'Time Flies: Reflections of a Fighter Pilot' retells the exploits of David Hamilton's thirty years of service in the Royal Air Force. He had a wide and varied career; flying Lightnings to defend UK airspace, operating from HMS Ark Royal in F-4 Phantoms, and defending the Inner German Border from RAF Wildenwrath. In the UK MoD he was a staff officer responsible for the Eurofighter project. He served in the First Gulf War, as the commander of a Tornado F3 Squadron deployed in Saudi Arabia, and worked as General Sir Peter de la Billiere's air advisor afterwards. He flew with and was supervisor of the Red Arrows. In NATO's Brussels Headquarters, he served as a Group Captain, formulating the Rules of Engagement for the Bosnian air campaign, and then became the deputy station commander at RAF Leuchars. Hamilton also led the Tornado F3 four-ship flypast over Edinburgh Castle as the Stone of Destiny returned to Scotland on 30 November 1996, before taking early retirement from the RAF to work in the defence industry on the Eurofighter project.

All the things you need to know when you're putting the military in your rear view In Military Transition For Dummies, you'll talk a walk through how to transition from active military service to civilian life as smoothly and easily as possible. You'll discover how to make the nuts-and-bolts changes to reach your potential in your new lifestyle. From finding a job you love to navigating educational opportunities and keeping yourself mentally strong, this vital book shows you how to: Find your next career, including how to write an effective resume and conduct a thorough job search Protect your mental and physical well-being by seeking out and accessing the supports you want and need Manage your money and make the financial adjustments that are necessary for succeeding in the civilian world Perfect for active service members who are expecting to transition out of the military in the near future, Military Transition For Dummies is also ideal for anyone who's recently left the service and hopes to make the most of their new life.

A Guardian Best Book of the Year "A gripping study of white power...Explosive." -New York Times "Helps explain how we got to today's alt-right." -Terry Gross, Fresh Air The white power movement in America wants a revolution. Returning to a country ripped apart by a war they felt they were not allowed to win, a small group of Vietnam veterans and disgruntled civilians who shared their virulent anti-communism and potent sense of betrayal concluded that waging war on their own country was justified. The command structure of their covert movement gave women a prominent place. They operated with discipline, made tragic headlines in Waco, Ruby Ridge, and Oklahoma City, and are resurgent under President Trump. Based on a decade of deep immersion in previously classified FBI files and on extensive interviews, Bring the War Home tells the story of American paramilitarism and the birth of the alt-right. "A much-needed and troubling revelation... The power of Belew's book comes, in part, from the fact that it reveals a story about white-racist violence that we should all already know." -The Nation "Fascinating... Shows how hatred of the federal government, fears of communism, and racism all combined in white-power ideology and explains why our responses to the movement have long been woefully inadequate." -Slate "Superbly comprehensive...supplants all journalistic accounts of America's resurgent white supremacism." -Pankaj Mishra, The Guardian

Darkly funny, shockingly honest, Brothers in Arms is an unforgettable account of a soldier's tour of Afghanistan, the brutal reality of war - every scary, exciting moment - and the bonds of friendship that can never be destroyed. 'If you could choose which two limbs got blown off, what would you go for?' Danny said. 'Your arms or your legs?' In July 2009, Geraint (Gez) Jones was sitting in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan with the rest of The Firm - Danny, Jay, Toby and Jake, his four closest friends, all junior NCOs and combat-hardened infantrymen. Thanks to the mangled remains of a Jackal vehicle left tactlessly outside their tent, IEDs were never far from their mind. Within days they'd be on the ground in Musa Qala with the rest of 3 Platoon - a mixed bunch of men Gez would die for. As they fight furiously, are pushed to their limits, hemmed in by IEDs and hampered by the chain of command, Gez starts to wonder what is the point of it all. The bombs they uncover on patrol, on their stomachs brushing the sand away, are replaced the next day. Firefights are a momentary victory in a war they can see is unwinnable. Gez is a warrior - he wants more than this. But then death and injury start to take their toll on The Firm, leaving Gez with PTSD and a new battle just beginning. 'Jones writes of his brothers and their Afghan experience, from its adrenalin-filled highs to the many lows, with passion and candour.' - Major Adam Jowett, bestselling author of No Way Out 'A gritty, brutal book about men at war. Raw and real. Brilliant.' - Tom Marcus, author of Soldier Spy

