Military History Books
Helion & Company The Anglo Saxon Conquest of England
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£21.25
Helion & Company More Work Than Glory: Buffalo Soldiers in the
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£23.96
Helion & Company Sailors, Ships, and Sea Fights: Proceedings of
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£999.99
Helion & Company Beagle Conflict Volume 1: Argentina and Chile on
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£16.96
Helion & Company Other Side of the Wire Volume 3: With the XIV
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£31.50
Helion & Company The Russian Patriotic War of 1812 Volume 1: The
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£999.99
Helion & Company Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV
Book SynopsisExplores the evolution of the German military system post-Peace of Westphalia, detailing its development, role in Europe, and the unique defensive political culture of the German states.After the Peace of Westphalia, several German states developed a disciplined ?Military? that produced outstanding armies. Germany supplied mercenary troops to major and minor powers in Europe, and the military state, usually exemplified by Prussia, became a crucial part of German history.However, Germany was apparently weak and internally divided into a multitude of states that constantly faced a hostile environment formed by belligerent great powers. Moreover, the German ?Military? was the resultant system of collective security, internal conflict and resolution that allowed a rich variety of political traditions to coexist relatively harmoniously. This system tried to preserve Germany against formidable attacks without making it a danger to the security of its neighbors. In contrast to the political culture of later German states, that of the ?Reich? was inherently defensive, preferring peace to war in both domestic politics and external relations. The book deals with the armies of the German Empire for the first time in a single book, with unpublished iconography and after extensive research in the German archives.Praise for previous volumes of Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV:?This book is a must for anyone even partially interested in the Imperial army during the late seventeenth century. The level of detail must be highly commended, the author has gone to great lengths in researching this volume and it shows throughout the volume.? ? Arquebusier?This book is extremely detailed, and highly useful for historians, the inquisitive, war gamers and figure modelers.? ? IPMS/USA
£28.00
Helion & Company Renatio Et Gloriam: Miniature Battles Between
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£31.50
Helion & Company Piercing the Fog of War: The Theory and Practice
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£23.96
Helion & Company Scotlands contribution to Naval and Military
Book SynopsisFrom the early 18th century Scotland produced large numbers of medical graduates, many of whom joined the armed forces. This book outlines the contributions which these doctors made to military and naval medicine from the 18th century to WWI. Each of the 12 chapters is based on a presentation made to an online symposium held by the Scottish Society of the History of Medicine in association with the History Society of the Royal Society of Medicine. The authors are experts in their respective fields.Scotland?s Contribution gives new insights into established leaders in this developing speciality including Sir John Pringle and Sir James McGrigor, while Sir Charles Bell?s legacy to military surgery, his artwork, is given a fresh analysis. Other chapters outline the remarkable saga of Dr James Barry, the first trans man to qualify in medicine in Britain and the painstaking detective work of Sir David Bruce in discovering the cause of brucellosis. One of the chapters on WWI describes the work of Gray, Fraser and Wade while the other is an account of a Scottish Women?s Hospital unit in Salonika. There are also accounts of less well-known figures.Scotland?s Contribution will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of military medicine and surgery, and in the history of medicine in Scotland.Contributors to the book are:Tom Scotland, Peter Starling, Michael Crumplin, Max Cooper, David Vassallo, Peter Brinsden, Carol Parry, and Cat Irving
£30.32
Helion & Company The Eyes of the Desert Rats
Book SynopsisThe Long Range Desert Group, composed of Allied soldiers, transformed desert warfare during WWII with innovative tactics for reconnaissance and irregular operations behind enemy lines.Made up of members of the Coldstream and Scots Guards, British yeomanry cavalry regiments, New Zealanders, South Africans, and Indian Army men, the Long Range Desert Group was perhaps the most effective of all the ?special forces? established by the Allies during the Second World War. It was able to go thousands of miles into enemy territory, well-armed and carrying its own supplies of petrol, food and even water to last for weeks at a time - something quite new in military history.Using experience acquired in WWI and interwar exploration travels, the LRDG thus developed the ability to appear almost anywhere in the desert to carry out almost every type of ground reconnaissance mission possible in desert warfare, exploring and mapping the terrain, transporting agents behind enemy lines or determining the strength and location of enemy forces with an extraordinary degree of accuracy and detail and thus able to verify or hide Ultra intelligence. Equally important were their skills in the art of desert navigation, demonstrated in the outflanking of the enemy during the Allied advance from El Alamein westward to Tunisia, as led by the LRDG. Once it had teamed up with the Special Air Service (SAS), made up of British, Free French, Commonwealth and Jewish Palestinian soldiers, the LRDG perfected the art of irregular mechanized warfare conducted in the rear of the enemy?s forces in the desert, attacking enemy installations of all kinds, mining roads, raiding airfields, destroying enemy aircraft on the ground and inflicting losses upon the enemy in inverse proportion to their own remarkably low rate of casualties.Through meticulous research in original archival material, this book thus tells the extraordinary story of how a relatively small number of dedicated men developed the methods and techniques for crossing by motor vehicle the depths of the then unmapped and seemingly impassable great deserts of Egypt and Libya, the Western Desert, during the British Army?s North African Campaign of 1940-43.The Long Range Desert Group and the Special Air Service as a matter of course did extraordinary things - the heroic was the commonplace. Their tactics, techniques and remarkable success in desert warfare continue to make them of great interest to the student of military affairs. Likewise, as it seeks to answer how the deep desert can best be used for military purposes, this study is pertinent to today?s military operations, perhaps more so than at any time since World War II.?? this study provides fresh insights into the nature of desert warfare, past, present and future? [and] reveals the peculiarities of this warfare often lost to modern armies ? a virtual primer, useful to commanders and soldiers alike. At long last this book can find its rightful place in the classroom of military courses and colleges and in the hands of those interested in the intricacies, complexities and problems of military operations in desert regions?. - Colonel (Retired) David M. Glantz
