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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence > Military life & institutions > Regiments

German Flamethrower Pioneers of World War I (Hardcover): Thomas Wictor German Flamethrower Pioneers of World War I (Hardcover)
Thomas Wictor
R2,077 R1,551 Discovery Miles 15 510 Save R526 (25%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

German Flamethrower Pioneers of World War I is the definitive reference on the topic. Lavishly illustrated, its main sources are the history of the flamethrower regiment, written by its former commander; a manual of assault-troop and flamethrower tactics, by a former flamethrower officer; and the death book published by veterans of the flamethrower regiment. Prewar, wartime, and postwar developments are covered, along with detailed descriptions of weapons, tactics, and epic flame battles. New information, such as the combat use of an aircraft-mounted flamethrower, is included. Includes over 300 photographs and illustrations, most previously unpublished.

The Irish Brigade 1670-1745 - The Wild Geese in French Service (Paperback): D. P. Graham The Irish Brigade 1670-1745 - The Wild Geese in French Service (Paperback)
D. P. Graham
R550 R457 Discovery Miles 4 570 Save R93 (17%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

Irish troops had fought for Louis XIV in the 1670s, under Irish officers who had little choice but to fight in foreign service, with the blessing of Charles II. With the accession of James II, and the religious politics of who might earn the English crown, they became embroiled in the Jacobite succession crisis, fighting in Ireland, then sent to France under Lord Mountcashel in 1689. With the fall of Limerick in 1691, Patrick Sarsfield led the second 'flight' of 'Wild Geese' to the continent, to fight in a war for the French, against the Grand Alliance of Europe, in the vain hope that their loyalty might warrant French support in a return to Ireland under a Jacobite king. From the Nine Years War, through the War of the Spanish Succession, and beyond, their descendents would be present at Fontenoy, Culloden and in the Americas, forever destined to fight for a cause and land which had changed beyond recognition. D.P.Graham explains the origins of the brigade and its regiments, the personalities who led them and formed their reputation, and the circumstances of their final dissolution in the aftermath of French Revolution.

The American Provincial Corps 1775-84 (Paperback): Philip Katcher The American Provincial Corps 1775-84 (Paperback)
Philip Katcher; Illustrated by Michael Youens
R387 R349 Discovery Miles 3 490 Save R38 (10%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

Initially British officials of the American Revolutionary War were reluctant to accept the offers of loyal subjects to form fighting units but eventually the potential of a Provincial corps was realized. Yet they never received the whole-hearted support of the British regular army and this was a factor in their eventual defeat. Nonetheless the Provincial Corps served with distinction - even fighting against the Spanish in Nicaragua and the Bahamas - and some remained in service for several more years by relocating to Canada. This book examines their experiences in this continental conflict and details their uniforms and equipment.

The Black Watch (Paperback): Charles Grant The Black Watch (Paperback)
Charles Grant; Illustrated by Michael Youens
R499 R407 Discovery Miles 4 070 Save R92 (18%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

In the wake of the Jacobite Rebellions, companies of trustworthy Highlanders were raised from royal clans to protect the populace, deter cattle stealing and guard against any possible Jacobite incursion. Soon after its formation, the companies organized into a regiment of foot known famously as the "Black Watch," the name thought to derive from their dark-coloured tartans and their role to "watch" the Highlands. This book explores the uniforms, equipment and history of the Black Watch, from their involvement in the battles of Fontenoy and Ticonderoga in the mid-18th century, through to the Korean War of the 1950s.

Regimental Records of the Royal Welch Fusiliers Volume V, 1918-1945 - Part One, November 1918-May 1940 (Hardcover): Lt-Gen... Regimental Records of the Royal Welch Fusiliers Volume V, 1918-1945 - Part One, November 1918-May 1940 (Hardcover)
Lt-Gen Jonathon Riley, Lt-Col Peter Crocker, The Late Lt-Col Sinnett
R1,196 R959 Discovery Miles 9 590 Save R237 (20%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

Volumes III and IV of RWF Regimental Records end rather abruptly on 11 November 1918. The first part of RR Volume V describes the later history of the war-raised units of the Regiment during the Great War and the reduction of the Regiment thereafter. It then details the campaigns and stations of the Regiment from 1919 to 1939 including service in Ireland, India, the North-West Frontier, Cyprus, Sudan, Shanghai, Gibraltar and Hong Kong. The Territorial Army is also covered as is the Regiment's role as an experimental mechanised unit in the 1930s. The last section of Part One then tells the story of three of the Regiment's units - the 1st Battalion, 101st Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Tank Regiment, and No 2 Independent Company, on active service from 1939 to May 1940.

