Search results for ""fonthill media""

Paterson was the gem in the crown of the American Industrial Revolution. The shadow of Paterson's past can still be seen in the remnants of the silk mills and dye houses; the grand architecture of the downtown and Eastside sections. The industry is long gone, but the history remains. The skyline of steeples and smokestacks not only frame its past but the extended landscape.

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During the 1930s, four Swift River Valley towns were abandoned and flooded during the creation of Quabbin Reservoir, Boston's water supply. Today, the reservation and other watershed lands are part of an extensive wilderness corridor that stands as a marked contrast with the landscape of the past. Historic photographs and postcards offer evidence of the valley's remarkable transformation.

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As before, events alter the manner in which entries are recorded and here we see a change in style and emphasis as problems with his son, Edward, and the murder of Mr Rens figure prominently in Francis' life. Indeed, it seems that the gap in the diaries from June 1830 to January 1832 may be due to the depression that Francis suffers as he fears that his son will not be able to fulfil the ambitions of a loving father.

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Mr Rens' murderer is carted off to Gloucester but Francis is still beset by problems. A fellow magistrate, Richard Ford, even manages to profit from them. Francis and Richard's long-term but mutually antagonistic friendship suffers a blow when in 1834, at a meeting of the Stow Savings Bank, Mr Baillie makes a personal attack on Francis, and Charles Pole. Canon Ford has something to do with it and the 'Baillie' affair is set to blow up out of all proportion.

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In his forties Francis Witts enjoyed a leisurely lifestyle and by 1825 he was reporting on Parliamentary affairs in detail and reviewing the many books he read, but this declined as his magisterial duties grew. This volume sees many deaths and, as a consequence, Francis becomes the head of his family. However his expectations of inheritance are dashed as his line is excluded in favour of his Uncle Ferdinand's children and grandchildren. Even worse, a debt of GBP800 is called in!

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A meticulously researched new history of the Essex Yeomanry, a volunteer cavalry and artillery regiment, from its inception in the late eighteenth century through two world wars

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A history of the first two decades of the Air National Guard as it evolved from a post-war flying club for WW2 veterans to an operational force integral to U.S. aerial strength.

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This book presents a gallery of exquisitely detailed First World War aircraft models in the extreme scale of 1/144, each one created entirely from scratch by the author. Also included are detailed chapters on the tools, materials and techniques used, which by example demonstrate the advanced methods unique to the scale and how they may be emulated.

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A comprehensive operational and technical account of the Luftwaffe's famous Zerstörer, from its inception as a new type of combat aircraft to its service on all fronts in defence of the Reich.

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Pearl Jam: Song by Song offers a deep dive into the meaning and themes in Pearl Jam's music, exploring their evolution through the different eras of the band, while documenting definitive live performances and celebrating the transformative relationship between Pearl Jam and their audience.

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A remarkable eighty-year adventure spanning the golden age of twentieth-century mechanical and motor-vehicle engineering. Born into an ecclesiastical family, Harry Varley had a burning ambition to be the best engineer he could. He was one of the three-man team that designed the iconic 3-litre Bentley and fifty-seven years later he created a new engine for the same car. A skilled draughtsman and designer, he worked at multiple companies on cars, aircraft, and agricultural machinery. He designed the badge which appears on every Vauxhall, a revolutionary internal-combustion-engine piston and was employed on projects at Cubitt, Crossley and Streamline Cars. On secondment in the Second World War, he helped develop the largest diesel engine made by Perkins Engines, balloon winches and gun mountings, finishing at Rolls-Royce where he retired as chief planning engineer. The design and manufacture of his Varley engine took nine years of grit and determination. Having received reports that it had achieved its design objectives, he died aged ninety-three, his life's work complete.

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Many Freemasons have made the world a better place, while some have been villainous criminals. Members of the Craft have developed forensic science, solved famous crimes and invented all manner of things. Several members of the Royal Family have also been members. Masons have been very active in the criminal justice system, both as 'goodies' and 'baddies': it was a mason who formed the Special Branch to fight terrorism and another who brought the Moors Murders to an end. In some cases, such as the Cleveland Street Scandal, masons found themselves on both sides of the law. The medical profession is also well represented in lodges. Happily, it was a member of the Craft who rescued the Elephant Man, while another masonic doctor was the first to identify an occupational cancer. On the other side of the coin, there have been several evil masonic doctors who committed murder, and one masonic surgeon may have committed regicide, although his motives were merciful. This tells the stories of weird and wonderful masons too - celebrities, film makers, soldiers, explorers, world-famous businessmen, politicians, forgers and scoundrels. There are masons of every character, and all are covered in this book.

