Despite the many celebrated victories of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815), the role of the Royal Navy should never be overlooked. The 'wooden walls' formed the country's first and most important line of defence, and ranged throughout the world to protect Britain's trade-routes and in support of the land forces and overseas possessions. This book covers the huge variations in uniforms not just in the Navy but the Royal Marines and Infantry regiments which served alongside naval crews. It also looks at the organisation, training and recruitment of the force and corrects a number of misconceptions regarding impressment and training.

This rare book contains not only complete specifications but detailed line drawings of virtually every item of uniform and equipment issued. It is a valuable reference for articles used during the 1870s and 1880s, the period of the Indian wars.

For much of the nineteenth century, the production of military clothing and equipment was geared to national emergencies. During the Mexican and Civil wars, the hardpressed Quartermaster Department was forced to rely on civilian and, later, European suppliers. A contract system too often resulted in profiteering, inferior goods, and administrative confusion. By 1887 reforms in the system were accompanied by strict specifications for materiel, which were published by the War Department in 1889 and distributed to fewer than sixty officers in the Quartermaster Department.

Never before reprinted, this rare book contains not only complete specifications but detailed line drawings of virtually every item of uniform and equipment issued, from mosquito bars and tent stoves to overalls for mounted men and uniform coat buttons ("the burnishing to be done in the best manner known to the trade"). This valuable reference for articles used by the army during the period of the Indian wars will be of special interest to collectors, historians, archaeologists, curators, and antique dealers.

Gale and Polden's postcards of British uniforms are now widely collected but little is known about the artists and few of their original paintings have survived. Now over 130 of these rare works by artists such as Harry Payne, Edgar A. Holloway, John McNeill, and Ernest Ibbetson are reproduced here for the first time in full colour with background information as to how the pictures were created. This book is a useful reference for postcard collectors, miniature modelers, as well as collectors and scholars of early twentieth century British uniforms.

From its origins as the Consular Guard of the French Republic, and as Napoleon's personal bodyguard, the Imperial Guard developed into a force of all arms numbering almost 100,000 men. Used by Napoleon as his principle tactical reserve, the Guard was engaged only sparingly, being deployed at the crucial moment of battle to turn the tide of victory in favour of the Emperor of the French. Naturally, the Imperial Guard has been the subject of numerous books over many decades, yet there has never been a publication that has investigated the uniforms and equipment of the infantry of the Imperial Guard in such detail and with such precision. The author has collected copies of almost all the surviving documents relating to the Guard, which includes a vast amount of material regarding the issuing of dress items, even in some instances down to company level. This information is supported by an unrivalled collection of illustrations, many of which have never been published before, as well as images of original items of equipment held in museums and private collections across the globe. In addition, the renowned military artist, Keith Rocco, has produced a series of unique paintings commissioned exclusively for this book. This glorious book is, and will remain, unsurpassed as the standard work on the clothing and equipment of the Imperial Guard, and will not only be invaluable to historians, but also reenactors, wargamers and modellers. It is one of the most important publications ever produced on this most famous of military formations.

This three-volume set is unquestionably the best reference on German SS military uniforms ever produced. This spectacular work is a heavily documented record of all major clothing articles of the Waffen-SS. Hundreds of unpublished bw photos were used in production. Original and extremely rare SS uniforms of various types are carefully photographed and presented here.

This long-awaited book fills a gap in knowledge of the uniform clothing, headgear, equipage, and weapons of the United States Navy during the Civil War period. Based on original accounts from official documents, newspapers, diaries, letters, and other primary sources, the well-written text is accompanied by a wealth of period images of navy personnel, many of which are identified and published for the first time. Numerous photographs of surviving articles of clothing and artefacts throw further light on life in a blockading fleet or on the High Seas from 1852 through 1865. With great clarity the author explains the various changes to officers' uniforms and for the first time provides a detailed analysis of the clothing worn by ratings and enlisted men. A much needed book in a long overlooked subject, Bluejackets is an essential reference work for collectors, living historians, modellers, and curators, as well as anyone with a general interest in the Civil War at sea.

