across France, to the brutal battles on the Westwall, in the Ardennes, and finally to the conquest of Germany itself.Patton’s army is best known for dashing armoured attacks, its commander combining the firepower of tanks with their historic lineage as cavalry. But when the Germans stood firm the greatest fighting was done by Patton’s long undersung infantry—the foot sloggers who were called upon to reduce enemy strongpoints, and who took the brunt of German counterattacks.Michael Bilder, a member of the 5th Infantry (“Red Diamond”division), played a unique role in the Third Army’s onslaught. A rifleman foremost, he was also a German-speaker, called upon for interrogations and special duties. Also a combat lifeguard, he played a key role in successive river crossings. An astute observer, he relates dozens of fascinating insights into the campaign, from dealing with German snipers to intoxicated Frenchwomen, as well as relaying the often morbid humor of combat. Laughter, for example, erupts among Bilder’s unit when a hated Graves Registration officer, known for robbing the pockets of the dead, gets his hand blown off by a German booby trap.When the 5th Infantry comes up against the fortress of Metz, the battle is detailed in all its horror, as is the sudden drive into the flank of the Bulge, where the Americans face their first winter battle against enemy veterans of Russia. Incidents common to the ordinary GI, but which seldom see the light of day in histories, are routinely related in this book, enriching the reader’s sense of the true reality of World War II combat.Trade ReviewOne of the best memoirs I have ever read about WWII service. * Military Magazine *...a fine book that I would recommend to anyone who has anything to do with the infantryman’s war. It should be compulsory reading for snout-in-trough politicians who thoughtlessly commit better men than themselves to that very experience. * Tank *...a damn good read...a roller coaster of a story filled with the highs and lows of war. * Raider *Altogether, this is a fascinating insight into a rifleman’s everyday life during the later stages of the War in Europe. * Classic Military Vehicle *
£28.80
Casemate Publishers Armies of Bismarck's Wars: Prussia, 1860–1867
Book SynopsisOn July 3rd, 1866, a Prussian army overwhelmed and defeated an Austrian army near the fortress city of Königgrätz in a bloody battle that lasted all day. The foremost power in Germany and central Europe had been reduced to a second rate player. The event caused alarm in the rest of the Western world. How was a country like Prussia able to upset the balance of power in Europe, when only sixteen years earlier Austria’s treaty of Olmützit had put it in its place? Its performance as an Austrian ally had been less than stellar in the 2nd Schleswig War of 1864. Yet within five years a Prussian-led army would humble France and a Prussian King would be crowned Emperor of a united Germany. The history of the world would be changed forever.The story of this army is the subject of The Armies of Bismarck’s Wars, a new book by acclaimed military author and artist, Bruce Bassett-Powell. He chronicles its growth from the end of the Napoleonic Wars to the reforms of the 1860s, as well as giving a full account of the wars against Denmark and Austria, showing how the confluence of the lives of Kaiser Wilhelm I, Helmuth von Molkte and Otto von Bismarck provided the ingredients that created such an irresistible force.This lavishly illustrated book describes the history and battles of the Prussian army, as well as lesser known details concerning its rise to prominence. The growth and influence of the General Staff is also examined, along with the recruitment and training of officers and men. The author fully describes the organisation of Prussia’s army and its fledgling navy, as well as the weapons with which they fought, in particular giving a detailed account of their dress and accoutrements, accompanied by 24 full-page colour illustrations of over 70 uniforms.
£49.50
Editions Heimdal Les Trains BlindéS: De 1825 à Nos Jours
Book SynopsisColonel de l’armée française en retraite, Paul Malmassari avait déjà publié, au début des années 1990, aux éditions Heimdal, un ouvrage de référence sur le sujet des trains blindés, en général peu traité. Spécialiste indiscutable en la matière, l’auteur propose cette fois-ci une approche nouvelle, très différente, de l’histoire de ces géants d’acier dépendants des chemins de fer. Des origines à nos jours, les trains blindés de plus de soixante États sont expliqués. Ceux de la Russie, où ils ont joué un rôle important, entre autre dans la guerre civile de 1917- 1922; ceux de l’Allemagne - les Panzerzüge - et de la France durant les deux guerres mondiales, sont aussi décrits. Mais les trains blindés ont une histoire sur les quatre continents, y compris dans des pays dont on ne soupçonnerait pas qu’ils aient pu en être dotés. Le travail colossal, encyclopédique, de plus de 520 pages, fait de cet ouvrage un outil indispensable pour tout lecteur amateur ou néophyte, intéressé ou passionné, par ce domaine militaire très spécifique. Il est richement illustré de photographies, de gravures, de schémas descriptifs. Sa particularité est d’allier une précision technique incontestable à des explications des temps historiques dans lesquels ces «monstres du rail» sont intervenus.
£72.00
Kagero Oficyna Wydawnicza Panzerjager 38 (t) Hetzer & G13: Volume 1
Book SynopsisThe new format of the book - A4 80 pages archive photos color profiles mate coated paper soft cover bindingTrade ReviewThe big plus of this work are computer generated isometric cutaways and internal views in a very large format which makes it ideal for the researcher and rivet counting model-maker. As these views are in colour, this will make completion of the interior of your model a piece of cake! * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine 05/07/2015 *For anyone fitting the interior to a model of a Hetzer, the detail and colour guidance you can get from this is excellent. * Military Model Scene 12/01/2014 *The crowning glory of this work is in the last pages which give us computer generated isometric cutaways and internal views in a very large format which makes it ideal for the researcher and detail obsessed modeller! Paul Middleton * Scale Military Modeller International 19/01/2015 *
£16.99
Wydawnictwo STRATUS, Artur Juszczak T-34-85 After WW2: Camouflage & Markings
Book SynopsisThis book continues the story of the T-34-85, in postwar service this time. Information is included about postwar production in the USSR, and licensed versions made in Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Poland. A brief summary of the T-34's involvement in conflicts and active service up to 2016 is given.The most important part of the book describes the camouflage and markings of T-34-85s in service around the world. There are more than 40 especially commissioned color profiles, and 150+ B&W and color photos, many not previously published.
£19.00
Oficyna Wydawnicza KAGERO Damian Majsak British Infantry Tanks in World War II
Book Synopsis
£20.42
Wydawnictwo STRATUS, Artur Juszczak Pzl Ts-11 Iskra Bis Df
Book SynopsisThis book compiles 4-view color profiles, scale plans, and photo details of the single variant of the PZL TS-11 Iskra bis DF. Scale plans in 1/72 and 1/48 scales plus drawings from wartime technical manuals. Also includes photos of the details in B&W and color and 4-view color profiles of the PZL TS-11 Iskra bis DF in Polish Service.
£11.76
Wydawnictwo STRATUS, Artur Juszczak Su-76m
Book SynopsisThis book contains compilations of the color profiles, scale plans, and photo details of the single variant of the Su-76M Soviet self-propelled gun. Scale plans are in 1/35 scale plus drawings from wartime technical manuals. Also inlcudes photos of the details in b&w.
£10.59
Kagero Oficyna Wydawnicza History of the 40/43m ZríNyi Assault Howitzer
Book SynopsisThe Fiat G.55 Centauro was a single-engine single-seat World War II fighter aircraft. 8 Drawing sheets, 8 colour profiles, 106 archival photographs, A4 poster
£19.00
PeKo Publishing Kft. Tiger I on the Battlefield: World War Two
Book Synopsis
£22.09