£40.50
Helion & Company Forged in Battle Life in South Africas 32
Book SynopsisForged in Battle? tells the story of black soldiers, led by white officers, fighting on the side of apartheid. It traces the history of the unit from the Angolan civil war in 1975 to its disbanding a year before the fall of apartheid in 1993.As veterans of the Angolan civil war, many of the soldiers of 32 Battalion had no choice but to bring their families with them when they joined the army. Their dependents could not be left behind in Angola, against whom they were now, in part, fighting. The South African Defence Force, and the officers of 32 Battalion in particular, had to find ways in which to provide effective support to the soldiers as well as their families. All the former Angolans of 32 Battalion ? both soldiers and civilians ? depended on South Africa to provide accommodation, access to food, medical support, financial advice, and social structure.The unit?s motto, Proelio Procusi, translates as Forged in Battle. By adding a question mark, Forged in Battle? examines the extent to which the unit was shaped not just by war, but also by its unique social circumstances.
£23.96
£28.00
Helion & Company Spanish Civil War in the Air Volume 1
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£16.96
Helion & Company War in Ukraine Volume 8
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£19.95
Helion & Company Hitlers Miracle Weapons Volume 1
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£36.12
Helion & Company Instrument of War
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£999.99
Helion & Company Radetzkys Marches
Book SynopsisIn the Spring of 1848, revolution threatened to sweep away the old order throughout Europe. In the Austrian-occupied north of Italy, newly nurtured nationalism, further fuelled by economic issues, prompted open revolt in Lombardy and Venetia. The Austrian army in Italy, commanded by 82 year old Field Marshal Radetzky, soon saw itself under further threat from the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont, that of Naples, and the Papal States, as well as thousands of volunteers, all determined to rid Italy of the occupier.Seemingly under attack from all sides, the Austrian Army was forced to concentrate in the famous ?Quadrilateral?, formed by the fortress cities of Peschiera, Mantua, Legnago, and Verona, losing deserters by the thousand, to prepare for the war to follow, a war that would continue into the following year.This volume narrates the remarkable tale of how one old general quite possibly saved an empire. With iron will, the great personal affection of his men, and some luck, Radetzky maintained his army, and finally defeated his opponents. Such was the impact of the 1848 campaign, that Johann Strauss the Elder wrote the Radetzky March in the Field Marshal?s honour!The comprehensive story of the revolts and the subsequent military campaigns is recounted here, taken from many and varied sources, including a considerable number of contemporary and first-hand accounts, as well offcial reports from all sides.
£28.00
Helion & Company Araguaia War Volume 2
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£16.96
Cornerstone The Armchair General: Can You Defeat the Nazis?
Book SynopsisA ground-breaking approach to history where YOU choose the fate of WWII - perfect for readers of Bletchley Park Brainteasers and The GCHQ Puzzle Book.''An original and exciting approach . . . Buckley is one of our very finest historians.' JAMES HOLLAND________________________TAKE THE HOTSEATAssume the role of real Generals, Leaders, Soldiers and Intelligence Officers in the Allied Forces during WWII, including Winston Churchill and President Eisenhower.EXAMINE THE INTELLIGENCEExplore eight key moments of the war with real contemporaneous intelligence: Britain's Darkest Hour, 1940; The War in North Africa; Stalin's War on the Eastern Front; The Pacific Battle of Midway; The Dresden Bomber Offensive; Casablanca; Arnhem and Operation Market Garden; The Bomb and Hiroshima.CONSIDER THE SCENARIO & MAKE YOUR DECISIONFrom battlefields to war cabinets, each tactical and strategic decision you make leads to a different outcome.Will you follow the path of the past - or shape a new history?________________________'Wonderfully original . . . putting readers at the heart of the decision-making process and allowing them, literally, to change the course of history. This is counterfactual history at its best.' SAUL DAVID'A reminder that history is a never ending now, a relentless and endless present that comes without the luxury of hindsight.' AL MURRAY'An original and exciting approach . . . Buckley is one of our very finest historians. The Armchair General adds enormously to our understanding of the conflicts.' JAMES HOLLAND'A unique, enjoyable approach to evaluating military decision-making.' HISTORY OF WAR
£10.44
Greenhill Books Winston Churchill in 100 Objects
Book Synopsis'A book that brings Churchill's long life alive; connecting the reader to his many actions and interests through a carefully curated selection of objects.' Allen Packwood, Director of Churchill Archives CentreOne of the most recognisable public figures of the twentieth century, Sir Winston Churchill has been the subject of countless works of fiction and non-fiction alike. _Winston Churchill in 100 Objects_elevates this portrayal to another level entirely. The one hundred objects featured in this book chart the long and storied life of Winston Churchill, accompanied by fascinating descriptions and captivating photographs. Readers are taken back to Churchill's infancy (with his baby rattle and his christening robe); to his life as a young boy (with his tin soldiers and a school report); to his time as a young man in military service (with his 4th Hussars service uniform); right through to his many years in public office (with letters from kings, queens and presidents; his chair in the Churchill War Rooms cabinet room; and, of course, his iconic bowler hat). Compiled by experienced archivists and Churchill experts Phil Reed and Anthony Richards, this unique collection shows the personal and professional sides of Churchill in a new and fascinating light. It is a compelling, educational and revelatory book that is truly one-of-a-kind.
