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The ‘Yamato’ and her sister ship the ‘Musashi’ represented the ultimate development in the battleship. Together, the two ships were the heaviest and most powerfully armed battleships ever constructed. Named after the Yamato Province, ‘Yamato’ was designed to counter the numerically superior fleet of the US Navy. Built amongst a shroud of secrecy and deception and commissioned shortly after the outbreak of the war in the Pacific she was present at a number of engagements including the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Despite having been designed to engage and sink enemy surface vessels, the ‘Yamato’ would only fire her unrivalled 18.1-inch guns at an enemy surface target on one occasion, in October 1944 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. In the final months of the war, as Kamikaze aircraft targeted American landing fleets off Okinawa, the ‘Yamato’ herself embarked on a one way mission of sacrifice, in a last desperate roll of the dice in an attempt to wreak havoc on the landing forces around Okinawa, the last stepping stone prior to an invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. Despite being products of war from the moment of their construction the ‘Yamato’ and ‘Musashi’ occupied a unique which continues to this day.

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Sir Bob Reid is former Chairman of Shell UK, British Rail, ICE Futures Europe and Deputy Governor of the Bank of Scotland, among much else. His is a story of determination and achievement shot through with political upheaval, economic reversal and industrial catastrophe. His first posting was to Borneo. Stints in Africa, Thailand and Australia followed, after which he became chair of Shell UK, responsible for all oil exploration, production, refineries and coastal shipping. He then steered disparate large organisations through challenging times by drawing on universal principles about people, power and profit that he had absorbed in his youth and expatriate years. Success was often rooted in his understanding that you don’t need to like every member of your team, but you do need to elicit and nurture each individual contribution. The wisdom gained in a lifetime of leadership---of realising the talent and energy of the people you work with---will inspire anyone who wants to make a difference in business and social enterprise, now or in the future.

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This Index is in two books extending to 1482 double column pages. A Places index extends to 45 pages. This is followed by a Subjects index of 192 pages in contextual form broken into six elements that make up the diarist's life. The Biographical index forms the majority of this work detailing more than 3400 individuals, their careers and families.

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Using only original official period documents from the Second World War this book tries to provide the reader with the same information on the Panzer V Panther tank that was available to British and Commonwealth senior officers and tank crews during the war. As soon as intelligence reports confirmed the existence of the Panther tank the hunt was on to find reliable information on how to knock out this new German tank. Most people believe that the only way to stop a Panther was to penetrate its armour with an armour piercing A.P. round. Luckily the British 17 pdr anti-tank gun could do that but the British were also looking how to knock them out by using other weapons. They tested using high explosive artillery rounds and 20 mm air attack aircraft canon rounds to penetrate and damage the tank's rear engine deck and puncture the vehicle's radiators. Loss of water would cause the engine to overheat and stop working. Tank radiators were large and spares were not carried on the tank. If the Panther could not be recovered back to a maintenance depot the crew would have to abandon the tank and disable it by setting off internal explosive charges.

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Primus in armis, 'first in arms', is the motto of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, Britain's senior Regiment of volunteer cavalry raised in 1794 against the threat of French invasion. The Wiltshire Yeomanry has served for over 200 years and fought in South Africa, the First and Second World Wars and more recently as individuals in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of the places where the Regiment fought in the Second War will be familiar to modern readers including Aleppo, Palmyra, Baghdad, and more bizarrely, meeting the Russian army on friendly terms in Tehran. The battle of El Alamein in the western desert was possibly their finest hour. The author has accessed the extensive Regimental archives and interviewed many families of veterans to obtain a glimpse into the personalities of these soldiers. A wealth of unseen material from around the world has surfaced including stories concerning the aristocracy of the inter-war years and the previously forgotten service of the Regiment's most famous officer. This first, illustrated history of 'The Royal Wilts' will appeal to anyone with an interest in the British Army.

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The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, to give it its full name, owes its origins to the 'Pour le Merite' (Blue Max), an imperial award dating back to 1740. The Complete Knight's Cross volumes tell the story of all 7,364 men who were granted the award (including all the disputed awards). The three volumes have over 200 photos of holders of the medal and over 100 photos of their graves. Volume One deals with 1939-41 (numbers 1-1267) and is subtitled 'The Years of Victory'. Volume Two deals with 1942-43 (numbers 1268-3685) and is subtitled 'The Years of Stalemate'. Volume Three deals with 1944-45 (numbers 3686-7364) and is subtitled 'The Years of Defeat'. The recipients are listed in the order of the date of award. Each entry starts with the recipient's rank and name, followed by details of the action or actions for which they were granted the award. Other interesting facts and stories are also included for many of the awards. Burial locations, where known, are also given. Any higher awards (Oak Leaves, Swords, Diamonds and the ultimate Golden award) are also covered.

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The ancient Norwich firm of Boulton & Paul were brought into aircraft construction in 1915, and quickly became one of the great innovators. They pioneered metal construction and built the frame of the largest aircraft ever built in Britain, the R.101 airship. The Overstrand, the last of their superlative medium bombers, was the first aircraft in the world to feature a power-operated gun turret, and after their move to Wolverhampton in 1936 and change of name to Boulton Paul Aircraft their gun turrets became a vital component of the war effort, not least in their own Defiant, which fought in the Battle of Britain and was the most successful night fighter in the dark nights of the Blitz. Their post-war Balliol trainer was the World’s first single-engine turboprop and their last production aircraft, because the technology of their gun turrets was translated into their world lead as manufacturers of power operated control units, and then fly-by-wire. Becoming part of the Dowty Group and later GE Aviation, their advanced aerospace product line is now invested in the firm of Moog, still in Wolverhampton, still innovating.

