Search results for ""fonthill media ltd""

After the fall of France and the allied retreat from Dunkirk, Hitler proposed the planned invasion of Great Britain. A secret aerial reconnaissance of the United Kingdom (and all of Europe) had been undertaken by the Luftwaffe several years prior to the outbreak of war. The images were used in the detailed planning for the invasion of the United Kingdom. After the collapse of the Third Reich the great race began to salvage the secrets of Hitler's huge intelligence gathering operation. The RAF and Army intelligence scoured the remains of the Reich desperately searching for the library of the "Zentral Archiv Der Fliegerfilm." The Luftwaffe archive was of extreme value both to the West and the newly emerging super power of the Communist Soviet Union, under the dictatorship of Stalin. One power held the secrets of both and competing Soviet and Allied intelligence searched disparately the debris of the Third Reich for aerial library. In June 1945 a British intelligence unit stumble upon 16 tonnes of reconnaissance pictures, dumped in a barn, at "Bad Reichenhall" deep in the forests of Bavaria. The original Luftwaffe reconnaissance archive had been destroyed at the end of the war, and this discovery was an incomplete German Army Intelligence copy. With great secrecy the documents were immediately evacuated back to England and by July 1945 twenty-three plane loads of documents had been removed from the chaos of Germany, to a special RAF intelligence clearing house at Medmenham. The entire archive was methodically recorded, sorted and classified as top secret and disappeared from public view. There were no announcements and very few were aware of this major discovery and the archive was locked away in a secure vault with access classified and restricted to the intelligence services. The records discovered by the allies remained classified till 1984 although parts of this vast archive escaped into the packs and luggage of returning soldiers, as souvenirs. It is from this source that Nigel Clarke slowly acquired images and amassed a collection of over 1000 pictures of the UK taken by the Luftwaffe.

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A Detailed History of RAF Manston 1941-1945 covers the station's history during the period that the RAF was on the offensive against the Luftwaffe. Having been badly damaged during the Battle of Britain and the only airfield to have been put out of action, Manston rose from the ashes to become a base for numerous fighter units that attacked Hitler's 'Fortress Europe'. From 1941 onwards, Manston was used by damaged aircraft returning from operations, especially those from Bomber Command. Consequently, a large runway was built and was one of three in the country that was equipped to deal with emergencies. In 1944, 501 Squadron was formed with the Hawker Tempest to destroy enemy armour, aircraft and the feared V1; Squadron Leader Joe Berry was credited to destroying sixty-one V1s. Another first was the arrival of the Meteor jet fighter in August 1944. After the war, Manston became a base for a number of civil airlines, but continued in its role as a major diversion airfield and an emergency landing ground.

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Rise Against Eagles is a collaborative work presenting exceptional tributes to an array of airmen from various nations who served in the Royal Air Force during critical battles of the Second World War. The story begins at the outbreak of war when Fairey Battle rear-gunner, Bobby Pearce, was sent to France with No.142 Squadron, as part of the British Expeditionary Force in an attempt to repel the inevitable German advance into France and the Low Countries. After a long, hard winter and aerial skirmishes with the Luftwaffe, the RAF was soon withdrawn in preparation for what would be one of the most decisive battles in British history, the Battle of Britain. The core focus of this work is concentrated on a selection of fighter pilots who fought during that long summer and autumn of 1940, when everything depended on the RAF achieving air superiority to prevent Hitler's planned invasion of Britain. This exceptional group of pilots are remembered for their evocative stories which are ripe with gripping combat experiences and gruelling sacrifice. Rise Against Eagles celebrates the legacy of these iconic airmen who risked and gave their lives in a tremendous effort to defend Britain against all odds.

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In 1915, the biggest plane yet seen in Britain took flight, a twin-engine monster with a 100-foot wingspan. Handley Page bombers attacked German cities, disrupting the enemy's industry and crippling its war effort. The men that flew in the 'Bloody Paralysers' were the forerunners of Bomber Command in World War 2 and their story is told in their own words.

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Manchester City qualified for the European Cup following their League Championship success in 1967/68. Immediately after winning the title City manager Malcolm Allison said "We'll terrify the cowards of Europe." Inevitably therefore they lost their first-ever European tie against the unfashionable Turkish champions. Since that date the club's supporters have witnessed the highs and lows that European football can produce. Notable victories over the best teams in Europe, Gornik in the European Cup Winners' Cup in Vienna, remains clear in the memory as do those matches we would rather forget, Fenerbahce in 1968, Borussia in 1978, right up to present date, where the club promised so much but left the supporters disillusioned. This is an evocative collection of how the media perceived the games, player's memories, supporters European trips, action shots, programme covers and assorted memorabilia. Illustrating the story of City through the triumph and disappointment of epic struggles against the best teams on the continent. So as we head into the future we recall the past

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Glamorgan CCC is Wales' sole representative in the world of county cricket. Formed in 1888, the Club at first faced some difficult years before joining the Minor County Championship in 1897. After a series of successful summers, they were admitted into the first-class game in 1921 but this initially proved a massive step for the Cardiff-based club to take, as defeats became more commonplace than victories. However, after overcoming financial uncertainties in the 1930s, and the loss of their influential captain, Maurice Turnbull, during the Second World War, Glamorgan won the County Championship title in 1948 under Wilf Wooller besides providing a series of players for England teams. The good times continued in the 1960s when they defeated the Australians on back-to-back tours, and lifted the County Championship title again in 1969 under Tony Lewis. Further silverware came Glamorgan's way during the 1990s as they won the Sunday League in 1993 before Matthew Maynard led them to a third Championship in 1997. During the 2000s, the Welsh side lifted the one-day title again in 2002 and 2004, before embarking on a successful stadium development scheme at their headquarters which saw Test cricket come to Wales in July 2009 as Cardiff hosted the Ashes Test between England and Australia. Changing Faces - Glamorgan CCC 1888-2012 celebrates the people who have taken the Club on this remarkable journey and who have worn the Club's colours with pride and distinction. Using a series of team photographs and group images from the Club's archives - many of which have never been previously published - this is a fascinating collection that will greatly appeal to Glamorgan supporters and lovers of Welsh sport in general.