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Robbie Williams: Song by Song is your ultimate guide to the music of the king of Britpop. From his famous track 'Angels' to his festive single 'Candy', his Swing albums and electro experiences, discover how Robbie has explored many musical styles. With 30 years of career and 11 albums, Robbie recorded more than 500 tracks.

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R. J. Mitchell at Supermarine is the definitive account of the life of Britain’s best-known aeronautical engineer. Shelton calls upon unpublished letters, extensive press accounts, and updated material from his previous publications, concentrating particularly on the harsh conditions of Mitchell’s apprentice years, the precarious state of the aircraft firm he joined, and moments of good fortune of which he took advantage. He was a ‘chancer’ as well as a methodical developer of, mainly, slow flying seaplanes. Mitchell’s progress from draughtsman, with no formal training in aeronautical design, to internationally known chief designer is charted through a chronological study of his designs, revealing a formidable work ethic with a complex personality that combined ‘dreams and common sense’. It will also be shown how the success of his high-speed Schneider Trophy designs propelled him reluctantly into public attention and how his anxiety for his pilots’ safety matched an equal concern that his designs should not let down an expectant nation. Later expectations on him to produce a ‘killer fighter’ were equally daunting, and the outcome was often uncertain, but details of colleagues’ accounts highlight the essential and unique contribution of R.J.’s experience and drive to the eventual appearance of the iconic Spitfire.

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In the years between about 1810 and 1840, Edinburgh—long and affectionately known as ‘Auld Reekie’—came to think of itself and be widely regarded as something else: the city became ‘Modern Athens’, an epithet later turned to ‘the Athens of the North’. The phrase is very well-known. It is also much used by those who have little understanding of the often confused and contradictory messages hidden within the apparent convenience of a trite or hackneyed term that conceals a myriad of nuanced meanings. This book examines the circumstances underlying a remarkable change in perception of a place and an age. It looks in detail at the ‘when’, the ‘by whom’, the ‘why’, the ‘how’, and the ‘with what consequences’ of this most interesting, if extremely complex, transformation of one city into an image—physical or spiritual, or both—of another. A very broad range of evidence is drawn upon, the story having not only topographical, artistic, and architectural dimensions but also social, cerebral, and philosophical ones. Edinburgh may well have been considered ‘Athenian’. But, in essence, it remained what it had always been. Maybe, however, for a brief period it was really a sort of hybrid: ‘Auld Greekie’.

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Craig Reedie came from a love of badminton. His efforts for his sport included the building of its own six-court hall and official offices. For the International Federation, he resolved major political issues and worked for the inclusion of the sport in the Olympic Program. For the BOA, he helped a change in the structure of British sport and the organization of bids to host the Olympic Games. Seven years of organization led to the successful 2012 London Games. A member of the IOC since 1994, he became president of WADA, facing the Russian doping issues.

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Focusing on the 1990s as a decade of change, all of the collieries and most of the coal fired power stations of that era have now gone. During that decade I made a point of photographing the collieries and power stations, and the trains that moved the coal, and so amassed a large collection of photographs. Being Worksop-based through my railway career, I am able to describe a potted history of Worksop Depot which opened in 1991, commencing with a brief look at the area in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. The run-up to the privatisation of the railways is followed by the new freight companies which brought changes in coal operations, before the wholesale decline in coal production. There are images taken in the Nott's, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Leicestershire, and Staffordshire coalfields. Brief descriptions of each colliery and power station illustrated are given, with maps to show their location, along with power station track diagrams, tables, and coal plans to show where power station coal originated. The book concludes with a few instances of locations that Worksop-based drivers served.

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This work tells the full story of the weapons, including fighter-planes, tanks, ships, and guns, that America produced during the war to defeat the Axis powers, and how they were "sold" to those at home through the countless advertisements that appeared in popular magazines. Though well-known companies such as General Motors, Ford, Kelvinator, and B.F. Goodrich, and a whole host of others, could no longer sell their products to consumers, they instead turned their factories towards supplying the Arsenal of Democracy. In order to keep their names in the public spotlight, these companies advertised in great detail the weapons they were building; Cadillac touted its efforts in supplying components for Sherman tanks and P-38 Lightning fighters, Ford no longer built cars in Detroit, but B-24 Liberator bombers and Jeeps, while the home appliance company Kelvinator built aircraft components and flame-throwers. The story behind these advertisements, many of them stunning visuals which are here reproduced in color, is a unique aspect of World War II history that will both surprise and delight.

