Search results for ""Pen Sword Books Ltd""

Following the end of the First World War, many countries experienced economic decline. Unemployment, high inflation, low wages and poor working conditions led to widespread unrest. This manifested itself in the rise of powerful militaristic leaders, first in Italy where fascism was born, and then in Germany and elsewhere. The policies of the likes of Mussolini and Hitler were hugely popular, and fascism was seen by many as a viable political alternative to democracy.To some degree, these ideals also gained traction in the UK where some individuals in and among the elite of British society believed fascism was the way forward for the country. This is fully explored in Hitler's British Nazis which traces the evolution of extreme right-wing opinion from the turn of the century right through to the end of the Second World War. In particular it looks at the way British fascism developed its own character due to Britain having been on the winning side during the First World War.Early fascist

Read more less

Allied air power made a major, arguably decisive, contribution to victory in The Second World War both in the European and Pacific theatres.The cost in men and machines was horrific with Bomber Command suffering 50% air crew casualties. While many perished, others shot down over enemy territory or water survived only after overcoming extraordinary danger and hardship. Their experiences often remained untold not just for the duration of the War but for many years.The author has gathered together a wealth of unpublished stories from airmen of many nationalities, be they British, Commonwealth or American. Some involve avoiding or escaping from capture, others surviving against all the odds, braving extreme elements and defying death from wounds, drowning or starvation.Importantly the accounts of those who survived the battle in the skies cheating the enemy and the grim reaper give the reader a chilling insight into the fate of the many thousands of brave young men who were not so fortunat

Read more less

Over two evenings in March 1912, more than 250 women old and young, rich and poor, strong and delicate were arrested and charged with using hammers and stones to smash the windows of shops and offices across London.The youngest amongst them was 19-year-old teenager glass-breaker and Kent working maid, Ethel Violet Baldock, whilst the eldest was 79-year-old Mrs Hilda Eliza Brackenbury, owner of suffragette safe house, Mouse Castle, in Campden Hill Square.These two evenings would later become known asthe Women's Social and Political Union's window smashing Great Militant Protest. The protest, driven by WSPU leader Emmeline Pankhurst, was against the government and their refusal to include women in their reform bill, which would give women the right to vote. Secret Missions of the Suffragettesexamines these two evenings in great detail, before going on to explore ''behind the scenes'' of the movement; the safe houses and rest homes used by the history-shaping women involved, together wi

Read more less

Behind Everest embarks on a captivating exploration that intertwines the remarkable life of Ruth Mallory, wife of legendary Everest climber George Mallory, with a parallel journey a century later. Through examining Ruth's attitude to danger a century ago, Kate Nicholson explores our evolving attitudes towards risk and responsibility. Kate's quest to understand Ruth takes her to forgotten corners of archives in the UK and USA, to conversations with the few remaining people who knew both George and Ruth and into private recollections and precious, private collections. Using two decades of research, the author unveils the real story behind Ruth and George Mallory's marriage, shedding light on George's relationships with women such as Jelly d'Aranyi, Mary Ann O'Malley, and Stella Cobden-Sanderson. Stella, like Ruth, hailed from Arts and Crafts royalty,' both women were daughters of strong feminists but only Ruth chose to climb. Ruth was a natural and accomplished climber, a founder mem

Read more less

Air-conditioning is one of those universal modern conveniences whose origins are entirely unknown to the general public. Online sources credit the first commercial system to the American Willis Carrier in 1902 but this is not true. The first workable machine was patented four years earlier by Alexander Stewart, a Scottish marine engineer, who called his invention the Thermotank. It offered a massive improvement in comfort for passengers and was rapidly adopted by the shipping industry, eventually equipping many of the greatest liners of their day like _Lusitania_ and _Mauretania_. From these beginnings Alexander and his brothers William and Frederick Stewart built an immensely successful engineering firm with subsidiaries in America, Africa, Australia and Europe. Based on Clydeside, its fortunes were always closely linked to the shipbuilding industry, but with the slump at the end of the First World War the company was forced to look to other markets. At this point Alexander came up

Read more less

Children in War is a story about vulnerable and helpless children at the mercy of bloodthirsty pompous leaders, who perpetually endanger them through bloody conflicts. It is about courage and survival against apparently overwhelming odds; a childhood in the shadow of continual war and severe poverty, under the terrifying threat of war, relentless danger, and fear. Children who find themselves living in constant anxiety, unable to play freely in their own yard for fear of sirens and shells. This is the story of millions of children around the world who are trapped in war zones, spending days and nights in shelters, instead of enjoying their days in schools and parks. Innocent children, who were forced to live in extreme deprivation due to the depletion of the state budget caused by the war efforts. Children who suffer from severe emotional and psychological trauma and frequently witness images and situations that will remain forever in their memory. The following story is based on rea

