Bøger udgivet af Pen & Sword Books Ltd

ParryâEUR(TM)s life began two hundred and twenty years ago. The Revolutionary Wars against France and Napoleon were just beginning. His naval career started in wartime and lasted throughout the next fifty years during which significant changes took place in the Royal Navy. He pioneered Arctic exploration, led a memorable albeit unsuccessful expedition to reach the North Pole, reformed and improved the operations of the Hydrographers office, and oversaw the difficult transition from sail to steam power in British warships. Throughout his career he strove to improve the educational standards and living conditions of all lower deck sailors. He was knighted by William IV alongside his close friend John Franklin in 1829\. Both survived years of hardship and became national and international celebrities. Tragically though it was Parry and his in laws, the aristocratic Stanley family, who were partly responsible for FranklinâEUR(TM)s death in 1846 commanding one more expedition to complete the Northwest Passage. During their lifetime Parry and Franklin contributed new information on sciences only just emerging from the generalised description of âEUR¿natural philosophy.âEUR(TM) Subjects such as, geography, meteorology, geology, and astronomy. Parry was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London and was an expert navigator and fearless surveyor. His grave at Greenwich Hospital was destroyed during an air raid in World War II. This book is intended to secure his well-deserved place at the forefront of British Arctic exploration and science.

Operation Pistol was a British operation performed by 2 SAS during World War 2 launching 51 SAS soldiers into the German territory of Alsace Lorraine 80 miles ahead of the American forces, running alongside Operation Loyton. Of those 51 soldiers, SQMS Jack Alcock commanded a four man party from his C3 group and this is the story of his incredible bravery that awarded him the Croix de Guerre with Silver Star. Jack's group parachuted in to France in extreme weather conditions lacking vital supplies of food and suffering the theft of their radio receiver they fought through enemy territory seeking shelter with sympathetic locals along the way experiencing a close call with the Gestapo at one farmstead to eventually reach the front line position of the American Fourth Armourerd Division near Arracourt where he was debriefed by Colonel Bruce C Clarke of Command A. Jack later returned to France with his son to retrace his footsteps for this incredible memoir of determination, courage and tenacity.

The book looks at rail travel from the passengerâEUR(TM)s point of view, beginning when a coach drawn by horses, rumbled down the newly laid tracks linking Swansea to Mumbles in 1807 and takes the reader right up to the present day. It was not long after that first service opened in Wales that the first steam passenger trains began to operate. The story broadens out from the first inter-city line connecting Liverpool to Manchester to spread first around Britain and eventually spread across the world. The book paints vivid pictures of how travel seemed to passengers in different countries, drawing on many first-hand accounts. The early days offered little in comfort âEUR" third class passengers had to make do with carriages that were simply open trucks. Gradually conditions improved and eventually there was an age of luxury travel epitomised by the famous Orient Express. Every aspect of rail travel is looked at, from tragic tales of fatal accidents to the role of railway travel in films and books. This lively account of the pioneering days and what many regard as the golden age of rail travel will be welcomed by anyone who enjoys taking the train.

The bitter fighting in the so-called Falaise-Argentan Pocket in August 1944, during which the Allies encircled and destroyed a substantial part of Hitler's forces in northern France following the D-Day landings, marked the last major battle of the Normandy campaign. Despite this, tens of thousands of German soldiers managed to escape through the infamous Falaise Gap. It was as the Allies continued to pursue the retreating enemy forces that the planners considered or drew-up a number of further airborne operations. As James Daly reveals, three operations, namely _Lucky Strike_, _Transfigure_ and _Axehead_, might well have been part of the last of the fighting in the breakout from, Normandy itself. The first of these, _Lucky Strike_, was intended to see General Montgomery's 21st Army Group strike to the north-east in the direction of the River Seine, where bridges near Rouen were to be taken by the British 1st Airborne Division. _Transfigure_ was to be a major operation with the aim of using the First Allied Airborne Army against the French road network with the object of cutting the German lines of retreat across the Seine. _Axehead_, meanwhile, was a plan to establish an air-head on the eastern bank of the Seine. In this assault the British 1st Airborne Division, along with infantry, Sherman DD amphibious tanks, and specialised engineers, would establish crossings of the Dives, Touques, Risle and Seine rivers. As the Allies advanced further east into the Low Countries, further Allied airborne assaults were suggested. In Operation _Linnet_, for example, airborne forces were to capture and hold Tournai on the Escaut river in the western part of German-occupied Belgium. In the event, they were all cancelled, usually as the Allied forces reached the intended dropping zones before the airborne forces could take off. In particular, several of these operations bear very strong resemblance to elements of the _Market Garden_ plan and show early signs of the mistakes. Operation _Comet_, for example, included a glider coup-de-main for the bridges at Arnhem, Nijmegen and Grave - why did this disappear for _Market Garden_?These operations and their planning show that far from being an operation that went wrong in September 1944, the flaws in the Arnhem plan were evident much earlier. They also show that divisions between the Allies emerged much earlier and ran much deeper than originally thought.