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As can be imagined there are countless Sheffield pubs - past and present. Therefore, finding a unique, manageable angle on the subject to produce a book is difficult. Yet Peter Tuffrey has done just that featuring endless unique tales about the pubs themselves and the landlords and landladies running them. Trawling through literally thousands of newspapers cuttings from the Sheffield Star and Sheffield Telegraph pub files he has noted subjects and incidents ranging from pub closures to murders, from retirements to renovations and from pub bombings to pub ghosts. Many of Sheffield's pubs were built to coincide with the growth of the city's steel industry and to slake the thirsts of its workers. These pubs are pictured and documented in decline or just before demolition and it is a pity more were not saved to illustrate the city's rich industrial heritage. We see landlords, landladies and regulars posing outside and it just goes to show how important pubs were in terraced communities. Several pages are also given to the breweries once belching beer fumes across the city air and a number of the processes are depicted in photographs with pin sharp clarity. So, raise your glasses to this book - Sheffield Pubs, Landlords and Landladies.

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A fascinating thrill with unusual twists - a 'Buchanesque' tale Writing under the pseudonym Neil Gordon, A. G. Macdonell wrote several crime and thriller novels. In the classic genre of '20s and '30s crime fiction, Macdonell managed to introduce a different element, unusual twists that keep the reader captivated and anxious to discover what came next. The Factory on the Cliff begins with a spoilt golf holiday at a coastal golf-links hotel in Aberdeenshire. 'George Templeton's car refused to start on the self-starter. He jumped out impatiently and gave the handle a mighty twist. The engine back-fired and dislocated his thumb and he found himself unable to play golf for the remainder of his holiday.' Unable to play golf with his friends, he resorts to country walks and stumbles upon suspicious goings-on at a cliff-top farmstead where there are numerous outbuildings. The story moves from Scotland to London, and then to a small village in the Home Counties. In a fast-moving thriller which in some degree resembles John Buchan's The Thirty-Nine Steps, George Templeton and his friends foil an international plot to mass-poison many countries in the World. Macdonell uses his usual skill, well-dosed with ingenious twists, and a fast moving story-line, to keep the reader riveted to the book. Chase, conspiracy, espionage, quick-thinking initiative and much adventure with Irishmen and Russians thrown in, keeps the adventure in a high gear from beginning to end. New Introduction by Alan Sutton

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Writing under the pseudonym Neil Gordon, A. G. Macdonell wrote several crime and thriller novels. In the classic genre of '20s and '30s crime fiction, Macdonell managed to introduce a different element, unusual twists that keep the reader captivated and anxious to discover what came next. The Shakespeare Murders is another example of Macdonell's carefully thought-through detective stories, where the detective is aided by the star of the cast. Peter Kerrigan saw a pickpocket take the wallet of a shabby little man, and with speed and precision he stole from the thief. Peter was a handsome gentleman-adventurer - not too scrupulous - and before he returned the pocketbook he read the letter which it contained. It was so that he heard of the million pound treasure, and began the search which was to lead him through so many horrors. At Marsh Manor he found the police trying to solve a murder, and lent somewhat grudging assistance; three more violent deaths followed rapidly. The working out of the solution to the mystery, and the final disposition of the treasure are brilliantly satisfying. The strictly logical framework of the book is filled in witty and entertaining fashion with strange and amusing characters. Macdonell uses his usual skill, well-dosed with ingenious twists, and a fast moving story-line, to keep the reader riveted to the book. Chase, conspiracy, and American gangsters add to the excitement of solving the Shakespeare riddle.

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This is the story of the train operating company First Great Western, whose performance rose from being the worst for a long-distance operator in the UK to becoming one of the best in a few short years, and whose passengers felt so disgruntled they even organised a fare strike. The franchise grew out of the Great Western's privatisation in 1993; the company, as it currently stands, was created after the merger of the First Great Western, Great Western Link, and Wessex Trains franchises in 2006. However, in 2008 the Department for Transport became so disillusioned with the company that it issued a Remedial Notice Plan, the first step to a holder losing its franchise-before a new management team kick-started the company back into life. In this book, the reader can find out how First Great Western became an award-winning train operator after coming so close to losing the franchise; they can also see photographs of the only Pullman Dining service in the UK, on the Paddington- Penzance sleeper train.The reader can learn about what goes on at one of First Great Western's main Traction Maintenance Depots, and about how new life was breathed into rolling stock that was old enough to be considered railway heritage. This book also discusses how the electrification of the Great Western Main Line will improve passenger services and cut journey times.

