Military institutions Books

Book SynopsisThis richly illustrated volume tells the story of the seven regiments of the Household Division, along with the supporting personalities and units of London District. A subject as fascinating as it is multifarious. From the key personalities responsible for the razor-sharp execution of state ceremonial and public duties, to the historical figures who helped establish and shape a military dynasty. Travel through the history of the Household Division from its birth in 1660, with the restoration of Charles II, to its role in establishing Britain's Special Forces. It is a journey of political intrigue, cementing empire, and fighting terrorism. From the founding fathers such as George Monck, who laid the foundations for a professional British Army, to adventurers like David Stirling and Sir Frederick 'Boy' Browning, the history of the Household Division is one of almost continuous action and innovation. Supported by the Honourable Artillery Company and the King's Troop, The Royal Horse

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Book SynopsisCelebrated historian Winston Groom tells the uniquely American tales of George Patton, Douglas MacArthur, and George Marshall, from World War I to World War II. These three remarkable men-of-arms who rose from the gruesome hell of the First World War to become the finest generals of their generation during World War II redefined America's ideas of military leadership and brought forth a new generation of American soldier. Their efforts revealed to the world the grit and determination that would become synonymous with America in the post-war years.  Filled with novel-worthy twists and turns, and set against the backdrop of the most dramatic moments of the twentieth century, The Generals is a powerful, action-packed book filled with marvelous surprises and insights into the lives of America's most celebrated warriors.

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Book SynopsisThe Anglo-Zulu War lasted only six months in 1879, but in that relatively short time twenty-three men were awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry under most trying and dangerous circumstances. Zulu warriors gave no mercy and expected none in return, yet half of the awards were given to men who went back into the midst of fierce fighting to rescue stranded comrades, well-aware that they risked suffering a particularly brutal death. Two men received posthumous awards for their efforts to save the Queen's Colour of their regiment after the disastrous engagement against overwhelming numbers of warriors at Isandlwana, and perhaps the most famous of all awards of the Victoria Cross were the eleven gained for the immortal defence of Rorke's Drift, the battle brought back to the public consciousness by the motion picture _Zulu!_ The conflict has never left the public's imagination, and continues to stir hot debate among military historians and enthusiasts. With information compiled over four decades by James W. Bancroft, a well-known and respected historian and author of several publications on the subject, this book brings together more information about the men than has ever before been collected together in one publication.

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Book Synopsis_'This is a brilliant account of how leadership is made.'_ - Andy McNab This is the true story of 21 young men desperately trying to survive the most brutal leadership course of modern times. A throw back to the Highland Fieldcraft Training Centre, the revolutionary brain child of Lord Rowallan during the Second World War, this fascinating insight explains the extraordinary lengths Sandhurst goes to in pursuit of generating the world's greatest military leaders. No one could have known that the intensity of their training was coincidentally little more than a prelude to a decade of war in Afghanistan and Iraq where attrition rates became comparable to those reached during the Second World War. This captivating story is full of emotion brought on by physical and mental endeavour that leads to success and failure. This intimate and revealing story of camaraderie is the first of its kind. But learning how to lead subordinates during the darkest of hours, living in the most austere of environments comes at a price. Unconventional and at times controversial, this is the only authentic account of life in Rowallan Company Sandhurst at a time when the world teetered on the brink of war with insurgents and dictators armed with weapons of mass destruction.

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Book SynopsisWith Schwarzkopf is Gus Lee's remembrance of his mentor and friend H. Norman Schwarzkopf, and his firsthand account of how Schwarzkopf shaped his life. In 1966, Lee, a junior-year cadet at West Point, was bright, athletic, and popular. He was also on the verge of getting kicked out. Nearing the bottom of his class due to his penchant for playing poker and reading recreationally instead of studying engineering, he was assigned a new professor: then-Major Norman Schwarzkopf. Schwarzkopf's deeply principled nature and fierce personality took hold of the wayward cadet, and the two began meeting regularly and discussing what it meant to be a scholar, a soldier, and a man. Lee's vibrant, witty narrative brings his more than forty-year relationship with Schwarzkopf to life. Readers get an inside look at West Point culture; they see Schwarzkopf's bristling anger with his rebellious pupil as well as his tenacity, intellect, and moments of surprising emotional warmth; and they watch as Lee starts to absorb his teachings. As he left West Point and took on more professional and personal roles, Lee approached every crisis or difficult decision by channeling his mentor. Over the years, Schwarzkopf's instilled values, wise counsel, and warm conversations shaped Lee and brought the two together in an unlikely friendship. In With Schwarzkopf, Lee passes along the lessons he learned so future generations can hear Schwarzkopf's important teachings.