This two volume set by Pat Moran and Jon Maguire illustrates, in full color, over 240 visor hats and helmets of the German: Army, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, SS, NSDAP, Police, Civilian, and miscellaneous formations. Each peaked hat is shown from four angles, including interior, and insignia detail. These volumes are a must for collectors of German headgear and militaria, as well as modelers and students of military uniforms.

This third volume in the series further provides the reader with an insight into the wide range of uniforms, weapons and field equipment used by the Imperial German Army during World War I. Using over 600 period photographs and color images from items out of private collections and museums, the author displays a broad range of artifacts to the reader, together with detailed descriptions. Topics covered in this volume include: Landsturm Uniforms and Equipment; Cyclist (Radfahrer) Equipment; Colonial Uniforms in China 1898-1918; Colonial Uniforms (Africa and the Southseas); Colonial Police Uniforms (Africa and the Southseas); Horse Equipment; and many other rare and unusual topics.

The images in this volume are from the Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. The first one hundred images illustrate uniforms of the Russian Army from 1907-1920. Herbert Knoetels Berlin grouping consists of forty-five images done on the post-World War II scene, and includes those contracted for by the Military Intelligence Section, G-2, Berlin command in 1945. Officially known as Series A, they were used to educate United States and Allied military personnel on the various elements of the Soviet Army. The final fifty images covers Russian/Soviet uniforms from 1921-1946 with emphasis on the post-war era. All of the images in this book appear here for the first time.

This two volume set by Pat Moran and Jon Maguire illustrates, in full color, over 240 visor hats and helmets of the German: Army, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, SS, NSDAP, Police, Civilian, and miscellaneous formations. Each peaked hat is shown from four angles, including interior, and insignia detail. These volumes are a must for collectors of German headgear and militaria, as well as modelers and students of military uniforms.

Within months of its greatest triumph in 1942, the Japanese Imperial Army began to face the difficulties which would eventually destroy it - overstretched supply lines, and inadequate industrial support. Yet as the Allies grew steadily stronger and more skilful during World War II (1939-1945), the Japanese Army and Naval Landing Forces dug in to defend their conquests with a determination which shocked all who fought them. In this second book the author describes the deployments, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the Army - including the dreaded Kempei-tai military police - the naval infantry, paratroopers, special raiding units, and foreign auxiliaries during the long and savage war in Burma and the Pacific. His text is illustrated with many rare photographs, three insignia charts, and eight highly detailed colour plates.

Hitler first considered an invasion of Great Britain in autumn 1940, then scheduled Operation Barbarossa, the conquest of the European part of the Soviet Union, for May 1941. Anxious to emulate Hitler's successes, the Italian dictator Mussolini embarked upon unnecessary military adventures in North Africa and the Balkans, which forced Hitler's intervention, diverting and depleting precious German resources, and a six-week postponement of Barbarossa. In this second of four volumes [Men-at-Arms 311, 316, 326 & 330] on the German Army of the Second World War, Nigel Thomas examines the uniforms and insignia of the forces involved in North Africa and the Balkans.

Franz Joseph I and Karl. These emperors ruled a multiethnic empire destined to become one of the central powers in World War I. In addition to the studio portraits shown, the candid photos offer an authentic view of life in the trenches and on the battlefield. Each photo has been carefully chosen and researched to offer the reader detailed information on the k.u.k (royal and imperial) Empire's air, motor and medical corps, as well as infantry, artillery, pioneer and railroad troops. There are chapters covering highly decorated elite units, such as the Bosnian and the Kaiserschuetzen. A full color section of heretofore unpublished photos of original head dress, uniforms, equipment and accessories used by the k.u.k armed forces provides valuable information on the materials, markings, stamps, and construction of field caps, cavalry helmets and flight gear. Also included in this section are pilot badges and cap and collar insignia. This book is an indispensable resource for all historians, collectors, re-enactors, war gamers and model builders.

