Search results for ""Author John Knight""

The British Legion was one of the most remarkable regiments, not only of the American Revolution, but of any war. A corps made up of American Loyalists, it saw its first action in New York and then engaged in almost every key battle in the Southern colonies. Led by a twenty-four-year old libertine who purchased his commission to escape enormous gambling debts, the Legion gained notoriety for its hard-hitting tactics. Excelling in "special operations," they frequently overwhelmed the Continental forces they fought, becoming the most feared British regiment of the war. Banastre Tarleton and the Americans he led have always been characterized as brutal, immoral villains-most recently in the movie, The Patriot. But this study subverts our pre-conceived notions of patriotism during the American Revolution. The men who filled the Legion's ranks were not weak-willed collaborators or treacherous renegades, but free men as motivated by conscience as the Patriots they battled. Few were wealthy. None had a vested stake in the British Government. Each believed that in defending the Crown, they were upholding the rule of law and preserving individual liberty. These men followed Banastre Tarleton clear across America for years, sacrificing not only their families and homes but, in many instances, their lives. Self-interest could not have persuaded them to do this. Patriotism and fidelity did. Relying on first-hand accounts-letters, diaries, and journals-War at Saber Point: Banastre Tarleton and the British Legion is the enthralling story of those forgotten Americans and the young Englishman who led them.

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‘North-east the Firth, a bracelet merging with mist; south-west the Pentlands, sharply defined. Directly opposite, the Castle. A sudden gust makes me lose my footing. Gulls slip past, eyeing us disdainfully.’ – from From Arthur’s Seat The history and character of Edinburgh infuse every piece in Stewart Conn’s new collection. Stewart’s poems, paired with John Knight’s beautifully detailed illustrations evoke the spirit of the city and its unique aspects. Knight’s pieces are not simply illustrative. The poems and illustrations complement and enhance each other, showing us how the essence of the city infuses every stone.

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The Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1953-58 organised and led by Sir Vivian Fuchs and supported by Sir Edmund Hillary was one of the most extraordinary exploits ever undertaken in Antarctica - but it has been underappreciated. On the sixtieth anniversary of the crossing, this book tells the complete story of this remarkable episode in the history of exploration. The Crossing is illustrated with photographs from the Royal Geographical Society, with the kind permission of Mary Lowe, widow of expedition photographer George Lowe, and from Peter and Sarah Hillary and the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Sir Ernest Shackleton had tried unsuccessfully to cross the Antarctic in 1914. He called it the Last Great Journey, but he and his men escaped by the skin of their teeth. The new post-war expedition was therefore, with knowledge of what had gone before, a brave attempt to conquer the vast frozen continent. For this historic endeavour, planning had to be done at opposite ends of the Earth, in the UK and New Zealand, and members of the expedition were drawn from the Commonwealth. The plan was meticulous but flawed, and the stakes were high: national, political and scientific interests all depended on its success. John Knight's account shows how the expedition was organised, from the scientific insight it relied on, to the voyage to Antarctica and the choice of the largely mechanised transport intended to carry the men across the ice desert - though the courageous dog teams would be crucial as pathfinders. Survival at times was touch and go, and controversies arose amid the pressure of the journey. This book not only provides a technical insight into a ground-breaking venture but touches on the human aspects of the challenge. Crucially, did Ed Hillary exceed his remit by pushing on south, when his specific instructions were to establish depots for ‘Bunny’ Fuchs’s journey, not to engage in a ‘Second Race to the Pole’? The Crossing charts a unique event in postwar history.

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This under-documented expedition was a pivotal moment in the annals of polar exploration and was the starting point, in historical terms, of revealing the great unknown continent of Antarctica. It was the first time in nearly 70 years since Captain James Cook had circumnavigated Antarctica, that a Royal Naval voyage of discovery had ventured so far South. They set a new 'furthest south' record in the process beating the one set up by James Weddell in a whaling ship in 1823. The expedition set sail from Greenwich in 1839. It consisted of two wooden sailing ships commanded by Captain James Clark Ross and Commander Francis Crozier. The ships were manned exclusively by Royal Naval personnel and each ship had a complement of 64 men and officers. Their primary task was of a scientific nature to study the Earth's magnetic field and build up a set of results that could provide a greater understanding of the effects of magnetism on compasses and their use in navigating the world's oceans. This voyage had a set of planned targets and all were accomplished. In the process a vast amount of scientific information was collected. Many exotic places were visited during the voyage amongst them Madeira, St Helena, Cape Town, Kerguelen island, New Zealand, Australia and the Falkland Islands but the pinnacle was the discovery of the Ross Sea, The Ross Ice Shelf and the mighty volcanoes of Erebus and Terror (named after the two ships). The crews experienced the dangers of navigating in ice-strewn waters and narrowly escaping being crushed by icebergs. Illness was kept at bay although several lives were lost due to accidents. It would be another 60 years before the scenes of their greatest discoveries were visited again and then the Golden Age of Discovery was ushered in with the likes of Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen.

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