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'Autogiro Pioneer' is a vivid account of the varied life and adventures of Jack Richardson (1899-1987). The book is based on his memoirs, which have been edited by his son. In the 1930s he worked for Juan de la Cierva, the inventor of the Autogiro (the forerunner of the helicopter), and was the first person to obtain a commercial pilot’s licence as an Autogiro pilot. This work involved (among other activities) several hazardous flights across Europe in all kinds of weather. In 1944 he learnt how to fly the new Sikorsky helicopters in the United States, and became the first fully-trained helicopter pilot in the British Army. In his later career with the Army and with Westland Aircraft he helped to develop the military and commercial uses of the helicopter, played a major role in the construction of the Heliport at Battersea, and was Chairman of The Helicopter Association. As a young man he had been a cavalry officer in the Ninth Lancers, and for seven years a successful orange farmer In South Africa. He was a keen racing skier and amateur painter. The book is illustrated with 100 pictures in black and white and in colour.

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This book presents a little-known aspect of America's aircraft development of World War II in emphasizing unique and non-production aircraft or modifications for the purpose of research and experimentation in support of aircraft development, advancing technology, or meeting narrow combat needs. It describes some important areas of American aviation weapons maturation under the pressure of war with emphasis on advanced technology and experimental aircraft configurations. The great value of the work is illumination of little known or minimally documented projects that significantly advanced the science of aeronautics, propulsion, aircraft systems, and ordnance, but did not go into production. Each chapter introduces another topic by examining the state-of-the-art at the beginning of the war, advantages pursued, and results achieved during the conflict. This last is the vehicle to examine the secret modifications or experiments that are little known. Consequently, this is an important single-source for a fascinating and diverse collection of wartime efforts never before brought together under a single cover. The "war stories" are those of military staffs, engineering teams, and test pilots struggling against short schedules and tight resource constraints to push the bounds of technology. These epic and sometimes life-threatening endeavors were as vital as actual combat operations.

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610 (County of Chester) Squadron was formed in February 1936 as a bomber squadron. With personnel recruited from the local area for the expanding Auxiliary Air Force, these `weekend fliers' were moulded into a cohesive fighting unit at Hooton Park, Cheshire. However, as the Second World War loomed, 610 Squadron transferred to Fighter Command, ultimately operating the iconic Supermarine Spitfire. Flying from Gravesend, 610 Squadron suffered seven pilots killed and one wounded whilst desperately protecting the Dunkirk evacuation. The Squadron then played a key role in the Battle of Britain, claiming a heavy toll on the Luftwaffe whilst operating from Biggin Hill and Hawkinge. After further tragic losses, 610's veterans moved to Acklington, Northumberland, to train replacement pilots. Despite the famous photographs of its men and aircraft during 1940, 610's valiant history remains largely unknown. This detailed book recounts their heroic story for the first time, combining the Operations Record Book with Combat Reports, pilots' Log Books, ground crew and relatives' testimonies, plus a rare interview with Wing Commander Brian Smith, a founding Squadron member who fought during 1940. Finally, this fascinating story is brought to life with many unpublished photographs from the Squadron's Association, to recognise 610 Squadron's brave sacrifice.

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In the early 1950s the United States wished to concentrate its defence resources on the development of a 4,000 mile range intercontinental ballistic missile. As a stop-gap measure, US defence chiefs hoped to assist Britain with the development of its own intermediate range missile. Despite US concerns that British resources were limited the Air Ministry nonetheless proceeded with the missile, called Blue Streak, to fulfil the operational requirement which would give Britain an independent deterrent which should remain invulnerable until the early 1970s. `Blue Streak: Britain's Medium Range Ballistic Missile' traces the path from the political decision to issue the contracts through the early development and testing both in the UK and in Australia. The reasons for the project's cancellation are considered and Blue Streak's subsequent role as the first stage of the ELDO civilian satellite launcher is noted. A requirement of the project was the need to base the missiles in underground launchers to protect them from attack. This aspect of the project is fully covered using recently available information and specially drawn plans.

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Gunter Horst Beetz was born in Berlin in 1926. Growing up as part of a typical family-his father was a banker, his mother a housewife-he joined the Hitler Youth-somewhat against his wishes-and after a short period manning anti-aircraft guns in Berlin he ultimately found himself in Normandy, fighting the Allies, where he was captured in July 1944. `A Soldier of the Reich: An Autobiography' documents one man's life in Nazi Germany. It examines what it was like to grow up alongside the rise of fascism, exploring the consequences it had on Beetz's life, including what this meant for his relationship with his Jewish girlfriend, Ruth. Beetz also relates his time as an unenthusiastic soldier fighting in Normandy, commenting on the ethics of war, his first sexual encounter with a French prostitute, and life in the sapper battalion with his and his comrades' bungling attempts at front-line soldiery. He was captured in July 1944 and then describes in illuminating detail the life of an ordinary prisoner of war in America. After two years in Pennsylvania he was transferred first for a short period in Belgium, and then to a PoW camp in Ely, England where remained until 1948. Including previously unpublished images from the author's personal collection, this first-hand account explores a perspective rarely acknowledged in discussions of the Second World War: that of an ordinary Wehrmacht soldier, detailing the beliefs and motivations that shaped him as a person.