£21.25
Greenhill Books Confessions of a Home Army Executioner
Book SynopsisThis book is moral dynamite. It reveals not only what men can do in war but also what war can do to men. Norman Davies, historian and academicStefan Dambski joined the Polish Home Army in 1942 when he was just 16 years old. The Home Army formed the military wing of the Polish Underground, the resistance movement established to fight the Nazi occupation of Poland during the Second World War. During this occupation, the Home Army passed death sentences on hundreds of individuals both Nazi enemies and colluding Polish compatriots. As one of the few Home Army members who volunteered to carry out these death sentences, the young Dambski quickly became a seasoned executioner.In July 1945, Dambski was transferred to the West and ended up in the United States where he remained until his death in 1993. In his final years, Dambski recorded his story in fascinating, shocking detail. After his death, his memoirs came into the possession of his niece and nephew before eventually arriving at the K
£17.00
Greenhill Books X2 Patrol
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£21.25
Greenhill Books Twelve Years With Hitler
Book SynopsisIn 1930, as a young woman, Christa Schroeder became a stenographer for the Nazi party, before being noticed by Hitler who, in 1933, hired her as his private secretary.Schroeder remained by Hitler's side, fiercely loyal, for twelve years, living at the Wolfsschanze and even joining him and his staff in the Führerbunker in Berlin in January 1945. In 1945, interned in the Augsburg camp, Christa Schroeder was interrogated by French liaison officer Albert Zoller who asked her to recount her years spent with the Führer. Schroeder's testimony, published here in the form of interviews with Zollers, gives an intimate, astonishing and incredibly detailed insight into the private life and personality of Adolf Hitler throughout the 1930s and 1940s. An exceptional testimony, Twelve Years With Hitler is an essential source document on Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler. Translated into English here for the first time, Albert Zoller's interviews with Christa Schroeder are guaranteed to shock and fascinate any military history enthusiast. Albert Zoller was a French liaison officer who interviewed Adolf Hitler's private secretary Christa Schroeder while she was in detention in the Augsburg camp, Germany, in 1945.
£21.25
Greenhill Books War on the Eastern Front
Book SynopsisDawn on Sunday 22 June 1941 saw the opening onslaughts of Operation Barbarossa as German forces stormed forward into the Soviet Union. Few of them were to survive the five long years of bitter struggle. A posting to the Eastern Front during the Second World War was rightly regarded with dread by the German soldiers. They were faced by the unremitting hostility of the climate, the people and even, at times, their own leadership. They saw epic battles such as Stalingrad and Kursk, and yet it was a daily war of attrition which ultimately proved fatal for Hitlers ambition and the German military machine. In this classic account leading military historian James Lucas examines different aspects of the fighting, from war in the trenches to a bicycle-mounted anti-tank unit fighting against the oncoming Russian hordes. Told through the experiences of the German soldiers who endured these nightmarish years of warfare, War on the Eastern Front is a unique record of this cataclysmic campaign.