Read more less

_Spying on the Kremlin_ details the background and unintentional turning points in what has been an eventful life. Mike Murtagh has had a gun stuck in his face, been seconds from a mid-air collision, been struck by lightning in an aircraft, made two emergency landings, had a sniper-sight trained on him, been the target of at least one honeytrap, nearly bled to death in India, been threatened by people working for the Azeri Mafia, worked on a movie with three Oscar-winners and may have inadvertently eaten someone. It's a memoir of a working-class boy in an unlikely life journey from austere 1950s South Wales to the political theatre of The Kremlin and beyond via service as an RAF Officer and as a Diplomat. His experiences of living and working in Russia has given him valuable insights into the Russian psyche, as well as the workings and capabilities of the Russian military which still have currency and relevance. Given his humble origins, none of this was ever supposed to have happe

Read more less

Travis Harman, a young skater punk from the small farming town of Hughesville, PA has never had a close relationship with his father, Dean, but after 9/11 shakes the nation, Travis and Dean enlist in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard together. Shortly after joining, Travis begins to have second thoughts and devises a plan to leave the Army. Once back in Hughesville, he realizes the only way he'll ever gain his father's acceptance is to enlist, and so he reverses course and joins again. This time, now fully committed, Travis endures rigorous basic and advanced training at Fort Benning and Fort Gordon, Georgia. Just as advanced training ends, Dean helps Travis get work at Fort Indiantown Gap supporting the training of troops preparing to deploy. As Travis prepares to head back to Hughesville, Dean calls informing him that father and son will be deploying to Afghanistan together. Travis and Dean deploy to Afghanistan in December of 2008, heading to Fort Bragg, North Carolina first. A

Read more less

When the Nazis came to power in January 1933, they began a programme of transforming Germany from a democracy into a totalitarian state, but it was not a matter of simply enforcing compliance. The people had to be coaxed into believing in the new regime. Hearts and minds had to be won over and one of the ways the Nazis did that was to create an ideal of German nationhood in which everyone could feel proud. This was especially the case with art, which came to be used as a powerful tool of propaganda both to disseminate the myth amongst the population and indicate to the Nazi administrators the sort of cultural environment they should create. It was not an easy thing to do. While the nation was being re-created as a dynamic, modern, and powerful industrial giant, all the signals coming from Hitler indicated that his own idyllic view of the German nation was of a traditional, rural people deep-rooted in a romantic-mystical aesthetic. Hitler's own experience as an artist in Vienna befo

Read more less

This book offers families a cherry picked selection of Alice and Karen's tried and tested art projects with clear instructions on how to make them at home. They reveal their top tips for creating stunning art work that parents and children will want to keep and display (rather than consign to the recycling bin)! All the projects use a household item as the starting point, making the activities largely accessible. Within this framework the book is organised into sections according to the time scale of the project to help families make the most of the time they have available beginning with shorter projects. A comprehensive but affordable kit list is part of the introduction and includes many items families will already own. Along with a basic kit list Alice and Karen spill a few in house secrets about their go-to materials for maximum impact and a professional finish. Plastic materials are kept to a minimum. Let's Make Art champion sustainable, recycled art projects with their home based starting point for projects. This craft book for children and their families is a unique addition to the market as it elevates children's art to the status it deserves by showing children how to achieve bold work with a professional finish. The projects are cheeky, flamboyant and have their own very particular style, especially the costumes and wearable artwork. Having worked for galleries, libraries and restaurants Let's Make Art have amassed an array of art projects that avoid messy clearing up for parents and children.

Read more less

The British were at the forefront of railway development for the first fifty years of the nineteenth century. Railway Empire tells the story of how the British gave railways to the world, not only in the empire, but also in other countries outside areas of direct influence. It is often forgotten today that the British were responsible for the construction and management of a large proportion of the railways constructed in Africa, South America and Australasia not to mention many thousands of miles of mileage in Asia, India, Malaya, Burma, China and Japan. This book looks at the political, economic and technical aspects of this development, which made Britain a country at the forefront of this form of transport.

Read more less

'Ashley Jackson The Yorkshire Artist' contains a collection of paintings that have been personally chosen by the artist to bring together his personal memories and intimate reflections of the emotions and atmosphere that he has captured in each watercolour painting. As he explains, 'All artists paint what inspires them, what allows them to capture what they see with their eyes with their hands and heart. We all have differing inspirations, mediums and connections with our subject mine is the Yorkshire Moors.' From the open moorland of Marsden Moor to the inhabited landscape of Whitby, this book brims with what Ashley does best; capturing the atmospheric skies and drama of the landscape. As Ashley explains, 'I have strived throughout my life to witness and portray every mood swing of nature as she takes a stand against all that the elements throw at her, whether that be rain, wind, snow or fire.' You will truly find Ashley Jackson and his 'Yorkshire Mistress', as he calls the Yorkshire landscape, laid bare in these stunning paintings.

Read more less

From the Dunkirk evacuation, Sussex became a front-line County and a likely invasion area if the German's launched their feared attack. This book takes an in depth look at the fortification of the County, the plight of the evacuees who were hurriedly moved from London to escape the threat of the capital being bombed and who were re-evacuated when German air attacks caused much damage and loss of life. The Luftwaffe's tip and run raids were particularly feared. Many thousands of Canadian troops were stationed in Sussex, from where they launched the disastrous raid on Dieppe. Sussex was also heavily involved in the build up to D Day and suffering badly from the much feared Doodlebugs, Hitler's revenge weapon.When victory was secured in 1945 Sussex celebrated as Prisoners of War came home and soldiers, sailors and airmen were demobbed. _Sussex at War 1939-1945_ also looks at the role played by the civilian population, voluntary organisations and the spirit of defiance which swept the County. If you are interested in wartime Sussex history, local history of the second world war or Britain's war effort and life on the home front, then this is the book for you.