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Kate Bush began her career in 1978 at the age of 19 with the single 'Wuthering Heights', inspired by a film adaptation of the Emily Bronte novel, the first No. 1 UK single to be written and sung by a female artist, and the accompanying album 'The Kick Inside', both of which established her as a highly individual talent. She has always preferred the recording studio with live performances and tours having been few and far between, and all her albums have been very successful at home and abroad, her third, 'Never For Ever' (1980), being the first by a female artist to enter the British chart at No. 1. Her eclectic, experimental musical style with its often literary and unconventional lyrical themes has defied easy categorisation, and earned the lasting admiration of fans, fellow performers and music critics alike, while an eclectic roster of guest artists including Eric Clapton, Elton John, Prince and Stephen Fry have appeared on her work,. This book provides a thorough examination of the songs on all her singles, albums, and occasional recorded collaborations with other artists.

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The East of England, particularly Suffolk, became a new home for thousands of American airmen during the Second World War. After starting to arrive in 1942, there were over 10,000 in the country by 1943. The largest concentration was in Suffolk, which had more USA airfields than any other English county. Their arrival was called the 'Friendly Invasion' as they suddenly found themselves in the middle of the East Anglian countryside. The Americans brought with them chewing gum, coke and peanut butter, and introduced the big band sounds and jitterbugging dancing. In return the British taught the GI's the gentle art of darts and dominos, when the newcomers ventured into the sacred English public houses. This book examines the meeting of two cultures, while stories are related of the aircraft victories and losses, plus accidents which sometimes shook the countryside. Missions by the bombers and fighters of the USAAF are included to show what desperate times these were for airmen and country folk of Suffolk.

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In August 1914, on the outbreak of the First World War, there was enormous pressure on men to enlist in Kitchener's New Armies, supplementing the tiny regular army and Territorial Force. This pressure was intense, and posters, the entreaties of local worthies, and an apparently indiscriminate scattering of white feathers, all exacerbated masculine sensitivity. We are all familiar, if only through BBC TV's 'Dad's Army', with the Home Guard of the Second World War. Far less is known of their First World War equivalent: the Volunteer Training Corps (VTC). Like their counter-parts in WW2, the VTC comprised those who were too old, too young, too unfit or too indispensable to serve in the regular forces. They fought for the right to be armed, uniformed and trained; to be employed on meaningful duties; and at first, to exist at all. This book explores the origins, development and structure of the VTC, along with those who belonged to the many supporting medical, transport, police and youth organisations who kept the home fires burning or, in some cases, tried to put them out. The VTC arose from the need of those men who were forced to stay at home to be seen to be doing their bit. They saw the removal of the bulk of both the regular army and the Territorial Force to the Western Front as their opportunity to prepare to resist the expected German invasion of Britain, and as a way of countering accusations of shirking, or even cowardice.

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The worldwide cruise industry is booming-alone, there are some 56 new cruise ships being built or planned (2018). Cruise ships visit ports around the world. And the ships themselves are amenity-filled, moving resorts. But when did it all begin? This book looks at the evolution of cruising, from the mid-nineteenth century. It chronicles the growth of long, luxury cruising in the Twenties and then, in the Depression-era Thirties, cruising reaches the general public as a form of escape. By the late Sixties, purposeful cruise ships were being built and these spawned today's fleet, including the largest passenger ships ever built.

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The Hawker Hunter was Britain's first swept-wing jet fighter capable of exceeding the speed of sound. It was a simple, rugged design that was easy to maintain in service. Once the limited initial range was improved, it became a versatile combat aircraft as a day fighter, ground-attack fighter, and fighter reconnaissance platform. In addition to worldwide service with the RAF, the Hunter was an export success, becoming a standard fighter with NATO and air forces, in the Middle East, India, Asia, Africa, and South America. Its modular construction made it easy to build, and it was ideal for refurbishing and updating earlier models for sale to overseas customers. Hunters are still active for contract work as low-cost platforms for aggressor training and systems development. This volume documents the jet fighter's extensive and fascinating history.

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Operation Market Garden was Major Digby Tatham Warter’s first action. As the OC of ‘A’ Company, 2 Para, he led the advance to the Arnhem road bridge, brushing aside German resistance to reach the objective. Over the course of the next four days, Digby - a well-known eccentric - enhanced his reputation further by displaying solid leadership and a fearlessness that left everyone who witnesses it in awe. Picking up an umbrella and bowler hat from one of the houses, Tatham Warter strolled around the perimeter oblivious to shot and shell, instilling confidence in his men and inspiring them to battle on in the face of overwhelming odds. Wounded and captured at the battle’s end, Digby escaped and linked up with the Dutch Resistance. For weeks he strutted around the area disguised as a deaf and dumb Dutchman to fool the Germans. He collected over hundred paratroopers (‘evaders’) and forged a plan to lead them through enemy lines to safety. His post-war years are just as exciting. This is his story.