A Long Week in March - The 36th (Ulster) Division in the German Spring Offensive, March 1918 (Paperback): Michael James Nugent A Long Week in March - The 36th (Ulster) Division in the German Spring Offensive, March 1918 (Paperback)
Michael James Nugent
R756 R614 Discovery Miles 6 140 Save R142 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

The 36th (Ulster) Division are widely regarded as being the most successful British Infantry Division in terms of ground gained on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. The casualties suffered then had a deep impact in the towns and villages of Ulster. In March 1918, however, the Division came close to annihilation as they bore the brunt of the German attack at the beginning of the Spring Offensive and remarkably suffered greater casualties than they did at the Somme. In this unique and fascinating account, Michael Nugent examines the factors beyond the control of those in the Division which led to them holding the front line opposite the northern French town of St Quentin on the morning of 21 March. These include problems with recruitment in Ireland, the lack of reinforcements being sent to the front, the reorganisation of the British Army in early 1918, and the imposition of a new defensive system which few in the infantry had any faith in. The opening day of the battle is scrutinised in detail, with the experiences of each of the Infantry battalions forming the Division being analysed. In the case of 12th and 15th Battalions Royal Irish Rifles, this is the first time an account of the actions of this momentous day have been committed to print. The accounts are drawn from battalion war diaries, personal accounts and the regimental history of the German attackers which provides a fascinating insight and helps to corroborate accounts from the Ulster Division. The actions leading to the award of the two Victoria Crosses won by the Division in the last week of March are investigated, with new information, particularly concerning the award to 2nd Lieutenant Edmund de Wind being made available. Each day of the withdrawal is investigated with important events being analysed in detail, including the `last stand' of the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles on 24 March and the Cavalry Charge by elements of the 3rd Cavalry Division on the same date, which undoubtedly saved an organised withdrawal from becoming a rout. A chapter is devoted to the analysis of casualty figures with each of the fatalities identified and their details contained in an appendix. The varied experiences of those taken prisoner is also examined using personal accounts which highlight that the German Prisoner of War system was overwhelmed by the initial success of its Army. Ultimately the book proves that although under severe pressure, the Ulster Division with typical obstinacy, bent, but never broke and emerged at the beginning of April 1918 in a position to play a full part in the final drive to the Armistice.

The Lilies & the Thistle - French Troops in the Jacobite '45' (Paperback): Andrew Bamford The Lilies & the Thistle - French Troops in the Jacobite '45' (Paperback)
Andrew Bamford
R653 R527 Discovery Miles 5 270 Save R126 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

The Jacobite Rising of 1745 could not have taken place without French support. French ships carried Charles Edward Stuart to Scotland, French gold financed his campaign, and French weapons equipped many of his troops. Yet the actual French military contribution to the campaign was small, and its role is frequently neglected. This book seeks to redress this balance by looking in detail at the French military contribution to the Jacobite '45: the first detachment of troops to sail with the Prince - who instead of landing in Scotland found themselves caught up in an intense naval battle; the staff officers and professionals who helped Charles organise his army on modern European lines; and the Irish and Scots regulars who fought with distinction at Inverurie, Falkrik, and Culloden. As with many aspects of the '45, myths and misconceptions aplenty have arisen about the nature and significance of the French contribution. New archival research enables a better picture to be obtained than ever before of the men who made up the rank and file of this contingent, and of the background and fates of those who led them. New analysis is offered, too, as to details of the uniforms worn by the detachments serving in Scotland, re-considering existing sources and also bringing out new information. Taken together, the result is to fill an important gap in our understanding of these dramatic events, one of the last occasions that foreign troops fought on British soil.