_Red Dwarf_ is virtually unique among British sitcoms. It began in 1988 and was still releasing new episodes in 2020, making it one of the longest running sitcoms of all time, but the core cast has remained largely unchanged. And its science fiction flavour contrasts strongly with the drawing rooms and sofas which were the norm when it launched, and the fast-cut mockumentary style which is popular today. And yet, this is a show which nobody wanted to make, and which only barely made it to our screens at all. In this work, Tom Salinsky will look at exactly how it came to be; who was considered for the cast but didnâEUR(TM)t make it; how it was radically reinvented for the third, sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth seasons; how it survived the breakup of its key creative partnership, the loss of the original spaceship models, BBC strikes, the departure of a major cast member, and the seemingly self-defeating rules which the writers imposed on themselves. But this isnâEUR(TM)t just a behind-the-scenes account. ItâEUR(TM)s also a detailed critical analysis, examining why the best episodes succeed and why the less impressive episodes struggle, while also finding time to ask just how a hologram made of light can smell burning camphor wood, why a creature evolved from a cat is familiar with Wilma Flintstone, or just how long Lister and Kochanski were dating for. How can all this possibly be contained in one book? It canâEUR(TM)t! Volume I will cover the first six series and Volume II will conclude the story of _Red Dwarf_ on television as well as looking at the novels, comic strips, computer games and more.

JIM BLAKE'S latest book on London's buses may come as a surprise, since he usually concentrated on older vehicles in the fleet. However, the unpopular, unsuccessful DMs and DMSs were still part of London Transport's history, so he recorded them too, particularly towards the end of the short working lives. Forced by central government to buy "off-the-peg" standard manufacturers' products, rather than their own tried and trusted designs, LT opted for Daimler Fleetlines for their first fleet of one-man-operated double-deckers. Optimistically christened "Londoners" when they first entered service in January 1971, they instantly became unpopular with passengers, staff and bus enthusiasts alike. Their square, box-like appearance and bland all-over red livery did not endear them to the latter. Passengers used to boarding buses immediately with fares collected or tickets checked by a conductor objected to waiting at termini until the driver appeared and opened their doors, and having to queue at stops waiting to pay as they entered. Automatic ticket machines meant to mitigate this broke down making matters worse; all this increased journey times. The vehicles had flimsy bodywork, easily damaged by the slightest collision, and were also mechanically unreliable: their rear engines often caught fire. This made them unpopular with drivers and maintenance staff. Although the type worked satisfactorily in the provinces, it was just not suited for the rigours of London service. This book presents a selection of pictures of them, many previously unpublished and also graphically illustrating the buses' many defects.

PHILIP SNOWDEN was a proud Yorkshireman, a founding father of the Labour Party, its first Chancellor of the Exchequer and eventually was seen as a traitor by the movement he did so much to build. Growing up in the poverty of a weaving village in the Pennines, Snowden was paralysed in his twenties but overcame his disability by teaching himself to walk again with the aid of two sticks. He came to socialism in the 1890s and helped build Labour from a fringe sect into a governing party. Snowden was LabourâEUR(TM)s undisputed economic expert for decades and served as chancellor three times in the 1920s and 30s. He would be expelled from the party for joining Ramsay MacDonaldâEUR(TM)s controversial National Government in 1931 and has been condemned as a turncoat ever since. A gifted orator, Snowden was regarded as the archetypal Yorkshireman; strong-willed and straight-talking, caustic and biting in his criticism but warm in friendship. He earned the moniker âEUR¿Iron ChancellorâEUR(TM) after doggedly standing up to the French during tense negotiations, with one Paris journal bawling, âEURœThere is only one thing left âEUR" we must occupy Yorkshire!âEUR? SnowdenâEUR(TM)s infamous 1931 election broadcast, in which he condemned LabourâEUR(TM)s programme as âEURœBolshevism run madâEUR?, played a major role in the National Government winning the biggest landslide in British electoral history. In 1934, Snowden wrote his autobiography. It is one of the most readable memoirs of the period, packed with SnowdenâEUR(TM)s characteristic wit and sarcasm. SnowdenâEUR(TM)s portrait of his youth in the rural Yorkshire of the 1870s is a unique window into a lost world, while his narrative of the pioneering days of the Labour movement is passionate and vivid. In describing his long career in parliament and government from 1906-1932, the great men of the age jump off the page as we encounter Asquith, Lloyd George, Churchill, Baldwin and MacDonald among others in this tumultuous period of British history. SnowdenâEUR(TM)s story is both an absorbing account of a fascinating time and an invaluable source for students and scholars.