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Book Synopsis“Character is destiny” wrote Greek Philosopher Heraclitus more than twenty-five centuries ago. Douglas Southall Freeman, the Army of Northern Virginia’s preeminent historian, echoed that view when he wrote, “Further study . . . may prove both more profitable and more interesting when it deals with men and morale than where it merely described in new terms the familiar strategy and battles.” Better than any historian of his age, Freeman appreciated the impact character played on Gen. Robert E. Lee’s judgment and actions. Indeed, the foundation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning Lee biography is constructed around this theme. Most writers of military history stress strategy and tactics at the expense of the character of their subjects. Larry Tagg remedies that oversight with The Generals of Shiloh, a unique and invaluable study of the high-ranking combat officers whose conduct in April 1862 helped determine the success or failure of their respective armies, the fate of the war in the Western Theater and, in turn, the fate of the American union. Tagg’s new book, which is modeled after his bestselling The Generals of Gettysburg, presents detailed background information on each of his subjects, coupled with a thorough account of each man’s actions on the field of Shiloh and, if he survived that battle, his fate thereafter. Many of the great names tossed up by civil war are found here in this early battle, from U. S. Grant, William T. Sherman, and Don Carlos Buell, to Albert S. Johnston, Braxton Bragg, and P. G. T. Beauregard. Many more men, whose names crossed the stage of furious combat only to disappear in the smoke on the far side, also populate these pages. Every one acted in his own unique fashion and in a manner worthy of study. This marriage of character (“the features and attributes of a man”) with his war record, offers new insights into how and why a particular soldier acted a certain way, in a certain situation, at a certain time. Nineteenth century combat was an unforgiving cauldron. In that hot fire some grew timid and listless, others demonstrated a tendency toward rashness, and the balance rose to the occasion and did their duty as they understood it. Each of their stories are found within these pages. The Generals of Shiloh will be hailed as both a wonderful read and an outstanding reference work for the general student and scholar alike.

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Book SynopsisThe 12th Virginia has an amazing history. John Wilkes Booth stood in the ranks of one of its future companies at John Brown’s hanging. The regiment refused to have Stonewall Jackson appointed its first colonel. Its men first saw combat in naval battles, including Hampton Roads and First Drewry’s Bluff, before embarrassing themselves at Seven Pines—their first land battle—just outside Richmond. Thereafter, the 12th’s record is one of hard-fighting from the Seven Days’ Battles all the way to Appomattox. Its remarkable story is told here in full for the first time in John Horn’s The Petersburg Regiment in the Civil War: A History of the 12th Virginia Infantry from John Brown’s Hanging to Appomattox, 1859-1865. The Virginians of the 12th found themselves in some of the most pivotal battles of the war under Generals William Mahone and later, David Weisiger. After distinguishing themselves at Second Manassas, they were hit hard at Crampton’s Gap in the South Mountain fighting and were only able to field 25 men three days later at Sharpsburg. Good service at Chancellorsville followed. Its Gettysburg performance, however, tied to General Mahone’s mysterious behavior there, remains controversial. The Virginians played a key role in Longstreet’s flank attack at the Wilderness as well as in his near-fatal wounding, launched a bayonet charge at Spotsylvania, and captured their first enemy flag. The regiment truly came into its own during the nine-month siege of Petersburg, where it fought in a host of bloody battles including the Crater, Jerusalem Plank Road, Globe Tavern, Second Reams Station, Burgess Mill, and Hatcher’s Run. Two days before the surrender at Appomattox the regiment fought in the rear guard action at Cumberland Church—General Lee’s final victory of the war. Horn’s definitive history is grounded in decades of archival research that uncovered scores of previously unused accounts. The result is a lively, driving, up-tempo regimental history that not only describes the unit’s marches and battles, but includes personal glimpses into the lives of the Virginians who made up the 12th regiment. Tables compare the 12th’s fighting prowess with friend and foe, and an appendix resolves the lingering controversy over the fate of the regiment’s last battle flag. With thirty-two original maps, numerous photos, diagrams, tables, and appendices, a glossary, and many explanatory footnotes, The Petersburg Regiment in the Civil War will long be hailed as one of the finest regimental histories ever penned.Trade ReviewExcellent value and highly recommended for collectors of Civil War regimental histories and for wargamers who wish to recreate any of the battles in which the 12th Virginia served. * Miniature Wargames - Arthur Harman *