The book tells the story of a little known artillery regiment, the 155th (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA which saw constant action during the ill-fated Malayan Campaign of 1941/42 and whose members later experienced the worst kind of hell as POWs of a cruel and bestial enemy. Following the Japanese invasion of Malaya, the Regiment fought a brave and resolute rearguard action all the way down the Malayan Peninsular and onto the so called impregnable fortress of Singapore. Held in the highest respect by comrades and foe alike, this former territorial cavalry regiment fully deserved its Royal Artillery moto - Ubigue - 'everywhere'. In the years that followed, the Gunners slaved, suffered an d died on the infamous Burma Railway, in copper mines of Formosa and camps throughout the Far East. More men of the Regiment died as POWs than fell in action. They should not be forgotten. Included is a full nominal roll which allows the reader to identify the camp/s where each individual Gunner was held. A Roll of Honour provides the date, place and cause of death and place of burial/commemoration of the Regiment's casualties.

This work contains an unprecedented wealth of over 550 full-colour illustrations, including specially commissioned uniforms, battle plans and campaign maps. It is an expert guide to the weapons, equipment, deployment, tactics and motivation of the national forces of the day, as well as fascinating detail of the day-to-day life of a Napoleonic soldier. It is an unrivalled reference to the insignia, appearance and experience of the fighting men of the period. The book's main focus is the soldiers who fought the historic battles of the day, and the uniforms they wore. It was in this age of war that military uniforms flourished, with an astonishing array of flamboyance, colour and intricate detail. The cut and colour of uniforms were used for identification from afar by the generals directing battles from strategic viewpoints, but at this point in time were also given an extraordinary level of detail in facings, laces and buttons, which carried never-ending intricate differences to denote regiment, rank or division. With over 550 specially commissioned and expert colour artworks, each regiment is vividly portrayed here in all their glory.All the major nations involved in the conflict, France, Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia, are covered in detail, and there is a section on the uniforms and contributions of the smaller forces, including those from America, Spain, Italy and Saxony.

The Home Guards are an attacking force lying in wait for, and ready to destroy, and enemy who dares to set foot on out shores.' The Home Guard has been immortalised in British culture in the TV series Dad's Army. Formed by men not eligible for active service - too old, too young, in reserved occupations vital to the war effort - who were expected to resist a German invasion with any resources they had to hand, the Home Guard is the embodiment of plucky British resolve against the odds. The Home Guard Pocket-Book evokes this spirit. Written by Brig-Gen Green, commanding 4th battalion, Sussex Home Guard and Training Adviser for the Sussex Zone, this book is based on his experience and, in his own words, 'is the result of my ransacking the dusty pigeon-holes of memory and the condensation of many books, official instructions and writings'. Its tone is informal and colloquial, such as: 'March discipline. Troops will always march off the parade ground at the Slope. As soon as this has been done the order "March at Ease" should be given. When marching at ease the rifle may be carried in any way a soldier fancies.' Nevertheless, the book is full of sound advice on training, organisation and discipline, fire arms, reconnaissance and field engineering, the responsibilities of the Group Pigeon Officer, the proper position to adopt for surviving a dive bomb attack, and how to set a trap for an unwary advancing German cyclist!

The U.S. Navy SEALs have long been considered among the finest, most courageous, and professional soldiers in American military history--an elite fighting force trained as parachutists, frogmen, demolition experts, and guerrilla warriors ready for sea, air, and land combat. Born out of a proud naval tradition dating back to World War II, the first SEAL teams were commissioned in the early 1960s. Vietnam was their proving ground.

In this remarkable volume, fifteen former SEALs--most of them original founding team members, or "plankowners"--share their vivid first-person remembrances of action in Vietnam. Here are honest, brutal, and relentlessly thrilling stories of covert missions, ferocious firefights, and red-hot chopper insertions and extractions, revealing astonishing little-known truths that will only add strength to the enduring SEAL legend.