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'The Confessions of a Phantom Pilot' is the true story of a young RAF pilot who gets his dream to fly the old dirty workhorse fighter of the Cold War. From the first flight where he thought the jet was trying to kill him, through to his final trip of leading eight aeroplanes on a front line fighter squadron, you will relive his thoughts, feelings and anxieties as he stumbles his way through each flight relying on a bit of skill and a lot of blind luck. In essence, it is a love letter to the Phantom from a star-struck boy who felt like he was way out of his depth at the beginning of their affair. You will share stories of the outrageous drinking culture that was a major part of Cold War front-line operations, and marvel at how he didn't do himself some serious damage either in or out of the cockpit. This is how it feels to be a front-line fighter pilot - the triumphs and the disasters are all laid out here in a completely open and honest way as the author looks back with a certain sense of nostalgia and mild embarrassment. What a blast though!

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The Soviet Air Force had just started to re-equip with modern fighters when the Germans opened Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. Hundreds of fighters were destroyed in the first few days, but many of these were obsolete biplanes and monoplanes. The remaining fighters, including more modern types such as the MiG-3 and LaGG-3, tried to stem the Nazi advance. This book details the development of the Red Air Force fighters, from the dark days of Operation Barbarossa, to eventual triumph over the ruins of Berlin. Starting with obsolete aircraft such as the Polikarpov biplane and monoplane fighters, the Soviets then settled on two main lines of development; the inline-engined LaGG-3 and its radial-engined derivatives, the La-5 and La-7, and the inline-engined Yakovlev fighters, which were produced in greater numbers than any other series of fighters. Not only are these aircraft described in great detail, but experimental fighters are also dealt with. In addition to the descriptions, accurate colour profiles are provided illustrating the evolution of these aircraft in terms of design, camouflage, and markings. From the fixed undercarriage I-15bis biplane of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, to the superb La-7 and Yak-3 fighters of the last year of the war, the fighters of the Red Air Force are all covered in this comprehensive book.

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‘Passengers’ is a social history of Britain between 1790 and 1840. This is the period of the Napoleonic War and of rapid technological change and social tension. It was a contradictory age, simultaneously the elegant era of Jane Austen and the inspiration for Charles Dickens’s work on poverty and injustice. The book has an initial focus on transport and hospitality, but it is also a wider portrait of this important but neglected period of British history. The author covers all aspects of the period-work, law, technology, finance, politics, poverty and crime are the most prominent. The inn and the stagecoach were some of the few places that the different classes met and co-existed in a country that was stratified and deferential. The poor served the transport and hospitality system, the middle classes used it and the ruling classes profited from it. The life of women is an important part of this book; they worked at levels in the travel and hospitality industries.This is everybody’s story, an exposition of real places and real people in a society that was ‘on the move’, in all senses of the phrase.

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In 1793, George Macartney introduced two of the leading empires of his age, and set off one of the greatest power shifts in history. ‘Kowtow: Georgian Britain, Imperial China and the Irishman who Introduced Them’ tells the story of Macartney, Britain's first Ambassador to China, and his career that spanned the globe, from the Caribbean to India, from Brazil to Indonesia, and then finally through China to Peking. Kowtow explains why Macartney’s embassy was needed, and examines the nature and personalities of the Ambassador and his imperial host, the Emperor Qianlong. The reader will journey with Macartney across the world into Peking’s Summer Palace, before crossing over the Great Wall to Qianlong’s summer hunting grounds in Rehe. The story of the Macartney mission provides significant lessons for modern diplomatic engagements and trade relations, and still causes great reverberations today. As a result, his mission represents one of the major missed opportunities in history and the challenges faced by Macartney still finds echoes in relations between China and the West.

