"I have decided to prepare for, and if necessary to carry out, an invasion against England."--Adolph Hitler, July 16, 1940
Operation Sealion was the codename for the Nazi invasion of Britain that Hitler ordered his generals to plan after France fell in June 1940. Although the plan ultimately never came to fruition, a few sets of the Germans' detailed strategy documents are housed in the rare book rooms of libraries across Europe. But now the Bodleian Library has made documents from their set available for all to peruse in this unprecedented collection of the invasion planning materials.
The planned operation would have involved landing 160,000 German soldiers along a forty-mile stretch of coast in southeast England. Packets of reconnaissance materials were put together for the invading forces, and the most intriguing parts are now reproduced here. Each soldier was to be given maps and geographical descriptions of the British Isles that broke down the country by regions, aerial photographs pinpointing strategic targets, an extensive listing of British roads and rivers, strategic plans for launching attacks on each region, an English dictionary and phrase book, and even a brief description of Britain's social composition.
Augmenting the fascinating documents is an informative introduction that sets the materials in their historical and political context. A must-have for every military history buff, "German Invasion Plans for the British Isles, 1940" is a remarkable revelation of the inner workings of Hitler's most famous unrealized military campaign.

“Dis politici wat oorlog verklaar, nie ons nie. Ons het gedoen wat ons geglo het ons moes doen en hulle [die vyand] ook . . .” – Marco Caforio, ouddienspligtige

Op 10 Junie 1980 gedurende ’n eindelose dag van bloedige gevegte onder die Angolese son is 13 lede van die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag dood en etlike beseer toe 61 Gemeganiseerde Bataljon Groep ’n kompleks van Swapo-basisse in die suide van Angola aangeval het.

Gedurende Operasie Sceptic het tweede luitenant Paul Louw sy peleton in vier Ratels na die slagveld by die doelwit Smokeshell gelei.

In die chaos wat daardie dag gevolg het, is 12 dienspligtiges in sy peleton van 44 noodlottig gewond en hy is self ook beseer. Een van sy troepe, die 18-jarige HP Ferreira, is met ’n 14,5 mmmasjiengeweer deur sy pelvis geskiet en hy is ook deur etlike AK-47 koeëls getref. Hy het wonderbaarlik oorleef. Louw, nog met die bloed van sy manne aan sy klere, en ’n handjievol ander soldate het die aand deurgebring in ’n Ratel wat deur ’n RPG-vuurpyl getref is. Hulle was heeltemal afgesny van die res van die aanvalsgroep en het nie geweet of hulle die son sou sien opkom nie.

In Bloedbroers vertel van die oorlewendes van hul ervarings tydens die geveg. Dit werp ook lig op wat met soldate gebeur nadat die laaste skote afgevuur is en volg die veterane toe hulle vier dekades ná die operasie vir die eerste keer na die slagveld teruggekeer het.

Michael Hafferty's memoirs of his National Service days in the RAF will strike a chord with any ex-serviceman (or woman ). He describes his RAF career from "Square Bashing" - Trade Training - Posting to Singapore and final "de-mob" in a light-hearted, at times laugh-out-loud style, which makes for easy reading. The characters he meets along his way will be recognised by anyone who served in the forces and evoke memories of the mid-50's and events now passed into history. His tales of hard-up conscripts, sent out to Singapore to serve their country make interesting reading for those curious as to what their fathers - or even grandfathers - got up to in their youth The descriptions of working with the Sunderland Flying Boats at RAF Seletar, both now sadly extinct, will prove fascinating to aircraft buffs and landlubbers alike. As a reminder of days gone by to "fellow sufferers," or as an insight to those born too late to experience the joys of National Service, it makes for a most enjoyable read. About the Author Michael was one of the last of many thousands of conscripts to go through the mill of National Service. Following his "de-mob" he joined the Police Force in which he served for 30 years.

This book deals with the development history and testing of this fighter aircraft and production of the early variants of the Fw 190 A. An interesting comparison between the Bf 109 and the Fw 190 shows the strengths and weaknesses of the two aircraft, and authentic reports by former test pilots of Focke-Wulf and the Rechlin Test Station document the aircraft's performance. Also covered are the later torpedo-carrier and reconnaissance versions of the Fw 190. Together with the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 formed the standard equipment of the German fighter arm in the Second World War and today is considered one of the most capable fighters of that period. Initial flight trials in 1939 revealed a number of shortcomings, nevertheless the basic concept of the Fw 190 proved extremely successful. In contrast to the Bf 109, which was powered by a liquid-cooled, inverted-vee engine, in developing the Fw 190 Prof. Kurt Tank selected the BMW 801, an air-cooled radial engine that was less sensitive to battle damage. The broad-track undercarriage also gave the Focke-Wulf fighter much superior takeoff and landing characteristics. The Fw 190 entered quantity production by Focke-Wulf and license manufacturers Fieseler, AGO and Arado in 1941. It proved an immediate success in combat operations in 1942, proving itself superior to the Spitfire in some respects. Lavishly illustrated with photographs and drawings, many of which have not been published before, this book provides both aircraft enthusiasts and modelers with a wealth of information, and fills a gap in the history of aircraft design in Germany.

The Civil War in Missouri was a time of great confusion, violence, and destruction. Although several major battles were fought in the state between Confederate and Union forces, much of the fighting in Missouri was an ugly form of terrorism carried out by loose bands of Missouri guerrillas, by Kansas "Jayhawkers," or by marauding patrols of Union soldiers. This irregular warfare provided a training ground for people like Jesse and Frank James who, after the war, used their newly learned skills to form an outlaw band that ultimately became known all over the world.