"Via philosophy, technique and knowledge, Giles encourages the reader to question and ponder, sharing expert insight.âEUR? - _The Field_ (Alexandra Henton, editor). _The Secret Life of Salmon_ is something both personal and intimate, and macro and global. The life story of Atlantic, Chum, Sockeye, King, Silver and Pink salmon, has gripped the human consciousness since the dawn of time. Now we have a new interactive angle on the existential eco status of the king of fish. A mirror held up to our warming world - via science, sporting and aquacultural viewpoints. This book takes in the start of a salmonâEUR(TM)s life cycle with gravel covered eggs hatching in a specific river pool, we hear fascinating secrets with a backdrop of the time-lapsed seasons changing overhead and specified times of year. We follow the salmon's epic journey of quest through icy and wild northern waters to its conclusion in an upland stream. Read about the great success stories of conservation - the 21st-century buy-out of drift-nets in British and Irish waters; the application of ranching in the vast waters of the Alaskan-Pacific. The groundbreaking smolt tracking methods using cutting edge science applied on famous but threatened salmon populations from New Brunswick streams to Moray Firth rivers and out to sea. A sustainable future for these iconic fish? The answer is here including the latest on new technology and significance and legacy of COP26 in Glasgow, taking in the road to COP 27 and beyond. Predators. Size of river. Numbers. Withering in-river predation from mergansers, goosanders and mink, then grey seals, dolphins and orcas in salmons' marine iteration. How do fish in your chosen location fare compared to salmon elsewhere? The answer is here. Bringing it back home: the pods of muscled chrome-silver salmon nosing back into tidal reaches of their home river to spawn. A map in its head, a smell of the water. Nature's wisdom staggering runs of fish back on an imperative they canâEUR(TM)t ignore?This book, with its unique pictures is a visual, technical, philosophical and emotional feast and a serious call to arms. New light is shed on new events, new scientific and environmental projects, and the foreword by Dr Paul Rouse FRSA, who worked with the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative as its science adviser, sets an epoch defining moment for the salmon and its secrets. Praise for _How To Catch More Salmon_ (White Owl Books, 2019):"Devoted salmon fisher Henry Giles has written a book to help others catch the elusive kings of the river. Try itâEUR¿ you might just get hooked.âEUR? - _The Scotsman_

This is an adventure story about Royal Marine Commandos going to war during the Falklands War of 1982\. Myth and legend. War is an odd thing. It brings out the very best in a person and probably the converse, too. It is also the story of Argentinian Marines who also went to war. The very same war and eventually the very same battle. Memories are still very much alive. But it is curious that people witness the exact same events but remember something quite different. This book allows for these differences, accepting them as truths. The dark stormy stage is set and the players are not even aware they are going to war. One by one, they tell their story of this great Homerian adventure. But it is not a story of heroics and daring-do. It is a story of quite normal people who, through the accident of birth dates, meet in the absurd position of fighting each other for their very lives. Some are injured, some die. Some are deeply affected by the war. If there is a case for the âEUR¿Universal SoldierâEUR(TM), it is truly in this story. Soldiers are sent to war by other people. They endure, suffer and kill for a cause they know or care little about. Real war and real fighting create a microcosm of experiences. Friendship groups reduce in size from a Commando Unit size of 600 men to much smaller groups. 9 Troop, Charlie Company, 40 Commando Royal Marines experienced this. 9 Troop comprises 32 men. All extremely close friends. Closer than you could possibly imagine. As the war progresses, the groups in the Troop reduce in size until you are only concerned with the other two men immediately around you. Microscopic. These are the men you fight for. These are the friendships you will take to the end of your days. If love were ever a thing, it was clearly present among the men of Charlie Company in 1982, also, among the men of the Argentine Marines on Sapper Hill. The War was short and violent. Extremely violent. The Marines on both sides suffered the extreme Antarctic weather conditions and the vicious fighting. Weather was the paramount concern. Royal Marines are trained to pay attention to detail and constantly do their âEUR¿adminâEUR(TM). Clean and service equipment and themselves. It is a harsh religion within the Corps and we all pay homage to it. This may have affected the outcome as much as any fighting.

The Fÿhrer Headquarters, Fÿhrerhauptquartiere abbreviated FHQu in German, were headquarters used by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and his close circle of commanders and officials. As Hitler directly controlled much of the German war effort, the FHQu were de facto military headquarters. At the beginning of the war, Hitler's railway train served as Fÿhrerhauptquartier, for example during the Balkans campaign in the spring of 1941, but the construction of Fÿhrerhauptquartiere, Hitler's Headquarters, was entrusted to the Organisation Todt, the Nazi civil engineering body. 'Wolfsschanze' in East Prussia is well known, not least because of 'Operation Valkyrie', Oberst Claus von Stauffenberg's attempt to kill Hitler by detonating a bomb under a conference table on July 20, 1944\. It was one of the largest Fÿhrer headquarters, and the one where Hitler remained the longest period but by the end of 1944, 16 headquarters had been built throughout Europe and three more were still under construction. Many were never used.