Read more less

Inside the Roman Legions aims to tell the story of the Roman soldier through a holistic, empathetic examination of what the experience of military service in the Middle Republic was really like. It traces real examples of soldiers described in the ancient sources to reveal how they travelled, how they were organized and what campaign objectives they faced. Specifically, the author follows the ordinary soldier Spurius Ligustinus, whose life is related by the historian Livy, as an example, detailing the experiences of his career. The book begins by discussing the young future soldier's background and what military values were conveyed to him through the prevailing culture of the time. It then follows him through a range of potential experiences, examining camp conditions and training with various types of weapons and armour, and proceeds to take the reader through the experience of fighting in a pitched battle step by step. It also addresses experiences that only some soldiers would have

Read more less

'Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in York' reveals that behind York's gentile fa?ade hides a dark past. Once England's second city, it is built on a thousand years of bloodshed, from war to noble rebellion, death has tracked the city's footsteps.The foul deeds and suspicious deaths that are included in these pages, start with the details of the early history of punishment in York and close with the city's only unsolved murder. From 1800-1946 covers the period that saw York slide from Georgian splendor to an overpopulated, seething walled slum, before re-emerging after World War Two. 'Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in York' tells the story of some of the city's darkest moments: from Hanging Bishops to Sweet Toothed Poisoners; Insane Arsonists to Murder of the most foul kind.Take a journey into the darker and unknown side of your area as you read 'Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in York'.

Read more less

In his 1945 report to the Combined Chiefs-of-Staff on the success of Operation `Overlord', the Supreme Commander General Eisenhower wrote that `on the morning of June 9 I was able to announce that for the first time since 1940, Allied air forces were operating from France, and that within three weeks of D-Day, 31 Allied squadrons were operating from the beach-head bases'. In their forecasts for the first three months following D-Day, the planners plotted the number of the advanced landing grounds that would be required in Normandy to support the Allied air forces up to September 1944. Using maps and aerial photographs, individual sites were surveyed and plans drawn up so that when each location was captured, either US Aviation Engineers, the Royal Engineers or RAF Airfield Construction Wings, could move in without delay to begin work to build them. This book tells the story of every airfield that became operational by D+90, explaining the methods used to construct them and the units that flew from them. The vast majority of the temporary airstrips have now been returned to the farmland from which they came, but by using engineers' plans from the period and modern aerial photographs, we have portrayed the sites in true After the Battle fashion: as they were then and as they are today.

Read more less

The Battles for Cassino encompassed one of the few truly international conflicts of the Second World War. A strategic town on the road to Rome, the fighting lasted four months and cost the lives of more than 14,000 men from eight nations. Between January and May 1944, forces from Britain, Canada, France, India, New Zealand, Poland and the United States, fought a resolute German army in a series of battles in which the advantage swung back and forth, from one side to the other. From fire-fights in the mountains to tank attacks in the valley; from river crossings to street fighting, the four battles of Cassino encompass a series of individual operations unique in the history of the Second World War. Authors Jeff Plowman and Perry Rowe have spent several years studying the conflict together and walking the battlefield to take the hundreds of comparison photographs which are the raison d'etre of all After the Battle publications. Photographs have been selected from archives and private collections around the world to present a balanced view, combined with maps, orders of battle, citations and detailed captions. The Cassino battles, epitomised by the controversial bombing of the monastery which towers menacingly over the battlefield, stand at the centre of the Italian campaign. The dogged defence by a 100,000 men of the German XIV. Panzerkorps under General Frido von Senger und Etterlin, facing a greater multi-national force, was only routed in the end by a gallant French flanking manoeuvre, with the Poles marking the final victory by hoisting their national flag over the ruins of the Monastery.

Read more less

Sixty years ago over 100 aerodromes in east and north-eastern England were occupied by the men and machines of RAF Bomber Command. The tenure of the majority of the bases was brief - some six years - but during that time more than 55,000 men lost their lives while flying from them to attack targets on the Continent. Split into seven operational groups, the airfields of Bomber Command formed the cornerstone of Britain's efforts to carry on the war against Germany in the years before the landings in Normandy. Thereafter they played their part in the battle against the V-weapons with one of the last raids of the war being carried out against Hitler's personal mountain retreat. Each airfield has been explored and photographed in the "then and now" style of Roger Freeman's previous books for After the Battle on the US Eighth and Ninth Air Forces. The physical development, construction and operational history of every airfield is described in detail and all are illustrated with wartime and present-day aerial photographs.

Read more less

Villers-Bocage has, for years, been the battle that confirmed the reputation of Germany's greatest tank ace, Michael Wittmann. In this book the battle is analysed in depth for the first time through detailed examination of the images taken by war photographers after the town was captured by German forces. The claims made of the battle are re-appraised, and the arguments set out in dozens of published accounts have been compared with primary evidence never utilised before, and evaluated anew. Perhaps the two most striking �revelations come from German sources. First, graphically, by the study of the 100 photographs taken by the Germans the day after the battle. Secondly, from Wittmann's own account which refutes many of the claims of historians attempting to glamorise the action.