Reckless Fellows - The Gentlemen of the Royal Flying Corps (Hardcover): Edward Bujak Reckless Fellows - The Gentlemen of the Royal Flying Corps (Hardcover)
Edward Bujak
R1,504 Discovery Miles 15 040 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

The Royal Flying Corps, later the Royal Air Force, was formed in 1912 and went to war in 1914 where it played a vital role in reconnaissance, supporting the British Expeditionary Force as 'air cavalry' and also in combat, establishing air superiority over the Imperial German Air Force. Edward Bujak here combines the history of the air war, including details of strategy, tactics, technical issues and combat, with a social and cultural history. The RFC was originally dominated by the landed elite, in Lloyd George's phrase 'from the stateliest houses in England', and its pilots were regarded as 'knights of the air'. Harlaxton Manor in Lincolnshire, seat of landed gentry, became their major training base. Bujak shows how, within the circle of the RFC, the class divide and unconscious superiority of Edwardian Britain disappeared - absorbed by common purpose, technical expertise and by an influx of pilots from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. He thus provides an original and unusual take on the air war in World War I, combining military, social and cultural history.

United States Navy and Marine Corps Aviation Squadron Lineage, Insignia, and History: Vol 2: Marine Scout-Bomber,... United States Navy and Marine Corps Aviation Squadron Lineage, Insignia, and History: Vol 2: Marine Scout-Bomber, Torpedo-Bomber, Bombing and Attack S (Hardcover)
Michael J Crowder
R1,778 R1,323 Discovery Miles 13 230 Save R455 (26%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

This is the only work covering the history and lineage of Marine Attack squadrons, from the date of their activation forward, until their deactivation, or the present. Thoroughly researched, it has a complete, extensive bibliography, and the illustrations of the insignia are almost entirely from originals. Many of the photographs have never been published, and many are from the extensive photo archives of Northrup-Grumman. Historically accurate, yet lacking the dry recitation of names, dates, and facts found in other historical works, this very readable book is written to be enjoyed from cover to cover.

Battalions at War - The York & Lancaster Regiment in the First World War (Hardcover): John Dillon Battalions at War - The York & Lancaster Regiment in the First World War (Hardcover)
John Dillon
R907 R730 Discovery Miles 7 300 Save R177 (20%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

The First World War is history; the last survivors of that conflict are now all dead. Three generations on, public perceptions of the war are formed from books, films and photographs. In the last two decades, revisionist historians have attempted to correct the narrative left to us by the war poets and early diarists; a chronicle of sacrifice, futility and the 'loss of a generation' at the hands of the 'bunglers' and 'butchers'. In spite of the efforts of these writers, commentators find it hard to move beyond the losses of 1 July 1916 and the mud of Passchendaele. The history of the war is 'bookmarked' by a series of iconic battles, from First Ypres, through the Somme, to Passchendaele and Cambrai and the final victory of the Hundred Days. When reading the accounts of the battles it is easy to overlook the very limited perspective of the individual soldiers. Battalions were moved in and out of the line every few days; most were involved in only a few of the battles, and then for only a short period and on a limited front. The troops who participated would have had little idea of how their unit's contribution affected the outcome of a particular operation. The York and Lancaster Regiment had one or more battalion in all of the major battles of the war, but each saw only a small part of those operations. This book uses the war diaries of those battalions to trace the history of the conflict through the limited perspective of those whose horizon was little more than their 500 yards of trench line. Private Patrick Dillon (the author's grandfather) served in three battalions of the regiment. The battalion war diaries show us how limited was the overview of the ordinary soldier and his regimental officers, there is little context to the actions in which they were involved beyond their immediate front and flanks. While this book does outline the broader operations in which the battalions were involved, it is not a 'history of the war', rather it is an account of how those units (often at short notice) were fed into the line of battle.