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Following the First World War the major naval powers entered into an agreement restricting the construction of capital ships and limiting the numbers that signatories were allowed to maintain, so numerous ships were scrapped or disposed of and the majority of planned vessel were either cancelled whilst being built or never laid down. By the late 1920s the Royal Navy’s battle force comprised of the two Nelson-class ships, the battlecruisers ‘Hood’, ‘Renown’ and ‘Repulse’, and ‘Revenge’ and Queen Elizabeth-class ships, all designed before the First World War. In 1928 the Royal Navy began planning a new class of battleships which was put on hold with the signing of the Treaty of London. In 1935, realising its battle fleet was becoming dated as other nations laid down new classes of battleships, the Royal Navy recommenced planning capital ships within treaty limitations. The result was the King George V-class battleships. Regarded by some as the worst new-generation battleships in the Second World War the King George V-class were Britain’s most modern battleships during the conflict and saw action in some of the most famous engagements from the sinking of the ‘Bismarck’ in 1941 to the surrender of Japan in 1945. This book charts the story of the King George V-class from its conception and design through to the operational history of the ships in the class.

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Using a wealth of contemporary sources, this book narrates the story of the Liverpool Rifles in the Great War from their mobilisation in August 1914 to their return to Liverpool in 1919, each day of their active service in France and Belgium detailed. The role played by 3,000 individuals, including every single casualty---wounded or killed---is covered in the narrative and in many cases, the exact position where this happened. The battalion served a tough apprenticeship in the Second Battle of Ypres, losing over 40 per cent casualties in their first five months overseas. By the time the battalion left the Somme in September 1916, their casualties figures exceeded the number who sailed to France in 1915. The ferocious struggle in the Third Battle of Ypres and their epic defensive actions at Little Priel Farm and Givenchy are described down to individual platoon level; twenty-one detailed sketch maps allowing the reader to follow the action. Uniquely, the battalion roll in the appendices includes every officer and man who served with the battalion overseas, many of whom do not feature in the Medal Rolls.

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In `Brainwashed and Anointed’, Christopher Yeoman tells his heart-wrenching struggles within Mormonism with no holds barred honesty and irresistible wit. Raised as a Mormon boy in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Christopher went through a heavily indoctrinated youth system, and at the age of 19 he served as a missionary for the Church. So sure of his religion and of the existence of God, he thought nothing would ever break his faith, but after battling with shame and guilt for his so-called `sins’, an ordeal with panic attacks and loss, his belief system began to unravel. This story offers a fascinating insight into the conflict between years of conditioned thinking vs. a need to re-programme one’s mind after escaping the clutches of organised religion. Packed with humorous anecdotes and heart-breaking confessions, Brainwashed and Anointed makes for a fascinating read for anyone who is has been affected by religion or not.

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Thud Pilot is the personal account of a combat fighter pilot who flew the Air Force’s premier fighter-bomber in the most dangerous skies over North Vietnam. In the first five years of the Vietnam War, the F-105 Thunderchief conducted 75 percent of the Air Force bombing missions over North Vietnam. Thud Pilot tells the story of the courageous men who flew the F-105 from its earliest combat deployment in 1964, and on through 1966, the year of its heaviest losses. The author’s more significant missions, including his ejection and rescue over North Vietnam are described in detail and are accompanied by map drawings depicting the mission routes from take-off to refueling orbits, the target, and return. The book is full of several `firsts’ in the expanding air war over North Vietnam, including `Operation Spring High,’ the first counter Surface-to-Air-Missile (SAM) strike in the history of aerial warfare. The personal perspective from years of combat experience reveals just how the political mismanagement and inane Rules of Engagement made them as much the hunted as they were the hunters. Thud Pilot goes beyond the battle air space and shares the emotional impact on the families left behind.

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In the turbulent times of the post-World War One era, new political parties emerged frequently in Germany, many with opposing extremist policies. The Communist movement grew out of the Socialist working classes using the Russian Bolshevik Party as a template. In direct opposition, the new National Socialist German Workers Party under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, occupied the extreme right-wing position. Head on conflict was inevitable and both parties organised violent demonstrations against the other. Hitler recognised that he was physically vulnerable and ordered the formation of his own protection squad, made up of loyal men who would not shirk from a fight. From the rudimentary ranks of Hitler's select few grew the infant SS, a modern praetorian guard, which developed over the years into a massive and efficient military style force with tentacles spreading into all elements of everyday life in Nazi Germany. To administer this organisation, Hitler appointed leaders upon whom he could rely. Many names remain obscure, but this book highlights who they all were and how they appeared.

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The Second World War saw the apex of piston-engine aircraft design, and ushered the world into the jet age. Anybody who studies aviation will know the names: Spitfire, Mustang, Zero, Messerschmitt, Shturmovik. But there were many more aircraft to take to the skies before and during the war, and frequently their stories remain unknown. This book seeks to tell those stories, to bring to the fore the forgotten warbirds. From the valiant Poles fighting the might of the Luftwaffe in their obsolescent craft, to the varied and excellent craft of the French Armee De l'Air, to the graceful craft of Italy's Regia Aeronautica. With stops around the globe, this book seeks to tell the tales of the forgotten or the doomed or the never-quites. The stories of these aircraft, drawn from Allies and Axis nations alike, bring forth a fuller picture of aviation during the greatest airborne conflict in world history. Telling these stories will give readers an interesting, and informative, look into the past-with personal reflections and a call to arms for the study of history itself.