Read more less

What was a merchant seaman's life like in the past, what experiences would he have had, what were the ships like that he sailed in, and what risks did he run? Was he shipwrecked, rewarded for bravery, or punished? And how can you find out about an ancestor who was a member of the long British maritime tradition? Simon Wills's concise and informative historical guide takes the reader and researcher through the fascinating story of Britain's merchant service, and he shows you how to trace individual men and women and gain an insight into their lives. In a series of short, information-packed chapters he explains the expansion of Britain's global maritime trade and the fleets of merchant ships that sustained it in peace and war. He describes the lives, duties and tribulations of the generations of crews who sailed in these ships, whether as ordinary seamen or as officers, stewards, engineers and a myriad of other roles. And he identifies the websites you can explore, the archives, records and books you can read, and the places you can visit in order to gain an understanding of what your seagoing ancestor did and the world he knew. Simon Wills's practical handbook will be essential reading and reference for anyone who is keen to discover for themselves the secrets of our maritime past and of the crewmembers and ships that were part of it.

Read more less

This concise guide to naval history and naval records is essential reading and reference for anyone researching the fascinating story of Britain's Navy and the men and women who served in it. Whether you are interested in the career of an individual seaman, finding out about a medal winner or just want to know more about a particular ship, campaign or operation, this book will point you in the right direction.Simon Fowler assumes the reader has little prior knowledge of the Navy and its history. His book shows you how to trace an officer, petty officer or rating from the seventeenth century up to the 1960s using records at the National Archives and elsewhere.The book also covers the specialist and auxiliary services associated with the Navy - among them the Royal Marines, the Fleet Air Arm, the naval dockyards, the WRNS and the Fleet Auxiliary. In each section he explains which records survive, where they can be found and how they can be used for research. He also recommends resources available online as well as books and memoirs.His handbook is a valuable research tool for anyone who is keen to find out about the career of an ancestor who served in the Royal Navy or was connected with it. Simon Fowler is a leading authority on military and family history and a prolific writer on these subjects. He once edited the National Archives' family history magazine Ancestors. For nearly 20 years he was an archivist at the Public Record Office (now The National Archives). As well as publishing many articles in magazines and journals, he has written several well-known books on military and family history, including: Tracing Your Army Ancestors, A Guide to Military Historyon the Internet and Tracing Your Ancestors. He is also a professional researcher - find out more at www.history-man.co.uk.

Read more less

The mistreatment and captivity of women by the Japanese is a little known and poorly documented aspect of the Second World War. In The Real Tenko, Mark Felton, who has a fast growing reputation as an authority and author on the war in the Far East, redresses this omission with a typically well researched yet necessarily gruesome account of the plight of Allied service-women, female civilians and local women in Japanese hands.Among the atrocities shamefully committed by the Emperor's forces were numerous massacres of nurses; that at Alexandra Hospital, Singapore being perhaps the best known. The lack of respect for their defeated enemies extended in full measure to both European and Asian women and their vulnerability was all too often shockingly exploited. Those who found themselves imprisoned fared little better and suffered appalling indignities and starvation. Also covered are the hardships of gruelling marches under extreme conditions. Whereas the sexual enslavement of so called 'Comfort Women' has been regarded as affecting only Asiatic women, it transpires that this horror was experienced by whites as well.The Real Tenko is a disturbing and shocking testimony both to the callous and cruel behaviour of the Japanese and to the courage and fortitude of those who suffered at their hands.

Read more less

This is a guide to the existing WWII aircraft to be found in aviation museums throughout the world. Each DPS contains a colour photo of an example of the aircraft as viewed in an aviation museum, examples of different marks (wartime shots in mono) and a textual resume of the type with statistics.The aircraft can be viewed in the USA, UK, France, Czechoslovakia, USSR, Canada, Australia, Finland, Holland, Poland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and Spain.

Read more less

Founded in 1922 the Hitler Youth movement was the second oldest Nazi group. Comprising male youths aged 14 - 18, by December 1936 membership stood at over 5 million. During the Second World War the role of Hitlerjugend evolved from assisting with the postal, train and fire services into full war fighting. Recruits went into units such as the elite 12th SS Panzer-Division 'Hitlerjugend' and we see graphic images of this Waffen-SS force in action both on the Eastern and Western fronts. Even as the Nazi cause faced inevitable defeat these units fought with fanatical and disturbing bravery and after defeat in May 1945 elements carried out guerrilla actions in the Bavarian and Austrian mountains. The reader will find much original material on this legendary but distasteful Nazi organisation.