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Book SynopsisWhen Mao Zedong proclaimed The People’s Republic of China in 1949, China was a poor and wrecked society after years of continuous wars. For centuries, in fact, China had been seen as a sort of plunder-zone to be invaded, and then a backwater until the late 1980s, when domestic policy brought about monumental changes. The result was that in the past quarter-century China has grown to be the second largest economy in the world, and its military has grown proportionately.Successive decades of economic growth have transformed China—in addition to the weapons revolution during the computer age—so that by now the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has become a modern fighting force. No longer having to rely on massed infantry attacks, it now features a formidable arsenal including nuclear submarines, ICBMs, stealth fighters, and modern battle tanks. Perhaps ominously for other maritime powers, the Chinese have also focused on beyond-the-horizon missile technology, as well as anti-aircraft systems, and have also explored the possibilities of cyber-warfare.What is today’s PLA really like? What are its traditions and histories, and how is it armed and equipped? How does it recruit and train? This book describes some of the lesser known battles and wars the Chinese have undertaken, and the development of their key weapons systems. The United States, having opened the door to “drone warfare,” have had an attentive audience for such technologies in Beijing.The last chapter provides thoughts on how the Chinese view matters of security. It is not yet known whether foreign powers can still enforce their territorial wills on China, but future attempts will meet an increased challenge. This book will be of interest not only to general readers but to policy-makers and militaries in the West, who may not yet realize that a new China has replaced the old.Trade ReviewExtensive appendices offer considerable tabular data. * The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society 02/11/2022 *The title of the book, the Dragon's Teeth, refers to the People's Liberation Army, and author Benjamin Lal tells the unprecedented story of its formation, its strengths and weaknesses, its exploits since its formation and the force it represents should a foreign power attempt to encroach on its terrain. Unparalleled information on the force and its history through the last seventy-five years. * Books Monthly *Many of us will know about Russian, US and NATO armed forces, so very interesting to see this level of detail on the modern Chinese PLA. It has put China in a very different position from old. * Military Model Scene *I found the book to be an extremely comprehensive read...a well-researched, and well-sourced history of the Chinese military. * NetGalley *

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Book SynopsisAn army marches on its stomach—so the classic saying goes. This book brings together excerpts from contemporary manuals for U.S. Army cooks to show how the U.S. Army fed and provisioned its troops in the early 20th century and lift the lid on what daily life must have been like both for those preparing and consuming the rations. The oldest manual included dates from 1896. At this time, the U.S. Army was involved in the last skirmishes of the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American war and the Philippine-American war. The manual prepares a cook for any eventuality whether in garrison, at camp in the field, or on the march, with instructions on everything from butchery to preserving meat and how to organise the serving of the food and clean utensils (a stew pan with fine sand and salt). As well as classic American fare such as chowder, numerous hash recipes and Rhode Island pancakes, more exotic influences are apparent with such delights as Crimean Kebobs, Turkish pillau, "Bombshells" (giant meatballs) and Tamales (chilli beef stew wrapped in corn leaf parcels). By contrast a 1916 manual offers a detailed consideration of nutrition for the men, and what must be one of the first calorie counters for different dishes. Instructions are given on how to assemble a field range in a trench and on a train. Among the more unusual recipes are "head cheese" (meat stew made from scraps) and pickled pigsfeet. Manuals produced during WWII instructed cooks how to bake a variety of breads, cakes and pies, or how to cook dehydrated products. With an introduction explaining the historical background, this is a fascinating and fun exploration of early 20th-century American army cooking, with a dash of inspiration for feeding your own army!Trade ReviewAs I said, a quirky but very interesting wee book which is worth keeping on the shelf just to dip in to now and again for amusement, knowledge of US Army infrastructure and general military history. Very useful also if you have 60 US servicemen popping round for tea! * Army Rumour Service *