Jesse James and the Civil War in Missouri discusses the underlying causes of the Civil War as they relate to Missouri and reveals how the war helped create both the legend and the reality of Jesse James and his gang. Written in an accessible style, this valuable little book will be welcomed by anyone with an interest in the Civil War, the legend of Jesse James, or Missouri history.

In Toy Soldiers, Simon Brann Thorpe blurs the boundaries between document, landscape and concept-based photography to explore this conflict. He examines the impact and potential consequences of the stalemate. Through real soldiers - posed as toy soldiers - he reveals the current situation in Western Sahara, a nation in waiting trapped in an historic cycle of colonial conflict, displacement and endless non-resolution. The work is a unique collaboration between Thorpe, a military commander and the men under his command. Shot entirely on location in the isolated and hauntingly beautiful territory known as 'Liberated Western Sahara' it is influenced by the historic works of photographers such as Mathew Brady, Roger Fenton and Edward Curtis. Toy Soldiers provides a contemporary archive on the issue of non-resolution and the paradigm of post colonial cycles of violence within modern conflicts.

Gedurende die Grensoorlog het die Spesiale Magte se 4 Verkenningsregiment tientalle klandestiene seewaartse operasies saam met die SA Vloot uitgevoer. Van Cabinda in Angola tot Dar es Salaam in Tanzanië het hulle strategiese teikens soos oliedepots, vervoerinfrastruktuur en selfs Russiese skepe aangeval. Die bestaan van 4 Recce is grootliks geheim gehou, ook in die SAW.

Ystervuis uit die see beskryf 50 operasies deur 4 Recce, ander Spesmagte-eenhede en die SA Vloot. Daaronder tel Operasie Kerslig (1981), waartydens ’n operateur dood en ander beseer is in ’n aanval op ’n olieraffinadery in Luanda, en Operasie Argon (1985) toe kaptein Wynand du Toit in Angola gevange geneem is.

Die skrywers, wat self aan etlike van die operasies deelgeneem het, het ook toegang gekry tot uiters geheime dokumente wat intussen gedeklassifiseer is. Hul dramatiese vertellings wys hoe veelsydig en doeltreffend hierdie elite-eenheid was.

Die omvattende boek is ’n moet vir enigeen met ’n belangstelling in die Spesmagte. Dit neem jou na die hart van die aksie, die adrenalien en vrees van seewaartse operasies.

An exciting and thoroughly well-written adventure from Steve Turley.. When a U-boat is sunk off the coast of Corsica in 1943, it takes with it a mysterious cargo which was being secretly transported under SS guard. Mike Summers, a technical diving expert, has his life thrown into chaos when he accidentally discovers wreckage from the U-boat and crosses swords with a notorious Corsican nationalist leader, resulting in the death of his friend. The race to discover the motive for the killing takes a deadly turn when Monica, a beautiful Swiss marine archaeologist, is kidnapped by the gang. Mike knows they are both likely to die unless he can use his superior knowledge of deep wreck diving to save them both and bring the perpetrators to justice. Another quality read from CheckPoint Press..

'Cozzens is a master storyteller' The Times From the devastating invasion by Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century to the relentless pressure from white settlers 150 years later, A Brutal Reckoning tells the story of encroachment on the vast Native American territory in the Deep South, which gave rise to the Creek War, the bloodiest in American Indian history, and propelled Andrew Jackson into national prominence, as he led the US Army in a ruthless campaign. It was a war that involved not only white Americans and Native Americans but also the British and the Spanish, and ultimately led to the Trail of Tears, in which the government forcibly removed the entire Creek people, as well as the neighbouring Chickasaw, Choctaw and Cherokee nations, from their homelands, leaving the way open for the conquest of the West. No other single Indian conflict had such a significant impact on the fate of the country. Wonderfully told and brilliantly detailed, A Brutal Reckoning is a sweeping history of a crucial period in the destruction of America's native tribes.

In August 1941 Winston Churchill (1874-1965) and President Roosevelt (1882-1945) met secretly on HMS Prince of Wales, moored just off the coast of Newfoundland. H. V. Morton and Howard Spring (author of Fame is the Spur) were invited to accompany the Prime Minister and his entourage, a trip, which was not without its hazards. Only a handful of people knew Churchill had left Britain and in America the press merely reported that Roosevelt was enjoying a few days' away from Washington, fishing. The Prince of Wales set off from Scrabster on 4th August 1941 and reached her destination at Newfoundland on 9th August 1941. A routine was quickly established on board and the crew soon became used to the Prime Minister's timetable and requirements, especially his regular film nights. Together with the Prime Minister's bodyguard, Thompson, a number of key personnel accompanied Churchill on this mission, including Lord Beaverbrook who joined the ship by flying to Newfoundland's Placentia Bay. The Atlantic Treaty, whilst not achieving all that Churchill had hoped for, was a key document in the development of the war and post-war strategy.Churchill had hoped that at the resolution of the meeting America would join the war during the summer of 1941 but this was not to be. America did finally join the war in December 1941 following the Japanese attack on the US base at Pearl Harbour. H. V. Morton's account was not released for publication until 1943 and subsequently numerous documents have been made available at the National Archives. Atlantic Meeting is a unique account of the events leading up to Churchill's discussions with Roosevelt and a fascinating account of the practicalities - and occasionally humour - involved in such a perilous journey.

The 9th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby) was part of Lord Kitchener's "New Army" made up initially of men from the north midlands This is their story complete with pictures of many of the men The 9th Battalion was not an elite force, but a group of ordinary working men who felt compelled to serve their country but found themselves in the most extra-ordinary military conflagration