Read more less

Sturmgeschutz III was originally designed as an assault weapon, but as war progressed it was increasingly used in a defensive role and evolved into an assault gun and tank destroyer. By 1943 its main role was providing anti-tank support to the units in its area of operation. This consequently led to many StuGs being destroyed in battle. Nonetheless they were very successful as tank killers and destroyed, among others, many bunkers, pillboxes and other defences.The StuG was not considered to be a true tank because it lacked a turret. The gun was mounded directly in the hull, in a casemate-style fashion, with a low profile to reduce vehicle heights, and had a limited lateral traverse of a few degrees in either direction. Thus, the entire vehicle had to be turned in order to acquire targets. Omitting the turret made production much simpler and less costly, enabling greater numbers to be built. Its significantly shorter vertical profile as compared to contemporary tanks made the StuG more difficult to hit.Most assault guns were mounted on the chassis of a Panzer III or Panzer IV, with the resultant model being called either a StuG III or StuG IV respectively. The StuG was one of the most effective tracked vehicles of World War II, and over 10,000 of them were eventually produced.During the course of the war StuG III assault guns were issued to Sturmartillerie Batteries, Sturmgeschutz Abteilungen, Sturmgeschutz Brigades, Sturmartillerie Batteries, Ersatz (Reserve), Abteilungen and Funklenk (Remote Control) Companies. StuG III assault guns served on all fronts of WWII until the end of the war.

Read more less

In this superb illustrated guide, renowned German aviation specialist Manfred Griehl has collected a unique and valuable selection of photographs of Luftwaffe projects that never made it into battle. They remained on the drawing board or at prototype stage either because they were deemed unsuitable or the developers simply ran out of time and the projects never went into production. There are examples of Fw190s developed for the delivery of chemical and toxic weapons, the high altitude Junkers EF 61, the early prototype WNF 342 helicopter as well as numerous examples of developmental jet fighters that could very well have been realised had it not been for the effectiveness of the Allied bombing campaign in restricting the supply of necessary materials. Much of this development work went on to have an important influence on aircraft design in both the East and the West after the Second World War, making this book an essential source not just for those interested in Hitler's Luftwaffe but also in the history of military aviation in general.

Read more less

In June 1944, Allied forces fighting desperately to establish a foothold in Normandy and then breakout of the confining bocage found themselves opposed by a bewildering array of formations of the German Wehrmacht. Among them were the newly formed German II Parachute Corps. This gripping new account examines the exploits of Germanys II Parachute Corps and its commander, Eugen Meindl from the Allied invasion on 6 June to the end of August 1944\. Meindl was the epitome of the senior German airborne commander in the Second World War. Tough, experienced, and aggressive, he cared deeply for his troops. His Parachute Corps fought stubbornly for three weeks, before being forced to fall back. Trapped along with the bulk of the German Seventh Army in the Falaise pocket, Meindl and his paratroopers maintained their discipline and were selected by the Commander in Chief of OB West to lead the German breakout to the east. That they managed to do so, despite suffering grievous losses, while so many around them died or surrendered, is a testament to their dedication and fighting ability. Theirs is a story that deserves to be told.

Read more less

At the outbreak of the First World War, the United Kingdom had no aerial defence capability worthy of the name. When the war began Britain had just thirty guns to defend the entire country, with all but five of these considered of dubious value . So when raiding German aircraft finally appeared over Britain the response was negligible and totally ineffective. Of Britain s fledgling air forces, the Royal Flying Corps had accompanied the British Expeditionary Force into Europe leaving the Royal Naval Air Service to defend the country as best it could. That task was not an easy one. Airships only appeared at night and for British pilots night-flying was in its infancy. From the first raid in December 1914, aerial attacks gradually increased through 1915, culminating in highly damaging assaults on London in September and October. London, however, was not the only recipient of German bombs, with counties from Northumberland to Kent also experiencing the indiscriminate death and destruction found in this new theatre of war the Home Front. The British population was initially left exposed and largely undefended when the previously unimagined horror of bombs falling from the sky began, killing children in their beds and destroying homes. The face of war had changed forever. Those raids on London in the autumn of 1915 finally forced the government to pursue a more effective defence against air attack. The German air campaign against the United Kingdom was the first sustained strategic aerial bombing campaign in history. Yet it has become the forgotten Blitz. Those first bombing raids in 1915 claimed over 700 casualties. Relying heavily on first-hand accounts, Ian Castle tells their story, along with that of the raiders, and those who fought desperately to stop them in the opening year of Britain s forgotten Blitz.

Read more less

The Heinkel He 111 was the main work-horse of the Luftwaffe's bomber force throughout much of the Second World War. Consequently, when Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, three entire Kampfgeschwader consisted of He 111s. Initially used as direct support for the German ground forces, as the campaign progressed the He 111 was switched to attacking the Soviet infrastructure, particularly trains and marshalling yards, and used as a transport aircraft taking in supplies and for troop evacuation. Variants of the He 111 were used in anti-shipping roles, in both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and even for aerial launching of V-1 flying bombs, continuing the war against the towns and cities of the United Kingdom. In this selection of unrivalled images collected over many years, and now part of Frontline's new War in the Air series, the operations of this famous aircraft in the latter years of the Second World War are portrayed and brought to life. A companion title to Heinkel He 111: The Early Years.