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Book SynopsisAfter the shocking fall of France in June 1940, the U.S. Army embarked on a crash program to establish a new armored force. One of the units formed was the 756th Tank Battalion (Light), activated at Fort Lewis in June 1941. Because of severe equipment shortages, the new battalion trained without tanks for several months, but by early 1942 were equipped with new M3 light tanks. While companies A and C took part in Operation Torch, B was withheld for lack of cargo space in the transport ships and re-joined the battalion two months later in north Africa. The units undertook reconnaissance missions following the landings in Salerno.In December 1943 the battalion was ordered to upgrade to a medium tank (Sherman) unit. Given less than a month to reorganize and train in M4s, the battalion was sent into the Mignano Gap on January 11, 1944 and supported the 34th Infantry Division in the capture of Cervaro and Monte Trocchio. Later in January B Company supported the troops of the 100th Battalion on bloody but ill-fated attempts to cross the Rapido river - finally at the third attempt the battalion established a secure bridgehead across the Rapido. During the next two days the nearby town of Caira was also captured, opening a clear avenue for an attack on Cassino.Based on decades of research, and hours of interviews with veterans of the 756th Tank Battalion, Jeff Danby's vivid narrative puts the reader in the turret of B Company's Shermans as they ride into battle.Endorsements:“This is an excellent, in-depth, day-to-day account of the operations of one tank company of a US independent tank battalion, B Company, 756th Tank Battalion, in World War II… With its focus on tank crew members and their commanders this is a unique addition to the literature on WWII.”––A. Harding Ganz, Associate Professor Emeritus of the Ohio State University at Newark, author of Ghost Division“It is very rare to find a book that takes the reader down to the close and personal level of a company of men in battle. We have seen that for paratroopers in Band of Brothers and now we have it for a tank unit, in this case Company B of the 756th Tank Battalion. And what a remarkable book it is … the book is very hard to put down and by the end of it I found myself looking forward to reading the next volume.”––Jeffrey Plowman, author of Rampant Dragons: New Zealander’s Experience in Armour in World War II, Tank Attack at Monte Cassino: The Cavendish Road Operation 1944 and The Battles for Cassino Then and Now“[Danby] brings all his considerable skills to this unique Battalion level history. No lead is left unfollowed and this adds not only to the legitimacy of his work but also tells the personal story of these valiant men … It may be the best US armored unit history ever put together so long after the conflict … For the small unit historian of the Armored Units of the Second World War, I cannot recommend this book more highly.”––Victor Failmezger, author of American Knights, the Untold Story of the Legendary 601th Tank Destroyer Battalion“Jeff Danby weaves an empathetic tale of people in his history of Company B, 756th Tank Battalion. From the very start, he frames portentous global events in terms of how the young men who would fight the war would have seen them. Danby’s prose is punchy, visually evocative, and entertaining.”––Harry Yeide, author of The Tank Killers, The Infantry’s Armor, and Steeds of Steel“Danby introduces and develops an extensive cast of personalities, average American soldiers, as they experience combat and the quiet periods in-between, and gives the reader precious insight in to why this unit was so combat proficient. Jeff has written another great story which I recommend to everyone interested in WWII and especially tank units in that war.”––LTC Timothy R. Stoy, U.S. Army, retired, served 31 years in the U.S. Army as an Infantry and Foreign Affairs Officer. Historian for the Society of the 3rd Infantry Division (2007–2017) and currently Historian of the 15th Infantry Regimental Association since 1997.Table of ContentsThe Setting 1: Origins 2: Formation 3: Preparing for a New Kind of War 4: California and a Captaincy 5: North African Foothold 6: Border Watchers 7: Tunisia 8: Bizerte Bystanders 9: Italy 10: Reorganized 11: The Gates of Hell 12: The Rapido River 13: Attack 14: Bridgehead 15: Caira 16: The Barracks Appendices Bibliography Notes Index