This new photo album is number 27 in the MMPBooks/Stratus "Camera On" series. It is the first to cover such a broad selection of Germany's heavy off road passenger cars. It includes both the Schwerer Geländegängiger Personenkraftwagen and its successors, the Horch 108 type 1 and its licensed build Ford type EG equivalents, as well as the heavy cars built on light truck chassis such as the Styer 1500 and Mercedes 1500A & S types. This book contains 140+ photographs of German heavy passenger cars photographed in operation in the conditions they had to work in. This volume illustrates these vehicles as the soldiers themselves viewed them in both their working environment and, indeed in many cases, the home they had to live in, not the highly polished and sanitized views of the official photographers. This book is an invaluable reference for military historians and modelers alike. A4 size, 80 pages.

In this new, extensively researched volume, U.S. Army uniforms - including enlisted soldiers, officers, insignia, and headgear - from the years 1848-1873 are examined in exacting detail. For the first time, original accounts from official reports, diaries, and other primary sources will be combined with color photographs of extraordinary surviving specimens, hundreds of important black and white images, as well as artwork from the period to tell the story of what the American soldier wore during these years. Army Blue represents more than twenty years of research in major institutions and private collections throughout the United States, and offers a concise overview of a topic which promises to be must reading for collectors, modelers, and curators alike.

Originally published in 1909 to 'interest and educate the public mind in the men who constitute the first line of our defensive forces', this series of beautiful illustrations and quaint descriptions explains the jobs behind the uniforms. From the responsibilities of the Admiral, to the manual work of the ordinary seaman and the duties of the stoker, this charming book provides a very British introduction to the Royal Navy.

The restoration of the Meiji Imperial dynasty in 1868, after 250 years of the Tokugawa Shogunate, decisively opened Japan to the outside world and the monarchy embraced modernization, including the creation of a new Westernized army. However, this modernization process was resisted by the traditional Samurai feudal nobility, leading to a series of battles. The first clash between the two cultures came swiftly. During the Boshin War of 1868 -69, a French military adviser, Jules Brunet, changed sides to join the insurgents. They won several engagements before the final crushing of the rebel Ezo Republic. After this point, the Imperial Army continued to modernize along French lines, and social changes began to impoverish Samurai noblemen, who lost their social and political role and their associated privileges. During 1876, the powerful Satsuma Domain, around Kagoshima in south-west Kyushu, became a focus for discontent. Its leader Saigo Takamori effectively ignored the central government, and in January 1877, increasing unrest broke out into open rebellion. The Imperial forces were now much stronger, and the Navy could land troops and bombard Kagoshima. The bitter Satsuma siege and attempted capture of Kumamoto Castle finally failed in April, and the Samurai made a last stand at Shiroyama on 24 September, choosing to go down fighting. This marked the final defeat and displacement of the Samurai class. This fully illustrated title explores the fall of the Samurai in detail, examining the arms, tactics, key figures of both sides, and charting the increasing Westernization of the Imperial forces.

This book provides a unique insight into the uniforms and equipment used by British Empire forces between the two world wars. Including descriptions of deployments and incidents during the period, it features detailed photographs of individual artefacts as well as accurate uniform reconstructions in full colour. There are detailed descriptions and background information on subjects such as khaki uniforms, webbing, water bottles, communications equipment and so on. The equipment and uniforms portrayed in the book are derived from a broad range of collections, in order to provide comprehensive coverage of the uniforms and other items used by British Empire forces of the period. Covering British deployments in China, India, the North West Frontier and Palestine, this book is an indispensable guide to British Empire forces from the end of the First World War to the eve of the Second World War.

Uniforms, Equipment and Weapons of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I is a detailed look at the uniforms, equipment, weapons, personal items, insignia, and specialist equipment of the American Army during the Great War. This comprehensive study uses over 100 original black and white photographs of American soldiers, many of which are previously unpublished. The book also shows over 700 full color photographs of original items as well as recreated scenes that bring many of these items to life. Finally, one book that covers all of the nuances of the American Doughboy during the Great War - from common uniforms and equipment, to the rare experimental and private purchased items. This is an indispensable work for any First World War collector, living historian, modeler, and enthusiast.