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First flown in May 1936, the Fieseler Fi 156, or, as it was better known, Storch (Stork), was designed in answer to a request from the German Luftwaffe for a short range reconnaissance aircraft. For its time, the Fi 156 had amazing performance and flight characteristics, what today is known as STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing). It could take-off from a lawn considerably smaller than a football field. During the Second World War, the ubiquitous Storch was the airborne eyes of the German Wehrmacht (Army), also being used on daring rescue missions, including the rescue of the Italian dictator Mussolini. The last flight out of Berlin was made in a Storch. Many were sold to Germany's allies, while one was used by Churchill after D-Day to observe the progress of the invasion. Others were used by the RAF as squadron 'hacks', with one being flown off an aircraft carrier. The STOL concept was copied by many countries, including France, Japan and the USSR. Post-war, production continued in Czechoslovakia, France and Romania, with more than 3,000 being built. Some are still flying.

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As a very young boy in the Second World War the seeds were sown to fly in the blue sky. Terry made up his young mind with great determination to reach for that sky in a ‘Spitfire’. He joined the RAF as a pilot but twists of fate caused him to become a nuclear bomber pilot. It was RAF policy not to change from that complicated role to another and yet he pushed for change; became an instructor and as a display pilot he made his final move to the single seat air defence Lightning. He instructed on the Lightning and commanded two squadrons. Terry’s original dream came true and he reached the pinnacle of his ambition but it was complicated in a way that he had not envisaged. There were dangerous incidents, the loss of friends, the 31 moves of his family and the politics associated with senior rank. At the outset he had not understood the demands of a Cold War or the need for him to sail the major oceans of the world with a sea-going admiral and become his intelligence officer. The eventual compensation was a promotion and a two year tour on a tropical island with his family.

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This volume of the Worthington Families of the Seventeenth Century covers the lines in Lancashire but also elsewhere in the world where their ancestry has been traced back to Lancashire; three in Lincolnshire, one in Warwickshire, one in Middlesex and one in Maryland, America. Volume 2 will cover the remaining lines. Over a period of more than ten years members of the 17th Century Project researched original written documents, microfilms, microfiche images and online databases which resulted in the accumulation of over two thousand eight hundred references to Worthingtons from 1560 to 1730. These were entered into ten volumes of one hundred pages each as a Register of Worthington References. From these references over sixty pedigrees were produced of which thirty two are covered in this volume. Each chapter deals with one pedigree and each person within the pedigree has an individual article devoted to them. In addition to the pedigrees there are seventy six illustrations. As an academic reference work this book is commended to the leading genealogical libraries of the world and to individuals who are researching their Worthington ancestors.

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Ocean liners conjure up an instant image of luxury. The great salons and smoking room, the suites, the staterooms and even the indoor swimming pools. This book will look at a century or so of the decor of ocean liners. It begins with the likes of the 'Mauretania', commissioned in 1907, and shows the Edwardian flourish and finery-the palm court days. We move into the 1920s & '30s, to Art Nouveau, German Bauhaus and of course the high glamour of Art Deco. Ships include the 'Paris', the innovative 'Ile de France', the 'Bremen' and the stunning 'Normandie' and 'Queen Mary'. Then there is post-war moderne, 'mid century' as it is dubbed today, and finally the contemporary of the current cruise generation-the floating resorts.

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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 is the only book to tell the story of all 7,364 men who were awarded it (including all the disputed awards). The book has 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 recipients rank and name, followed by details of the action or actions for witch they were awarded it. Other interesting facts and stories are also included for many of them. Finally their burial locations, where known are given. Any higher awards (Oak Leaves, Swords, Diamonds and the ultimate Golden award) are also covered.

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In 1806, the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist when Francis II became Emperor of Austria. 112 years later, the Habsburg empire collapsed after the First World War after surviving many tribulations. During the year of revolutions in 1848 the much-loved but incompetent Emperor Ferdinand had abdicated in favour of his young nephew Francis Joseph. His long reign was marked by defeat in several wars, family tragedies and scandals including the execution of his brother Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico, the suicide of his son Crown Prince Rudolf, and the assassinations of his wife Empress Elizabeth, and nephew Francis Ferdinand. He was succeeded in 1916 by the succession of his great-nephew Charles, who abdicated in 1918 and died after two unsuccessful attempts to regain the throne of Hungary, but his eldest son Otto remained head of the family and Member of the European Parliament for twenty years. This book looks at the final chapter of the Habsburgs, from the Napoleonic era to the age of the dictators and post-war Europe.