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When Simon Cadell announced to the world that he may have only days to live, it signalled the end of a twenty-year stage career that had just seen its finest hour—winning an Olivier Award for `Travels With My Aunt’. The British public had fallen in love with the charms of Cadell as Jeffrey Fairbrother, part of the hugely successful sitcom `Hi-de-hi!’, constantly dodging the amorous advances of Ruth Madoc’s Gladys Pugh. But behind the lop-sided smile lay a man full of nerves and insecurity about the looks that ultimately defined his television career. As the hapless civil servant Mr Dundridge, in `Blott on the Landscape’ he displayed perfect incompetence played to perfection, brought to triumph by his naked escape from the clutches of Lady Maud as played by Geraldine James. Equally adept at Shakespeare and Chekhov as he was with Whitehall-style farces, Cadell’s was a highly respected stage career achieved via a relentless workload. His many appearances as Noel Coward earned him a reputation as the definitive Coward interpreter, something he had first turned his hand to at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. With access to family photographs and documentation, and sourced by numerous interviews, `Simon Cadell: The Authorised Biography’ tells for the first time the story of a fourth generation actor who oozed charm and had a zest for a life that was cut tragically short at the peak of his powers.

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Brian Cull's definitive `Fighters over Malta: Gladiators and Hurricanes 1940-1942' is a highly detailed account of the gallant band of RAF and Commonwealth pilots who flew Gladiators and Hurricanes in defence of Malta between June 1940 and April 1942, when help in the guise of Spitfires finally arrived. Most of the Hurricanes which held this tiny outpost of the British Empire in the heart of Axis-dominated territory had been flown from the decks of aircraft carriers or from bases in North Africa, while a handful of fighter pilots arrived by Sunderland flying boats or other aircraft in transit from the UK via Gibraltar. Many of these pilots were inexperienced and quickly paid the supreme price, particularly when the Messerschmitt pilots of the elite 7/JG26 arrived in Sicily in early 1941, and later in the year when more from JG53 made their presence felt. A number of important personal diaries and journals have come to light, and these have been widely quoted to provide the atmospheric background, the thoughts and the hopes of some of the Hurricane pilots who defended Malta. Not all of the diarists survived, but their impressions provide a fitting tribute to their courage, aspirations and fears. Much of the early period of the air defence of Malta is enhanced by the personal experiences of Flt Lt (then Sgt Plt) James Pickering AFC, who flew Hurricanes with 261 Squadron.

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Many bands may lay claim to inventing or popularising the term `heavy metal’, but few would deny that Black Sabbath have defined the genre in the minds of many, and have come to embody its popular image. From the `classic’ first decade with singer Ozzy Osbourne, through the Ronnie James Dio period and the oft-overlooked later albums, the Sabbath name has always been a trademark of quality, despite some less celebrated, though often fascinating, periods. To commemorate the final retirement of the band, lifelong devotee Steve Pilkington takes the reader through every song on every one of the band’s studio albums, taking in the highs and occasional lows, as well as looking at the cover artwork and stories behind the albums. He also discusses live recordings and DVD releases. The result will surely be regarded as the most exhaustive guide to the band’s music yet produced, as critical opinion rubs shoulders with facts, trivia and anecdotes to provide the ultimate guide to this legendary band. Whether you are a hard core fan, or simply want a guide to what lies beyond `Paranoid’, this book is for you.

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Imran Khan is in the spotlight once more, this time for his defiant presence on the political stage of Pakistan and not on the cricket field. Although not a beginner in politics—for he has been roaring out his public speeches for nearly two decades—but it is only now that he is being perceived as a serious contender in the country. Imran’s sporting life; his personal life and his character have always drawn much media coverage. Rising from virtually nothing, his `Pakistan Movement for Justice’ party enjoys a strong voice in the opposition. He has managed to draw huge crowds to the voting booths—an uncommon spectacle in Pakistan. His opponents hate him, not least because of the coverage he enjoys in social media. `Politeness has never been one of his virtues,’ concedes an average Nawaz Sharif faithful, rather curtly. His contemporaries may despise him for his open stage bluntness and tongue-lashing, but he undoubtedly possesses tremendous persuasive powers to bring people to his line of thinking. The youth of the nation love him, believes in him, and thereby empowers him. His ideas are revolutionary and prophetic. He remains a celebrated figure and a serious crowd puller. Imran Khan’s arduous political journey is a subject that deserves to be explored.

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The history of Soviet strategic bombers after the Second World War is a fascinating one: from the reverse-engineering of interned American Boeing B-29 bombers into the first Soviet strategic bomber, the Tu-4; to the huge jet and turbo-prop powered aircraft of today's Russian Air Force. This comprehensive history of these aircraft will deal not just with the development of aircraft that entered service, but of experimental aircraft as well, and projects that were never even built will also be explored. The service life of these bombers will be covered, including both active and retired aircraft, and their use outside of the Soviet Union, in places such as the Middle East and Afghanistan, will be described in detail. The Soviet Union built some of the first jet-powered strategic bombers, and the Tu-95 Bear, the only swept-winged turbo-prop bomber to ever enter service, remains in service to this day. Less successful aircraft, like the graceful but problem-plagued supersonic Tu-22 Blinder, and the Mach 3 Sukhoi T-4 will also be examined.

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Helene was a strong-willed princess, raised in France but closely connected with the court of Queen Victoria. After the premature end to a romance with Victoria's grandson, she married into the royal family of Italy. However, Helene began extended adventuresome trips into Africa where she became a big-game hunter, explorer and travel writer, escaping from an unhappy marriage and the boredom of court life. Her travels took her around the world, but her sense of royal duty brought her back to nurse aboard a hospital ship in Libyan waters, then to an important role as head of the Italian Red Cross nurses during the First World War while her husband headed Italy's Third Army, and her two sons served in the artillery and the navy. Afterwards, her strong Italian nationalism made her an ally to Gabriele d'Annunzio and Benito Mussolini, but the disastrous Second World War saw her grandchildren interned in Austria and her older son die as a British prisoner-of-war while she continued her charitable work in Naples. When the country voted to become a republic in 1946, Helene was the only member of the royal family allowed to remain in Italy with her second 'secret' husband.

