pen sword books ltd united kingdom south yorkshire (683 resultados)

Paperback. Condición: Fine. Seapower was a crucial element in the outcome of the Second World War. The U-Boat campaign almost brought Britain to her knees; the Arctic convoys were crucial to keeping Russia in the War; Pearl Harbor brought America into the conflict with massive repercussions; allied naval supremacy made the D-Day landings possible.This book examines in detail the key naval commanders of both sides including five British (Pound, Cunningham, Ramsay, Horton, Somerville) and five US admirals (King, Nimitz, Spruance, Halsey, Fletcher), three German (Raeder, Doenitz, Lutjens) three Japanese (Yamamato, Nagumo, Koga) and two French (Darlan, de la Borde), the latterjustified by the problems faced by Vichy France, including the courageous decision to scuttle the fleet rather than let it fall into German hands in late 1942. In selecting the list, the author has made their decisive role in the war the only criterion.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Benjamin Clouting was just sixteen years old when he embarked with the British Expeditionary Force for France in August 1914. The youngest man in the 4th Dragoon Guards, he took part in the BEF's celebrated first action at Casteau on August 22nd, and, two days later, had his horse shot from under him during the famous cavalry charge of the 4th Dragoon Guards and the 9th Lancers at Audregnies. Ben served on the Western front during every major engagement of the war except Loos, was wounded twice, and in 1919 went with the Army of Occupation to Cologne. The son of a stable groom, Ben was brought up in the beautiful Sussex countryside near Lewes and from his earliest years was, as he often said himself, "crazy to be a soldier". He worked briefly as a stable boy before joining up in 1913; his training was barely completed when war broke out. The Regiment, knowing Ben to be under age, tried to stop him embarking for France, but he flatly refused to be left behind. During the next four years, he served under officers immortalised in Great War history, including Major Tom Bridges, Captain Hornby, and Lieutenant-Colonel Adrien Carton de Wiart VC. Teenage Tommy is a detailed account of a trooper's life at the front, vividly recalling, for example, the privations suffered during the retreat from Mons. and later, the desperate fighting to hold back the German onslaught at 2nd Ypres. But this is more then just a memoir about trench warfare. Ben's lively sense of humour and healthy disrespect for petty restrictions make this an entertaining as well as a moving story of life at the front. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Looks at the Cardiff Pals and other local regiments who fought in the Great War and how the experience of war impacted on the area, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Cardiff were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. An important place for Coal export this book looks at how the balance between working and fighting was achieved by the Dockyard workers The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. This comprehensive pocket guide includes full and up-to-date details of all British military organisations and structures. This edition includes detail regarding all of the UK MoD's latest future force proposals.The Armed Forces of the United Kindom 2010-2011 is an invaluable reference tool and essential reading for all those who wish to be informed of the current state of the UK's defence forces. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. There are thousands of websites devoted to all aspects of military history from ancient Greece to the modern Gulf. This unique book helps you find the ones that will help with your research whether you are checking out a soldier ancestor or an airman or researching a naval campaign. It also features sites that are entertaining or controversial. Sections cover the British armed services and their long military history, but the author also describes in detail websites that focus on American and Canadian forces. A Guide to Military History on the Internet is a companion volume to Pen and Sword's best-selling Tracing Your Army Ancestors by the same author. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. R.C. Sherriff, author of Journey's End, the most famous play of the Great War, saw all his frontline service with the 9th Battalion East Surrey Regiment. This intense experience profoundly affected his writing and, through his play, it continues to have a powerful influence on our understanding of the conflict. Yet the story of his battalion has never been told in full until now. In The Journey's End Battalion, Michael Lucas gives a vivid account of its history. Using official and unofficial sources, diaries, letters, and British and German wartime records, he describes the individuals who served in it and the operations they took part in. He identifies the inspiration for Journey's End and considers how Sherriff delved into his experiences and those of his fellow soldiers in order to create his drama. So not only does the book shed new light on the wartime career of R.C. Sherriff, but it is a valuable record of the operation of a British battalion on the Western Front during the Great War. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. The star of Car Boot Sale Challenge and a keen car booter, Fiona Shoop shares her expertise on how to make the best from car boot sales for both buyers and sellers. Whether you're selling your goods as a one-off to clear the house or buy and sell at car boots to make extra money, Fiona's top tips will help make the experience easier, more profitable and even more enjoyable. Fiona also worked as a consultant on several antiques programmes where the goods were sold at car boot sales, including Life Laundry and helped the contributors to make as much money and sell as many goods as possible. Fiona also buys and sells at car boot sales in her spare time when not writing the How to Profit from. series for Remember When. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Which army used camels disguised as war elephants? Which illustrious warlord was killed by a midget ninja hidden in his latrine? How was a Japanese vessel sunk by live cows dropped by the Soviet air force? And just what kind of weapon was the Bohemian Ear Spoon? These are just a few of the important questions of military history answered in this book. Midget Ninja and tactical laxatives is a light-hearted look at some of the most bizarre incidents, weirdest weapons and strangest stratagems to be found in the annals of warfare. Drawn from all periods of history there is something here for every reader with an interest in military history and/or a sense of humour. Some of the sections included: War Elephants and How to Stop Them (including the infamous blazing pigs)Ignominious Deaths (eg the midget ninja in the latrine)A Misplaced Sense of Honour (eg the sniper who let George Washington live)Suicide Missions (eg mass suicide as a diversion tactic and a case of self-decapitation)Weird and Wonderful Weapons: (such as the WW2 bat bomb -with real bats)Stranger things happen at Sea (eg million-ton ice ships and death by blocked toilet)God is on our side (of omens, oracles and the ancient battle stopped by a UFO)An Army Marches on its Stomach (eg the tactical use of laxatives and the Greek army immobilized for 3 days by hallucinogenic honey). The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. This enthralling piece of work by first-time novelist Robert Southworth explores the avenue history could have run down if Spartacus had survived the slave rebellion in 73BC, an uprising whose aftermath didn't deliver the remains of the famous slave leader. The brute force of this famous figure of Roman history is relayed in vivid prose, and the events of the period re-imagined from a fictional perspective. The work is sure to appeal to fans of Roman history, as well as those enamoured by stories of action and adventure. Whilst the figure of Spartacus continues to hold massive appeal for contemporary audiences, this work will be well placed upon the market for hungry fans of the genre. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. What kind of Royal Navy does Britain need now? The 21st century promises to be one of huge uncertainties and challenges for the senior service. Does Britain have the right naval strategy to cope with emerging threats (does it have a naval strategy at all, and should it?) and, if so, does the Navy have the right ships and enough of them to implement it? Given the time taken to introduce changes and develop new systems, policymakers, naval chiefs, and designers are confronted with 50-year decisions. But future choices are likely to be clouded by economic uncertainties produced by the current crisis, which could have implications for decades.Nick Childs looks at the changing strategic environment (including ever greater maritime trade and the growth of other navies such as China, India, South Korea, revolutions in North Africa and the Middle East). He asks what Britain's role in the world could or should be - is she still interventionist? (Libya says 'yes'). If so, should our forces be designed purely to work with US, UN or Western European forces? What are the options for a naval strategy? The author then considers what kind of navy would be needed to support such options. What kind of ships are needed and how many? What of aircraft carriers and the nuclear option? What are the technological developments affecting current and future warship design projects? Is the new Type 45 destroyer what is needed and worth the cost? Given the depths to which the RN has shrunk in terms of numbers, public profile, and strength relative to its peers, this probably is a critical period in terms of determining the RN's future. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Everything you need to know about plays and playwrights in one handy guide by leading expert Maureen Hughes who has had one of her 8 musicals produced in the West End and teaches musical theatre. Covering everything from the top playwrights through the centuries to a comprehensive A-Z listing of plays from around the world. Accessibility is a key selling point with factboxes highlighting key or curious facts about the subject. This informative book will be compulsory reading for anyone interested literature or theatre and its size makes it the perfect stocking filler for the Christmas market or for anyone intending to go to the theatre at any time of the year and who wants to discover as much about the topic as possible - in a handy, pocket-sized guide. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. The Author was shot down in his Wellington bomber on his third operational mission. Captured shortly after he was interrogated in Dulag Luft before being sent to Stalag Luft 1 on the Baltic where he stayed from April to September 1944. As the noose tightened on Germany, Tony and his fellow kriegies were kept on the move.He describes the increasingly harsh conditions they all endured, including the infamous Long March of the winter of 1945. He twice escaped, the second time successfully reaching the Allied Second Army. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Do you remember those wonderful days in the school lab? Not those days when you hadto do those dreadful tests, or when your science teacher demonstrated yet another experiment that failed abysmally and the chemicals turned the wrong colour. Rather, those days when you learned about some amazing principle and felt stimulated to go home and try it out yourself. And when you did, do you recall that Eureka moment?This book takes you on a voyage of scientific re-discovery. From the kitchen laboratory to the bathroom test site you will be able to do experiments galore, investigate the mystery of the pyramid, find things out about your body and make things fizz. If you want to reexperience those Eureka moments, then this book is for youDid you know? That Tycho Brahe, the great Renaissance scientist had an artificial silver nose and was assisted in his experiments by his court jester That you can make a battery from a stack of coins, blotting paper, silver foil and some salt and vinegar That an ancient Greek inventor, Hero of Alexandria invented a steam machine 1,700 years before James Watt built his steam engine That you can make a crystal set radio from a toilet tube, copper wire, a pencil, a safety pin, a few drawing pins and paper clips, and an old razor bladeWell, you can find out hereKEITH SOUTER is a part time doctor, medical writer and novelist. He has always had a passion for science and been an avid home experimenter. This all started in his early school days when he learned that his chemistry teacher had no intention of showing him how to make stink bombs.He is now happily married with three grown-up children, all of whom somehow survived his impromptu experiments. Apart from his passion for science and medicine he is interested in history, sport and fiction. In his spare time he writes novels under his own name and a couple of pseudonyms. He is a member of the Crime Writers Association, the Society of Authors and International Thriller Writers.He looks back with fondness at all those early forays into the laboratory and secretlyadmits to being a frustrated science teacher - hence this book SCHOOLBOY SCIENCEREMEMBERED. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Winston Churchill is undoubtedly one of the most respected and best-loved characters the nation has ever known. However, much of how people view him is based on his leadership during the bleak and dire times of the Second World War. If it wasn't for him, Britain would almost definitely have lost the war: there were those in government who encouraged Churchill to strike a deal with Hitler at the time of the Dunkirk evacuations, which took place just three weeks after he had been made Prime Minister, but he stuck resolutely to his guns and said, no'. However, Churchill was never the favourite to take over after Neville Chamberlain resigned. Indeed, everyone believed Lord Halifax would be the next Prime Minister, although even he thankfully recognised that Winston Churchill was the best man for the job, even though King George VI disagreed. Yet there was another side to Churchill that is not often spoken of, and one that led to him making some questionable decisions. Some of these, it could be argued, were for national security reasons, but others were not, proving that even the very best are not always as perfect as they first appear. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. This is much more than just another book to add to the thousands on The Great War. It sets out to fill a gap. Written for the layman by a layman (who is also an articulate and experienced battlefield guide) it summarises the key events and contributions of key individuals, some well, others unknown but with a story to tell. To get a true picture of this monumental event in history, it is necessary to grasp the fundamentals, be they military, political, social or simply human. The slaughters at Verdun, Somme and Passchendaele are no more than statistics without the stories of those that fought, drowned and died there. It is designed to capture the imagination and feed the mind of those ever increasing number of people who seek a better understanding of The Great War. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. British Steam: Past and Present contains an evocative mix of specially commissioned modern steam images and steam era archive pictures, the majority of which have never been published before.The work of accomplished steam photographer David Anderson is highlighted in three special 'Location in Focus' features, studies of 1950s and 1960s steam workings at Oxford and on the mighty Beattock Bank. In addition there is the photographic record of a 1959 visit to Belfast, with unique images of steam on the Belfast - Dublin (ex GNR route).Original photographic studies from the preservation era by David Gibson who features the Churnet Valley Railway, Paul Pettitt who features the Bluebell Railway and Southern Region locomotives, and Fred Kerr who presents an eclectic mix of Main Line Steam images, are all included. Freight locomotive preservation is not forgotten and is featured, using modern and archive images. Together with many archive and new images from the author's own collection these images present an enthralling window on steam, which is totally unrivalled. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Margaret B. was an ordinary middle-class English girl of the late Victorian era, not wealthy but comfortable. Father was a Church of England cleric and, later, she would marry another. Meanwhile, the family took holidays and made trips around England, not venturing abroad, and these are the pictures from those happy days, all sunny ones.Soon there would be charabancs, deckchairs and electric light. For Margaret B., at the seaside there were bathing machines, and modesty forbade being seen out of the water in anything other than full dress, including hat.In the country, holidaymakers were a rarity. The railways could take you almost anywhere, but it was only the middle classes who went. So there were no crowds, and many of our pictures show tourist hotspots before they were hot, before there was any such thing as a car park.The text provides local knowledge and background to the photographs and is an enjoyable read in itself, but the real pleasure is in seeing Brighton, Margate, Scarborough, Broadstairs, Clovelly, Ilfracombe, Minehead and other such places before it all happened. See Exmoor, the White Peak and Somerset when the loudest noise was the click of the camera shutter. The nostalgia is almost unbearable. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. 'The war invisibly regulated our lives', commented a Salisbury resident when recalling the calamity, now known as the Great War. Much of life in the city - with its ancient cathedral, the finest spire in England, medieval New Town built on 'chequers' and meeting place of five rivers - would be challenged. Vast areas of the nearby plain, recently purchased by the military, became an add-on, tented city as thousands of men responded to Kitchener's call. Soldiers from the far-flung Empire arrived too, including one Canadian with his mascot bear. What bear? A bear, whose name would one day resonate in popular children's books. With a vastly increased population, trade boomed, but why were Special Patrols required in the dark alleyways? In contrast, how did some wounded officers, back from the trenches, find themselves surrounded by great masters in luxurious surroundings? The war affected everyone. The mayor's son won the Military Cross twice, while fellow citizens received heartbreaking telegrams. A parson's son survived the sinking of the RMS Lusitania, but did he survive the war? Many did not, so families, businesses and country estates were gutted.Hardly a street or village failed to witness what Wilfred Owen called the sad 'drawing down of blinds'. In 1918 the war ended. The people of Salisbury had adapted, endured and 'done their bit'. Surely they believed this had been the war to end all wars. Uniquely compiled from extensive archives, personal interviews and with striking images, Hall's book unveils the minutiae of the Salisbury Home Front. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Fine. Compiled by the author of Jane's Air Forces of the World, this book is a must for naval experts and enthusiasts.rnrnIn one volume the reader will find the composition and details of all naval elements of a staggering 137 nations' armed forces including paramilitary organizations as the US Coast Guard Service.rnrnThe book starts with an introduction based on the situation today and the response of the leading maritime powers. This is an interesting period with considerable uncertainty for the Royal Navy following the Strategic Defence Review. Many other countries, including Australia and Spain are boosting their naval strength to achieve strategic reach, while piracy has become a major problem in at least four different areas of the world. In each case, the history is followed by details of current fleet sizes, composition and deployments.