Military History
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Empire of the Deep: The Rise and Fall of the British Navy
The bestselling complete history of the British Navy – our national story through a different prism.
The story of our navy is nothing less than the story of Britain, our culture and our empire. Much more than a parade of admirals and their battles, this is the story of how an insignificant island nation conquered the world’s oceans to become its greatest trading empire. Yet, as Ben Wilson shows, there was nothing inevitable about this rise to maritime domination, nor was it ever an easy path.
EMPIRE OF THE DEEP: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE BRITISH NAVY also reveals how our naval history has shaped us in more subtle and surprising ways – our language, culture, politics and national character all owe a great debt to this conquest of the seas. This is a gripping, fresh take on our national story.
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£4.30£16.10 -
Faithful Through Hard Times: The uncensored story of WW2 Malta
“This is a moving story played out by every serving soldier when war dislocates families and taxes friendships.” Colonel (retired)Walter Bonnici, RAMC
Four years, 3 million bombs, one small island out-facing the might of the German and Italian air forces – and one young Scotsman who didn’t want to be there. The true story of WW2 Malta from an eye-witness account written at the time in a secret diary, a diary too dangerous to show anyone, and too precious to destroy.
Private George Taylor arrived on Malta in 1940 thinking that shiny buttons would earn him fast promotion; he left four years later, a cynical sergeant and a Master Freemason who never said, ‘I was there, ‘ without a bitter smile. Despite the times he said, ‘It’s me for the next boat’, despite his fears that Nettie had forgotten him, George kept the motto of the Royal Army Medical Corps ‘In arduis fidelis’, ‘faithful through hard times’ and only told his diary the inside story of four long years.
Now, the truth can be told.
‘Based on words and feelings recorded at the time it is probably unique.’ Don Marshall, Military History Enthusiast
www.jeangill.com
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£2.90 -
World War Two Military Vehicles: Transport and Halftracks (World War Two)
This title offers a comprehensive illustrated account of the development of military transport during the period from 1939 to 1945. Covering both Allied and Axis equipment, the book is a superbly illustrated and detailed study into an aspect of military history that has often been ignored by researchers and writers who have concentrated solely on the armoured vehicles.
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£2.70 -
Japan’s Gestapo: Murder, Mayhem and Torture in Wartime Asia
From the author of Children of the Camps, a look at the disturbing activities of the Kempeitai, Japan’s feared military and secret police.The book opens by explaining the origins, organization, and roles of the Kempeitai apparatus, which exercised virtually unlimited power throughout the Japanese Empire. Author Mark Felton reveals their criminal and collaborationist networks that extorted huge sums of money from hapless citizens and businesses. They ran the Allied POW gulag system that treated captives with merciless and murderous brutality. Other Kempeitai activities included biological and chemical experiments on live subjects, the Maruta vivisection campaign, and widespread slave labor, including “Comfort Women” drawn from all races. Their record of reprisals against military and civilians was unrelenting. For example, Colonel Doolittle’s raid on Tokyo in 1942 resulted in a campaign of revenge not just against captured airmen but thousands of Chinese civilians. Their actions amounted to genocide on a grand scale. Felton backs up his text with firsthand testimonies from survivors who suffered at the hands of this evil organization. He examines how the guilty were brought to justice and the resulting claims for compensation. As a result, Japan’s Gestapo provides comprehensive evidence of the ruthlessness of the Kempeitai against the white and Asian peoples under their control.
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The Unforgettable Army: Slim’s XIVth Army in Burma
A gripping chronicle of the monumental fight against the Japanese in Burma during World War Two.The ideal book for people enthralled by the works of James Holland, Anthony Beevor and Max Hastings.
In mid-December 1941 the Japanese invaded Burma. Within just a few months British forces were driven from their defences and forced to retreat hundreds of miles to the Indian border.
How did the Allies under the leadership of William Slim, Orde Wingate and Louis Mountbatten overcome one of the gravest defeats the British Army ever suffered and drive back the Japanese?
Michael Hickey’s meticulously researched and brilliantly written book charts the course of the Burma campaign, exploring how the British, Asian and African troops fighting under Slim were able to engage and resist the enemy onslaught while simultaneously keeping lines of communication open with China and divert attention from the American attacks in the Pacific.
Despite the fact that it was often referred to as ‘The Forgotten Army’, because its operations were overlooked by the contemporary press and even subsequent historians, Michael Hickey demonstrates just how brilliant and extraordinary this united multi-racial British Fourteenth Army was with soldiers, sailors and airmen from Britain, India, Nepal, Africa, Burma, America, China and many other countries.
‘Michael Hickey, a soldier and a historian in his own right, has been to war and knows what it means. With his sure touch he describes the essential overall picture, while at the same time he deftly targets the significant battles and incidents, bringing the reader close to events as they happened from day to day. His informative book is welcome for the way it highlights the feel and tensions of battle in jungle and scrub plain, together with the personalities of the people involved.’ Field Marshal William Slim
‘captivating tactical-level war stories — useful descriptions of the Japanese soldier and his army, a detailed account of “The ‘Sacking’ of Slim,” and a wonderful “Postlude” describing the post-war fates of key campaign leaders. The Unforgettable Army belongs in the library of anyone interested in miliary leadership and World War II campaigns.’ Col. William Mendel, U.S. Army, Military Review
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The Military History of World War II
Traces the origins and course of World War II across the globe, from the invasion of Poland to the destruction of Hiroshima. The book includes numerous contemporary photographs, as well as features and maps on particular aspects of the conflict and the military hardware used by both sides.Read more
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ROYAL NAVY HANDBOOK
The ‘Royal Navy Handbook’ provides the only official definitive guide to the structure of the Royal Navy of today and the future. From the Strategic defence forces of the Vanguard class of SSBNs, through the surface and submarine fleet, including the details of proposed new carriers, destroyers and submarines, to maritime airpower and the Rapid Deployment forces, the Royal Marines Commandos, to the vital Support forces of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Marine services and shore naval bases, this is the complete work of reference for enthusiasts and professionals alike. Every class of ship, aircraft and vehicle is included with a brief background, complete specifications and a colour illustration. The guide also includes details of the future procurement plans of the Royal Navy, a section on the historic ships of the navy, including HMS Victory and Belfast and a complete list of RN and RFA pennant numbers.Read more
£0.30ROYAL NAVY HANDBOOK
£0.30