This is an expert guide to the uniforms of Britain, America, Germany, USSR and Japan, together with other Axis and Allied forces. It is an incredible directory of the military personnel of the period, with 600 images, including photographs and illustrations of uniforms, kit, weaponry and equipment. It analyses the context of the conflict, and the ideology and politics that motivated the various national forces, as well as the experience of the soldiers who fought on the front lines. World War II was a huge conflict, fought on different fronts, covering diverse terrain and involving the fighting men of dozens of nations. At the outbreak of war in 1945 military uniforms had changed little from those worn by the soldiers of World War I, but as the conflict progressed changes were made to adapt to fighting and living conditions. This book covers in detail what the soldiers who fought in the war wore, from British infantrymen in Normandy to Japanese troops in Burma, and from Finnish ski divisions to female Chinese partisans. Lavishly illustrated, with intricate insignia detail, this book offers a definitive visual study of a pivotal period of history.

This book, a continuation of volumes one and two, completes the study of more than a hundred British regiments all of whom played more than important roles in world history. In testing times, on foreign adventures victorious, glorious and sometimes disastrous, they have helped shape the history of the British Isles. In this third volume thirty-four regiments are featured - their battle honours, badges and most famous sons - including the stories of the heroic actions of their Victoria Cross holders. Each regiment's section includes artworks and photographs illustrating insignia, uniforms and soldiers in action down through the centuries. While the tales of courage and loss are in themselves enthralling, Dorian Bond divulges many interesting facts about these unique bodies of men: how did the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment get their acorn and oak leaf badge? Which South Staffordshire man became the inspiration for Terence Rattigan's The Winslow Boy? Did you know that a princess wrote 'The Royal Windsor' quick march for the 29th of Foot, later the Worcestershire Regiment? Covering action wherever the regiments found it, from the High Veldt of South Africa to the grim trenches of Passchendaele and from the disaster of Dunkirk to the triumph of Waterloo, Famous Regiments of the British Army Volume Three tells the stories of some of the world's most famous battles and the role these regiments played in them.

The Sociology of the Military is an authoritative selection of articles providing an historical overview of the field and illustrating the major directions of contemporary research. The book considers the forerunners to a sociology of the military and the research trends in America and the rest of the world. Topics covered include models for comparative research, the military profession and the relationship between military and civil society. Finally, the book explores new roles for the armed forces in our changing world.

This book explores the barrack experiences of soldiers in post-independence Zimbabwe, examining the concept of military professionalism within a state in political crisis. Drawing upon interviews with former soldiers of the Zimbabwe National Army, Soldiers and the State in Zimbabwe casts a light on the oppression of soldiers by commanders who sought to repress and control the political thinking of their men. By contextualising the political, economic and material conditions in which Zimbabwean soldiers existed, Godfrey Maringira reveals the everyday victimisation and violence of the barracks. Exploring such events as the imposition of the Defence Act, the desertion of soldiers, and the 2017 military coup in Zimbabwe, the book presents and discusses the politicised nature of the military in post-independence Zimbabwe, and the political consequences of service in a state in deep political crisis. Soldiers and the State in Zimbabwe will be of interest to scholars and students of African Politics, military and security studies, and African studies.

British state-supported Holocaust remembrance has dramatically grown in prominence since the 1990s. This monograph provides the first substantial discussion of the interface between public Holocaust memory in contemporary Britain and the nation's changing religious-secular landscape. In the first half of the book attention is given to the relationships between remembrance activities and Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and post-Christian communities. Such relationships are far from monolithic, being entangled in diverse histories, identities, power-structures, and notions of 'British values'. In the book's second half, the focus turns to ways in which public initiatives concerned with Holocaust commemoration and education are intertwined with evocations and perceptions of the sacred. Three state-supported endeavours are addressed in detail: Holocaust Memorial Day, plans for a major new memorial site in London, and school visits to Auschwitz. Considering these phenomena through concepts of ritual, sacred space, and pilgrimage, it is proposed that response to the Holocaust has become a key feature of Britain's 21st century religious-secular landscape. Critical consideration of these topics, it is argued, is necessary for both a better understanding of religious-secular change in modern Britain and a sustainable culture of remembrance and national self-examination. This is the first study to examine Holocaust remembrance and British religiosity/secularity in relation to one another. As such, it will be of keen interest to scholars of Religious Studies, Jewish studies and Holocaust Studies, as well as the Sociology of Religion, Material Religion and Secularism.