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Book SynopsisThe 597th Field Artillery Battalion, 92nd Division, was the first, last, and only all-black officered direct support field artillery battalion committed to combat in the history of the U.S. Army. It was the first all-black unit in a combat division and, together with the 600th Field Artillery Battalion, constituted the only all-black units in any combat division. Alongside impressive achievements on the battlefield in Italy in 1944–45, the unit provided more key command and staff positions exclusively for black field artillery officers than any other U.S. Army unit in combat, giving combat training and experience to more senior black field artillery officers than any of the other 16 black field artillery battalions during World War II.Colonel Wendell Derricks worked to shelter his troops from the worst of the racism exhibited during the war and, due to his ability to envision an integrated post-war army, he provided unique leadership opportunities for his senior officers. The alumni of the 597th Field Artillery Battalion have an impressive record of success; many of them were inducted into the Field Artillery Hall of Fame, some served at the Pentagon, including Lieutenant Colonel Clark, and others forged successful career in the civilian world.Table of ContentsTHE END OF EXCLUSION 1 A Limited Opportunity 2 The Opportunity Expands 3 A Northern Winter in Indiana 4 Camp Robinson, Arkansas 5 Fort Huachuca 6 Louisiana Maneuvers 7 Programmed for Failure BRIDGING THE OBSTACLE 8 The Tide Turns 9 Over There GAINING A FOOTHOLD 10 By the Sea 11 In the Mountains 12 Changes at the Top 13 A New Year and a New Assignment 14 In the Valley 15 Operation Fourth Term 16 The Aftermath 17 On the Move 18 The Enemy Withdrawal Becomes a Rout THE LONG WAY HOME 19 Two Down and One to Go 20 A Special Mission Carried Out from Varazze 21 Preparing for Redeployment 22 Three Down and We had Earned a Trip Home BEYOND DERRICKS’ DIARY 23 Colonel Wendell Derricks 24 Derricks’ Legacy 25 The Race Continues 26 Success

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Book SynopsisOperation Masher/White Wing targeted the regiments of the North Vietnamese Army Sao Vang Division operating in the Bong Son area in northeast Binh Dinh Province in central South Vietnam. The operation started on January 24, 1966, immediately after the Vietnamese New Year (Tet) and ended six weeks later. It was led by newly promoted Colonel Harold G. Moore, who as a lieutenant colonel commanded the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry in the battle of Landing Zone X-Ray in the Ia Drang Valley two months earlier.In 41 days of sustained fighting, the 1st Cav battled each of the three regiments of the Sao Vang Division, resulting in enemy losses of more than 3,000 KIA. This came at the cost of 199 Americans killed on the battlefield and 46 more who died in the crash of a U.S. Air Force C-123 aircraft en route to the battlefield, making it one of the deadliest battles of the entire Vietnam War.Operation Masher/White Wing was a success. The 1st Cav demonstrated that it had the firepower, mobility, and leadership to find the enemy and deliver a severe blow to it in terms of personnel and equipment losses and in forced evacuation from formerly “secure” base areas, seemingly proving the value of the search-and-destroy strategy.However within a few weeks, intelligence reports indicated that North Vietnamese soldiers were returning to the Bong Son area in small groups. By late April, the Sao Vang Division was back in the area in force. Operation Masher/White Wing proved to be the start of a very long and deadly struggle between the 1st Cav and North Vietnamese for control of Binh Dinh Province—multiple search & destroy operations eventually resulted in more than 9,000 enemy KIA and 2,358 enemy detained, with friendly losses of more than 1,200 KIA, 5,775 WIA, and 27 MIA. While Masher/White Wing demonstrated that search & destroy operations were very effective at the tactical level but without a high-level strategy to stop the unabated flow of fresh Communist troops and supplies into South Vietnam, it wasn’t clear just how they contributed to overall victory. At the start of 1968, General Westmoreland ordered the 1st Cav to terminate its operations in the Bong Son area, bringing the battle to a close.Table of ContentsPrologue 1. Preparing for Battle 2. Tragedy Strikes 3. Attack 4. Breakout from the Cemetery 5. A Pincer Action 6. Closing-out Phase I 7. Into the An Lao Valley 8. The Eagle’s Claw 9. Yelling Like Madmen 10. Death in a Narrow Place 11. The Iron Triangle 12. No Rest for the Weary 13. The Go Chai Mountains 14. Black Horse 15. Conclusion Appendix I: Book of Honor Appendix II: Memorandum Requesting Name Change Appendix III: Citations and Award Bibliography Historical Documents Glossary