£13.49
£27.99
Key Publishing Ltd Tank Battles of World War Two
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£9.49
University of Wales Press Escape to Gwrych Castle: A Jewish Refugee Story
Book SynopsisIn 2020 and 2021, at the height of the Covid pandemic, Gwrych Castle was familiar to the British public as the setting of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Lesser known is that, at the beginning of the Second World War, this once-grand country house in North Wales became home to around two hundred Jewish refugee children who had been rescued from Europe on the Kindertransport. Under trying conditions, while the families they had been separated from faced the gravest of dangers, these children and their adult guardians established a Hachshara at Gwrych Castle: a training centre intended to prepare them for the dream of establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine (Eretz Yisrael), where they hoped one day to be reunited with the families they left behind. In this fascinating debut, historian Andrew Hesketh tells the story of these refugees and the community they built, shining a light on a chapter of Jewish history that deserves to be far more widely known. He recounts moving moments of friendship, respect, tension and humour as the new arrivals and local residents came to know each other, while the shadows of war loomed ever closer, and the Hachshara project found itself facing an uncertain future.Table of ContentsAuthor’s Note Prologue ‘Are you from the castle?’ Chapter 1: ‘The young generation of a great people’ 1933–39: The Jews, the Nazis and Abergele Chapter 2: ‘A field in the middle of nowhere’ Summer 1939: The gathering of the Gwrych refugees Chapter 3: ‘On a dark night’ 30 August–6 September 1939: Arrival at Gwrych Castle Chapter 4: ‘I wanted to do something useful’ September 1939 (Part 1): Establishing the Gwrych Hachshara Chapter 5: ‘We had good plans’ September 1939 (Part 2): Developing the Gwrych Hachshara Chapter 6: ‘I didn’t tell them I was German’ October–November 1939: Aliens, football and meeting the neighbours Chapter 7: ‘An old bowler hat’ December 1939–February 1940: Blackouts, winter and The Wizard of Oz Chapter 8: ‘Leck mich am arsch’ March–April 1940: Learning Welsh, fancy dress, the ‘naughty’ boys and girls, and a car crash Chapter 9: ‘A very traumatic experience’ May–June 1940: Spy fever and internment Chapter 10: ‘I couldn’t see any purpose to it’ July–September 1940: Departures, arrivals and divisions Chapter 11: ‘Not quite the haven they anticipated’ October 1940–September 1941: Bombs, weddings and the closing down of the Gwrych Hachshara Epilogue ‘This place gave us a new life’ Appendix I: Nominal roll of those known to have been at Gwrych Castle between 1939 and 1941 Appendix II: Glossary Acknowledgements Notes Sources and Bibliography Index
£18.04
Atlantic Books How To Stage A Coup: And Ten Other Lessons from
Book Synopsis'A compelling history of the dark arts of statecraft... Fascinating' Jonathan Rugman'Rich in anecdote and detail.' The TimesToday's world is in flux. Competition between the great powers is back on the agenda and governments around the world are turning to secret statecraft and the hidden hand to navigate these uncertain waters. From poisonings to electoral interference, subversion to cyber sabotage, states increasingly operate in the shadows, while social media has created new avenues for disinformation on a mass scale.This is covert action: perhaps the most sensitive - and controversial - of all state activity. However, for all its supposed secrecy, it has become surprisingly prominent - and it is something that has the power to affect all of us. In an enthralling and urgent narrative packed with real-world examples, Rory Cormac reveals how such activity is shaping the world and argues that understanding why and how states wield these dark arts has never been more important.Trade ReviewRich in anecdote and detail... Cormac, you can see, is an engaged teacher, the kind of lecturer who holds his students' attention with illustrative stories of derring-do and dirty tricks. They will like this book, as I do, with its relish of good yarns... A zippy read. * The TImes *A compelling history of the dark arts of statecraft - from assassination and sabotage through to disinformation, election interference and cyberattack. Rory Cormac combines the best true-life spy stories with thoughtful analysis of the perils of covert government operations. So full is it of fascinating and astutely examined examples of these murky practices that you wouldn't want his book to fall into the wrong hands. * Jonathan Rugman, author of The Killing in the Consulate *Even as major powers flaunt their military hardware and brazenly trample over borders, their struggles also continue in the shadows. Rory Cormac's raid into this confusing terrain is daring, incisive and exact, an intellectual special operation in itself. In particular, it reveals the hard choices and delicate trade-offs practitioners must consider, between secrecy, control and impact. Much that is written on this subject is overblown and vapid. Cormac's work, by contrast, is a much-needed correction. Britain needs Cormac. * Patrick Porter, author of The False Promise of Liberal Order *A dazzling journey through the subterranean world of covert action: from assassination, secret wars, cyberattacks and sabotage, to rigging elections, spreading influence, and subverting democracy. This major new book is stacked full of fascinating examples from around the world, perceptive analysis and careful warnings. A must read for anyone interested in international politics and secret statecraft. * Jamie Gaskarth, author of Secrets and Spies *An absolute must read for understanding the wide range of tools states pursue in the realm of covert statecraft. It has immense lessons for cyber operations, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and more. * Michael Poznansky, author of In the Shadow of International Law *Rory Cormac offers a delightfully incisive and much needed corrective to the opacity surrounding covert action. He shows that reality is, in fact, far more interesting than fiction... It may sound odd to say, but despite it being about some of the most underhanded behaviors a state can undertake, it is a fun book to read. It is a must read for both practitioners of the dark arts and the curious general public alike. * Diplomatic Courier *A must read for those interested in intelligence, secret warfare and the hidden hand. * Intelligence and National Security *A valuable and thought-provoking work, the most thorough treatment of the topic to date. * Studies in Intelligence *An important public service... Cormac's book has an ambitious scope, and its arguments and information are truly timeless. * International Affairs *Table of Contents1: How to assassinate your enemies 2: How to get away with murder 3: How to influence others 4: How to subvert governments and undermine democracy 5: How to rig an election 6: How to stage a coup 7: How to wage a secret war 8: How to pick your rebels 9: How to sabotage 10: How to cyberattack 11: How to wield the hidden hand
£10.44
Stenlake Publishing Let Tyrants Tremble : The War Diary of 199
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£27.00
Oldcastle Books Ltd A Short History of the Vietnam War
Book SynopsisOn 8 March, 1965, 3,500 United States Marines of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade made an amphibious landing at Da Nang on the south central coast of South Vietnam, marking the beginning of a conflict that would haunt American politics and society for many years, even after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in January 1973. For the people of North Vietnam it was just another in a long line of foreign invaders. For two thousand years they had struggled for self-determination, coming into conflict during that time with the Chinese, the Mongols, the European colonial powers, the Japanese and the French. Now it was the turn of the United States, a far-away nation reluctant to go to war but determined to prevent Vietnam from falling into Communist hands. A Short History of the Vietnam War explains how the United States became involved in its longest war, a conflict that, from the outset, many claimed it could never win. It details the escalation of American involvement from the provision of military advisors and equipment to the threatened South Vietnamese, to an all-out shooting war involving American soldiers, airmen and sailors, of whom around 58,000 would die and more than 300,000 would be wounded. Their struggle was against an indomitable enemy, able to absorb huge losses in terms of life and infrastructure. The politics of the war are examined and the decisions and ambitions of five US presidents are addressed in the light of what many have described as a defeat for American might. The book also explores the relationship of the Vietnam War to the Cold War politics of the time.
