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On 13 July 1917 a thirty-year-old junior officer on leave from the Western Front arrived at London's Euston Station, with its famous arch and great hall. Siegfried Sassoon was heading for Liverpool on a journey likely to end in his arrest. His destination was the headquarters of his battalion. A week earlier he had written to tell his commanding officer that he was refusing further military service. He enclosed a statement written to be read out in Parliament declaring that Britain's war aims were no longer worthy. He was committing, as he admitted', 'an act of wilful defiance of military authority'. He was ready to face court-martial and imprisonment (or worse). He was known in the Army as a brave and efficient soldier, already decorated and now recommended for a DSO. His speciality was in bombing. Now he had delivered a bombshell of a different kind. He hated what the war had become. He had lately turned his poetic talent into a new kind of satire. A recent composition, 'The One-Legged Man', was about what soldiers yearned for: 'a Blighty wound' to take them home to safety. The poem ends: 'He hobbled blithely through the gate; And thought 'Thank God they had to amputate'. Sassoon wanted a fair peace settlement to end the war, as did his friends in the House of Commons. There were possibilities. The day before he caught his train, the German Reichstag had passed a declaration demanding 'peace with no annexations and no indemnities': if agreed to by Britain and its Allies and followed through this would mean a settlement including German withdrawal from all occupied territory. These were days of drama for a soldier - and perhaps for the world. This book tells Sassoon's story.

By the autumn of 1916, advances in Britain's air defence capability had all but ended the Zeppelin menace, which had haunted the nation for almost two years. However, an emerging complacency regarding the aerial threat was immediately shattered by the introduction in 1917 of the Grosskampfflugzeug, better known as the Gotha bomber. Whereas Zeppelin airships had attacked individually and stealthily under the cover of darkness, the German Army now had a squadron of bomber aeroplanes capable of brazenly attacking London and south-east England in broad daylight, thereby unleashing a new wave of terror on the British population. Britain, having downgraded its aerial defences after the apparent defeat of the Zeppelins, was forced to rethink. The improvements instigated compelled the German raiders to change their tactics too, as each side strived to gain the upper hand. And all the time the German Navy Zeppelins, whose campaign had not been abandoned entirely, continued to strike when opportunity allowed. The story of these dramatic air raids is told by incorporating numerous, never-before published, eye-witness accounts, revealing a personal view of the experiences shared by those who lived through the conflict, both on the ground and in the air. The German air campaign against the United Kingdom in the First World War was the first sustained, strategic aerial bombing campaign in history. Yet it has become dwarfed by the enormity of the Blitz of the Second World War, but for those caught up in the tragedy of these raids the impact was every bit as devastating. In Gotha Terror Ian Castle tells the full story of the 1917 - 1918 raids in unprecedented detail in what is the final book in a trilogy, completing the story of Britain's Forgotten Blitz.

This is the story of just one Cambridge college and the effect the First World War had on it. One college, reflecting the effect of the other thirty. Between 1914 and 1918 over 600 undergraduates from Trinity College were killed, almost an entire intake for a year, the very best of their generation. Their names also appear on the walls of Trinity Chapel as well as many other memorials all over the country in remembrance of them. This book will put flesh on the bones of their names. It will remind people that they lived, although in some cases not very long. Trinity College Cambridge is without argument the most prestigious of all the colleges within the most prestigious university. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, members of the college have won thirty-four Nobel Prizes, four Field Medals, one Turing Award and one Abel Prize. Two future kings and six future Prime Ministers were also educated there. The very elite of their age in the sciences, mathematics, English, philosophy, were educated there. As a troop of the 9th Lancers left Cambridge along Trinity Street, in 1914, mostly made up of undergraduates, a storm broke over their heads. Lightning flashed across the sky and the thunder roared. People said later it was the heaviest rain they had seen in their lifetime. The chaplain noted in his diary, 'It was then that I realised that the most important thing within a college, even one as old as Trinity, was not its ancient buildings and spires, but the people who studied there, the undergraduates and graduates'. He wondered then as the troop turned left and out of sight, how many would return and even then, as the storm crashed overhead had dark forebodings. This is just a story of one college, told through biographies of each of the 600 students killed, accompanied by copious illustrations.