At the beginning of the Second World War, RAF Acklington was the most important fighter station in north-east England. It started life in 1938 as a training base for RAF aircrew, but after the outbreak of hostilities it was given the role of protecting the skies over Newcastle and its important industrial hinterland. Acklinton's Spitfires and Hurricanes were soon in action against German bombers, as many of the earliest air raids of the war took place over this part of Britain. Due to the importance of this region, with its major ports and industries, it continued to attract the attention of enemy bombers long after the Battle of Britain had been won. By late 1940, most of the attacks took place after dark and RAF Acklington became the host for night fighter squadrons. Unlike many military airfields, it did not close when hostilities ceased, reverting first to its training role, and then becoming the base for fighter aircraft, before closing in the early 1970s.

’n Epiese reis in ’n klein seiljag van Frankryk tot aan die Namakwalandse kus gedurende die Tweede Wêreldoorlog, sabotasiepogings en planne om Eerste Minister Jan Smuts in ’n sluipmoord om die lewe te bring . . . In die vroeë 1940’s is die Suid-Afrikaanse publiek aangegryp deur die uitdagende optrede van die Olimpiese bokser en swaargewigkampioen Robey Leibbrandt. Hy was dodelik gekant teen Suid-Afrika se deelname aan die oorlog.

Sy ekstremisme, opvlieënd-heid en onverdraagsaamheid was tipies van ’n politieke fanatikus. Leibbrandt het ’n aanhanger van Nasionaal-Sosialisme geword toe hy in 1936 vir Suid-Afrika in Berlyn aan die Olimpiese Spele gaan deelneem het. Hy was besig met opleiding in Europa toe die oorlog uitbreek. Die Duitse militêre intelligensiediens het hom kort daarna gewerf om sabotasieopleiding te ontvang. Die Duitsers het Leibbrandt teruggestuur na Suid-Afrika as deel van Operasie Weissdorn. Sy missie? Om die militante deel van die Afrikaner-opposisie te werf en met hulle hulp skeeps- en haweinstallasies, asook nywerhede, te vernietig, en om oproer in die Uniemagte te stook.

Dit was nie lank nie of die polisie was op Leibbrandt se spoor en hy is ná een van die grootste polisiesoektogte in hegtenis geneem. Sy hoogverraadsaak in 1943 en 1944 het hoofopskrifte gehaal. Dié biografie werp nuwe lig op hierdie enigmatiese historiese figuur en wat sy fanatisme aangevuur het.

A comprehensive history of the Second World War Fighter Command airfield at RAF Drem located near Edinburgh. It was one of Scotland's most important airfields in this conflict. Its predecessor, the Royal Flying Corps Gullane air station is included in the account. When war broke out in 1939 among the first targets attacked by the Luftwaffe was the Royal Navy base at Rosyth. The Spitfires at RAF Drem were scrambled to protect this vital installation and were engaged in some of the first air battles over Britain. The exploits of its pilots received much attention from the press at the time. By mid-1940, much of the fighting had gravitated to the south of England. Spitfires and Hurricanes based at Drem would, however, continue to patrol the skies over the Firth of Forth until the end of the war. Night fighter squadrons were also based here, first flying the Blenheim and later the Mosquito. Appropriately the Drem lighting system for assisting the landing of aircraft at nightwas invented here. The Fleet Air Arm also had a presence at RAF Drem, with a squadron for the training of night fighter pilots. The airfield ended the war on a high note when three white painted Ju 52s arrived with German generals to surrender their forces in Norway. Like many other military airfields, Drem closed shortly after the end of hostilities and the runways were ploughed up and returned to agriculture.

This book examines the politics of military families in relation to the tensions between the state, military organization, and private life. It elaborates on the tensions between the advent of challenging worldwide deployment for the military and the prominence of the home front. The volume aims to understand the dynamics of conflict and change within triad figurations at the macro (society), meso (organizational), and micro (family) level and is guided by the following overarching research questions: What are the key issues in the three-party dynamics? What tensions exist in these dynamics? How do actors seek to arrive at a balance? What initiatives for change are made? With contributions from international scholars, who examine the workings of politics in military families at all three levels, the book argues that members within military families deal with shifting power balances and these are impacted by demands from organizations and the state. This book will be of much interest to students of military studies, sociology, organizational studies and politics.