To the Limit of Endurance - A Battalion of Marines in the Great War (C. A. Brannen) (C.A. Brannen Series) (Paperback, Annotated... To the Limit of Endurance - A Battalion of Marines in the Great War (C. A. Brannen) (C.A. Brannen Series) (Paperback, Annotated Ed)
Owen
R610 R536 Discovery Miles 5 360 Save R74 (12%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Winner, 2008 General Wallace M. Greene Jr. Award, presented by the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation Peter F. Owen offers a tautly worded, historically rigorous, and intensely human survey of the agonizing burden shouldered by the Second Battalion of the Sixth Regiment of US Marines from its formation in Quantico, Virginia, in 1917 until the cessation of hostilities in November of the following year. In places like Belleau Wood and Soissons, these young men, led by dedicated officers, died in staggering numbers-primarily because of the outmoded tactics they had learned. Owen shows how the battalion regrouped after these campaigns, however, and embarked on a period of intense retraining, molding themselves into a coldly efficient military machine. ." . . the maps, figures, and photographs are excellent . . . a timely, original, and important contribution to the record. I highly recommend it to the infantry professional operating at the tactical level of war or to any Marine who is interested in our rich and storied history."--Marine Corps Gazette "This is one of the most useful 'soldier's eye' stories published during the last few years. Built on interviews, archival deposits, memoirs, printed documents, and appropriate secondary sources, it catches in the words of the actual participants the grim realities of rain, mud, bad food, lost friends, and a formidable adversary characteristic of Great War literature. . . . a serious addition to the study of the American military experience in the Great War."--Journal of Military History PETER F. OWEN retired from the US Marine Corps as a lieutenant colonel. His first command was a weapons platoon in the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines. During his research for this book, he walked every battlefield on which 2/6 fought during the Great War. Owen previously annotated Carl Brannen's World War I memoir, Over There. Number Nine: C. A. Brannen Series

Hull Rifles - A History of the 4th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 1914-1918 (Hardcover): Bilton, ,David Hull Rifles - A History of the 4th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 1914-1918 (Hardcover)
Bilton, ,David
R753 R611 Discovery Miles 6 110 Save R142 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

Hull Rifles looks at the 4th East Yorkshire Regiment during the Great War and examines the origins of the battalion and its history over the three years it fought in France and Belgium. The battalion was involved in some of the bloodiest battles of the war and suffered such high casualty rates in early 1918 that the unit ceased to exist, except in name. The men of the original battalion were Territorials, part-time soldiers who gave their free time to provide home defence during a war. Officially formed on 1 April 1908 as a result of the Haldane changes, the unit could trace its history back hundreds of years and was one of the oldest in the country. All the men were volunteers and held a full-time job. They had committed themselves to regular weekly training and a camp in the summer where they practised large-scale manoeuvres with other units. When the call came to volunteer for overseas service, 80 per cent came forward. Their ranks were quickly filled with new volunteers who were prepared to fight abroad. Volunteer numbers were high and quickly the overseas battalion was at full strength, as was a second for home service. A third battalion was also formed to provide replacements for the men at the Front. As well as fighting on the Western Front, a battalion was sent to guard Bermuda for the duration. The text uses letters, newspaper cuttings and the war diary to provide a detailed picture of a typical Territorial battalion at war. Also included are many previously unseen photographs, a nominal list of the men who volunteered before Christmas 1915, including a convicted murderer, awards, casualty details and lists of officers.

Old Soldier Sahib (Paperback): Frank Richards Old Soldier Sahib (Paperback)
Frank Richards
R313 R257 Discovery Miles 2 570 Save R56 (18%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

From the author of the celebrated Great War memoir

Our Boys - The Story of a Paratrooper (Paperback): Helen Parr Our Boys - The Story of a Paratrooper (Paperback)
Helen Parr 1
R340 R278 Discovery Miles 2 780 Save R62 (18%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

WINNER OF THE LONGMAN-HISTORY TODAY BOOK PRIZE 2019 WINNER OF THE TEMPLER MEDAL BOOK PRIZE 2019 WINNER OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON MEDAL FOR MILITARY HISTORY 2019 LONGLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING 2019 A SPECTATOR BOOK THE YEAR 2019 'Brilliant. The best discussion of soldiers in combat, their motivation, behaviours and fears, that I have come across' Robert Fox, Evening Standard Our Boys brings to life the human experiences of the paratroopers who fought in the Falklands War, and examines the long aftermath of that conflict. It is a first in many ways - a history of the Parachute Regiment, a group with an elite and aggressive reputation; a study of close-quarters combat on the Falkland Islands; and an exploration of the many legacies of this short and symbolic war. Told unflinchingly through the experiences of people who lived through it, Our Boys shows how the Falklands conflict began to change Britain's relationship with its soldiers, and our attitudes to trauma and war itself. It is also the story of one particular soldier: the author's uncle, who was killed during the conflict, and whose fate has haunted both the author and his fellow paratroopers ever since.