Read more less

This book completes a highly original and superbly illustrated two-volume survey of German naval camouflage and markings in the Nazi era. On first publication in 2012 the 1939-1941 volume was quickly recognised by warship enthusiasts and modelmakers as a major step forward in the understanding of a complex and much debated topic. It is already considered the standard reference, and this second volume is keenly awaited. Although a few crucial documents have recently come to light, this study is largely based on close scrutiny of all available photos, including many newly discovered, collated with the first-hand testimony of Kriegsmarine survivors. After decades of study, the authors are probably the world's leading experts, and their work challenges many accepted views, while greatly expanding the general understanding of the subject. The fruits of their labours are presented in the form of exquisite colour illustrations of every scheme and variation for which evidence is available. This volume covers all major surviving ships down to destroyers from 1942 to the end of the war, and adds a new section on torpedo boats. While there can never be a last word on such an elusive and poorly documented subject, these two volumes will remain the most authoritative work in the field for many years to come.

Read more less

HMS Victory is probably the best-known historic ship in the world. A symbol of the Royal Navy's achievements during the great age of sail, she is based in Portsmouth and seen by tens of thousands of visitors each year.As is the case for many historic ships, however, there is a surprising shortage of informative and well illustrated guides, for reference during a visit or for research by enthusiasts - ship modellers, naval buffs, historians or students. This new series redresses the gap. Written by experts and containing more than 200 specially commissioned photographs, each title will take the reader on a superbly illustrated tour of the ship, from bow to stern and deck by deck. Significant parts of the vessel - for example, the capstan, steering gear, armament, brody stove, cockpit, stern cabins - are given detailed coverage both in words and pictures, so that the reader has at hand the most complete visual record and explanation of the ship that exists.In addition, the importance of the ship, both in her own time and now as a museum vessel, is explained, while her design and build, her fighting career and her life prior to restoration and exhibition are all described. No other books offer such superb visual impact and detailed information as the Seaforth Historic Ship Series - a truly groundbreaking concept bringing the ships of our past vividly to life.Nominated for the 2011 Mountbatten awards.

Read more less

During the last four years of the Second World War, the Western Allies secured Russian defences against Germany by supplying vital food and arms. The plight of those in Murmansk and Archangel who benefited is now well known, but few are aware of the courage, determination and sacrifice of Allied merchant ships, which withstood unremitting U-boat attacks and aerial bombardment to maintain the lifeline to Russia. In the storms, fog and numbing cold of the Arctic, where the sinking of a 10,000 ton freighter was equal to a land battle in terms of destruction, the losses sustained were huge. Told from the perspective of their crews, this is the inspiring story of the long-suffering merchant ships without which Russia would almost certainly have fallen to Nazi Germany.

Read more less

Since he was in charge of the amphibious operations in the Falklands War, it goes without saying that there is no one better qualified to tell the story of that aspect of the campaign than Commodore Michael Clapp. Here he describes, with considerable candour, some of the problems met in a Navy racing to war and finding it necessary to recreate a largely abandoned operational technique in a somewhat ad hoc fashion. During the time it took to 'go south' some sense of order was imposed and a not very well defined command structure evolved, this was not done without generating a certain amount of friction. He tells of why San Carlos Water was chosen for the assault and the subsequent inshore operations. Michael Clapp and his small staff made their stand an can claim a major role in the defeat of the Argentine Air and Land Forces.

Read more less

Salford was late in recruiting for its Pals battalions, with many of its men already joining Territorial units and a new Pals battalion in Manchester. Yet within a year it had raised four Pals battalions and a reserve battalion. Raised mainly from Lancashire's most notorious slums, the men trained together in Wales, North East England and on Salisbury Plain, they had great expectations of success. On the 1st of July 1916 the Somme offensive was launched and in the very epicentre of that cauldron the first three of Salford's battalions were thrown at the massive defences of Thiepval - the men were decimated, Salford was shattered. Michael Stedman records the impact of the war from the start on Salford and follows the difficulties and triumphs. Whether the actions small or great the author writes graphically about them all. Unusual photographs and a variety of sources make this both a readable and a scholarly account.

Read more less

Covering the important WW1 Battles of Ypres, including the notorious Passchendaele, this guidebook takes readers on a historic trip through some of the well-known and most important sites of the area. This book, part of a new series of guides, is designed conveniently in a small size, for those who have only limited time to visit, or who are simply interested in as an introduction to the historic battlefields, whether on the ground or from an armchair. They contain selections from the Holts' more detailed guides of the most popular and accessible sites plus hand tourist information, capturing the essential features of the Battles. The book contains many full colour maps and photographs and detailed instructions on what to see and where to visit.

Read more less

This is a unique account of the development and operational use of air-to-air flight refuelling since its early beginnings in the USA and the UK to the equipment that is in use today. The author draws upon his life-long career as senior design engineer with the successful British company In-Flight Refuelling who were responsible for the development of the hose and drogue technique now preferred by many of the world's air forces. The story begins in the early 1920s when the art of air refuelling was part of the Barn Storming record-breaking attempts that were popular in the USA. It continues into the late thirties when successful experiments were made by Sir Alan Cobham using the Handley-Page Harrow, Short Empire and Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley aircraft. Amazingly, apart from the enthusiasm of Squadron Leader Atcherley (later to become Air-Vice Marshal), the Royal Air Force were not interested in pursuing this great technical advantage during World War II and it was the USAAF who requested the British invention to experiment with on their B-17s and B-24s; eventually enabling them to carry out retaliatory bombing raids on Tokyo after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Despite successful post-war trials with British civilian airlines it was again the Americans who placed an order with In-Flight Refuelling to equip their B-29s and B-50s. The Korean War saw extended use of operational air-to-air refuelling for the first time and now the 'tanker fleet' is an essential unit in major air-forces around the world.