£13.49
Vintage Publishing After Daybreak: The Liberation of Belsen, 1945
Book SynopsisWhen British troops entered Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in April 1945, they uncovered scenes of horror and depravity that shocked the world. But they also confronted a terrible challenge - inside the camp were some 60,000 people, suffering from typhus, starvation and dysentery, who would die unless they received immediate medical attention.After Daybreak is the story of the army stretcher-bearers and ambulance drivers, medical students and relief workers who attempted to save the inmates of Belsen - with the war still raging and only the most primitive drugs and facilities available.Drawing on their diaries and letters, Ben Shephard reconstructs events at Belsen in the spring of 1945 - from the first horror of its discovery, through the agonising process of trying to save the survivors. In doing so he addresses the question of whether we should regard the relief of the camp as an epic of medical heroism - as the British believed - or see the failure to plan for Belsen and the undoubted mistakes that were made there as further evidence of Allied indifference to the fate of Europe's Jews - as some historians now argue. The result is a powerful and dramatic narrative, full of extraordinary incidents and characters, and an important contribution to medical history.Trade ReviewIn his excellent and lucid account, Shephard fully makes his case that the aftermath of the liberation of Belsen was an episode in which the British can take pride...a powerful and dramatic narrative -- Frank McLynn * Independent *A solidly researched, scrupulously balanced and sensitive account of the liberation that will serve as a fitting tribute and a guide to future generations about how best to remember Belsen -- David Cesarini * Guardian *A moving story * Times Literary Supplement *Contributors to the ever-growing opus of Holocaust historiography have been accused by some of creating an industry. However, Shephard's contribution is not superfluous and he negotiates his harrowing material surefootedly -- Katrina Goldstone * Irish Times *
£13.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Operation Tonga: Pegasus Bridge and the Merville
Book SynopsisThe seizure of Pegasus Bridge by six glider borne platoons of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry under Major John Howard very early 6th June 1944, is one of the better-known stories of D-Day. Landing just yards from vital bridges over the River Orne and the Caen Canal near Benouville, Howard's men took and held the bridges in a remarkable coup de main operation with minimal casualties. The 7th Parachute Battalion dropped in soon afterwards to relieve Howard's men and the action remains, by any standards, a remarkable feat of arms. But it was only one act in a much grander production put on by 6th Airborne Division that night to secure and protect the eastern flank of the Allied landings inland from Sword, the British landing beach. Key bridges over the Dives had to be blown to foil possible German counter attacks and to north east, at Merville, a battery of guns which the allied planners thought could wreak havoc on the beaches and ships at sea, had to be eliminated. The task fell to the men of the 9th Parachute Battalion, whose actions in assaulting the Merville Battery became another D-Day epic - but for very different reasons.
£15.29
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Argentine Fight for the Falklands
Book SynopsisMartin Middlebrook is the only British historian to have been granted open access to the Argentines who planned and fought the Falklands War. It ranks with Liddell Hart's The Other Side of the Hill in analysing and understanding the military thinking and strategies of Britain's sometime enemy, and is essential reading for all who wish to understand the workings of military minds.The author has managed to avoid becoming involved in the issue of sovereignty and concentrates entirely upon the military story. He has produced a genuine 'first' with this balanced and unique work. Among the men he met were the captain of the ship that took the scrap-metal merchants to South Georgia; the admiral in charge of planning the Falklands invasion; the marine commander and other members of the invasion force; two brigadier-generals, five unit commanders and many other men of the large army force sent to occupy and defend the islands.; the officer in charge of the Argentine garrison at Goose Green; and finally the brigadier-general responsible for the Defence of Port Stanley and soldiers of all ranks who fought the final battles.