Estonians in the Waffen-SS (Hardcover): Rolf Michaelis Estonians in the Waffen-SS (Hardcover)
Rolf Michaelis
R874 R687 Discovery Miles 6 870 Save R187 (21%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

When German troops entered Estonia in the summer of 1941 they were welcomed by the Estonians. Thousands of Estonians wanted to take part in the war against Russia. Besides the Schutzmannschaften of German Police in 1942 Himmler started to build up an Estonian SS-Volunteer Brigade which became later the 20. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (estnische Nr. 1). They fought most notably at the Narwa-Front, and later in Silesia.

Buffalo Soldiers in Italy - Black Americans in World War II (Paperback, New edition): Hondon B. Hargrove Buffalo Soldiers in Italy - Black Americans in World War II (Paperback, New edition)
Hondon B. Hargrove
R951 Discovery Miles 9 510 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

The 92nd Infantry (""Buffalo"") Division was the last segregated (all-black) U.S. Army division and the only black division to fight in World War II in Europe. The few media references to the division have reflected generally unfavorable contemporary evaluations by white commanders. The present work reflects an analysis of numerous records and interviews that refute the negative impressions and demonstrate that these 13,500 soldiers gained their share of victories under hardships no others were expected to meet. The photographs are on 16 pages of special, high-quality, glossy plates.

Pure Soldiers or Sinister Legion (Paperback): Sol Littman Pure Soldiers or Sinister Legion (Paperback)
Sol Littman
R489 Discovery Miles 4 890 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Between 1950 and 1955, thousands of veterans from the notorious German-led, Ukrainian 14th Waffen-SS Galicia Division emigrated to North America with the full consent of the governments despite immigration regulations in force at the time that forbade entry to all who served in any branch of the SS. The Jewish community fought a brief, but futile, battle to persuade those governments to deny them entry, denouncing them as a "sinister legion" of "bloodthirsty murderers"--war criminals who had engaged in the mass murder of thousands of innocent civilians.

On the other hand, a well-organized body of Division supporters insisted there was nothing "sinister" or "murderous" about the young men who had volunteered to serve in its ranks. They declared them exceptional soldiers who obeyed the international rules of war, praised them for being dedicated soldiers who harbored no hatred for Jews, guarded no concentration camps, and committed no crimes against humanity.

At issue then was the nature of the Division and its war record. Were they "pure soldiers" as many of their supporters contended, or were they, to use Daniel Goldhagen's phrase, among Hitler's willing executioners?

"Pure Soldiers or Bloodthirsty Murderers "traces the 14th Waffen-SS Galicia Division's fortunes from its formation in April 1943, to its surrender to the British in May 1946, from immigrant farm workers in Britain, Canada and the USA, to Cold War CIA assassins. Along the way, it attempts to shed some light on this acrimonious dispute that has continued to the present day.

Sol Littman is former Canadian Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, author of "War Criminal on Trial," founding editor of "The Canadian Jewish News," the First Director of B'nai Brith Canada's "League for Human Rights," and also served with the Anti-Defamation League in the United States.

History of the Green Howards (Paperback): Geoffrey Powell, John S W  Powell History of the Green Howards (Paperback)
Geoffrey Powell, John S W Powell
R546 R453 Discovery Miles 4 530 Save R93 (17%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

Regimental histories abound, but few can be as stirring as this story of the fortunes of the famous Yorkshire-based Green Howards. Raised in 1688 in response to a call for loyal troops, the Green Howards have maintained their tradition of loyalty over the past 300 years winning many superb battle honours. Their history reflects that of the British Army as there is hardly a major campaign that this Regiment has not been involved in; the French Wars of 1697-1793, the American War of Independence, Crimean War, First and Second World Wars, service in Suez, Malaya, Northern Ireland, peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and the war in the Gulf. This fine book brings the story of one of Britain's finest regiments right up to date.

The Men Who Made the SAS - The History of the Long Range Desert Group (Paperback): Gavin Mortimer The Men Who Made the SAS - The History of the Long Range Desert Group (Paperback)
Gavin Mortimer 2
R367 R299 Discovery Miles 2 990 Save R68 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