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Herbs have been used since ancient times both to flavour food and as natural medicines. In this easy-access guide, gardener Gordon Thorburn reveals different types of herb garden to suit your needs, from those that don't need much attention (e.g. mint and rosemary don't need much watering but basil and the beautiful Vietnamese coriander are very demanding), to classic herb gardens, culinary options and medicinal herb gardens. Whether you suffer from migraines, insomnia, coughs and colds or fatigue, there are herbs which can treat you without side effects. But some herbs can prove fatal and they're not always sold as such, so discover which herbs are safe to use as herbal teas but not as salad leaves in this must-buy guide to creating the perfect herb garden for your needs. Each herb is listed with growing instructions and its culinary and medicinal uses, plus the colour of its flowers and any must-know information from health warnings to nature-friendly herbs which attract butterflies and bees to help pollinate your garden.The photographer is Sarah Cuttle. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. George Nichols was an artillery officer serving with the 82nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. He was wounded in 1917, and returned to the guns in March 1918, just in time to experience the fury of the Kaiserschlacht, the great German offensive designed to knock the British army out of the war. Nichols wrote a powerful account of the Kaiser's last great offensive battle from inside the eye of the storm, and it is one of the few primary source accounts which are told from the often overlooked perspective of the British artillerymen. Nichols, with wonderful British reserve, records how the men of the Royal Field Artillery steadfastly manned their guns. Nichols survived the onslaught and in 1919, was able to produce a full account of both the retreat and the British counter-attack which won back the lost ground. First published in 1919, while censorship was still in force, this wonderful primary source has long been out of print and it's welcome return makes for essential reading for anyone with an interest in the Great War. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. When two of the nuns creating the Bayeux Tapestry fall from the tower of the Priory of St Thomas the Apostle, Abbess Eleanor and her protege, Therese, are sent to investigate. As the adventures unfold, the intrigue created between the Norman Princes and Bishops, as well as the tensions between the conquerors and the native Britons, deepen to great and dramatic effect. Mary Bale has captured the spirit and feel of the times which she evokes in this, her first novel. The sense of intrigue is heightened by the writing style which is taut, fast-paced, and heavy with a sense of mystery. This extensively researched novel is sure to appeal to those looking for an evocative tale of adventure and intrigue, made vivid by fascinating period details. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Motoring journalist, David Long, turns his expertise into a must-buy read for anyone who dreams of owning a classic car - even if they'll never buy one but just wants to know more about this ever-popular topic. David discusses the pros and cons of 50 of the best and most popular classic cars in an accessible but informative fashion with all budgets covered from the Alfa Romeo Alfasud ('1.000+) to costly dream cars such as the Dino 246 GT. Covering basic car maintenance and the common problems with stylish auto ownership, this is more than just a comprehensive reference book - it's essential reading for anyone who loves cars. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. This fascinating historical revelation goes to the very heart of British and Allied Intelligence during World War II, specifically in the context of planning, control and implementation of the combined bomber offensive against Germany. There are sound arguments based on official archives that the handling of much air intelligence was faulty and reasons to believe that some departments within Whitehall were influenced by parochial and personal attitudes that interfered with the selection of strategic targets and the planning of the bombing offensives. In some departments within Whitehall and even the Air Ministry, there was a culpable failure to understand and appreciate the operational capabilities and limitations of the RAF and USAAF bomber forces.After the evacuation of the BEF the only means of destroying the Axis production of arms and munitions fell to the RAF and this was their prime objective for the rest of the war. The destruction of arms factories, power stations, air and ship production was the underlining objective, although when special targets, such as the break-outs of the German navy's major warships and U-Boats were deemed vital, the RAF were expected to react immediately. Much of Britain's intelligence was gathered from the German ENIGMA signals and became known as ULTRA with a security classification of MOST SECRET. Apart from the brilliant