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Greater Manchester covers an area of 493 square miles and is a diverse part of North West England, it is home to 2.8 million people. At its heart is the vibrant and ever-changing City of Manchester, the large conurbation having borders with Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire and Merseyside. It has a complex, varied and historic heavy rail network that contains ninety-six stations on a 142 mile network, part of which was the first passenger railway in the World. Greater Manchester is also home to the largest light rail system in the UK – The Metrolink Tram system has a current network of 57 miles and 93 stops, its expansion has aided some traffic reduction in an area that has the highest percentage of Motorway network than any other county in the UK. Network Greater Manchester is a detailed photographic journey over the system that chronicles the constantly changing scene since the late 1970’s to the present day and illustrates how the services, rolling stock and infrastructure have changed with the passage of time.

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In 1993 Ewen Southby-Tailyour joined the British Foreign Office for duties with the European Community Monitoring Mission. He was also tasked, informally, by MI6 to report on a few characters. Monitoring the cease-fire violations along the Confrontation Line between Croatia and the Republic of Serbian Krajina plus the humanitarian and economic issues for the regeneration of Dalmatia were professionally satisfying; as were a covert beach reconnaissance, interviewing war criminals and pacing the length of a ‘secret’ airfield that was eventually used by US Predator unmanned surveillance aircraft to support Croatia’s ethnic cleansing of all Serbs from Krajina. Closing in on hard evidence that Germany and the US were breaking UN Arms Embargo 713 the author was caught in the diplomatic cross-fire between the Greeks, who supported Serbia and the French who supported Croatia. To prevent the French knowing of any illicit arms embargo he was order by the Greeks to falsify his reports. He resigned from the mission. This is a thought-provoking, disturbing tale of deceit and duplicity between European countries (and, notably, the US) all supposedly supporting a common cause—peace in the Balkans—but, in effect, helping to ethnically cleanse 200,000 Serbs from their 500 year-old homeland.

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Settled by successive waves of incomers, Northamptonshire is a typical English shire county with prehistoric camps, Roman towns, Saxon burhs, castles and fortified houses, representing fortification over the centuries, a process punctuated by momentous events including the birth of Richard III and the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, both at Fotheringhay Castle; King John's sieges at Northampton, Rockingham and Fotheringhay; the Battle of Northampton placing Edward IV on the throne; and the decisive defeat of Charles I at Naseby. The great ordnance depot at Weedon was (allegedly) chosen as a bolt-hole for George III in the place furthest from Napoleon's likely invasion. The Victorian period saw the army reorganized and the Volunteer Force develop. Both world wars mobilized the population and the county filled up with army camps, airfields and munitions plants. In the Cold War, nuclear missiles were pointed towards Russia. Many signs of all these events are still visible: Northampton's militia armoury in the guise of a mediaeval castle; the genuine castles of Barnwell and Rockingham: the launch-pads of Harrington's THOR missiles; the Ordnance Stores at Weedon Bec; and the banks and ditches of Hunsbury Camp or Little Houghton. This book illustrates and explains these sites.

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Heldentod - The Nazi Culture of Death graphically focuses on the Third Reich's conception and promotion of the "Hero's Death" as it fostered and then fuelled a cataclysm of apocalyptic carnage and destruction. This underlying driving force, ultimately self-destructive, is shown infusing both State sponsored propaganda and echoed by the personal battlefield images captured by its soldiers' personal cameras. In so doing it confronts the matter of subject vs. observer and their intimate connection. The original, often one-of-a-kind and never before seen photos also serve as a searing documentation of man's inhumanity to man and a stark warning to future generations.

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The loss of East Indiaman HCS `Halsewell' on the coast of Dorset in southern England in January 1786, touched the very heart of the British nation. `Halsewell' was just one of many hundreds of vessels which had been in the service of the Honourable East India Company since its foundation in the year 1600. In the normal course of events, `Halsewell' would have been expected to serve out her working life, before passing unnoticed into the history books. However, this was not to be. Halsewell's loss was an event of such pathos as to inspire the greatest writer of the age Charles Dickens, to put pen to paper; the greatest painter of the age J. M. W. Turner, to apply brush to canvas, and the King and Queen to pay homage at the very place where the catastrophe occurred. Artefacts from the wreck continue to be recovered to this very day which, and for variety, interest, curiosity, and exoticism, rival those recovered from Spanish armada galleons wrecked off the west coast of Ireland two centuries previously. Such artefacts shed further light both on `Halsewell' herself, and on the extraordinary lives of those who sailed in her.