Well before Yuri Gagarin or Alan Shepard, Lothar Sieber became the first man to take off vertically from the ground under rocket power on March 1, 1945\. The plane crashed after flying for 55 seconds and he was killed. The launch marked a milestone on the road to spaceflight, even though it remained virtually unknown to the general public for more than half a century. But the Natter was a weapon of war born out in the closing months of World War II when Germany was desperately looking for 'wonder weapons' to fight the inevitable defeat. A vertical take-off rocket fighter, the Natter would reach the Allied bomber altitude in seconds, then the pilot would get within firing distance of a bomber, and fire all 24 rockets into the nose in a single shot. Its fuel running out, the pilot will then glide the plane at high speed to a lower altitude, at which point he will trigger the plane to break up, a large parachute opening at the rear, popping off the nose and the pilot with it. The pilot and the tail with the Walter rocket engine would land under their separate parachutes, while the disposable nose, fuselage and wings were to crash to the ground. The Natter is unquestionably an exciting aircraft but it is safe to assume that it would have been a failure as a bomber interceptor.

The Royal Marines had the distinction of serving in every major land campaign of the First World War, as well as participating in most minor ones. They also served afloat as an element of the Royal Navy. For the greater part, the morale and esprit de corps of the formation was second to none, wherever its men found themselves and whatever challenges they faced. This new history examines the participation of the corps in actions such as the Defence of Antwerp, the Gallipoli landings, the Battle of the Somme, the Zeebrugge Raid and the Allied intervention in North Russia. It covers the Marines in action aboard ship at the Dardanelles and Jutland, and throws a spotlight on the little-known Royal Marines presence in the West Indies. Flying Marines operated with the Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Flying Corps, often with noted bravery. Wherever possible the words used are those of the men who were there, and these eye-witness accounts (some never before published) offer an immediacy and freshness to this story.

Maintaining its appealing style and presentation, the _Yearbook of Astronomy 2025_ contains comprehensive jargon-free monthly sky notes and an authoritative set of sky charts to enable backyard astronomers and sky gazers everywhere to plan their viewing of the yearâEUR(TM)s eclipses, comets, meteor showers and minor planets as well as detailing the phases of the Moon and visibility and locations of the planets throughout the year. To supplement all this is a variety of entertaining and informative articles, a feature for which the _Yearbook of Astronomy_ is known. Presenting the reader with information on a wide range of topics, the articles for the 2025 edition include, among others, Recent Advances in Astronomy; Recent Advances in Solar System Exploration; Skies over Ancient America: Mystical Mounds and Landmarks of the Prehistoric Americas; Astrophysicist Cecilia Helena Payne and Professor H. N. Russell; The AstronomersâEUR(TM) Stars: The Terrible Twos; Eta Carinae: A Chance Encounter and Journey of Discovery; Saturn at its Equinox: A History of Ring-Plane Crossings from 1612 to 2025; A History of Observatory Designs: Before the Telescope; Signals from the Magnetosphere; How to Read a Scientific Paper; and Small Stars. This iconic publication made its first appearance way back in 1962, shortly after the dawning of the Space Age. Now well into its seventh decade of production, the Yearbook continues to be essential reading for anyone lured and fascinated by the magic of astronomy and who has a desire to extend their knowledge of the Universe and the wonders to which it plays host. The _Yearbook of Astronomy_ is indeed an inspiration to amateur and professional astronomers alike, and warrants a place on the bookshelf of all stargazers and watchers of the skies.

Until 1943 there was little effective resistance to the German occupation of The Netherlands. Though numerous small opposition groups had formed immediately after the German invasion in 1940, there was no concerted movement or over-arching organisation. Gradually, though, as the Germans introduced harsher measures against certain groups, opposition grew, particularly in the urban areas. These met with very limited success due to poor security which was to plague the Dutch resistance movement in general. As is made clear in this official account, individuals were often members of more than one resistance group at the same time. This inevitably meant that when one cell was compromised others quickly met the same fate. Nevertheless, in 1941 the Netherlands, or N, Section of the Special Operations Executive under Major Seymour Bingham started sending trained agents to The Netherlands. These operatives were dropped by parachute or infiltrated into the country from France or Belgium. Unfortunately, poor discipline continued to hamper the resistance movement. Preparation was poor, security was lax, and codewords were forgotten or ignored. As a result, fifty-four of N SectionâEUR(TM)s agents were captured by the Germans; fifty of these were subsequently executed. Despite its egregious failings, SOEâEUR(TM)s N Section, could count on some successes. Its agents were able to coordinate the various groups and help maintain communications with the UK. They also undertook valuable weapons training and gave instruction on demolition techniques. The people the agents assisted in active resistance were usually ordinary Dutch citizens, often working in respectable jobs under the very noses of the Germans, their only precaution being the adoption of a false name while operating undercover. The SOE agents themselves had to adopt the cover occupations of those professions which would not be subjected to conscription, such as teachers, medical personnel, or police. Usually, they would take the identity of brave individuals who had volunteered to have their information duplicated. In addition, the agents would be thoroughly briefed on their adopted personas so that they could provide convincing accounts of their movements if stopped and interrogated. This official account of the development and activities of SOEâEUR(TM)s Dutch Section was written by a Staff Officer prior to SOE being disbanded in 1946\. It was based on information, reports and documents provided by those involved in the campaign. It details how SOE agents were recruited and trained in the UK and gives information on safe houses, contact addresses, secret telephone exchanges, training premises and methods of communications in The Netherlands and externally to London. In essence, it provides all the apparatus and procedures used in the establishment of the underground movement which sought to obstruct and oppose the Germans at every turn.