£15.29
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Men Who Flew the Mosquito: Compelling Account of
Book SynopsisThe two-engined Mosquito was one of the classic aircraft of the Second World War. Famously wooden-built, its graceful lines and powerful performance have made it into an airborne icon. Its operational versatility as a fighter, low level bomber and reconnaissance aircraft was unsurpassed.In this book we get the first-hand crew accounts of a selection of the actions and missions that the 'Mossie' undertook. These include audacious raids on Nazi HQs and Gestapo jails - real precision attacks carried out by ace fliers.
£13.49
Little, Brown Book Group A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide and the
Book SynopsisIn 1915, the Turkish government systematically organised the wholesale slaughter of a complete race, the Armenians. Under the cover of World War I, through the secret organisation of unofficial gangs of Kurds, released prisoners, German officers and Turks who had lost their lands in the war against the Balkans, over 1 million Armenians were murdered, starved, raped and left to die. Following the War, as the Nationalist movement began to rise up from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire, the allies tried to persecute the perpetrators of the genocide, in a series of trials where the term 'crimes against humanity' was first used, Turkey was allowed to hide its recent history. It has remained hidden ever since. As the nation attempts to enter the European Union, the question of 1915 has become ever more important with the arrest of writers such as Orhan Pamuk, and the introduction of Turkey into the EU.Trade ReviewThe first lucid and comprehensive study of a historical fact - the Armenian Genocide of 1915. * Morning Star *
£12.34
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Bruneval Raid Operation Biting 1942 No 13
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£15.19
Countryside Books How to Attack A Castle: And How To Defend It
Book SynopsisThrough colourful illustrations and accounts of actual sieges in every chapter, you'll discover how armies from medieval times up to the English Civil War attacked and besieged British castles and how changing weaponry shaped the defences we see the remains of today. As castle design developed, attackers had to change their tactics and introduce new siege methods to bring the walls down. The weapons, siege engines and mining techniques used are described in detail here, alongside diagrams showing how they worked and details of the defensive structures erected to counter them.Table of ContentsCONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1 THE MEDIEVAL WAR MACHINE Kings, Knights and Castles Chapter 2 MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLES Timber, Arrows and Fire Chapter 3 THE GREAT STONE KEEPS Battlements, Mining and Mangonels Chapter 4 CURTAIN WALLED CASTLES Towers, Moats and Trebuchets Chapter 5 CONCENTRIC DEFENCES Machicolations, Barbicans and Ballistas Chapter 6 TOWER HOUSES AND COASTAL FORTS Gatehouses, Gunpowder and Canon Chapter 7 CASTLES RE FORTIFIED The English Civil War Places to Visit Further Information Glossary Index
£999.99
Four Courts Press Ltd The World of the Galloglass: Kings, Warlords and
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£18.95
Cornerstone The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves
Book SynopsisNow a major film starring GEORGE CLOONEY, MATT DAMON, CATE BLANCHETT, BILL MURRAY, JOHN GOODMAN, HUGH BONNEVILLE, BOB BALABAN, JEAN DUJARDIN and DIMITRI LEONIDAS.What if I told you that there was an epic story about World War II that has not been told, involving the most unlikely group of heroes? What if I told you there was a group of men on the front lines who didn’t carry machine guns or drive tanks; a new kind of soldier, one charged with saving, not destroying.From caves to castles in a thrilling race against time, these men risked their lives daily to save hundreds of thousands of the world’s greatest works of art. THEY were the Monuments Men, and THIS is their extraordinary true story.‘Remarkable’ Washington Post‘Engaging, inspiring’ Publishers WeeklyTrade ReviewAfter World War Two I served as a British member of the 'Monuments' section in Germany. Our task, I believe, was truly important - we were restoring to Europe evidence of its own civilization, which the War seemed virtually to have destroyed - and I was lucky to have had a chance to participate. It is excellent that Mr Edsel has now recorded this remarkable episode, and I am grateful to him for devoting so much energy to telling the stories of those involved -- Anne Olivier BellIn the great storytelling tradition of my longtime friend, Stephen Ambrose, Monuments Men is a marvelous addition to the many great books on World War II and is a reminder that we fought to save western civilization as well as our freedom. Robert Edsel's brilliant work tells the story of how a small unit of American soldiers raced across the front lines in Europe to rescue the art treasures of western culture that had been stolen by the Nazis. Edsel's book is a thriller, in the style of Indiana Jones, but in this case it's all fact and great history. I read the book from cover to cover - couldn't put it down! * Dr. Gordon 'Nick' Mueller, CEO/President and co-founder of the National World War II Museum *Highly Readable . . . a remarkable history * Washington Post *Engaging and inspiring * Publishers Weekly *
£10.44
Cornerstone Elsie and Mairi Go to War: Two Extraordinary