work at Bletchley Park there were other inputs from partisans throughout occupied Europe, Allied agents and various forms of reconnaissance. It was a new type of warfare that developed and improved as the war progressed but all too often the bomber squadrons were put into unnecessary peril through imprecise and unthinking demands from the highest levels of government.John Stubbington graduated from the RAF Technical College in 1961. His career was in Electronic and Defence Intelligence. He worked with Bomber Command, The Electronic Warfare Support Unit, Support Command Signals HQ and the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment. He retired from the RAF in 1985 and worked for twenty years within the UK Defence Industry. He lives near Alton in Hampshire. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Heroes and Landmarks of British Aviation tells the dramatic story of a world leading aviation industry, from the sweat and grease of the workshop, to the board rooms and government nationalisations that ultimately fashioned its destiny. The heroes are Britain's most innovative aviation pioneers and their aircraft, the men and women who persevered to be the first into the air, to fly the fastest, the highest and the furthest. This broad and highly accessible books ranges from the first man to fly across the English Channel from England to France to the development of the Spitfire and from the disastrous R101 airship to the development of the jet engine and ultimately the world's first supersonic airliner. Each chapter looks at a different aviation pioneer and the flying machines that they designed, their engineering landmarks, their triumphs in the air and on occasion their disasters too. The book explores the great air races that were won and lost, the government contracts and political short-sightedness that cut short the development of leading aircraft designs and many of the dramatic air raids and sea battles from the First World War to the Falklands and the Middle East. Many of the industry's most prominent names are profiled, including Ernest Willows, the Short brothers, Geoffrey de Havilland, Vincent Richmond, George White, Thomas Sopwith, Harry Hawker, RJ Mitchell, Herbert Smith, Charles Rolls, Henry Royce, Reginald Pierson, Alliott Verdon-Roe, Frederick Handley Page, Robert Watson-Watt, Robert Blackburn and Frank Whittle. Behind the personal stories are the histories of the aircraft companies that these pioneers created, from those that went bankrupt to those that lasted the test of time and have become indivisible from British aviation folklore, such names as Sopwith, Handley Page, Avro, Supermarine, Blackburn, Bristol, Fairey and Rolls-Royce. The book covers the mergers and acquisitions that led to the creation of two major aircraft manufacturers, Hawker Siddeley Group and the British Aircraft Corporation, and how barely two decades later, before the century was out, they were nationalised to form British Aerospace. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. The Second World War saw the formation and employment of a large number of specialist units in all the many theatres. The most celebrated Special Forces were the units such as the SAS, Long Range Desert Group and the American OSS but this book looks at the much wider spectrum. It embraces special-to-purpose formations such as the Chindits (in Burma), parachute forces (of Germany and the Allies), specially formed air force units such as the Dambusters, Hans-Ulrich Rudel's Tank Busting Stuka Squadrons, the US Flying Tigers and the Doolittle Raiders and Memphis Belle Bomber team. At sea the activities of the midget submarine crews, torpedo craft operators and the mighty German battleships are examined.All this and much more besides make Elite Forces of the Second World War a thrilling, highly informative and most attractive book. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. We live in the information age, a period that offers unrivalled data transfer and unlimited access to global archives. Collectors have never had it so easy. Today, at the click of a mouse, via the Internet they can exchange details about items they are looking for or send photos of things they want to sell, and communicate with dealers and like-minded enthusiasts located at opposite sides of the planet. Online market places like eBay offer a cornucopia of accessible objects and the opportunity to, sometimes, purchase items at knock-down prices. However, being provided with unlimited access to information is only of any use if you know what you are looking for. The ever-expanding resource of the World Wide Web might be a repository of everything but if you are looking in the wrong section, or asking the wrong question, it can provide myriad dead ends rather than bang-on answers! Collectors of militaria, that catch-all term that covers everything from army badges to gas masks, have always relied on ready access to reference works to help them navigate around the bewildering landscape of available collectables. Most of the classic reference works have been targeted at the experienced