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The Bodikians unearths the origin of a family from its earliest known beginnings in the early 1800s in central Anatolia, part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. This volume describes the nightmare that befell them at the outset of the Armenian Genocide in 1915 and relates the tragedies and deaths suffered by every branch of the family at the hands of the Turks, leading to the final exodus around 1920–1923 from Ottoman Turkey to different parts of the world, where they sought sanctuary and began a new life. The lives of the surviving members of the family are also documented, showing how the Bodikians have flourished to the present day.

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The Roman Empire was a spectacular polity of unprecedented scale which stretched from Scotland to Sudan and from Portugal to Persia. It survived for over 500 years in the west and 1,480 years in the east. Ruling it was a task of frightening complexity; few emperors made a good fist of it, yet thanks to dynastic connections, an efficient bureaucracy and a governing class eager to attain the kudos of holding the highest offices, it survived the mad, bad and incompetent emperors remarkably well. Although not always apparent, it was the interplay of emperors’ kin and family connections which also made a major contribution to controlling the empire. This book aims to put on record the known ancestry, relations and descendants of all emperors, including ephemeral ones and show connections from one dynasty to another as completely as possible, accompanied by concise biographical notes about each ruler and known facts about family members, which include Romans both famous and obscure. It also attempts to distinguish between certainty and possibility and to eliminate obvious fiction. The introduction provides a narrative lead-in to the creation of the empire, attempts to clarify the complexities of Roman genealogy and assess the sources.

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In 1933 Germany became a dictatorship under the Great War veteran Adolf Hitler. He pulled the country out of depression and set it to work, reducing unemployment by undertaking extensive public works and building the first autoroutes in the world. He then resumed conscription and rearmament. All opposition had been eliminated and all power centred in that one man, whose boasted promise was a German Empire that would last 'a Thousand Years'. The author was born in 1935. Ten years later millions had died, much of the continent lay in ruins, his country was shamed and the 'thousand years' came to a fiery end. Others experienced worse, but for a ten-year-old with explosions all about him and with the world seeming to be burning the war made a vivid impression. His Westphalian village consisted largely of traditional farms and homesteads built of wattle and daub--often still shared by livestock. Most of the male population had been called up to fight Hitler's wars and foreigners made up much of the workforce. General Patton's Third Army lit up the village with phosphor grenades from several mountains away. The world seemed to be coming to an end.

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Royal Air Force Fighter Command's brief was to provide an effective aerial barrier to any attempt at domination of British skies. The aircraft and technical resources on hand between 1936 and WWII's initiation were thankfully improved to a level that was barely sufficient to withstand the hitherto unchallengeable Luftwaffe's advance across Western Europe. Between 1940 and 1942 the Command generally found itself on the back-foot in terms of overall success. The introduction of aircraft designs that would change the situation, however costly, in its ultimate favour, featured prominently from the mid-point of WWII. The Luftwaffe found itself being challenged and regularly bested 'round the clock'; by the advent of D-Day the Command's efforts had materially contributed to the Allied on-surge that had placed its adversary on a permanent downward spiral towards total extinction.

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Soviet bombers were a varied lot during the Second World War, ranging from single-engined biplanes such as the 1920's era Polikarpov U-2 to the excellent and modern twin-engined Tu-2 medium bomber. Although the use of four-engined strategic bombers was mostly limited to use of the huge Pe-8 bomber, the Soviets used many other aircraft for both strategic and tactical bombing. As the bombers of the Red Air Force were mainly tasked with supporting the Red Army, most of the bombers were used for tactical bombing, attacking tanks, troop convoys, trains, and airfields. This book will deal with both strategic bombers and tactical bombers, but will concentrate on the smaller tactical bombers, as this is where the Red Air Force's emphasis lay. Such types as the Il-4, the Su-2, the aforementioned Tu-2, and the most important bomber of all, the Il-2 Shturmovik attack bomber, will be described in great detail, including not only details on the aircraft themselves, but how they were deployed in combat. The one truly strategic bomber, the Pe-8, will not be forgotten, and neither will the comparatively tiny U-2 biplane, which was so effective in its use as a night-time "nuisance" raider that the Germans copied the tactic wholesale. Accurate colour profiles in some number will accompany the text in this comprehensive work on Soviet bombers.