Book SynopsisWhen they met at a motorcycle club in 1912, Elsie Knocker was a thirty year-old motorcycling divorcee dressed in bottle-green Dunhill leathers, and Mairi Chisholm was a brilliant eighteen-year old mechanic, living at home and borrowing tools from her brother. Little did they know, theirs was to become one of the most extraordinary stories of the First World War.In 1914, they roared off to London 'to do their bit', and within a month they were in the thick of things in Belgium driving ambulances to distant military hospitals. Frustrated by the number of men dying of shock in the back of their vehicles, they set up their own first-aid post on the front line in the village of Pervyse, near Ypres, risking their lives working under sniper fire and heavy bombardment for months at a time. As news of their courage and expertise spread, the 'Angels of Pervyse' became celebrities, visited by journalists and photographers as well as royals and VIPs. Glamorous and influential, they were having the time of their lives, and for four years, Elsie and Mairi and stayed in Pervyse until they were nearly killed by arsenic gas in the spring of 1918. But returning home and adjusting to peacetime life was to prove even more challenging than the war itself.Trade ReviewA compelling story of famous but forgotten heroines: two exceptional Edwardian ladies in the front line mud and mayhem of World War I -- Kate AdieDiane Atkinson has uncovered the lives of two extraordinary women who brought medical comfort and relief to the wounded of World War I. Her book is as absorbing as it is thorough, as entertaining as it is warm-hearted. A terrific story -- Joan BakewellThe true story of best friends Elsie Knocker and Mairi Chisholm who, when the First World War broke out, set up a first aid post on the Western Front. Their courage frequently made the headlines in Britain and both were awarded medals for their bravery. This biography is a fitting tribute to their role on the frontline -- Charlotte Vowden * Daily Express *A terrific, true story, brought vividly to life * Mail on Sunday *Brilliantly readable * Lancashire Evening Post *
£9.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd French Destroyers
Book SynopsisBetween the wars the French produced some of the largest, and certainly the fastest, destroyers in the world. Known as Contre-Torpilleurs, these striking and innovatory super-destroyers form the core of this book, but the more conventional Torpilleurs d'Escadre are also covered. This history combines the technical and service material published in French-language monographs over the past two decades with the authors' own research from primary sources. The structure of the book follows that of the highly successful French Cruisers, with Part I devoted to the design of each of the classes built after 1922. The text is accompanied by detailed data tables and illustrated by a comprehensive set of specially-drawn plans and schemas based on official documents, as well as carefully-selected photographs from French naval sources and from private collections. Coverage runs down to the Le Hardi class, the last pre-war design. Part II deals with the historical side, covering the eventful careers of these ships before, during and after the war. This section is illustrated by maps specially drawn for the book, and by contemporary photographs.Like its highly successful predecessors, French Battleships and French Cruisers, this beautifully presented book blends technical and historical analysis to produce what must become the standard English-language reference work.
£32.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Knights of Bushido: A History of Japanese War Crimes During World War II
'[Reveals] the full horror of a warped version of Bushido. It is not a pleasant read, but a necessary one.' Russ Lockwood, MagwebThe war crimes trials at Nuremberg and Tokyo meted out the Allies' official justice; Lord Russell of Liverpool's sensational bestselling books on the Axis' war crimes decided the public's opinion. The Knights of Bushido, Russell's shocking account of Japanese brutality in the Pacific in World War II, describes how the noble founding principles of the Empire of Japan were perverted by the military into a systematic campaign of torture, murder, starvation, rape and destruction. Notorious incidents like the Nanking Massacre and the Bataan Death March emerge as merely part of a pattern of human rights abuses. Undoubtedly formidable soldiers, the Japanese were terrible conquerors. Their conduct in the Pacific is a harrowing example of the doctrine of mutual destruction carried to the extreme, and begs the question of what is acceptable - and unacceptable - in total war.
£999.99
Amberley Publishing Spitfire!: The Experiences of a Battle of Britain Fighter Pilot
The remarkable Battle of Britain experiences of Spitfire pilot Brian Lane, DFC. Brian Lane was only 23 when he when he wrote his dramatic account of life as a Spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. Lane was an 'ace' with six enemy 'kills' to his credit and was awarded the DFC for bravery in combat. The text is honest and vibrant, and has the immediacy of a book written close the event, untouched, therefore, by the doubts and debates of later years. Here we can read, exactly what it was like to 'scramble', to shoot down Messerschmitts, Heinkels, Dorniers and Stukas and how it felt to lose comrades every day. Squadron Leader Brian Lane DFC was not only an exceptional fighter pilot but likewise a gifted leader, at all levels. In what was still a hierarchical and class conscious culture, 'Chiefy' Lane was different: he knew everyone under his command by first names, no matter how lowly their rank or status, and in the air he was always unflappable, calmly making the right tactical decision and in the process earning unlimited respect amongst pilots and aircrew. All these years later the survivors still speak of him with an unparalleled affection and respect bordering upon a holy reverence. High drama has never before been so characteristically understated, written, as it was, by the 'Finest of the Few'.