On September 29, 2006, Michael Monsoor and three SEAL snipers watched vigilantly for enemy activity from their rooftop post in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. When a grenade thrown from insurgents bounced off Michael's chest, he could have escaped. Instead, he threw himself onto the live grenade, shielding his fellow soldiers from the immediate explosion. Michael died thirty minutes later, having made the ultimate sacrifice. As George Monsoor (Michael's father) and Rose Rea show us in Defend Us in Battle, Michael had prepared for this selfless act all his life--a life that inspires us to have a similar generosity of heart. This fast-paced, compelling biography tells the true story of a quiet boy from California who achieved his dream of becoming a Navy SEAL and saved numerous lives throughout his deployment recounts how Michael's childhood of asthma and being bullied made him a staunch defender of justice and passionate about never quitting draws on interviews, military documents, and eyewitness accounts to detail Michael's remarkable military career and devotion to God and others is an ideal gift for readers of military biographies such as American Sniper, the Last Punisher,and Unbroken,as well as for anyone eager to remember that this world still has heroes In addition to the Medal of Honor, Michael received a Silver Star, a Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart for his years serving his country. But his greatest legacy is in the hearts of those he inspired to live, and even die, for the sake of brotherly love.

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 volumes tell the story of all 7,364 men who were granted the award (including all the disputed awards). The three volumes have 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 recipient's rank and name, followed by details of the action or actions for which they were granted the award. Other interesting facts and stories are also included for many of the awards. Burial locations, where known, are also given. Any higher awards (Oak Leaves, Swords, Diamonds and the ultimate Golden award) are also covered.

This book describes and illustrates the armies of the embattled Ottoman Turkish Empire involved in 19th-century wars during the Empire’s long spiral of decline. During the so called ‘long 19th century’, between the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the difficulties faced by the Ottoman Turkish Empire were a recurrent factor in international geopolitics. Against a background of Russian–Ottoman rivalry, France and Britain supported the Empire during the Crimean War (1854–56), but not in the Russo–Turkish War (1877–78). Portraying the uniforms, arms and appearance of Ottoman troops during this period, this book traces the history of the Ottoman Empire throughout this period, when no fewer than ten wars of regional insurgency and foreign expansion against the Empire were fought in territories in south-eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Using rare photos and illustrations from Turkish, Balkan and other sources, author, Gabriele Esposito details the history of the multi-ethnic Ottoman armies periodic attempts to modernize which enabled them to win some victories at a tactical level. But the Empire – ‘the sick man of Europe’ – lacked a coherent strategy or sufficient resources, and failed attempts to crush regional uprisings and to defend borders, saw the steady loss of territories. Due to misgovernment and economic failure, unrest finally boiled over in 1908–09, reducing the sultan’s court to a largely ceremonial role, and installing a military government by the ‘Young Turks’ led by the general Enver Pasha. This book is a vivid description of the organization, operations, uniforms and equipment of one of the most active and varied armies of the ‘long 19th century’ and paints a detailed picture of the Ottoman Empire's struggle to maintain control of its territories.

Practicing Oral History with Military and War Veterans focuses predominantly on conducting oral history with men and women of recent wars and military conflicts. The book provides a structured methodology for building interest and trust among veterans to conduct interviews, design oral history projects, and archive and use these oral history interviews. It includes background on the evolution of veterans oral history, the nuts and bolts of interviewing, ethical guidelines, procedures, and the overall value of veterans oral history. The methodology emphasizes how memory evolves over the years - when a veteran becomes more distant from the events of war, the experiences become individualized and personalized for each veteran based on location, time, place, and purpose of their service. The book also aims to improve understanding of the personal, ethical, and psychological issues involved in listening compassionately to veterans' stories that may contain issues of trauma, gender, socio-economics, race, dis/ability, and ethnicity. Practicing Oral History with Military and War Veterans is an invitation to community scholars, students, oral historians, and families of veterans to actively participate in the oral history process and to embrace methodology that may help with designing and conducting oral history projects and interviewing war veterans.