A variety of factors surround military firearms âEUR" they needed to be produced in large numbers to a standardised pattern at an affordable price. This books examines the transition from traditional hand-craft methods to the beginnings of mechanised manufacture using as examples the French Model 1777 and the Russian Model 1808 infantry muskets. A number of factors led to this choice. The French Model 1777 musket, designed by HonorÃ(c) Blanc working under General Gribeauval, contained many novel features which became blueprints for the arms of numerous countries and was copied in its entirety by Russia. Another factor is that they are the only firearms whose manufacture is covered in contemporary accounts. A third factor is that they provide contrasts in their methods of manufacture; the French 1777 musket was largely produced by hand-craft methods, whereas in Russia we see the beginnings of extensive mechanisation in the early 19th century. Another important aspect which appears is âEUR¿interchangeabilityâEUR(TM) âEUR" the ability to exchange identical parts of identical mechanism without âEUR¿special adjustmentâEUR(TM). This is a vital factor at the foundation of modern manufacturing and first appears in early 18th century France, was pursued again by Blanc in 1777 and was picked up in Russia. For the first time, all these âEUR¿technologiesâEUR(TM) are examined, explained, compared and contrasted in extensive detail.

Samuel Herbert Dougal had a successful military career lasting over 20 years in the Royal Engineers, where he rose to the rank of Quartermaster-Sergeant. But he was also a forger, embezzler, thief, arsonist, serial womaniser and murderer. After leaving the army he preyed on well-off older women and one of them âEUR" Camille Cecile Holland âEUR" would become the central figure and victim of the Moat Farm Murder. In 1899, Dougal persuaded her to purchase Coldhams Farm, an isolated property at Clavering, Essex, which they renamed âEURœThe Moat FarmâEUR? and which she supposed was to be their love-nest. Instead, she disappeared shortly after they moved in, with Dougal reporting that she had gone travelling on a sudden whim. He also installed his real wife Sarah at the Moat Farm; she was his third wife and it is likely that he poisoned both the others whilst serving in Canada. He then began to systematically ransack Miss HollandâEUR(TM)s bank account using forged cheques, as well as selling off her substantial investments with forged letters to brokers and putting the farm into his own name. The womanising continued unabated and became the stuff of local legend. Four years later, when Miss HollandâEUR(TM)s funds were used up, Dougal tried to flee the country but was arrested at the Bank of England trying to change high value banknotes. After an unsuccessful attempt at escape on the way to the police station, he remained in custody for several months while an unsatisfactory trial for fraud dragged on before the Magistrates Bench. At last the police decided to look for a body, spending weeks to no avail dragging the moats which surrounded the farmhouse. At the very moment when the trial for fraud hung on a thread, Miss Holland was discovered in a filled-in drainage ditch with a bullet in her skull. Public hysteria was at fever-pitch and sightseers came in thousands from all over England. An inquest and trial for murder followed swiftly; Dougal was convicted and executed in July 1903\. His last word was âEURœGuiltyâEUR?.

_Operation Telic and the Liberation of Iraq_ is an anecdote-packed daily diary recounting the authorâEUR(TM)s experiences as a reserve officer and media handler with 7 Armoured (the Desert Rats) and 19 Mechanized Brigade during Operation TELIC in Iraq in 2003. A journalist in uniform, Abbott provides an insider-outsider account of British Army media ops in southern Iraq during the immediate post-conflict phase. With a sharp eye for detail, Abbott provides a behind-the-scenes account of the highs and lows of serving two âEUR¿mastersâEUR(TM) âEUR" his demanding military commanders on one hand and a voracious press on the other. One of his first missions is dealing with a barrage of media questions following the brutal murder of six Royal Military Police by a crazed mob in Majar-al-Kabir. Abbott recalls the adrenalin-filled atmosphere when the British Army garrison at Basra Palace is surrounded by a crowd firing mortars and unleashing hundreds of rounds from their AK-47s. ItâEUR(TM)s only after a tense stand-to that the nervous troops discover that they are not under attack: the crowd is celebrating the demise of Saddam HusseinâEUR(TM)s sons. There are plenty of lighter and un-woke moments, too, as Abbott tells stories that fortunately didnâEUR(TM)t make the news at the time. The author admits how criminal thoughts might just have crossed his mind over the $30 million flown in by the US government each week and stored feet from his camp-bed. Above all this is a vivid account of a controversial operation that cost many lives and severely tarnished the reputation of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Unconvinced of the merits of military action before arriving in theatre, Abbott ends his tour in a positive mindset despite the failure to locate WMD. His diary is more SOS than SAS, with little of the derring-do of an Andy McNab adventure. Yet it's just as un-put-downable. More in the tradition of Leslie Thomas' Virgin Soldiers than Bravo Two Zero, itâEUR(TM)s an honest, authentic and often funny read which has the potential to appeal beyond a niche audience. There has been no account of the British in Iraq quite like this.