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Book SynopsisWith a reputation for being hard to discipline, generosity to their comrades, frankness and sticking it up any sign of pomposity, Australian soldiers were a wild and irreverent lot, even in the worst of circumstances during World War II. In Larrikins in Khaki, Tim Bowden has collected compelling and vivid stories of individual soldiers whose memoirs were mostly self-published and who told of their experiences with scant regard for literary pretensions and military niceties. Most of these men had little tolerance for military order and discipline, and NCOs and officers who were hopeless at their jobs were made aware of it. They laughed their way through the worst of it by taking the mickey out of one another and their superiors. From recruitment and training to the battlegrounds of Palestine, North Africa, Thailand, New Guinea, Borneo and beyond, here are the highly individual stories of Australia's World War II Diggers told in their own voices - warts and all.Table of ContentsIntroductionMilitary units Chapter 1: Joining upChapter 2: Very basic trainingChapter 3: Sailing to warChapter 4: Desert Diggers prepare for warChapter 5: High jinks in EgyptChapter 6: Fighting in the desertChapter 7: Ill-fated Greek adventureChapter 8: Out of the frying pan into the fireChapter 9: The Allied invasion of Lebanon and SyriaChapter 10: The tide turnsChapter 11: Return to AustraliaChapter 12: Prisoners of war of the Japanese Chapter 13: The railway of deathChapter 14: Service at homeChapter 15: The saga of the flying footsloggersChapter 16: The Kokoda Track and the bloody beachheadsChapter 17: The battle for New GuineaChapter 18: An unnecessary campaignChapter 19: Savagery in BougainvilleChapter 20: Bloody Borneo-Tarakan and BalikpapanChapter 21: The lost years and damaged livesChapter 22: Retain all prisoners of war indefinitely Chapter 23: Final thoughtsAcknowledgements NotesBibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSoldiers to the Last Day: Rhineland- Westphalian 6th Infantry Division, 1935-1945 recounts the history of the German 6th Infantry Division from its formation in 1935 to its destruction at Babruysk in July 1944; then its resurrection and continued fighting until the end of the war. Among the first divisions established by the Wehrmacht, the 6th Infantry Division had one of the longest and bloodiest records of continuous combat of any division—Allied or Axis. Engaging in combat within weeks of the outbreak of WWII, the division fought to the last hour of the war. Based primarily on German sources, in particular the rare divisional and regimental histories and war diaries, and on personal accounts and letters of its soldiers, Soldiers to the Last Day presents the German view of the war from inside divisional headquarters and down to the individual Landser as the division marches across France in 1940, advances to the Volga during Operation Barbarossa, fights the brutal battles of Rzhev, Kursk, Babruysk; and makes last desperate attempts to defend the homeland in 1945. It is a tale of courage, determination, suffering, and in the end—betrayal.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments; Author’s Note; Introduction; 1 From the Ashes; 2 Mobilization and War: First Blood; 3 “Kameraden Wir Marschieren im Westen”; 4 Barbarossa I: Into the Unknown; 5 Barbarossa II: The Volga and Beyond; 6 A Winter in Hell; 7 The First Winter Battle of Rzhev; 8 The Summer Battle of Rzhev; 9 “Wir Halten Rshew!” The Second Winter Battle of Rzhev; 10 Operation Büffel; 11 Operation Freischütz; 12 Zitadelle; 13 The Year of Retreat; 14 Death of a Division; 15 Resurrection and the Warka; 16 Silesian Requiem; Epilogue; Endnotes; Appendix I: Men of the Division; Appendix II: Das Ritterkreuz; Appendix III: Das Birkenkreuz; Bibliography.

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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."

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Book SynopsisWhen war broke out in 1939 over 20,000 Irishmen were serving in the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force with the greatest proportion in the Army. During the war this rose to over 120,000, suggesting that about 100,000 enlisted during the war.Nine earned the Victoria Cross; three members of the Royal Navy, including a Fleet Air Arm pilot, four soldiers, including a member of the Australian forces, and two RAF pilots.The author looks at the seven Irish regiments in campaigns across the globe, at Irish soldiers across the Army, at Irish sailors from the Battle of the River Plate to the final actions against Japan, and at Irish airmen from the first bombing raids of the war to the closing days of war.Included are outstanding personalities such as the Chavasse brothers, who earned three DSOs, three DSCs and two MiDs, Bala Bredin, Corran Purden, Brendan 'Paddy' Finucane, Blair Mayne and Roy Farran, the latter pair highly-decorated SAS officers. There are also Irish generals, such as Paddy Warren who died while commanding 5th Indian Division in Burma and Frederick Loftus Tottenham, who commanded 81st (West African) Division, not to mention giants such as Alexander, Auchinleck, Montgomery and McCreery.Irish women are not forgotten in the book which also takes a brief look at the Irish in other Allied forces, including a most unusual volunteer for the US Navy whose application to serve had to be approved by President Roosevelt. He was William Patrick Hitler, a nephew of Germany's fuhrer.