This third volume in the Battle Colors series focuses on the unit insignia and tactical aircraft markings of the 9th USAAF in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. All combat elements assigned to the Ninth AAF in the UK from 1943-45 are included: fighter, troop carrier, bombardment, reconnaissance, night fighter and liaison units. Squadron fuselage codes and recognition colors are shown within their respective sections and include maps with chronological listing and dates of each units assigned stations. Camouflage paint schemes with diagrams showing government specifications for the official placement of insignia and tactical markings for all major USAAF combat aircraft in the ETO are also covered.

Three talented French artists, Carle Vernet, Horace Vernet (son of Carle) and Eugene Lami, capitalised on the wave of nostalgia for the First Empire brought on by the death of Napoleon in 1821 by producing a series of prints of French military uniforms of the French revolutionary and imperial armies. These colourful lithographs, each accompanied by a text by an unidentified author describing the unit depicted, were published in book form in 1822 as Collection des Uniformes des Armees Francaises de 1791 a 1814 (Paris: Gide fils, 1822). The broad range of uniforms depicted includes many from infrequently-illustrated foreign and auxiliary units in the French army. The images also include unusual back and side views of uniforms. The images in this book are contemporary watercolour copies of the prints and are reproduced with permission from the Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, USA, where they currently reside.

A gloriously illustrated volume that looks at the remarkable armor of a key Habsburg commander and its relationship to contemporary Renaissance fashion This sumptuously illustrated book celebrates a curious masterpiece of German Renaissance art--the Landsknecht armor of Wilhelm von Rogendorf (1523). Recently conserved to its original glory, this magnificent suit of armor, made for a trusted courtier, diplomat, and commander of infantry units for the Habsburgs, deceives the eye: the steel sleeves drape in graceful folds, with cuts in the surface, suggesting the armor is made from cloth rather than metal. The author of this fascinating volume explores the question: why does the armor look this way? Stefan Krause delves back five centuries to the political, social, and cultural context in which von Rogendorf lived. Among other key venues in the Holy Roman Empire, this story takes the reader to the court of Emperor Charles V in Spain and to Augsburg, the leading center of armor making, where Rogendorf was introduced to the court armorer of Charles V, Kolman Helmschmid (1471-1532). Helmschmid was famous for his inventive and masterfully sculptured works, and this book elaborates on his unique contributions to the history of armor, and how and why von Rogendorf's suit was informed by contemporary fashion. Distributed for the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna

This is part two of a comprehensive two-volume reference that shows all the camouflage uniforms of the Waffen-SS. Using predominately modern color photographs, Volume 2 covers SS camouflage M44 Drill Uniforms, Fallschirmjager Uniform, Panzer Uniforms, Winter Clothing, SS-VT/Waffen-SS Zeltbahnen, and concludes with a detailed look at each camouflage pattern including samples. Each example is displayed on a full mannequin with numerous photos showing how the clothing appeared from various angles. In addition, numerous detail images are used to clearly expose key features of the uniforms and equipment. The text explains the important details about the creation, manufacturing, and wear of each item. Period photos establish the wear of each item presented in the book.

This beautiful book combines archaeological documents, paintings and photos of a reconstruction of the first wooden amphitheatre at the Coliseum. It is a complete documentation with all categories of gladiators with their particular equipment up their fighting methods and ways of dying. This excellent reference guide is a must-have for all fans of archaeology and the Romans. - TEXT IN FRENCH -

From the bitter temperatures of the Arctic to the sweltering jungles of the South Pacific, Army Air Forces personnel flew countless missions in extreme conditions throughout World War II. Providing suitable clothing to various crewmen aboard many different types of aircraft proved a monumental task. This volume documents the development, testing, manufacture, procurement, and utilization of flying clothing and accessories worn by American airmen during their many hard-fought campaigns around the world between 1941 and 1945. Among the garments explored are various types of flight suits - including heavy winter shearling suits and electrically heated suits - flight jackets, flotation garments, headgear, handwear, footwear, and even underwear. With appendices that include contemporary military brochures detailing the care and maintenance of flight clothing and tips on the preservation of vintage flight apparel and accessories, this study provides a thorough exploration of a rarely examined aspect of the military during World War II.