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With the Great War (1914-18) Centennial beginning in 2014, this is a comprehensive study of Prussian/German railways in peace and strife, 1825-1918 -men, rails, lines, engines, cars, and stations. They all played a crucial part in Germany's Wars of Unification during 1864-71, the interwar years, and the final catastrophe that toppled many crowns, thrones, and states, all told from a railroad perspective, a unique way of exploring the history of the 19th-20th Centuries. Here the reader will also find the sagas of the other railways aligned both for and against the Second Reich: Berlin-Baghdad, Trans-Siberian, Hejaz, African, Italian, American, and more. Presented also are notable individual historic trains, such as those of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Tsar Nicholas II, hospital conveyances, differing gauges, railroad guns, armored trains, Lenin's infamous "sealed train" through Germany to Russia, and much more. Here, too, are the famous men who made "training" a successful wartime tool: banker Bleichroder, soldiers von Moltke, raider Lawrence of Arabia, Bulow and Hindenburg, and how French Marshal Foch's railroad dining car became the focal point of the Great War's final ending.From the very first German passenger service to the Russian Civil War, this is epic railroading as a military force.

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CrossCountry Trains Ltd won the right to operate the CrossCountry franchise from 11 November 2007 when the Strategic Rail Authority determined that its bid for the franchise was the best value for money and the most sustainable. CrossCountry operates the most extensive passenger rail network in the UK covering 16 million route miles per year; it also operates the longest rail service in the UK - the 08:20 a.m. Aberdeen to Penzance (774 miles). Based in the centre of England in Birmingham, the company serves seven of the country's largest cities and provides 295 services every weekday, which equates to around 30 million passenger journeys per year. It also employs around 1,626 employees. The company does not operate any stations itself, but CrossCountry's trains do call at more than 119 stations stretching from Aberdeen in the north, Stansted Airport in the east, Cardiff in the west and Penzance in the south west. With Birmingham New Street at the hub, its services crisscross the country in a similar pattern to that of the UK motorway system.

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Handley Page began manufacturing aeroplanes in a small factory in Barking, Essex in 1909. Handley Page Limited was founded by Frederick Handley Page (later Sir Frederick) as the United Kingdom's first publicly traded aircraft manufacturing company. Sir Frederick declined to allow his company to be merged into the two large 'forced marriages' of aircraft manufacturing companies in the 1960s. It failed to survive alone, and went into voluntary liquidation and ceased to exist in 1970. During the First World War Handley Page produced a series of heavy bombers for the Royal Navy to bomb the German Zeppelin yards, with the ultimate intent of bombing Berlin in revenge for the Zeppelin attacks on London. Handley Page had been asked by the Admiralty to produce a "bloody paralyser of an aeroplane". These aircraft included the O/100 of 1915, the O/400 of 1918 and the four-engined V/1500 with the range to reach Berlin. The V/1500 only just reached operational service as the war ended in 1918. The real success of the Company came during the Second World War with the magnificent and robust Halifax bomber. In all, more than 6,000 of them were produced, or more than 40 per cent of Britain's total heavy-bomber power. In the bombing operations alone, approximately 76,000 sorties were flown and nearly a quarter of a million tons of bombs were dropped on to enemy targets. Bomber Command had no less than seventy-six Halifax squadrons in action at the time of its peak strength.

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‘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.

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Even by Victoria Cross standards, the exploits of Thomas 'Todger' Jones V.C., D.C.M., of the 1st Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment, are truly extraordinary. It was a miracle that he survived the act for which he was awarded his V.C., but remarkably, after going 'over the top' by himself, he defeated the odds and secured what is believed to be the most prisoners ever captured by a single individual in the entire war. 'Todger', as he was affectionately known, served as a private soldier for the duration of the conflict, but in that time he displayed outstanding levels of gallantry and leadership, far in excess of his rank. A quiet man unassuming man in peacetime, Todger was a force to reckon with when in battle. This book chronicles his life with an added emphasis on his wartime service in the trenches of France and Flanders. Todger was born and bred in Runcorn, Cheshire. In 2014 his commemorative statue was unveiled opposite the town's cenotaph. This book also features never seen before photographs of the statue being made.

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With Edward now his curate at Stanway and married with a family Francis' interest in national and county events is eclipsed by family and local events. The growing Oxford Movement, (or Tractarians), is now mentioned regularly and Francis begins to lean more towards the Movement and away from his previous view of himself as a 'traditional' clergyman. His attitude to the Triennial Music Meeting changes too from the enthusiasm of younger years to a distinctly negative view as he grows older.

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Volume Eight begins with a family holiday, probably the only time in which the whole family, including grandchildren, spent a long time together (May-June 1846). The destination was the Isle of Wight where they had an enjoyable sojourn of five weeks, although Margaret's poor health precluded her doing much walking. Much of the volume covers property matters and the Hunt Trust. The summer of 1847 did not include a holiday, but as a substitute, Francis and Margaret spent nine days with the Hunt family in Stoke Doyle, Northamptonshire, and of course much Trust business was discussed. The following year saw their holiday, with a four-week break in North Wales. From 1848 onwards Margaret's health went into a severe decline. Missing diaries result in us knowing little of what happened between November 1848 and December 1849, but from that point onwards Margaret became bed-bound and by the end of this volume she was lying at death's door. Volume Eight is interesting for depth of detail. The Irish Potato Famine is covered, although not in as much detail as one may have imagined.There is also the say news of the death of Frederick Howell, in South Africa, killed in a conflict with Hottentots. Frederick was the eldest son of Thomas Howell, Francis Witt's closest friend.