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This book covers the design, development, production and operations of the Hawker Hurricane before, during and after the Second World War. Without the courage and perseverance of the young men from Britain and the Commonwealth, who risked their lives to beat the Luftwaffe and forestall the enemy invasion of Britain, there would not have been a 'Battle of Britain.' The Hurricane was a simple rugged metal structure that did not require expensive assembly jigs, absorbed a lot of battle damage, and was also simple to repair. Its wide-track undercarriage allowed operations from rapidly prepared grass fields, and the ultimate cannon armament and rocket projectiles could destroy both soft skin and armoured targets. Following the Battles of France and Britain, Spitfires took over much of the air-to-air interception, while Hurricanes roamed around occupied Europe destroying enemy ground targets. They operated off merchant ships on the Russian convoys and were vital in the defence of Malta.Hurricanes worked with the Soviet Air Force within the Arctic Circle, and supported the Eighth Army against the forces of Rommel in the deserts of North Africa, as well as serving with distinction in Asia.

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This is a biography of one of West Ham United's greatest ever players, and the history of the club during his time in claret and blue. During those dozen years, Len Goulden had a glittering career, and became an England star. He scored the final goal in the defeat of Germany in May 1938; the game being made infamous by the England players being obliged to give the Hitler salute prior to the kick-off. West Ham goal-keeping legend Ernie Gregory, who watched Goulden from the stands of Upton Park before signing for the club in 1936 claimed that: "We've had some great forwards over the years at West Ham but Len was the greatest-the daddy of them all. He was the one I paid my money to see...I can still see Len now-controlling the ball, he killed it instantly...Len was the tops." 'Golden Len Goulden' plucks from history a player who ranks with the best ever to wear the hammers over his heart.

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Thor: Anatomy of a Weapon System examines the technical aspects of the Thor Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile system as based in the UK during the period 1958 to 1963. Thor has a unique part to play in our Cold War heritage; it was the first operational ballistic missile system deployed in the western world and the only venture by the Royal Air Force into such a weapon system. This book describes the missile, its construction, systems and subsystems and the associated ground support equipment in detail. The guidance system, the "brain" of the missile, and as a result, the most complex of the missile's systems, is conveniently spread across two chapters, separating the airborne elements from the ground based components. The missile guidance description includes an illustrated sub section devoted to the basic principles governing the all - important gyroscopes, vital for controlled flight and navigation. Ballistics and how the properties of the earth affect the missile's flight to its target are also discussed. The ground based guidance chapter describes in detail, with accompanying drawings, the set up and alignment of the guidance system for the required target and the use of the "mysterious" theodolites. Explanations are in "plain English" and any associated mathematics is kept simple and, where possible, avoided altogether. Thor's liquid propellants are subject to inspection with an explanation of how these fuels are produced, stored on site, loaded and their associated ever - present dangers. Chapters are dedicated to the development of the re-entry vehicle (the nose cone), which gave Thor its characteristic blunt profile and to Thor's raison d'etre; the awesome 1.44-megaton warhead; its principles of operation and its terrifying effects. The launch countdown process is comprehensively covered in a series of easy to follow flow diagrams, accompanied by detailed drawings and descriptions of the launch control consoles and equipment. The launch sites are themselves examined, with a description of the surveys required, typical layout, locations, construction and security arrangements. Detailed drawings of the site buildings, made by the author, and believed not to be available elsewhere, complete the book which contains photographs, some from the author's collection, believed to be previously unpublished.

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Strafvollzugslager der SS- und Polizei: Himmler's Wartime Institutions for the Detention of Waffen-SS and Polizei Criminals is a book that Heinrich Himmler would not have wished written. Preferring that this corner of the SS history remained forever in the shadows, the existence of the SS penal system had the potential to besmirch his entire organisation. In an effort to disguise the true extent of criminality within the ranks of the Waffen-SS, the Reichsfuhrer-SS temporarily expelled those SS men incarcerated in the Strafvollzugslager der SS- und Polizei, giving the appearance that Hitler's bodyguard did not suffer the scourge of serious criminality. In unprecedented detail, this study illuminates the reasoning behind the imprisonment of Waffen-SS and policemen in purpose-built institutions, describes the regulations governing their detention and reveals the operational history of these fascinating institutions. The Waffen-SS gaols established at Dachau, Danzig-Matzkau, Forrenbach and a clutch of smaller branch prisons are the focus of this in-depth study. Composed with the assistance of veterans' families, their contribution has ensured an unparalleled presentation of the convict's daily life and enumerated the lives of those tasked with the prisons operation. Ensuring that the convict's National Socialist spirit was undamaged by their punishment, the prison guards provided the malfeasance elements of the Waffen-SS with an SS suitable environment which enabled their further use to the regime. Eventually, these institutions become portals through which inmates passed to return to the front. No book written on this subject would be complete without analysing the various Waffen-SS field probation units that accepted paroled convicts. Here, at the front, Himmler commanded that they faced death, or serious wounding as the means to earn their full rehabilitation and return to the ranks of the SS. Scrutinised as part of this process is the SS-Bewahrungsbataillone, the infamous SS-Sonderkommando Dirlewanger and the SS-Fallschirmjagerabteilung. Criminal case histories are tendered throughout this work and describe the crimes and punishments imposed on those who had brought shame on the SS.