Read more less

Martin Easdown's compelling account of the German air raid on Folkestone in 1917 and its appalling aftermath is the first comprehensive history of an episode to be published. He gives a dramatic description of the event, relying heavily on the eyewitness testimony from the townspeople who were there on that fateful day. He records the experiences of the German airmen who carried out the raid and pioneered a new and terrifying method of warfare. In addition, he recounts in graphic detail similar attacks by bombers, seaplanes and Zepplins on other Kentish towns, including Dover, Ramsgate, Margate and Sheerness.

Read more less

Before the outbreak of the First World War, the Channel Islands were viewed as they are today; scenic, sunny and relaxing holiday destinations, where it was possible to briefly escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. As soon as the fighting began, the immediate worry was the threat of a German invasion to the Islands, which are much closer to the coast line of France than they are to the southern coast line of Great Britain. Both men and women alike played their part. Men by either joining one of the islands Militia or enlisting in one of the numerous regiments of the British Army, including the 'Jersey Pals', and the men who served with the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the Royal Irish Rifles and the Royal Irish Regiment. The book looks at the pride in the commitment and achievements of the Channel Islands' very own Royal Guernsey Light Infantry, formed in December 1916. The Islands' women volunteered in their droves to serve with the British Red Cross' Voluntary Aid Detachments, but not just throughout the Channel Islands, but to mainland Great Britain, and further afield in Belgium and France and other similar theatres of war. As far as most people are aware, the first time German soldiers stepped foot in the Channel Islands, was when their troops landed unopposed in June 1940 during the Second World War. However, between 1915 and 1917, some 2,000 German prisoners of war, were held captive at the Les Blanches Banques camp. The book closes by taking a look at the men from all of the Islands who voluntarily went off to war, and ended up paying the ultimate price and didn't make it back home to their loved ones.

Read more less

In 1922 the US Navy commissioned its first small experimental aircraft carrier. This was followed into service by two much larger and capable carriers in 1927 with five more being built prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor including three large Yorktown class. To take the offensive against the Japanese Navy, the American Congress funded by far the largest carrier building programme in history based on the Essex class, a larger version of the pre-war Yorktown vessels. Of the twenty-six ordered, fourteen were commissioned in time to see Second World War service. These were joined by many smaller classes of carriers, including light carriers and escort carriers. Post-war ever larger and more capable carriers were commissioned. Since 1975, when the first of a fleet of ten nuclear-powered Nimitz class carriers was commissioned, they have epitomized United States superpower status and worldwide power projection. These are due to be replaced in the decades to come with the even more sophisticated nuclear-powered Gerald R. Ford class. Compiled and written by Michael Green, Aircraft Carriers of the United States Navy contains superb images of all the different types of classes of carriers employed by the US Navy since 1922. These and its highly informative text and captions give the reader a broad overview of this fascinating subject.

Read more less

Beneath the Big Top is a social history of the circus, from its ancient roots to the rise of the 'modern' tented travelling shows. A performer and founder of a circus group, Steve Ward draws on eye-witness accounts and contemporary interviews to explore the triumphs and disasters of the circus world. He reveals the stories beneath the big top during the golden age of the circus and the lives of circus folk, which were equally colourful outside the ring: * Pablo Fanque, Britain's first black circus proprietor * The Chipperfield dynasty, who started out in 1684 on the frozen Thames * Katie Sandwina, world's strongest woman and part-time crime-fighter * The Sylvain brothers, who fell in love with the same woman in the ring

Read more less

Aircraft Salvage in the Battle of Britain and Blitz will comprise of some 140-150 images of the work of RAF and civilian salvage squads during the Battle of Britain, the Blitz and beyond. The images will depict losses across Britain, both RAF and German, during this period. Each picture will tell its own story, and will be fully captioned with historical detail. The author will be covering a topic that has rarely been examined in this detail. Each section will have a short introduction and the images will include those of shot down aircraft, including relatively intact machines, badly damaged/destroyed wreckages, photographs of pilots and other related illustrations. All images are from the author's unique collection of wartime photographs of Luftwaffe losses, collected from a variety of sources across some thirty-five years of research.

Read more less

This fully revised second edition of Ian Maxwell's Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors is a lively and accessible introduction to Scotland's long, complex and fascinating story. It is aimed primarily at family historians who are eager to explore and understand the world in which their ancestors lived. He guides readers through the wealth of material available to researchers in Scotland and abroad. He looks at every aspect of Scottish history and at all the relevant resources. As well as covering records held at the National Archives of Scotland, he examines closely the information held at local archives throughout the country. He also describes the extensive Scottish records that are now available on line. His expert and up-to-date survey is a valuable handbook for anyone who is researching Scottish history because he explains how the archive material can be used and where it can be found. For family historians, it is essential reading as it puts their research into a historical perspective, giving them a better insight into the part their ancestors played in the past.