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Carrying On presents the complete story of the Carry Ons which have made Britain laugh for generations on film, television, and stage, and of the unique British filmmaking partnership of producer Peter Rogers and director Gerald Thomas. Writer and film historian Ian Fryer takes us on a journey into the glorious days of classic British humour, bringing to life the Carry On films and the vibrant, fascinating world of comedy from which they sprang. This lively and entertaining book presents detailed histories of the thirty Carry On films, revealing a cinematic legacy which is often more clever and complex than expected; from the post-war optimism of Carry On Sergeant and Carry On Nurse, via mini-epics such as Carry On Cleo, all the way to the smut-tinged seventies. Carrying On also turns the spotlight onto the host of other productions the Rogers and Thomas partnership brought to the screen along with detailed biographies of legendary Carry On stars such as Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, and Barbara Windsor who have brought fun and laughter to millions for decades.

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Waterloo is perhaps the most famous battle of the 19th century and surely in the top ten of all military engagements in the last 500 years. Many have sought reasons why Napoleon lost the great battle. This book presents the litany of failures by one of Napoleon's key subordinates, General Drouet d'Erlon, which led ultimately to defeat.

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A unique event-the handing over of an entire country by another that did not own it, to a people who simply laid claim to it by virtue of their myths and traditions-happened in 1917 when the British 'gave' Palestine to the Jews via the Balfour Declaration. The Palestinian Arabs never accepted the theft of their land but have been powerless to resist the weight of support for the Jews given by the most powerful nations. Despite the foundation of Israel in 1948, the region has been plagued by wars, injustice, and a vast refugee 'problem' which has dominated the lives of millions. Today, the future of the Palestinians is dire and seemingly inevitable. In this thorough new examination, J. E. Thomas delves deep into the foundations of the issue, analysing the Zionist claim to the Holy Land in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and their ruthless campaign to dispossess Palestinian Arabs-a campaign that continues to this day.

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The holocaust began for the Slovka Jews in Autumn of 1938, when Slovakia became an autonomous region. Jewish property was confiscated and businesses liquidated at bargain prices all in an effort to "Aryanize" the country. But by March 26, 1942 the first trainloads of Jews deported from Slovakia embarked to their final destination at Auschwitz, and death camps in the Lublin area. The mechanism for rounding up the Jews and subsequent forced deportation was the Hlinka Guard. By October 1942 the Hlinka Guard had overseen the deportation of some 60,000 Slovak Jews. During the 1944-1945 German occupation, another 13,500 Jews were deported and 5,000 imprisoned. Many of the Jews ended up at the Auschwitz Birkenau Concentration and Extermination Camp. After a brief respite, the Hlinka guard once again took to rounding up, and persecuting Jews throughout Slovakia. Slovak Gypsies (Roma) were also persecuted by the Hlinka Guard. Hlinka Guardsmen were used to do the dirty work, killing suspect Roma rebels in front of their wives and children, and then murdering the entire family.

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Belfast, August 1969. A campaign for civil rights in Northern Ireland (which had begun less than two years previously) degenerates into intercommunal violence as centuries of mistrust, animosity, and blatant sectarianism come to a shuddering head. The three days of August 13th, 14th, and 15th drastically changed the course of Northern Irish history and also radicalised a generation of Catholic youths. On the Protestant side, there was similarly little to predict that their young generation would become embroiled in the longest period of Irish Troubles to date. The UVF, dormant since the creation of the state, was revived in 1966, but it was barely mentioned anywhere outside the Shankill Road; by 1972 it was involved in full conflict. Belfast '69 provides interviews with individuals from both sides of the conflict, many of whom went on to join the various 'armies' that sprung up in the wake of the riots. Many British Army officers who were only passive onlookers in those early days also offer up their own stories. By analysing these fascinating personal accounts in the wider context of the Troubles, alongside other key sources, Belfast '69 seeks to answer the most pertinent questions about the events of those days. How were the emerging youth of both sides radicalised by the violence? How did the events drive an otherwise-indifferent generation to carry out some of the most heinous crimes in Irish history? And, most importantly, can today's society learn from the bloody mistakes of our recent past?

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An aviation legend designed in the mid-1940s, the Canberra entered service in 1951 with RAF Bomber Command. It served in the conventional, interdictor and nuclear bomber role with the RAF, in the UK, Germany, the Middle East and Far East. Its performance and adaptability made it ideal as a reconnaissance aircraft, and the final version, the Canberra PR9, only finally retired in July 2006! The Canberra was used in many support roles, especially in signals / electronic warfare. The Canberra was adopted by air forces from South America to Africa and India, as well as Australia and New Zealand, and license-built as the Martin B-57 served. It was involved conflicts from the Suez War and Malaya Confrontation, and various other hot spots with the RAF, to the Australian and USAF ops in Vietnam, and even the India-Pakistan War when both sides used Canberras, and the 1982 Falklands War. Used in trials and evaluation the Canberra held various height and speed records, and NASA’s High Altitude Research Program WB-57s are still active. The Canberra has also had dedicated enthusiasts, and aircraft (or cockpits) still survive in museums, as well as some in flying condition.