Established in June 1940, the Long Range Desert Group was the inspiration of scientist and soldier Major Ralph Bagnold, a contemporary of T.E Lawrence who, in the inter-war years, explored the North African desert in a Model T Ford automobile. Mortimer takes us from the founding of the LRDG, through their treacherous journey across the Egyptian Sand Sea and beyond, offering a hitherto unseen glimpse into the heart of this most courageous organisation, whose unique and valiant contributions to the war effort can now finally be recognized and appreciated. Praise for Gavin Mortimer: "With unparalleled access to SBS's archive, Mortimer draws on private papers to produce the definitive account of the SBS's extraordinary exploits in WWII." Sunday Telegraph "The SBS is finally being recognised thanks to a remarkable new book. Author Gavin Mortimer spent more than a decade interviewing veterans, scrutinising SBS archives and poring over recently declassified documents to write The SBS in World War 2." Daily Mirror "This gripping first-hand account of the raid is one of many previously unpublished resources that Mortimer's book draws on." The Times "Mortimer deserves full credit for assembling a mountain of material and presenting it with lucidity and balance" Philip Ziegler, Daily Mail

7th Panzer Division: An Illustrated History of Rommel's "Ght Division" 1938-1945 (Hardcover, illustrated edition): Hasso... 7th Panzer Division: An Illustrated History of Rommel's "Ght Division" 1938-1945 (Hardcover, illustrated edition)
Hasso V. Manteuffel
R887 R700 Discovery Miles 7 000 Save R187 (21%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

The 7th Panzer Divison was one of the outstanding armored units of World War II, and became famous during the Battle of France in 1940 with Erwin Rommel as its commander. This photographic chronicle, by famed Knights Cross holder Hasso v. Manteuffel, traces the path of the 7th PD through its entire war history on a variety of fronts.

Birth of a Regiment - The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Sicily and Salerno (Paperback): Frank Van Lunteren Birth of a Regiment - The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Sicily and Salerno (Paperback)
Frank Van Lunteren
R370 Discovery Miles 3 700 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Book I in the campaign history of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Birth of a Regiment is an authoritative, action-packed account of the 504th’s seminal role in Sicily and Italy, the first two U.S. airborne drops in the European Theater of Operations. Drawing on hundreds of eye-witness testimonies, Frank van Lunteren puts readers at the scene of historic battles as described in the words of the men who fought them. New archival sources in English, German, and Italian further enrich the narrative, along with fresh maps and previously unpublished photographs from archival sources and the veterans’ private collections. Activated in May 1942, the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment earned high praise for its very first mission when it effected the first U.S. mass regimental combat jump of World War II in the invasion of Sicily. According to German General Kurt Student, “if it had not been for the Allied airborne forces blocking the tanks of the Hermann Göring Division from reaching the beachhead, that Division would have driven the initial seaborne forces back into the sea.” Led by Col. Reuben Tucker, the 504th subsequently dropped into the endangered Fifth U.S. Army beachhead at Salerno; bitter fighting led to hard-won success at Altavilla and Hill 424 and the regimental motto “Strike and Hold.” Birth of a Regiment is the first book-length account of the birth of U.S. airborne forces, and the first to fully capture the details, danger, and crucial stakes of the initial 504th missions in the unforgettable voices of the newly minted paratroopers who fought the first Allied battles in the ETO up through the victorious entry into Naples. These initial missions were all the more important, in that they would determine future Allied strategy, planning, and tactics. It is not to be forgotten that Sicily was a testing ground for the Allied coalition: the first time an American army and a British army, managed at the top by a unified Allied staff, would undertake a major campaign. According to James M. Gavin, the Commanding General of the 82nd ABD at the end of the war, who had jumped into Sicily himself: “What was learned in that first cooperative action affected the whole outcome of World War II.” Personally interviewed by the author over a period of 20 years, nearly 200 veterans of the 504th recount their remembrance of combat, permitting readers of Birth of a Regiment to relive epic battles of the ETO through the words of the very men who made history. Participants include survivors and witnesses of the tragic decimation of 23 aircraft and the death of 164 paratroopers and crew when U.S. troops mistook them for the enemy and fired on their planes as they flew into Sicily. Veterans recount the ferocious, desperate battle at Biazzi Ridge, and the later regimental action at the Salerno Beachhead, where the 504th crucially took Hill 424 after a night drop and seaborne landing. Having undisputedly proven their prowess, Tucker’s troopers were chosen to spearhead the Fifth Army drive into Naples. These dramatic, unforgettable memories of the war provide new information from the foxhole view on up, giving historians and lay readers alike fresh perspective on the initial U.S. engagements in WWII and the difficult birth of Allied airborne operations. The volume is enriched by new maps and historic archival photos, including many previously unpublished photos and provided by 504th veterans.