collector and are often difficult for the tyro to decipher. Something handier is needed. The Beginner's Guide to Wartime Collectables is intended to be that easy to use guide. It will not only tell the novice about the major types of twentieth-century military collectables, it will also show what they look like and, importantly, what the newcomer should be looking for. It's also important to be sure you are purchasing authentic military artefacts and not mere reproduction items or, worse still, out and out fakes. Written by a lifelong collector, this book is also full of the author's own photographs, many, like those showing details of insignia and other regalia, taken with specialist close-up lenses, so that every detail can be clearly seen. The 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the Great War in August 2014 makes this publication very timely and, I hope, elevates commonplace items like postcards and crested china to their rightful place as definite military collectables. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Fine. Passcendaele is a subject which has been repeatedly covered in the form of military analyses and personal accounts. However surprising little has been written about the tens of thousands of men who died in the battle. How was it possible that so many men were killed? How were they buried and how have they been remembered up to the present day at Tyne Cot Cemetery? These two fundamental research questions have resulted in a two part book, which is based on two innovative projects in the area of biographical research: The Passchendaele Archives and the Tyne Cot Cemetery Inventarisian Project.The Passchendaele book represents a unique memorial concept which sets out to restore faces to the names of those killed at Passchendaele.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Cold war helicopter ace Terry Peet lived for flying. He was a 'go anywhere, do anything,' Royal Air Force pilot with a reputation for 'sheer guts'. Whether ferrying troops to remote jungle landing zones or snatching casualties from makeshift clearings surrounded by two-hundred-feet high trees, he willingly pushed himself and his primitive Sycamore helicopter to the limit. During two years in the hot spots of Malaya and Borneo with the RAF, he repeatedly cheated death and earned a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air. Then suddenly he disappeared without trace, apparently drowned tragically while on a recreational scuba dive off the North Wales coast. Six years later he dramatically reappeared in a back-from-the-dead drama worthy of fiction. The media hailed him enthusiastically as a renegade hero and 'Flying Pimpernel' when the story of his mysterious disappearance and subsequent extraordinary double life unfolded.In fact he had been recruited by the CIA for a clandestine air force involved in paramilitary operations in the former Belgian Congo. He was told that his departure from the RAF had to be 'covert'. The summary presented in his eventual court martial crucially omitted this. It also failed to disclose that his employment as a mercenary, or 'contract pilot' to use the CIA's more inoffensive terminology, received the tacit approval of British intelligence. Moreover, a claim that the RAF had not seen or heard anything of him following his disappearance in Anglesey was completely untrue.This book is the true revelation of an entirely mysterious affair as told to the author by Terry Peet. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Today the Victoria Cross remains the supreme British award for bravery. It takes precedence over all other awards and decorations. During its 160-year history, since the first medals were given for gallantry during the Crimean War in the 1850s, 1,357 of these medals have been won, and no less than 69 of them have gone to Yorkshiremen. Alan Whitworth, in this carefully researched and revealing account, describes in graphic detail the exploits and the lives of this elite group of heroes.Among the roll of the brave whose gallantry and self-sacrifice are celebrated in these pages the reader will find the names and extraordinary deeds of men who were either born or bred or lived and died in Yorkshire. The first was Yorkshire-born Bombardier Thomas Wilkinson in 1857. He set an example that has been followed by generations of Yorkshire soldiers through the conflicts of the late nineteenth century - among them the Indian Mutiny and the wars in Afghanistan and South Africa - and then, in the twentieth century, in the two world wars and more recent operations in the Gulf and Afghanistan. Their stories give an unforgettable insight into the nature of heroism and into the role of individual soldiers who stand out from the ranks of men who took part in Britain's many wars and campaigns.The stories of these ordinary individuals who have 'performed some signal act of valour or devotion to their country' will be fascinating reading for anyone who is interested in military history in general and in the long military tradition of Yorkshire. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.