£9.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Armoured Warfare and the Fall of France 1940
Book SynopsisAt 21:00 on 9 May 1940 Codeword Danzig was issued alerting Adolf Hitler's airborne troops that they were about to spearhead an attack on Belgium and the Netherlands. The following day his blitzkrieg rolled forward striking the British Expeditionary Force and the French armies in Belgium and in northern France at Sedan. The desperate attempts of the allied armies to stem the Nazi tide proved futile and, once their reserves had been exhausted and the remaining forces cut off, Paris lay open. By early June, it was all over - trapped British, Belgian and French troops were forced to evacuate Dunkirk, Calais and Boulogne and the defeated French army agreed to an armistice leaving the country divided in two. This dramatic story is shown in a sequence of over 150 historic photographs that Anthony Tucker-Jones he has selected for this memorable book. The images he has chosen cover every aspect of this extraordinary campaign, but his main focus is on the vital role played by the armoured fighting vehicles of both sides. The book is a graphic record of the destruction wrought by the Wehrmacht's lightning offensive through the Low Countries and France.
£13.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Panzer IV at War 1939-1945 (Images of War Series)
Book SynopsisWith comprehensive captions and text this superb book tells the story of the production of the Panzer IV to the key battles in Poland, France, North Africa, Italy, Russia and North West Europe. Initially the Panzer IV was designed as an infantry support tank, but soon proved to be so diverse and effective that it earned a unique tactical role on the battlefield.The book shows how the Panzer IV evolved and describes how the Germans carefully utilized all available reserves and resources into building numerous variants that went into production and saw action on the battlefield. It depicts how these formidable tanks were adapted and up-gunned to face the ever increasing enemy threat.Between 1936 and 1945, over 8,000 Panzer IV's were built. For most of the war this tank was a match for its opponents' heavy tanks and quickly and effectively demonstrated its superiority on the battlefield.The Panzer IV was the only German tank to remain in production during the war. Its chassis was converted into more models than any other Panzers that entered service. As well as the various prototype projects and command tanks, observation vehicles, ammunition carriers, recovery vehicles, amphibious armoured ferry vehicles that saw service, the book will show a multiple of converted anti-tank propelled vehicles.
£999.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd B-17 Memphis Belle: Rare Photographs from Wartime
Book SynopsisWithout doubt Boeing Flying Fortress B-17F 41-42285 Memphis Belle and her crew generate an image that is an all-American icon. Indeed, it has been claimed that the Memphis Belle is in the top five of the most famous American aircraft of all time.In September, 1942, a new Flying Fortress was delivered at Bangor, Maine, to a crew of ten eager American lads headed by Robert K. Morgan, a lanky 24-year-old USAAF pilot from Asheville, N. C. The boys climbed aboard, flew their ship to Memphis, Tenn. and christened her Memphis Belle in honour of Morgan's fiancee, Miss Margaret Polk of Memphis, and then headed across the Atlantic to join the US Eighth Air Force in England.Between November 7 1942 and May 171943 they flew the Memphis Belle over Hitler's Europe twenty-five times. They dropped more than 60 tons of bombs on targets in Germany, France and Belgium. They blasted the Focke-Wulf plant at Bremen, locks at St. Nazaire and Brest, docks and shipbuilding installations at Wilhelmshaven, railway yards at Rouen, submarine pens and power houses at Lorient, and airplane works at Antwerp. They shot down eight enemy fighters, probably got five others and damaged at least a dozen.Memphis Belle flew through all the flak that Hitler could send up to them. She slugged it out with Goering's Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs. She was riddled by machine gun and cannon fire. Once she returned to base with most of her tail shot away. German guns destroyed a wing and five engines. Her fuselage was shot to pieces but Memphis Belle kept going back.The Memphis Belle crew has been decorated 51 times. Each of the 10 has received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters. The 51st award was Sergeant Quinlan's Purple Heart.
£13.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Last Man Standing: The Memoirs, Letters and
Book SynopsisIt hardly seems credible today that a nineteenyear- old boy, just commissioned into the Seaforth Highlanders, could lead a platoon of men into the carnage of the Battle of the Somme. Or that, as the machine gun bullets whistled past and shells exploded, he could maintain his own morale to lead a platoon, keeping its discipline and cohesion, in spite of desperate losses. Norman Collins, the author of this superb memoir, was this remarkable man.Using Norman's own words, Last Man Standing follows him from his childhood in Hartlepool to his subsequent service in France. The book also covers such shattering events as the German naval assault on Hartlepool in December 1914 when, as a seventeen-year-old, Norman was subjected to as big a bombardment as any occurring on the Western Front at that time. Norman's love for, and devotion to, the men under his command shine out in this book and his stories are gripping and deeply moving. They are illustrated by a rare collection of private photographs taken at or near the front by Norman himself, although the use of a camera was strictly proscribed by the Army. Most of the images have never been published before.Trade ReviewThis fantastic little WWI book is a must for any budding historians. Collins was underage when he joined the Seaforth Highlanders and was a 19-year-old officer when he led at the battle of the Somme. This book contains extracts from his diaries and a remarkable personal collection of photographs which lend this account a poignancy and immediacy which is often breathtaking. - Scottish Field This is a harrowing tale of battle, loss and the horrors of war. - Scotland Magazine
£11.69