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Ravenna has eight World Heritages sites--churches, baptisteries, chapels and monuments dating from the fifth and sixth centuries AD which are renowned especially for exquisite mosaics portraying biblical scenes and figures. They were designed, constructed and decorated over decades during the era of the fall of the western Roman empire, against a tide of invasion, regime change, conflict and a destructive Italian civil war. How did Ravenna achieve such architectural and artistic glory in this era? The book recounts the city's unique experience as the capital both of the late western Roman empire and of its successor Gothic kingdoms. It shows the central role played by its bishops as the early Christian Church detached itself from the crumbling imperial government. It brings out the important cultural contribution of the kingdom of Italy headed by Theodoric the Ostrogoth and the strong links between Ravenna and the emerging Byzantine empire of the eastern emperor Justinian.

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Paddington is one of London's-indeed the world's-great railway stations. Designed basically by Brunel, although others contributed, it has served its intended purpose of providing a starting point and a culmination of countless journeys between the capital, the West Country, the Midlands, Merseyside, Wales and beyond, to Ireland and America, for over 180 years. In a highly illustrated book we look at the trains, steam diesel and electric, which have served it, the people who have passed through, and have worked there. We also consider its surroundings, which were once the fields belonging to Westbourne Manor House, where its locomotive depot would be built. A little further out was Old Oak Common, now deep in inner suburbia, the GWRs largest depot, still the home of the High Speed Trains and used as a depot for the Cross Rail construction. The approach to Paddington involved negotiating a fascinating complex of lines, serving both goods and passenger traffic, signal boxes and semaphore signals galore. To this day it is the only main line London station served by surface Underground trains.

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There is still some romance attached to the idea of sea travel; cruising the world's oceans in luxury and comfort; sailing to far-flung destinations as the first explorers did hundreds of years ago. Some cities are seen at their best by an arrival by water, gradually revealing themselves as the ship sails ever closer-Malta, Sydney and San Francisco to name a few. The Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. and, today P&O Cruises, have been taking passengers all over the world since 1837. Join the author on a world cruise in P&O Cruises' 180th celebration year. Find out how world travel has changed, and, in some cases, has not. Using extracts from old diaries, guide books and accounts, the writer compares cruising today with yesteryear. Get a captain's view of this special voyage; discover what goes into making it a unique experience; how they prepare over 7,500 meals every day. The author was commissioned to assist in planning the itinerary and special excursions, visiting ports that were instrumental in the growth of P&O and still welcome their ships today. Discover amazing countries, cultures, and sights on a journey that circumnavigates the world. A blend of travelogue and history.

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'Transatlantic Liners 1950-1970' is a glorious reference of a grand but bygone age to those passenger ships, large and small, that crossed the Atlantic. There were the likes of the 'Queen Mary' and 'Queen Elizabeth', 'SS United States', 'Caronia', 'Andrea Doria' but also smaller, less memorable ships such as the 'Noordam', 'Paryhia' and 'Laurentia'. The ships, over 150 of them, are grouped by owner--from the short-lived American Banner Line to Israel's Zim Lines. Each ship is given a full, detailed reference: details (routing, length, tonnage, builder, speed, passengers carried, etc.) as well as a full chronology of the vessel's career including it's ultimate disposition and fate. Overall, it will be an extensive reference work. And altogether, it will be a revival of an all-star maritime cast!

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One towed artillery gun required a team of six horses and nine men. WW2 German engineers came up with the idea of mounting an artillery gun on top of a tank chassis. This new technology reduced the amount of resources required to deploy one artillery gun. Artillery self-propelled guns only needed a four or five man crew. They could also be made ready to fire more quickly. This book covers the development and use of this new weapon between 1939 and 1945. One type was successfully used in the invasion of France in May 1940. More were used on the Eastern Front against Soviet forces from 1941 until the end of the war in 1945. The 'Desert Fox', Ewin Rommel, needed artillery guns that could keep up with his Panzers in North Africa. Horses could not be used in the desert. He was sent 15 cm howitzers mounted on top of Panzer II tank chassis and captured French Army Lorraine 37L tracked armoured supply vehicles. Rommel's forces in Northern France were equipped with a variety of new artillery self-propelled guns. They were used against the Allies when they invaded the beaches of Normandy on D-Day 6th June 1944.