The Ninth Vermont Infantry - A History and Roster (Paperback): Paul G. Zeller The Ninth Vermont Infantry - A History and Roster (Paperback)
Paul G. Zeller
R2,435 R1,197 Discovery Miles 11 970 Save R1,238 (51%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

This work follows the Ninth Vermont from the horrors of its first combat and humiliating capture at Harpers Ferry in September 1862 to its triumphal march into Richmond in April 1865. Through diaries and letters written by members of the unit, one relives the riveting day-by-day account of the men in battle, on the march, and in camp. With seldom seen photographs of many of the regiment's members, detailed maps, and a complete regimental roster, this book tells a compelling story.

The Varangian Guard 988-1453 (Paperback): Raffaele Damato The Varangian Guard 988-1453 (Paperback)
Raffaele Damato; Illustrated by Giuseppe Rava
R358 R323 Discovery Miles 3 230 Save R35 (10%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

The Varangian Guards were Viking mercenaries who operated far beyond their native shores as an elite force within the Byzantine Armies. Descendants from a legendary line of warriors, the Varangian Guard was formed after a group of Viking mercenaries made a major contribution to the Byzantine Emperor Basil II's victory over rebel forces in 988 AD. These 5,000 men were then retained as Basil's personal guard and would provide loyal service to many successive occupants of the imperial throne.
Commonly referred to as 'foreigners' (Etaireia), they were nonetheless absorbed into a new Palatine regiment under command of an officer termed the Akolouthos, who was either a Norsemen or a Rus (Norsemen colonizers of Russia). The Varangians wore mixtures of their native clothing and armor together with a splendid formal Byzantine uniform. But most famously, they always wielded their own traditional battle-axes; this became a sign that the emperor was on the battlefield in person. This is an insightful look of one of the legendary guard units of the medieval world, complete with a dazzling array of artwork plates showing the Varangian Guard in an array of settings from court ceremonies to the battlefield.

How the Few Became the Proud - Crafting the Marine Corps Mystique 1874-1918 (Hardcover): Heather P Venable How the Few Became the Proud - Crafting the Marine Corps Mystique 1874-1918 (Hardcover)
Heather P Venable
R1,614 R1,258 Discovery Miles 12 580 Save R356 (22%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

For more than half of its existence, members of the Marine Corps largely self-identified as soldiers. It did not yet mean something distinct to be a Marine, either to themselves or to the public at large. As neither a land-based organisation like the Army nor an entirely sea-based one like the Navy, the Corps' missions overlapped with both institutions. This work argues that the Marine Corps could not and would not settle on a mission, and therefore it turned to an image to ensure its institutional survival. The process by which a maligned group of nineteenth-century naval policemen began to consider themselves to be elite warriors benefited from the active engagement of Marine officers with the Corps' historical record as justification for its very being. Rather than look forward and actively seek out a mission that could secure their existence, late nineteenth-century Marines looked backward and embraced the past. They began to justify their existence by invoking their institutional traditions, their many martial engagements, and their claim to be the nation's oldest and proudest military institution. This led them to celebrate themselves as superior to soldiers and sailors. Although there are countless works on this hallowed fighting force, How the Few Became the Proud is the first to explore how the Marine Corps crafted such powerful myths.

Scottish Lion on Patrol - 15th Scottish Reconnaissance Regiment (Paperback): W. Kemsley, M. R. Riesco, Tim Chamberlin Scottish Lion on Patrol - 15th Scottish Reconnaissance Regiment (Paperback)
W. Kemsley, M. R. Riesco, Tim Chamberlin
R617 R514 Discovery Miles 5 140 Save R103 (17%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

Scottish Lion on Patrol was first published in 1950, the record of the 15th Scottish Reconnaissance Regiments formation, training ands service in the campaign that took them from Normandy to the Baltic. They played a key role in the liberation of Europe and the Regiment was unique in that it was in the forefront of the crossings of the Rivers Seine, Rhine and Elbe. The troops who landed in Normandy were highly trained but most of them had not experienced actual combat; however they very quickly learned the skills necessary to survive and defeat a cunning and resourceful foe. Full of eye-witness accounts, this is a true story of a real Band of Brothers, the original work being faithfully reproduced and significant new material from personal recollections which are graphic, moving and occasionally humorous.

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