_The Lost Years_ tells the story of Roger Rothwell, captured by the Japanese on Christmas Day 1941 during the fall of Hong Kong, along with 900 of his fellow soldiers. He was one of only 150 who walked through the camp gates to freedom in 1945. The book describes his four long years of captivity in Shamsuipo and Argyle Street prison camps in beautifully written and sometimes harrowing detail. Experiences are told from notes made in a secretly kept diary of Roger's incarceration, the discovery of which would have meant his inevitable death at the hands of his captors. Roger recounts his enlisting in the British Army as a newly qualified teacher at the outbreak of World War Two in 1939, his time training for combat, his long and arduous journey to Hong Kong via Africa, his capture and eventual release, and finally, the journey home. _The Lost Years_ is a book which will fascinate those interested in World War Two, the bombing of London during the Blitz, and the experiences of Prisoners of War. The book is written with the attention to detail only a soldier could produce. It is a story of determination and a man who owed his life to the loyalty of his fellow prisoners and his love for the childhood sweetheart at home, who waited. It is written with humility and humour and is a fascinating account of one man's eagerness to serve his country, his experience of war, and his ultimate survival.

This book offers a no-holds-barred insight into the often passionate, sometimes controversial, subject of tension and mistrust between the worlds of archaeology and metal detecting with the intent of shedding new light upon and bringing into the open some of the working practices, procedures and thoughts which have fuelled an ill-wind that flurries through levels of archaeological academia. Beginning in the mists of history, the author explores the birth of archaeological investigation from a Kings search, the grave robbers, through the antiquarian collectors, museum artefact collections through to a profession which appears these days to rely upon the construction industry and its commercialism for survival. Integrating various sources of information to highlight analytical information as well cultural, social, and economic intervention to form an unbiased argument. The later appearance of metal detecting as a hobby which fired discontent, distrust, and deliberate efforts to either govern or ban the hobby. This distrust is echoed by the authorâEUR(TM)s extensive research which uncovered a deep-set denial of the use, by archaeologists, of an innovative invention which has become an essential tool for artefact recovery, the metal detector. This hobby, also listed as a sport, boasts a practitioner membership of over thirty-five thousand in the UK alone, the history of which is covered in depth from the development of electro-magnetism, leading to an ever-increasing number of inventions, including machines for the detection of explosive devices which morphed into the metal detector as we know it today.

In February 1917, German U-boats launched a savage unrestricted campaign against both Allied and neutral shipping. At its peak in April, 860,000 tons of Allied merchant shipping was sunk. BritainâEUR(TM)s supremacy at sea was being severely challenged and with it the chances of victory in the wider war. Taking up the challenge was BritainâEUR(TM)s new First Sea Lord, Sir John Jellicoe, until the previous December C-in-C of the Grand Fleet âEUR" famously described by Churchill as the only man who could have lost the war in an afternoon. The battle he now faced was equally critical, although the timeline of defeat was a matter of days rather than hours âEUR" BritainâEUR(TM)s food stocks were dangerously low with wheat reserves down to six weeks and sugar to only two, while wide-scale shortages were crippling the industrial economy. Jellicoe outlined the gravity of the situation with total candor to Rear Admiral William Sims, USN, sent over before America officially declared war by Franklin Roosevelt, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. The two men already knew each other from service together in China during the Boxer Rebellion, so JellicoeâEUR(TM)s plea for urgent American assistance was taken seriously by Sims. After the USA joined the war in April 1917, together they lobbied Washington for aid, addressing their needs directly to two reluctant Anglophobes at the head of the USN, Secretary of the Navy, Josephus Daniels and Chief of Naval Operations, William Benson. Clearly, a radical new approach to anti-submarine warfare was called for, and Convoy was the leading contender. There were many objections to protecting shipping in this way, some ideological but most practical âEUR" a workable system, for example, effectively required state control of both shipping and distribution networks, something inconceivable in normal circumstances. However, Convoy had powerful advocates, including the Prime Minister, Lloyd George, who later claimed he had personally forced its adoption on a reluctant Admiralty. This self-serving political myth cast Jellicoe as an opponent of Convoy: nothing could be further from the truth. As both Jellicoe and Sims understood, the key requirement was a rapid increase in the number of destroyers for escort duties. America provided them, the first arriving in Queenstown, Ireland on 4 May and by June 46 were operating in European waters. This was the first step in an Anglo-American campaign that gradually brought the U-boat threat under control and led to its ultimate defeat. This book takes a fresh look at the undersea war as a whole and all the complex factors bearing on the campaign, only one of which was convoy. Its analysis is original, and its conclusions thought-provoking âEUR" an important contribution to the naval history of the Great War.