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`Cooperman! The Life of Tommy Cooper' is a hilarious look at one of Britain's best-loved comedians. For almost four decades, Tommy Cooper was the most popular entertainer in the country, and certainly the most imitated. This is the story of the man and his magic, his life, and his times. This volume contains hundreds of his favourite jokes, tricks, and sketches, as well as behind-the-scenes stories from his friends, family, and fellow artistes. This entertaining and informative account provides an insight into the fun and humour of Tommy Cooper. It is intended as genial aide-memoire to remind fans why they loved this British comedy giant. Cooperman! is an authorised biography, presented with the blessing of Cooper's family and estate. Ian Carroll is a co-writer and creator of `Just Like That! The Tommy Cooper Show', a theatrical play currently touring across the UK to both critical and audience acclaim.

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Canadian Pacific Steamships was a worldwide travel network that included great passenger ships. Their highpoint for that arm might have been in the Twenties & Thirties. First, they had a superb transpacific service, Vancouver to and from the Orient, with four splendid ships providing twice-monthly service. It all hinted of far-off, exotic travel--grand salons, midnight sailings from Shanghai and an Asiatic steerage below decks. On the Atlantic, Canadian Pacific provided a fine service, largely between Liverpool and the St Lawrence, to Quebec City and Montreal. This culminated with the debut, in 1931, of one of the finest liners of the twentieth century, the giant 'Empress of Britain'. An exquisite ship both inside and out, she made luxurious world cruises in winter--like a big yacht! The stories of these ships on both oceans is told in this new book. Some were scrapped prematurely, others casualties of war and still others restored and reactivated for Canadian Pacific liner services in the late Forties and into the Fifties. Altogether, it is a fascinating group of ships, well deserving of another review.

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From late 1941 Italy had been developing a secret project with her German allies to move the V1 wunderwaffen aboard aircraft carriers. Hitler required one million victims to get the British and American governments on their knees and force them to sign an honourable ceasefire. The personal archives of Ansaldo's naval architect Lino Campagnoli (1911-1975), bring back to life the plans for a modern aircraft carrier, the unprecedented transformation of the Impero battleship into a fleet carrier. The new documentation reveals the draft terms of conversion of the last of the four Littorio class modern battleships which were in a state of advanced preparation (hull components and engines completed). In the period 1941-43 a series of plans was drawn for Impero's conversion to an aircraft carrier providing, inter alia, for the embarkation of Fi-103 (the German V1), to provide substance to Italo-German cooperation in strategic military sectors. The Kriegsmarine's underwater tests on the protection of RN Impero's incomplete hull in 1944 put an end to the dream of using her as strategic weapons carrier.

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The final part of the Lion and the Rose trilogy detailing the TF battalions of the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment in the Great War. Established in August 1914, the 2/5th spent the next thirty months in England perfecting their ability to `form fours’; engaged in almost every sort of training other than that which they would need at the Front. When they deployed to France in February 1917, they were pitted against an aggressive and experienced foe. This book tells the story of their struggle to learn the skills necessary to survive in the pitiless arena of modern warfare and their progress to become the fighting equals of any by the end of the war. With no history written for either 57 Division or the 2/5th, this book—based on dozens of contemporary and unpublished sources, tells their story for the first time. The book contains sketch maps of the sectors the battalion fought in and accurate coordinates for all positions; previously unpublished photographs of men from the battalion; the most complete battalion roll yet compiled and narrates the individual parts played by 1,000 of the officers and men during the war.

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This is a fighter pilot's autobiography of life in the RAF from 1955 to 1991. It is structured around the Hawker Hunter, it being the first operational aircraft the author flew in 1958 and the last in 1985. It includes operational tours on 54 Sqn, 145 Sqn (229 OCU), 8 Sqn in Aden during the Radfan campaign, a year at the Empire Test Pilots' School followed by four years on the Fighter Test Sqn at the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment, including the 1969 Transatlantic Air Race in a Harrier, command of one of the first operational Harrier Sqns in Germany and the delights of off-base operations, a ground tour on the staff at the Royal College of Defence Studies in Belgrave Square, command of a RAF Germany base with four nuclear capable Jaguar squadrons, a ground tour as Gp Capt Operations in Germany followed by a short tour as CO Experimental Flying at Farnborough and a final flying tour as Commandant of A&AEE. The epilogue covers the final five years of service in MOD including the demise of the Nimrod AEW, the birth of the Typhoon and a final year as Commandant General of the RAF Regiment.

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