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The first comprehensive book about Chillingham in Northumberland-its unique wild cattle, its historic castle and church, and the family associated with them since the twelfth century. Julius Caesar admired the cattle's ancestors for their brute strength, Sir Walter Scott immortalised them. They were painted by Sir Edwin Landseer and Archibald Thorburn, and depicted at their best by Thomas Bewick, the master engraver. Darwin studied them and wrote about them in the 'Descent of Man'. The historian Simon Schama described the Chillingham cattle as "the great, perhaps the greatest icon of British natural history". The Castle's history is chequered and the nobles who lived there even more so. Incest, adultery, witchcraft, torture, kingmakers and traitors, a cricketer and a cowboy are all part of its history, resulting in its modern reputation for cruel and benign ghosts still regularly seen in the castle. Founded around 1184, the country church, in its simplicity hides a fifteenth-century tomb described as "one of the finest such monuments in the country outside a cathedral". Edited by Dr Paul G. Bahn and Vera Mutimer, with a foreword by HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.

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One of the many wartime airmen who documented his day to day experiences in a diary, was RCAF navigator Jan Gellner. Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, Jan was a lawyer practicing in the Czechoslovak town of Brno. With the outbreak of hostilities on the European continent, he went to Canada and trained as an air observer on the first course of the fledgling British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Jan Gellner began his operational tour with No. 311 Czechoslovak (B) Squadron flying the venerable Vickers Wellington. It did not take long for Jan's abilities to shine, especially as an instructor in astro navigation. For his farrowing role in the attack on the German cruise Prinz Eugen, Jan received the coveted Distinguished Flying Cross. After an incredible 37 operations over occupied France and Germany, he became Operational Tour Expired. Jan was selected for pilot training and went to Canada. During his postwar service with the RCAF, he had a distinguished career as an administrative officer, retiring in 1958. Now a civilian, Jan turned to writing and became one of Canada's most knowledgeable and sought after aviation and military affairs journalist."

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The Lavochkin fighters remain little known in the West, although with the Yakovlev fighter series they were the backbone of the Red Air Force fighter force during the Second World War. The author rectifies that with this comprehensive history of these fighters. With this book he describes in great detail the three main variants of the Lavochkin fighter series during the Second World War: the only partially successful LaGG-3 inline-engined fighter, the successful radial-engined La-5 fighter, and the superb radial engined La-7 fighter, one of the best piston-engined fighter aircraft of the entire Second World War. Both the design and history of these fighters are featured, including how the mediocre inline engined LaGG-3 was turned into a top notch fighter by the replacement of the Klimov inline engine by the Shvetsov M-82 radial engine. Besides describing the wartime designs he includes a section on the postwar successors to the Second World War fighters, the completely new all metal La-9 and La-11, which saw extensive postwar service. Accurate color profiles illustrate all variants.

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The German Night Fighter force had its origins in the First World War to repel night raids and to fly long-range intruder sorties. They developed operational procedures which became largely forgotten a few years after the Armistice. The Western Allies, Britain and France, maintained and improved night-fighting tactics, but the creators of the new Luftwaffe did not at first think about night fighting at all and during the building up of the service and it received only cursory attention in the first large-scale war games held in November 1934. This changed in 1936 and the results of some exercises were set down in a secret study prepared for the Air District school in November of that year. After the onset of War, and the British and French night attacks on the western area of the Reich, night-fighting became more of a priority. As a consequence of the urgent necessity the Luftwaffe developed sophisticated techniques including basic cooperation and coordination and the increased use of electronic systems.Gebhard Aders study of the History of the German Night Fighter Force is a highly detailed analysis with numerous appendices which provides a comprehensive account of the Luftwaffe s thoroughness right up to the end when the hunters became the hunted. "

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* A band of Nazi archaeologists on a secret mission to Tibet* Others searching for Atlantis the 'home of the Nordic race'* Excavations in Czechoslovakia to find 'Germanic culture'* Sacred Sanskrit texts as keys to Nordic roots and Ancient Indian civilizationDuring the 1930s, in the build up to World War II, the Nazis established a band of specialists, the SS-Ahnenerbe, under the command of Heinrich Himmler and Hermann Wirth. Their aim was nothing less than to prove the superiority of the Aryan race, and with it the unique right of the German people to rule Europe. The occult figured as a key feature in many of these increasingly desperate quack "research" efforts. Part "science," part espionage, and part fantasy. Archaeological expeditions were sent to Iceland, Tibet, Kafiristan, North Africa, Russia, the Far East, Egypt, and even South America and the Arctic.The Nazi "Ancestral Heritage Society's" chief administrator was Dr. Wolfram Sievers, who cruelly conducted medical experiments on prisoners in concentration camps, and was responsible for the looting of historic artefacts considered "Germanic" for "return" to Germany.He rewarded those academics that took part with high military office, whilst those academics who contradicted or criticized the SS-Anenerbe were carted off to concentration camps where they faced certain death. This book tells the true history of the real life villains behind the Indiana Jones movies. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction!

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Pure salt water courses through Nick Ardley's veins: he was brought up on a Thames spritsail barge and 'sailed' the high seas on ocean going ships. For many years he's weaved his way through the Thames estuary's tidal creeks and rivers, mostly aboard his clinker sloop, exploring, noting and investigating, with his mate beside him.The estuary of the Thames is a world of constant flux. It is an artery of modern commerce and archaeology of past industry peppers its rivers and creeks. Flooded islands have become the domain of myriads of birds, nesting on hummocks of saltings and feeding on mud flats. Rotting wharves festooned with bladder wrack alive with life, the time worn ribs of barges the perch for cormorants. Around all of that, man has created new uses for disused lime, cement and brick docks. Boatyards, marinas and waterside housing have emerged like a water born phoenix from industrial ashes.Wending in and out of this, Nick Ardley weaves his magic, commenting.Beneath Whimbrel's swinging lamp he muses about old souls, the relationship of humble spritsail barge and shoal draft yachts, but all along he is alive with enthusiasm for the environment in this little corner of England...