Lady Jane Grey, the nine-day queen is considered to be one of the most tragic characters in English history. In July 1553 when King Edward VI died at the age of just 15 years old, the Tudor dynasty fell into chaos. The king had no legitimate male heirs and was determined his half-sisters Mary and Elizabeth would not inherit his throne, despite his father Henry VIII stating in his will that they should. We are led to believe that on Edward's instructions his cousin Lady Jane Grey was to be proclaimed queen. But who was she? Was she the innocent young girl that our history books tell us she was, or a religious fanatic with the aim of keeping Mary off the throne and England Protestant? Or was she nothing but a pawn to men in the game of power and politics, abused by her parents to marry against her will all for a crown she did not want? This book looks into her life from her early years in relative seclusion at the family home at Bradgate through to her tragic end on the scaffold at the Tower of London, executed on the orders of her cousin Queen Mary. What was her place within the Tudor royal family, was she ever entitled to claim the throne of England, and do we even recognise her as a true queen today?

Almost 500 years have passed since the death of Anne Boleyn, and yet, there has never been a suggestion she was guilty of the crimes which saw her executed. Attempts to muddy AnneâEUR(TM)s reputation throughout history have not lessened her popularity nor convinced anyone she was an adulterer. But many myths surrounding AnneâEUR(TM)s conviction for sleeping with George Boleyn, Henry Norris, Francis Weston, William Brereton, and Mark Smeaton have cropped up due to centuries of lies, slander, and misinformation from detractors. One month after Anne was executed, the Convocation of Canterbury ratified the paperwork detailing her arrest, conviction, execution, and the annulment of the marriage between King Henry VIII and his second wife. As parliament had already ruled AnneâEUR(TM)s only child, Princess Elizabeth, was no longer heir to the throne, all the paperwork surrounding the trial was destroyed. No trace of her charges, witness statements, evidence, or even Archbishop Thomas CranmerâEUR(TM)s reasoning for annulling the royal marriage survived the mass destruction. Everyone was supposed to forget Anne Boleyn and accept Queen Jane. But why did Anne Boleyn ever need to die? King Henry had started little more than an infatuation with Jane Seymour in December 1535\. Yet, many saw the opportunity to pounce, not to reduce AnneâEUR(TM)s influence but to increase Princess MaryâEUR(TM)s standing. As Vicegerent Thomas Cromwell and Ambassador Eustace Chapuys whispered of alliances in secret meetings, the Catholic nobility and the White Roses began to hatch their plan to restore the kingâEUR(TM)s daughter, Princess Mary, to her rightful place at court. Just as Katharine of Aragon died, Anne Boleyn felt secure as EnglandâEUR(TM)s queen, only to find that her adversaryâEUR(TM)s death would soon bring on her own. Why did political and religious enemies of Thomas Cromwell seek him in the months leading to AnneâEUR(TM)s death, expecting his co-operation to restore Princess Mary? Did Jane Seymour have any significance and why did King Henry and Thomas Cromwell get into a public shouting match at a dinner party? The answers lie not in what evidence remains of court life in early 1536 but in the gaps left behind. None of the characters that played a role in Anne BoleynâEUR(TM)s death were strangers; all had connections, alliances and opportunities, and when their pasts and futures are laid together, we can see how a haphazard plan to end a queenâEUR(TM)s life had almost nothing to do with her at all.

The author believes that all international strategic manoeuvrings in the region, mostly rely on information that is entirely fabricated and portrayed by PakistanâEUR(TM)s adversaries to harm its national interests. In his opinion, knowing a realistic picture of Pakistan and the Pakistan army in its true perspective, is important not only for people inside the country but also for the international community, so that they may pursue their relationships and cooperation in the region based on ground realities. Considering his personal experiences in security and counterintelligence operations during last four decades, he thought of writing this book. He believes that his narrative provides a virtuous material for analysts to ponder history through an authentic premise and predict futuristic security scenarios based on a realistic perspective. To present his arguments with facts and figures, in a cohesive manner, the author has presented the narrative in shape of a memoir of his lifelong experiences in a cohesive manner, taking full measure of the individuals, institutions and organisations that made a strong impression on his life. During the process, an effort has been made to take the readers along the same curve he followed so that they can clearly grasp the dynamics that drives the life of a Pakistani soldier.

This book starts with the Incident at Mosty, in which we explore a little-known event which took place on August 25, 1939 near the Czechoslovakian/Polish border. The next chapter is The Gleiwitz Incident where we tell the story of an incident on the night of August 31/September 1, 1939, where the German Sicherheitsdienst (Security Service) staged a series of fake border incidents along the German-Polish frontier in Upper Silesia designed to give Nazi Germany an excuse for invading Poland. The most prominent of these provocations was the seizure of the German radio station in the town of Gleiwitz. Following from this we the describe the story of Westerplatte where the opening shots of the Second World War were fired in Poland: The Free City of Danzig, Westerplatte, The Military Transit Depot, Preparations for Defence, Preparing for Aggression, The Last Hours of Peace, The First Day of War, The Second Day, The Third Day, The Fourth Day, The Fifth Day, The Sixth Day, The Seventh Day, Hitler Visits Danzig, Westerplatte Today. Finally, we describe The Siege of Warsaw in 1939\. On September 8, 1939, one week into the Nazi invasion of Poland, German armoured troops reached the gates of Warsaw. The Polish government and High Command had left the city but a determined garrison awaited the enemy invader and the Poles were able to stave off two consecutive German attempts to take the capital by armoured attack. Thus began a siege that would last for three weeks and subject the Warsaw Army of over 100,000 and the civilian population of over one million to a ruthless campaign of aerial bombardment and heavy artillery shelling, causing thousands of casualties and widespread destruction. It was a hopeless battle that could only end in defeat and on September 27 the Polish garrison capitulated. The photos of the first penetration by tanks and infantry of the 4\. Panzer-Division taken on September 9 became standard repertoire of German propaganda publications on the Blitzkrieg in Poland.