Read more less

This fully revised second edition of Rachel Bellerby's best-selling guide is essential reading if you want to find out about your Yorkshire ancestors. As well as tracing when your ancestors were born, married and died, she shows you how can explore how they lived, worked and spent their leisure time. She introduces readers to the many sources that hold a wealth of information about Yorkshire's past, and describes the records you can find in archives and online which will bring your research to life. Whatever you would like to discover more about, from fairground travellers to Romany gypsies, from working deep underground in a mine to making a living from the North Sea, there is so much to learn. The many different archives that welcome family history researchers are explored here and explained. A new chapter covering the growing number of Yorkshire family history websites has been added along with a range of new illustrations. The contact details of the sources listed in the first edition of the book have been revised and new sources and relevant organizations have been added. Dozens of places, from tiny museum archives to large research centres, are open for your research, and a wealth of information is now accessible through the internet. Tracing your Yorkshire ancestors has never been more exciting.

Read more less

How should history judge the life and career of Erwin Rommel, the most famous German general of the Second World War, 70 years after his death on 14 October 1944? In his own time and in the years immediately after the war his reputation as a great and chivalrous commander grew to the point where it took on almost legendary proportions, and the legend is still with us today. His support for the plot to remove Hitler from power in 1944 and the manner of his death, committing suicide in order to protect his family from Nazi retribution, further enhanced his image as an honourable, professional soldier. But does he deserve this legendary status? Can his exploits as a soldier and commander and his conduct of the war be separated from the aggressive aims of Hitler and the Nazis whom he and the German army served? These are among the key questions Ian Beckett and his team of expert contributors seek to answer in this stimulating and timely study of Rommel and his legacy.

Read more less

Originally published to acclaim in 2009, this paperback re-issue aims to give readers access to the tangible remains of hundreds of historic aircraft that still lie at crash sites on the moors and mountains of the British Isles, all of which can be visited. It covers almost 500 selected sites, with emphasis placed on those located within open access land. The book includes accurate verified grid references, up-to-date site descriptions and recent photographs. Arranged geographically, each chapter features details of all major recorded air crashes to have occurred in that particular region. Areas covered include: South-west Moors - 15 entries. ~ Wales - 93 entries. ~ Peak District - 82 entries. Pennines - 76 Entries. ~ Lake District - 32 entries. ~ North Yorkshire Moors - 23 entries. Isle of Man - 18 entries. ~ Scotland: Lowlands - 47 entries. ~ Highlands and Islands - 85 entries. ~ Ireland - 19 entries. Representing the main upland areas of the British Isles, each of these sections is introduced with a brief narrative describing its geographical characteristics and aviation background, discussing the factors and trends lying behind the concentration of losses within each area and noting any especially significant incidents. Individual site entries include precise location details including, where required, additional references for scattered major items of wreckage and any relevant notes to aid finding or interpreting the crash site, together with details of the aircraft, names and fates of those onboard and the circumstances of the loss.

Read more less

The British Army's considerable contribution to The Korean War 1950 - 1953 was largely composed of 'conscripts' or national servicemen. Plucked from civilian life on a 'lottery' basis and given a short basic training, some like Jim Jacobs volunteered for overseas duty and suddenly found themselves in the thick of a war as intensive and dangerous as anything the Second World War had had to offer. As a member of 170 Independent Mortar Battery RA from March 1951 to June 1952 Jim was in the frontline at the famous Battle of the Imjin River. By great luck he evaded capture - and death - unlike so many. He returned to the UK only to volunteer again for a second tour with 120 Light Battery from March 1953 to March 1954. During this period he was in the thick of the action at the Third Battle of the Hook during May 1953. In this gripping memoir Jim calmly and geographically recounts his experiences and emotions from joining the Army through training, the journeys by troopship and, most importantly, on active service in the atrocious and terrifying war fighting that went on in a very foreign place.

Read more less

Our capacity to care about the wellbeing of others, whether they are close family or strangers, can appear to be unimportant in today's competitive societies. However, in this volume Penny Spikins argues that compassion lies at the heart of what makes us human. She takes us on a journey from the earliest stone age societies two million years ago to the lives of Neanderthals in Ice Age Europe, using archaeological evidence to illustrate the central role that emotional connections had in human evolution. Simple acts of kindness left to us from millions of years ago provide evidence for how social emotions and morality evolved, and how our capacity to reach out beyond ourselves into the lives of others allowed us to work together for a common good, and form the basis for human success.

Read more less

German Machine Guns of the Second World War is a highly illustrated record of the German war machine between 1939 - 1945. Many of the photographs, all from the authors collection, come originally from the albums of individuals who took part in the war. Arranged by theatre chronologically, the book analyses the development of the machine gun and describes how the Germans carefully utilised weapons such as the MG34 and the much vaunted MG42 into both offensive and defensive roles. Supported by a host of other machine guns like the MP28, MP38/40 and the lethal Sturmgerher 44, it depicts how these formidable machine guns fought against an ever increasing enemy threat. Using over 250 rare and unpublished photographs together with detailed captions and accompanying text, this book provides a unique insight into German weaponry from early Blitzkrieg campaigns to the final demise of the Nazi empire.

Read more less