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The diary of a Cotswold parson, from 1820 to 1852, throws new light on to a fascinating period of English social history. It was just before the railways made travel faster, and we are astonished how well the Reverend F. E. Witts manages to commute from Upper Slaughter to Gloucester on his horse or in his carriage.He is a shrewd observer and notices how the fashionable world behaves as he passes through Cheltenham, and how the building of the town progresses. For the first time we discover that John Forbes the architect of the beautiful Pittville Pump-room was sentenced for fraud to transportation for life, even though it was subsequently commuted to a few years in prison.Witts may not savour each unique experience to the same extent as the diarist parson Kilvert did later in the century; but he had far wider and more interesting contacts. His references, for instance, to the widow of Warren Hastings, to Dr Jenner, to the bibliophile Sir Thomas Phillipps, the philanthropist Samuel Warneford, or to Bishops Monk, enable us to form much more complete pictures of these historical figures. Reading the diary is an enjoyable experience for anyone; but particularly for those who love Gloucestershire.

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The Last Decade of British Trolleybuses in Colour covers the general demise of the British trolleybus from 1961 to 1972 when the last Bradford trolleybus entered the Thornbury Works for the final time on 26 March 1972. Gripped by a fascination of trolleybuses, John Bishop and Malcolm Keeping decided to capture the vehicles on both cine-film and colour transparencies. Having seen the demise of their 'home town trolleybuses', both authors travelled the country photographing the remaining trolleybus systems, including the capital cities of Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow and London. The photographs not only capture the vast array of colours of the vehicles, but the changing scene of the so called 'Swinging Sixties' when attitudes relaxed dramatically. Since these colourful days, the scene has changed even more so when the local government in the Seventies altered municipal operations becoming companies and many changed names or disappeared altogether. Therefore, this book records far more than just the demise of the trolleybuses, but changes in society as well.

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The Lion and the Rose tells the story of an infantry battalion in the Great War. Based on many unpublished sources, the book narrates the individual parts played by nearly 2,000 of those who served with the 4th King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment from the day that war was declared in 1914 until the armistice in 1918 and in a few cases, the stories of men whose war continued long afterwards. The battalion first saw action in Festubert in May 1915 and went on to fight on the Somme, the Ypres Salient and Gillemont Farm, though the battalion's epic stand at Givenchy on 9 April 1918 must rate as one of the greatest defensive actions of the war. Using contemporary combat reports, many of the major actions are described down to individual platoon level. The Lion and the Rose does not just concentrate on the major battles, but also examines everyday life in the trenches. Appendices give the most complete battalion roll to date and list those awarded medals for their bravery and also those nominated unsuccessfully for recognition.

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Railway photography has never been more popular. Good quality images, once only achievable with expensive professional hardware, are now within everyone's reach. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced photographer wanting to broaden your horizons, Digital Railway Photography: A Practical Guide will help you get the best from your camera with clear advice and how to avoid common pitfalls. Whether you have an entry level compact camera or an all-singing high-end digital SLR, you will find no nonsense advice and practical tips. Digital Railway Photography: A Practical Guide is written by Jeremy de Souza, a British railway photographer with almost 40 years of experience. From mastering the basic camera controls to more advanced techniques such as panning, time exposures and creative projects, this essential book will help and guide you. You will also find advice on how to save your images securely in the digital age and make simple adjustments in order to present them at their very best. For those with film collections, you will also find advice on how to get the best results from scanning.

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The author came to London from Lancashire as a nine-year old, having developed an interest in buses and trams at a very early age. He remained in south-west London for the next forty-five years. As a young teenager he took up locospotting, joining a small group of fellow enthusiasts who met regularly by the lineside at Clapham Junction, and avidly followed this hobby for roughly ten years. For the first half of that decade, his hobby was centred largely close to London because of age and money restrictions, and his trips further afield were rare. In this book, he describes his experiences: visiting stations, lineside watching, bunking sheds, and making more official trips to depots and works. He gives us a spotters-eye view of the changes to British Railways at the time: new steam locomotives still arriving; the early days of the Modernisation Plan; and seeing elderly locomotives at the end of their service life. Towards the end of this period, he acquired his first camera and uses these photographs to illustrate his exploits in the early years of his hobby.

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At the end of 1912 Jacques Schneider announced his intention of presenting an annual trophy for an international seaplane contest. There were only twelve Schneider contests but they were major international events with the major rivals being Britain and Italy, followed by France and the US. Biplane seaplanes and flying-boats predominated the early contests and some very advanced twin-float biplanes were among the winners as late as 1925. However, it was the monoplane which was to become the symbol of Schneider Trophy, with Supermarine and Macchi designs reaching the peak of racing seaplane performance. The final winning combination of Supermarine airframe and Rolls-Royce engine was to make a vital contribution to Britain's defence in 1940 in the form of the Rolls-Royce powered Hurricane and Spitfire. This book records the contests and, in considerable detail, the design, development and achievements of the participating aircraft; those which failed to take part; and the projects, some of which embodied very advanced ideas even if they were proved to be unrealistic.

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This is the story, in words and pictures, of Blind Veterans UK, an organization that was founded 100 years ago by Sir Arthur Pearson, who was himself blind, during the First World War, in order to bring hope and practical help to British and Allied servicemen blinded in the service of their country. It also tells of how light from the torch which Pearson lit in 1915 spread to all corners of the earth, to which his beloved St Dunstaners returned, having 'graduated' from the mother organization in Regent's Park - for example, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa. Herewith are accounts of the lives of many St Dunstaner's/Blind Veterans, who each in his or her unique way, triumphed over blindness, together with a unique collection of photographs, including those provided by Blind Veteran's UK, by the Pearson family, and by the families of St Dunstaners throughout the world. And this includes the story of my own grandfather, Thomas Waldin, who was himself a St Dunstaner.