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In late 1944, the Second World War in the Pacific was going badly for Japan. The U.S. Pacific fleet had moved to the Mariana Islands in support of General MacArthur’s army, which had landed on the east coast of Leyte in October. The U.S. 7th Fleet was near the Surigao Strait off Leyte. The Japanese strategy was to entrap the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet by its naval forces from the north in the Sibuyan Sea, and with assault from the south from Surigao Strait. On the afternoon of 24 October, 7th Fleet torpedo-boats moved through Leyte Gulf and Surigao Strait into the Mindanao Sea south of Leyte, and by dusk were in position on their patrol-lines. Covering the northern part of the strait, were posted the destroyer squadrons, cruisers, and battleships to form the horizontal bar to a "T" of vast fire power which the enemy would be forced to approach vertically as he moved forward. With overwhelming force, the impenetrable gauntlet defeated the Japanese at Surigao Strait and played a significant in winning the Battle of Leyte Gulf and in so helping to secure the beachheads of the U.S. Sixth Army on Leyte against Japanese attack from the sea.

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Robert Ellis James-Robertson (but always known as Ellis) lived at Worcester from the mid-1950s and travelled extensively around the country building up a large railway archive. In the early 1960s a few of Ellis’s photographs were published in books and magazines and the credit ‘R. E. James-Robertson’ may be familiar to some. This book of mainly unpublished colour and black and white photographs has been created entirely from Ellis’s collection within about a 35 miles radius of Worcester, it will appeal to railway enthusiasts, modellers, and those with an interest in local history. The time period covered is from the mid-1950s through to the mid-1960s, steam is the predominant traction throughout together with occasional shots of early diesel power. Coverage includes much of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire, plus the Birmingham area. Ellis and his wife Norah celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in 2013, and Ellis passed on in April 2015 aged 92. Their daughters, Louisa and Fiona, contacted filmmaker and author Michael Clemens whose late father was a friend of Ellis’s. Ellis’s collection lives on today at films shows around the country given by the author and now in this first of a number of books using his photographic archive.

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From 'Neighbours' TV teen queen to Stock Aitken Waterman's megastar, the rise of Kylie Minogue to the top of the charts is one of the biggest smash hit success stories in pop music. Across 15 studio albums her transition from SexKylie (with help from Michael Hutchence) to IndieKylie (thanks to Nick Cave and Manic Street Preachers), then to undisputed Princess of Pop (courtesy of the irresistible 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head') proved she was not just an actress, a singer and a remarkable live performer (including Glastonbury Goddess), but a true global superstar. After successfully beating cancer, Kylie returned to the top with several big-selling albums, including the critically lauded 'The Abbey Road Sessions', festive fave 'Kylie Christmas' and 2020's history-making 'Disco'. This book is an exhaustive "step back in time" through her complete 'Katalogue' across five poptastic decades. Every released track and collab from her 300+ song catalogue - many self-penned or co-written - over 35 years is examined in detail with new insights, revelations & vital video/remix information. 'Kylie: Song By Song' celebrates this unique artist's truly remarkable and unparalleled career and is a must-have for every dedicated fan of the lucky, lucky, lucky Australian pop princess.

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This book covers the design, development, production and operational service of the Vickers Wellington from before the Second World War through to the 1950s. The aircraft and crews served with great distinction from the start to the end of the Second World War despite heavy losses. The aircraft was operated by Bomber Command until replaced by the bigger four engine heavy bombers, and played a major part in the Mediterranean Theatre. Its versatility was show with maritime operations against the U-boat threat. It was also used for transport and the hazards of aircrew training. It’s geodetic construction, developed from the airship era, made it rugged and capable of absorbing battle damage bring its crews home safely from combat over hostile territory.

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The RAF and Commonwealth air crews were bound by regulations and discipline during WWII. Survival was by no means a certainty, with casualties becoming a part of everyday life. The evolution of non-established clubs was recognised and regarded as an important area within RAF history that boosted moral. The regulations flexed to allow membership pins and badges to be worn on RAF and Commonwealth flying uniforms. This book allows the reader to experience a number of individual stories and understand the relevance of being a: - 'Goldfish' (Lives saved by the use of personal life preservers and dinghies), 'Caterpillar' (Lives saved by parachutes) or: - 'Guinea Pig' (Lives saved by pioneering surgery conducted by Archibald McIndoe at the Queen Victoria Hospital Sussex) In many instances the accounts are recalled in great detail from the official records of medals and awards. True heroism and gallant deeds supported by original photographs create an easy to read book, revealing areas of interest not previously visited in this format.

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Skalski Against all Odds provides a gripping and detailed account of the career of General Stanislaw Skalski, VM & bar, KW & 3bars, DSO, DFC & 2bars, the leading Polish fighter ace. Skalski gallantly served from the first day of the Second World War, becoming the first ace of the conflict, and continued his service through the Battle of Britain, Channel offensive, Tunisian & Italian campaigns, and Normandy landings. He finished the war on staff positions. Returning to communist Poland, he was duly arrested on charges of spying on behalf of Great Britain and sentenced to death. He was not executed, and after spending eight years in prison, he rejoined service, to fly MiG-15 jet fighters. He continued his service at non-flying positions, and following retirement, he was involved in popularizing aviation as well as in politics. The story is based on a number of documents, many of them published here for the first time and in most cases previously unavailable to the English reader.

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In this wry, candid and sometimes poignant memoir, Peter Owen recalls his lonely Jewish boyhood in Nazi Germany and migration to England where he survived the London Blitz, a teenage dalliance with aspiring actress Fenella Fielding, and working with a motley variety of book publishers. He founded his eponymous publishing firm in 1951, becoming one of the youngest publishers in Britain. A pioneer of books on social themes, gay and lesbian writing and literature in translation, Owen’s authors included ten Nobel laureates and brought Hermann Hesse, Ezra Pound and Anaïs Nin to a wider audience. Enjoying their success, he and his wife Wendy were memorably stylish and eccentric figures at the literary parties of the 1960s and 1970s. Owen describes his often hilarious encounters with many of those he published, including John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Salvador Dalí, his adventures in Japan with Yukio Mishima and Shūsaku Endō, and in Morocco with Tennessee Williams and Paul and Jane Bowles. As one of the last of the great émigré publishers, his death in 2016 aged 89 signalled the end of a literary era.