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Book SynopsisThe military photographs in family albums stand out as different and distinctive and the sight of an ancestor in uniform stirs thoughts of what he or she did and where they served. Neil Storey offers advice on identifying military uniforms, badges, insignia, ranks, medals and the equipment worn by our military ancestors. These items can provide a wealth of information about the person or people in the photograph and can lead to many new avenues of research. The book covers our Nation's military history from the 1870's to the 1940's.Trade Review"For analyzing a photograph of someone in the military anywhere in the British Empire from 1865 to the 1940s, this book is a must."--Maureen Taylor, Providence, RI"National Genealogical Society Quarterly" (06/01/2013)

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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.

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Book SynopsisThe Wiking Division was the only SS armoured division exclusively to fight on the Eastern Front. The division was partly composed of volunteers Flemish, Dutch and Scandinavian whose primary motivation, for many of them, was to fight against Bolshevism. They fought with an energy which never wavered even if the efforts and sacrifices were not always rewarded with victory. Counted among its ranks officers of unusual caliber as Felix Steiner, Herbert -Otto Gille , August Dieckmann and Hans Dorr Walter Schmidt to name a few. This book recounts their history in unparalleled details.Trade ReviewEven as a book taken by itself this one is amazing...while coupled with the two previous volumes it makes for what is I think the most detailed history of an individual unit that I can remember reading while the huge number of associated archive photos across all three books is equally stunning. * Military Model Scene *

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Book SynopsisAprès Landser, Ordre Noir et Deutsche Luftwaffe, voici un nouveau livre de la même collection sur les troupes de choc de la Première Guerre mondiale. Les premières unités d'assaut (Sturmtruppen) ont été formées au cours du printemps et de l'été de 1916, quand le Sturmbataillon Rohr a été organisé et après que le général Falkenhayn, chef de la Ligue de l'Ontario, a donné les ordres pour la création de détachements spéciaux. Ces détachements avaient pour mission de répandre une nouvelle tactique qui a transformé de manières décisive les méthodes de combats de l’armée allemande. Mais bien avant cela, un autre type de troupes avait été crée au sein de l’infanterie allemande au cours de l’hiver 1914-1915 : les troupes de choc (Stosstruppen), des groupes d’infanterie qui n’ont jamais été officiellement reconnus comme tels et n’ayant jamais appartenu à une unité permanente, mais qui sont restés actifs jusqu’à la fin de la guerre et qui ont contribué à l’amélioration de la capacité offensive de l’infanterie allemande. Ce livre est un récit de l’histoire des troupes d’assaut et il couvre leurs méthodes de combat. Il propose une description complète de leurs uniformes, de leur équipement, leurs armes, avec un grand nombre d’illustrations et de photographies d’époque rarement vues.

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Book Synopsis“The Guard charges” Napoleon gave special attention to this splendid unit – the Imperial Guard – and it became a sort of little army within the “Grande Armée”. This study of its organisation is here at its most erudite, like the one on the uniforms and equipment. Discover the uniforms, the equipment, and the weapons used by all those “Grognards”, who were launched into a battle as a last resort, at the decisive moment. Explaining how the Guard was organised into Old, Middle and Young Guards, in this volume, the illustrator-researcher André Jouineau shows the colonel-generals, the grenadiers, the chasseurs à pied, fusiliers, velites, flanqueurs, wards, workmen, sappers, doctors, magistrates and foot gunners; in the second volume he shows the centaurs of the Guard’s cavalry. This small practical, clear, concise, logical and visual tool is a real vade mecum, intended for imperial history buffs as well as figurine makers. The third volume – a compilation of two dossiers published in the fifth and sixth issues of the magazine ”Soldat” – is the new, improved, entirely revised and re-drawn larger version (more than fifty per cent more characters) than the previous work published several years ago now by the authors. In this volume : the last mounted units of the Guard, the follow-up units, the Horse Artillery, the Artillery trains and teams, the Health Service, the Guard HQ Staff but also the Emperor’s Household, the Emperor and the first uniforms of the Royal Guard.

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Book Synopsis

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