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This is the story of former PR pilot Flight Lieutenant James Elwyn Storey and his epic flight across the Atlantic Ocean in Spitfire PR XI LV-NMZ. Starting with his operations in North East Africa, he moves on to cover his daring PR sorties over occupied Europe and Met Flights over the North Sea. This work also covers the preparation for his flight.

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The Battles of Coronel and the Falklands: British Naval Campaigns in the Southern Hemisphere 1914-1915 tells the story of British cruiser warfare and naval strategy in the Southern Atlantic in 1914 and 1915. This was the last naval campaign that was fought by surface warships without the intrusion of modern technology such as aircraft, submarines, mines, etc. German commerce raiders had been at large in the southern oceans since the declaration of war on 4 August 1914 and it was imperative that British forces should hunt and destroy them before they caused untold damage to British trade.The campaign to bring a German squadron to battle met with disaster (the Battle of Coronel) before final victory at the Falklands Islands. Individual raiders like the Emden, Dresden and Konigsburg were also hunted and destroyed in a fascinating series of actions where bravery and courage were displayed by both sides.

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The immediate post-VJ-Day period of RAF history is often consigned to be little more than a footnote in most published accounts. In this first detailed look at the RAF in the Middle and Far East regions in the three years following the end of the war, the RAF's role in stemming the flow of immigrants into Palestine and flying whilst under terrorist attack in Palestine is examined. Further chapters highlight the RAF's roles in Iraq, Cyprus and flying strike missions over Aden, and then look at the RAF's operations over India including some of the first humanitarian airdrops for which the RAF became famous. Attention is then turned to the RAF's return to the Malayan peninsular and how the RAF became embroiled in the beginnings of the Malayan Emergency. Finally, Rapid Rundown: RAF Operations East of Suez 1945-1948 looks at the RAF's involvement beyond the boundaries of the Empire with Spitfires flying over Siam, French Indo-China and Japan, and how it flew combat operations in the Dutch East Indies. The book is copiously illustrated with many unpublished images and is enlivened by many RAF veterans' first-hand and eyewitness accounts.

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Here is the remarkable story of the foreigners who volunteered to join the guerrilla war against Germans and Fascists in Second World War Italy. The fighters included Britons, Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Americans, Russians, Poles and Yugoslavs. Most were escaped prisoners of war who fled their camps after the Italian armistice and surrender in September 1943. From the summer of 1944 the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) built on information from their compatriots in enemy territory to send in agents to help arm and train the partisans and to coordinate airdrops. Against the backdrop of twenty months of savage warfare on the mainland, this is the full story of the Allied servicemen who took part in the Italian Resistance, which became one of the greatest insurgent movements in Western Europe. Partisan forces hit enemy communications, tied down seven German divisions and provided tactical support for the Allied armies. 'Among the Italian Partisans' is a celebration of brave men and great events.

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In 1943, the Norwegian forces formed No. 333 Squadron-their third detachment to fly under RAF command. One of its Flights was equipped with de Havilland's modern wonder, the Mosquito, and among its pilots was twenty-one year- old Finn Eriksrud. Mosquito Attack! A Norwegian RAF Pilot at War charts his escape from occupied Norway, his travels across the world, his bomber training in Canada, and the reconnaissance and patrol missions he flew over his homeland. By December 1943, all of the original pilots of Finn's squadron had died, either in flying accidents or shot down around the Scandinavian Peninsula. That winter, Finn would himself be forced to bail out over the coast of Norway. He was captured and later imprisoned by the German Luftwaffe in Lower Silesia, and spent the rest of the war as a POW in Stalag Luft III Bellaria. In spite of thoughts of escape, Finn was only able leave the camp when the Germans abandoned it in early 1945. Tor Idar Larsen's narrative is a compelling and well-researched interpretation of Finn Eriksrud's original memoirs, written upon his return to Norway after the war.The result is a unique perspective on the Second World War: it offers fresh insight, not only into the experiences of a Mosquito pilot, but also into the friendships, personal development, and adventures of a young man far from home.

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Zero to Hero is unique in that it tells the story of Victor Roe, one of the longest- serving RAF rear gunners with The Pathfinders and in so doing, plots the rise of an 'institutionalised' lad from a Boys' Home to a well-respected bomber aircrew member amongst peers, who were an elite group of top class airmen and who all of whom had a far better start in life than he did. In stories such as this, it is not uncommon to find the words 'humble beginning' describing the start in life that someone had. In Victor's case a humble beginning would have been a huge step up from where he started his short, but astonishingly praiseworthy life. One of nine children born to two impoverished alcoholics-all of whom were removed by the courts from their parent's custody by the age of two-is hardly the start that would be attributed to a hero of the RAF, but that was how Victor started. Victor was always determined that with the advent of war, he would do his bit for his country, no one can deny that he did that and more.

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Neolithic Horizons investigates some of our most remarkable and iconic archaeological sites: the great public monuments at Stonehenge and Avebury and others like them and places them within their landscape context-the rolling chalklands of Wessex. Rightly famous the world over, these monuments are complemented by less well-known, contemporary, foci such as the earthen circles at Knowlton, in Dorset, or Marden, in Wiltshire and seen to be part of an earth-shifting tradition that extended right across the region and traced back to our very earliest monuments, long barrows and causewayed enclosures. After Stonehenge, the tradition continued with the construction of enormous numbers of circular burial mounds along the river valleys and hillsides. Indeed, few other regions in Europe can match the scale and intensity of development at these ceremonial complexes. These locations, places of ritual, must nevertheless be viewed as part of a wider landscape; one where features of the land are continually changing according to the influence of local inhabitants.Whilst charting a remarkable archaeological legacy, this book reveals the developing landscape of grassland, settlements and fields; the product of the early farming communities who lived their lives in the shadow of the monuments.