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In the summer of 1956, while on shore leave from the Merchant Navy, Thomas Hicks was spotted playing a new type of music in a coffee bar in London. Having never heard anything like this 'rock' performed in Britain, he became an overnight sensation--never returning to his ship. He changed his name to Tommy Steele and for 65 years he has been Britain's greatest showman. In a remarkable career spanning radio, records, Broadway and Hollywood, Tommy Steele started the rock revolution in the UK before moving to lighter, family entertainment and becoming a well-loved household name. He received an OBE for Services to Entertainment in 1979 and a knighthood for Services to Entertainment and Charity in 2020. He has conquered the West End, Hollywood and Broadway; holds records for the longest-running one-man-show in the London's West End and also the record for most appearances at the hallowed London Palladium. However, his remarkable career has never been detailed accurately and comprehensively--until now. Authorised by Sir Tommy Steele himself, 'A Life in the Spotlight' offers readers a detailed insight into the career of an unrivalled entertainment legend, with countless facts, stories, details and anecdotes never before committed to print.

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Robert Ellis James-Robertson (always known as Ellis) was born in Wales but lived at Worcester from the mid-1950s and travelled extensively around the country building up a large railway collection. In the 1960s a few of Ellis’s photographs were published in books and magazines and the credit ‘R. E. James-Robertson’ may be familiar to some. This book of mainly unpublished colour and black & white photographs has been created entirely from Ellis’s North Wales archives, it will appeal to railway enthusiasts, modellers, and those interested in local history. The time period covered is from the mid-1950s through to the mid-1960s with steam being the predominant motive power. Much of North Wales is covered and in addition to BR standard-gauge lines, the narrow-gauge Penrhyn and Padarn slate systems are also seen. Ellis and his wife Norah celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in 2013, and Ellis passed on in April 2015 aged 92. Their daughters, Louisa and Fiona, contacted film-maker and author Michael Clemens whose late father was a friend of Ellis’s. Ellis’s collection lives on today at films shows around the country given by the author and now in this second of a number of books using his photographic archive.

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The concept of strategic assault of a Nation’s industrial and military base by air was heralded by Britain as far back as the immediate period before the start of WWI. However, stringent post-War economy ensured that the creation of Bomber Command in 1936 witnessed a daunting disparity between the aim of striking at an adversary’s ability to sustain itself on the Field of Battle and the means to do so. The initial three years of WWII left the Command very weak in both human and material terms. The navigational means with which to accurately guide the bombers to targets was almost completely lacking during this period, while the enemy defensive network inflicted serious casualty rates. The punishment handed out was accordingly minimal in effect. The resurgence of the Command’s fortunes coincided with the appointment of Sir Arthur Harris as C-in-C. The advent of the more efficient Lancaster and Halifax designs ensured a greatly increased bomb tonnage could be delivered. Electronic aids such as ‘Gee’, ‘Oboe’ and ‘H2’S’ ensured the task of locating targets was simplified. So it was that by 1944/45 the Third Reich’s industrial base was virtually rendered impotent.

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Steve Smith tells the story of the five Battalions of the Norfolk Regiment who served on the Western Front using previously unseen photographs, diaries, accounts, and letters. He has also had full access to the Norfolk Regiment Museum archives. It is the men who served in the Norfolks who will tell this story. This book will interest readers nationally & locally as it not only studies the Regiment’s participation in well-known battles such as Ypres and the Somme, but also takes a fresh look at the lesser-known battles fought, battles such as Elouges in 1914 and Kaiserschlacht in 1918. Steve has considered the German perspective too, looking at the men who faced them at places such as Falfemont Farm in 1916. Using new evidence from the Regiment’s participation in the Christmas Truce, he separates the truth from myth surrounding the stories of football played at this time, a controversy that still rages. Steve has walked the ground over which they fought and fresh maps complement this research so the book serves as a history book for those at home and a guidebook for those who wish to get out and explore, down to trench level, the ground covered in its pages.

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During the First World War fledgling crews in basic aircraft experimented with dropping grenades and small bombs. The need for elements of accuracy became obvious and evolved from that point onwards. The various light bombers that flew during the inter war period developed procedures which carried on into the early years of the Second World War. Bomber Command eventually witnessed the large 4-engined ‘Heavy Bombers’, namely the Handley Page Halifax, Shorts Stirling and Avro Lancaster develop into significant bomb carrying aerial platforms. This book will provide the reader with an explanation of the origin of Bomb Aimers, the training of these men and the complexity of dropping many types of bomb ordinance is an enthralling story. Technical and scientific developments are examined to provide an understanding of the trade that enabled the Bomb Aimers wing to be awarded to the men who volunteered at this time. Many gallantry medals were won by Bomb Aimers. Accounts of dangerous operational flying will be revealed by Bomb Aimers in numerous aircraft. This book will examine true accounts that took place; many will be based upon personal flying logbooks and other unique material originating from the aircrew themselves.

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