This book gives the most up-to-date story of the serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, AKA the Yorkshire Ripper. His confessions to police in 1981, and his later confession in 1992 to two further attacks, are gone into in greater detail than ever before, as are attacks on women that the police later felt they had enough evidence to charge him with. We also delve deep into the police investigation and highlight the many failings of the West Yorkshire Police Force and the many times Peter Sutcliffe should have been caught. Using Home Office files that the author had released under the FOI Act at the National Archives, this is the true story of the Yorkshire Ripper âEUR" and the 32 girls and women whose lives he affected forever. In researching this book, the author contacted some of the those whose lives were affected by Sutcliffe. One of those, Mo Lea, kindly agreed to write the foreword for the book having read it in full:_This book is a very valuable contribution, knocking all the other books out there about Sutcliffe well off the shelf!__This is a very thorough and incredibly well researched account of the murders and attacks of Peter Sutcliffe. Chris has produced a comprehensive report that is the best reference book on Peter SutcliffeâEUR(TM)s killing spree. Aspects of the consequences of the investigation are laid bare, clearly underlining where procedures went wrong, especially relating to how the police took John HumbleâEUR(TM)s hoax seriously.__Chris provides insight with an intelligent overview of how the findings of the Byford and Sampson Reports show how the West Yorkshire Police mishandled the investigation.__Compact, condense and a valuable read to anyone interested in his crimes._- Mo Lea, survivor of an attack by Peter Sutcliffe

Celebrating 100 years since the first submariner received the Congressional Medal of Honor, dive into pre-World War II submarine history through the first comprehensive, analytical, investigation into the life and times of Henry Breault. From 1900-41, Breault's life is reconstructed as lived through his Official Military Personnel File, census records, newspaper clippings, and connecting previous research. Breault's childhood, his enlistments in the Royal Navy Canadian Volunteer Reserve and the United States Navy are carefully reconstructed. From there, the conditions aboard the submarines he served on, his relationship with friends and family, his relationship to the women in his life, and his concept of masculinity and material identity allow us to better understand his life in the context he likely understood them. This book provides a new template for microhistorical observations into subjects whose primary sources are official military documentation to help better understand enlisted submariners.

Late Roman Combat Tactics by Dr. Ilkka Syvÿnne is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand land combat in the period from the Tetrarchy to the death of Heraclius, a period when the Romans faced serious and growing military threats on many fronts. The authorâEUR(TM)s detailed analysis provides the reader with a complete understanding of the combat equipment worn by the soldiers, types of troops, tactics, different unit orders and formations used by the late Romans and their enemies. Importantly, he lays out the developments and changes in these aspects across this critical period, assessing how the Romans adapted, or failed to adapt to the varied and changing array of enemies, such as Persians, Avars and Arabs. The discussion examines how the Romans fought at every level, so that it covers everything from the individual fighting techniques all the way up to the conduct of large-scale pitched battles. There is an immense amount of technical detail but the human element and the experience of the officers and ordinary soldiers is not forgotten, with such factors as morale and the psychology of battle (the âEUR¿face of battleâEUR(TM)) given due consideration. The thoroughly researched text is well supported by dozens of diagrams and illustrations. A thoroughly illuminating read on its own, Late Roman Combat Tactics is also the perfect companion to Dr SyvÿnneâEUR(TM)s eight-volume Military History of Late Rome.

In the past, while visiting the First World War battlefields, the author often wondered where the various Victoria Cross actions took place. He resolved to find out. In 1988, in the midst of his army career, research for this book commenced and over the years numerous sources have been consulted. _Victoria Crosses on the Western Front - The Final Advance in Flanders and Artois_ is designed for the battlefield visitor as much as the armchair reader. A thorough account of each VC action is set within the wider strategic and tactical context. Detailed sketch maps show the area today, together with the battle-lines and movements of the combatants. It will allow visitors to stand upon the spot, or very close to, where each VC was won. Photographs of the battle sites richly illustrate the accounts. There is also a comprehensive biography for each recipient, covering every aspect of their lives, warts and all, parents and siblings, education, civilian employment, military career, wife and children, death and burial/commemoration. A host of other information, much of it published for the first time, reveals some fascinating characters, with numerous links to many famous people and events.