The battles that were waged in Flanders during the First World War were some of the most costly of the war. All sides paid a very high price for what only ever amounted to temporary control of the area. One thing that has never been in doubt is the courage and valour that was displayed on these battlefields, not only by the men on the ground, but also by the airmen who waged their own battles above the sodden fields of Flanders. This book related the five years of fierce battle in the air above the Ypres Salient. Written from a German standpoint, this book gives a detailed account of the growing airpower of the German Air Service and the Naval Air Arm.

This manual lists the different types of fuzes fitted to both British and German artillery and trench mortar projectiles and details how 'safe' they are to handle.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Perhaps one of the most memorable sights in the Second World War was the arrival in Scapa Flow of the Home Fleet after the successful sinking of Scharnhorst in the last week of 1943. Harry Semark was one of the few civilians privileged to witness it. This and other of his eye witness accounts, remembered with such clarity down the years, add value to the record of what was a monumentous six years in the history of not only these isles but most of the world. This book describes with complete accuracy and in a most unassuming way, the real story of the varied service that one man, like thousands of others, gave ungrudgingly largely unnoticed and unrewarded, to keep the Naval War machine, ready to fight and win. Harry Semark makes light of the hardships the world often worked in, in biting weather on large guns with practically no assistance, being expected to analyse and make good faults as requested by the Gunnery Officer (this was World War II practice). It is to his credit that he invariably found a way to achieve the aim, be it converting a fishing drifter for its self-protection to modifying a battleship's 15" guns to allow it to engage and destroy the enemy. A technical expert, he makes gunfitting come alive, this obvious zest for knowledge and life ensures that the cameos he paints are always vital and fascinating.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Foreword by Dan Snow. Ten holders of the Victoria Cross, the highest British military honour - for 'valour in the face of the enemy' - are associated with the Borough of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK. They include the very first VC to be awarded (in the Crimea, 1856).

Blacker's Boys tells the First World War history of the 9th (Service) Battalion, Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers) (County Armagh), one of thirteen infantry battalions raised in Ireland for 36th (Ulster) Division. It begins with the political context of the long-running Home Rule crisis and the formation of the Ulster Volunteer Force in 1912. It describes the raising of the Battalion in September 1914 from the men of the Ulster Volunteers of Counties Armagh, Cavan and Monaghan, their training, their move to France and early experiences in the trenches. There are detailed accounts of the actions of the Battalion in the Battles of the Somme, Third Ypres and Cambrai, during the German offensive in 1918 and in the Advance to Victory. The main text is supported by detailed appendices that commemorate those who served and include a Roll of Honour of those who died; the awards and decorations earned; biographical summaries of more than 250 officers and details of over 3,400 men who served in its ranks, and an examination of its excellent discipline record. They explain how this Battalion transitioned from comprising only Protestant volunteers from Ulster to one that was a mix of Protestant and Roman Catholic Irishmen, Englishmen from Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and London, regular soldiers, war-time volunteers and conscripts. The text is supported by full colour maps and many unique photographs.

The authentic description of a glider pilot's experience at the Battle of Arnhem in 1944, from the take-off to his escape. A graphic, detailed, and most absorbing account.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

The years of National Service cover almost two decades from 1945 to 1963. During that time 2.5 million young men were compelled to do their time in National Service with 6,000 being called up every fortnight. Some went willingly while others were reluctant. A few were downright bloody-minded as they saw little difference between their call up and the press gangs of Britain's distant past. At first public opinion was behind the idea of peacetime conscription or national service as they call it. It was clear in the immediate post war political landscape that Britain had considerable obligations and only a limited number of men still in service. Overnight the national servicemen had to learn a new language. !Fatigues!, 'Blanco', 'spit n polish', 'rifle oil', 'pull throughs' and the dreaded 'bull' and 'jankers'. Once they had been shaved from the scalp and kitted out all within a few hours of arrival, the rookie National Servicemen all looked identical even if back in the barrack room every man was still an individual. The arena for the breaking in of these young men was the parade ground. In squads they learnt how to obey orders instinctively and to react to a single word of command by coping with a torrent of abuse from the drill Instructors. After basic training the raw recruits would be turned into soldiers, sailors and airmen and they would be posted to join regiments at home or abroad. Nearly 400 national servicemen would die for their country in war zones like Korea and Malaya. Others took part in atomic tests on Christmas Island or were even used as human guinea pigs for germ warfare tests. There are tragic stories also of young men who simply couldn't cope with military life and the pain of separation from their families. For some suicide was the only way out.

The story of this tragic loss, New Zealand's worst military disaster, has not been told fully - until now In the annals of military history, the World War I battle of Passchendaele is recorded as New Zealand's worst military disaster. In just a few short hours on a miserable Belgian morning over 1000 New Zealand soldiers were killed and a further 2000 wounded in an attack on the Germanfront line. In Massacre at Passchendaele, Glyn Harper brings this ill-fated battle to life. The background to the situation facing the Allies in October 1917 is outlined, and the first assault on Passchendaele is described. This near-perfect military operation brought the New Zealand soldiers much acclaim; however, the second attack, on 12 October 1917, was anything but successful. The rationale of the strategists, the concern of some officers and the desperation of the fighting man are all recorded here. Judicious use of diary extracts and recorded interviews transport the reader to the centre of this harrowing event. An appendix lists the names and details of the New Zealand soldiers killed at Passchendaele, a tribute to their sacrifice. The military disaster of Passchendaele was a pivotal event in New Zealand's history, and a key influence on our attitudes to war in the following decades. This book will help ensure that it remains an untold story no longer.

'From School to Landing Craft' describes the period 1939 to 1947 for one man, age 17 at the outbreak of war, from two perspectives. First, there is a factual account of his time in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). Secondly, there is an account based on extracts of letters between him, his family and friends. These letters illuminate his transition from a comfortable middle class upbringing in the London suburbs and at boarding school to the deprivations and uncertainties of war. They provide a first hand account, sometimes filtered by the naval censor, of family and friends dealing with life-threatening circumstances. The expectations and fears of anxious parents stand juxtaposed with mundane 'everyday life' at home and in contrast to the resilient adaptability of youth.

"Don't be too ready to listen to stories told by attractive women. They may be acting under orders." This was only one of the many warnings given to the 30,000 British troops preparing to land in the enemy territory of Nazi Germany nine-and-a-half months after D-Day. The newest addition to the Bodleian Library's bestselling series of wartime pamphlets, "Instructions for British Servicemen in Germany, 1944" opens an intriguing window into the politics and military stratagems that brought about the end of World War II.
The pamphlet is both a succinct survey of German politics, culture, and history and a work of British propaganda. Not only does the pamphlet cover general cultural topics such as food and drink, currency, and social customs, but it also explains the effect of years of the war on Germans and their attitudes toward the British. The book admonishes, "The Germans are not good at controlling their feelings. They have a streak of hysteria. You will find that Germans may often fly into a passion if some little thing goes wrong." The mix of humor and crude stereotypes--"If you have to give orders to German civilians, give them in a firm, military manner. The German civilian is used to it and expects it"--in the text make this pamphlet a stark reminder of the wartime fears and hopes of the British.
By turns a manual on psychological warfare, a travel guide, and a historical survey, "Instructions for British Servicemen in Germany, 1944" offers incomparable insights into how the British, and by extension the Allied forces, viewed their fiercest enemy on the eve of its defeat.