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Roman Women uses numerous primary sources to explore the lives of Rome's most influential women. It is not simply another lurid and sensational catalogue of scandalous sexual outrages; these all feature, but they are balanced by careful analysis of female role models such as Lucretia, Verginia, and Cornelia. This volume examines the effect these women had on contemporary politics and society, and how far their actions reflected and affected other women in the Roman world. The women here displayed a wide range of characteristics: they could be devoted wives and mothers, intelligent, charismatic, ambitious, obtrusive, powerful, permissive, adulterous, manipulative, evil, cruel, dangerous, and (often) dead before their time. Nevertheless, they had one thing in common-they all made an indelible mark on one of the most powerful civilisations the world has ever known.

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Formed in 1916, 41 Squadron is one of the oldest Royal Air Force squadrons in existence. The unit saw service in the First World War, on Policing Duties in the Aden Protectorate during the 1930s, throughout the Second World War, and more recently in the First Gulf War and Yugoslavia. Until now, however, its History has not been written. Following the success of Blood, Sweat and Valour, focusing on the period August 1942 to May 1945, Blood, Sweat and Courage now completes the narrative of 41 Squadron's Second World War activity, concentrating on its operations between September 1939 and July 1942. Author Steve Brew recounts the unit's role within battles, operations, and larger strategies, and details experiences made by the pilots and ground crew participating in them. The Squadron's actions are often revealed for the first time, through records that have previously not been available. Brew evokes the feeling of the period, portraying not only a factual account but also one that captures the colour of life on a Second World War fighter squadron, with a balance between material of a documentary nature and narrative action, intertwining fact with personal recollections, serious events with humour, and sobering statistics with poignant afterthought.

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Theodore 'Tiger' Flowers rose above the racist bigotry of the Deep South to become the first African-American middleweight champion of the world. To do it, this Christian family man beat a boxing legend, Harry Greb, in the first of the great sporting cathedrals, Madison Square Garden. It was a victory that stunned the sporting world and made him a household name. Yet within a year he had lost his championship on a decision some said was influenced by Al Capone - and within another year was dead, following a seemingly innocuous operation, in the clinic of a controversial surgeon, to remove lumps and scars above his eyes. Was his death, at the age of 34, an accident, a result of negligence, or something more sinister? And what was behind his white manager's attempt to throw Tiger's widow into an asylum and their daughter into an orphanage? Flowers' inspiring, harrowing story, set against an horrific backdrop of lynchings and routine prejudice, is largely forgotten now but he paved the way for black sporting heroes like Joe Louis, Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson.

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Agatha Christie was the most famous female crime writers of all time, and yet in December 1926 when she was 35 years old, became the subject of a mystery: her disappearance for a period of eleven days. Questions arose such as why did she abandon her motorcar on such a bitterly cold winter's night with her fur coat inside it? Why did Christie adopt a false name and claim that she originated from Cape Town, South Africa? Why did she not recognise either a photograph of her own daughter or husband when she was finally reunited with him? Some accused her of playing a deliberate hoax on the police in an attempt to generate publicity as a crime writer. Others declared that this was an attempt to embarrass her unfaithful husband Archie (whom she knew was about to leave her) and gain sympathy at the same time. But was there another far more profound reason for her behaviour whereby she became the innocent victim of circumstances completely beyond her control? Norman agrees with the "Fugue state" theory, suggesting that she had no conscious knowledge of her actions. All this and more can be revealed for the first time in Andrew Norman's gripping Agatha Christie: The Disappearing Novelist.

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With dramatic and previously unpublished images, Steam in the North: Railways in the 1960s across the North of England is more than just a book of record. It places an emphasis on what it felt like to be there - the emotions, sounds and impressions that this poignant period triggered. Also included are recollections of the challenges faced by enthusiasts ranging from the discouraging attitudes of railway staff to the hair-raising experiences of the ambitious hitchhiker. Complementing the author's previous books on steam power in the North East, this book covers the Midland and West Coast mainlines, as well as Lancashire and Yorkshire as British Railways' working steam fleet approached its inevitable end. The images look at the environment for working steam in its final months - the empty fells and rainy platforms, the gritty outline, hard-working freight as well as express passenger services. They will bring back nostalgic memories for those who remember the railway network in the 1960s, but also appeal to those who enjoy dramatic scenes of the Pennines and the industrial parts of northern England.

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British Aircraft Manufacturers since 1909 traces one hundred years of the British aviation industry, its history, origins, mergers and takeovers. It details the evolution of the British aviation industry and is an epitaph to household famous names such as Armstrong-Whitworth, de Havilland, Chadwick, Claude-Graham White, Sopwith, A. V. Roe, Mitchell, Hawker, Handley Page, Petter and Fairey to name but a few. Of more recent times, the likes of Sidney Camm, Hooker and Hooper, all of whom, made VTOL more than just a dream, are also covered in astonishing and exhausting detail. Of the major firms, most at some time or other have been absorbed, merged or reorganised to form a single conglomerate, BAe Systems and Rolls-Royce are chronicled from the outset to the mighty companies they are today. Only PBN-Britten Norman - who on several occasions escaped extinction due to financial difficulties - and Westland, now part of AgustaWestland, and Short Bros of Northern Ireland remain independent, although even the latter, are part of Canadian, Bombardier Co. British Aircraft Manufacturers since 1909 tells the complete and enthralling story of how Britain ruled the world in terms of manufacturing and aircraft design from nimble but fragile biplanes and majestic airliners that united the world to the advanced bombers and fighters of today.

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