The Wantage Tramway, part tramway and part light railway, had many claims to fame. It was Britain's first tramway to use steam traction and had a fascinating and eclectic collection of locomotives and rolling stock throughout its short life which gave the company a look all of its own. The company's unique history created a legend which still endures to this day. The unique company had its origins in the nineteenth century when the Great Western Railway's route to Bristol bypassed Wantage and local people gathered together to form a company to build a link to the local main line. The company's relationship with its bigger neighbour was often friendly, sometimes stormy, but always close despite the tramway company's fierce independence. The company was an important addition to Wantage's transport network although not everyone agreed! This new history of the company, based upon primary research, explores how the company was formed, tells the stories of some of the people who worked for the tramway, and its working relationship with the Great Western Railway. The book looks at the tramway's eclectic rolling stock, its operations and the company's relationship with its customers, which was not always as good as it would have hoped. It also reveals for the first time the true reasons for its closure in 1946 and its relationship with the United States Army.

For most people, the story of the Jacobites perished on a bitter April day in 1746 when their hopes of restoring the exiled Stuart monarchy at the battle of Culloden were crushed. Beyond this military defeat, which marked the end of the '45 rebellion, there were surviving embers who kept alive the cause for some time. For some years, Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) and his exiled supporters plotted with European powers to restore his banished house and regain the British throne, but there was never again a military attempt to oust the Hanoverians who displaced his lineage.In Europe, Jacobite networks flourished in France, but also in Scandinavia and were influential in spreading Masonic ideas in the areas they operated. Exiles joined the military as far afield as Spain and even Russia, while others formerly loyal to the cause found themselves in the New World, either banished by the British state or willing emigrants hoping for a better life. Ironically, most of the latter supported the British Empire and faced further hardship in the aftermath of the American War of Independence, finding themselves as losers in two major historic upheavals.Jacobitism arose again as a romantic ideal in the 19th century, surprisingly revived by the Hanoverian royal family, which had displaced the Stuarts. The cult of Highland Scotland was spearheaded by Queen Victoria, who saw herself as the embodiment and successor of the Jacobites. Towards the end of her reign, political Jacobitism became a fringe element in British politics energized Scottish nationalism and became an element in that country's artistic renaissance.The question of what Jacobitism means to different people in different ages is not an easily answered question. Even in its early days, the movement was not simply a political monarchist group devoted to restoration of a shattered dynasty. Its adherents and some of its detractors recognized some mysterious attraction in its ideals and its symbolism. Which other British royal cult survived so long and inspired a succession of Pretenders devoted to the doomed romance of a long-vanished line of monarchs?

Elizabeth of York has often been overlooked by Tudor historians in favor of her infamous son King Henry VIII and his six wives, as well as her glorious 'Virgin Queen' granddaughter Queen Elizabeth I. But Elizabeth, the daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, deserves far more recognition than she currently receives. She suffered the loss of her younger brothers, the Princes in the Tower, and lived through the reign of her maligned uncle King Richard III, who it has been suggested plotted to marry his niece.Elizabeth was born at a time when having women in power was not considered desirable, but if she had been able to rule then Elizabeth would have been England's first queen regnant. It was her position as the heiress to the House of York that solidified her husband's claim to the throne. When she married Henry VII they finally united the warring houses of Lancaster and York. It is often thought that Elizabeth was a weak, ineffectual and pious woman who was too meek to challenge her husband's rule, but in reality she held some sway over her husband and he often valued her opinion. If anything, Elizabeth was a resolute, well-respected and influential queen.Despite being of Plantagenet blood, Elizabeth of York was the mother of the Tudor dynasty, one of England's most powerful and ruthless monarchies. Yet she was a devoted mother and an adored queen to the people of England.

Sir Simonds D'Ewes, a seventeenth-century gentleman bred in Dorset, but ultimately shaped by a deep and lasting love for Suffolk, was not destined for greatness. Nor did he have greatness thrust upon him in his short lifetime. Yet this was hardly the point. Son to a respectable family, D'Ewes rose through local, legal and political ranks to become a first-hand witness to a succession of monumental events in England. As MP for Sudbury from 1640, he was one of those who saw with agonising immediacy - from the benches of Westminster - the rapid decline of the political situation in the mid-1600s. Simonds held his breath along with the rest when Charles I forcibly entered the Commons in 1642, and he was there to survey the stunning rise of Oliver Cromwell through the 1640s. When civil war arrived, D'Ewes observed the battle lines being drawn before his very eyes. A 17th Century Knight has two aims. Firstly, it seeks to chart the life of Simonds D'Ewes himself: the husband, father, friend, antiquary, devout Protestant - even widower. His was an affecting story of personal loss, professional and recreational gain, and complex familial relationships that is deserving of study. Secondly, it endeavours to weave a fresh narrative of the tempestuous first half of the 1600s, including the English Civil War, using D'Ewes's experiences and wealth of written material as a focal point. As this book shows, there is still much to be uncovered about a period in history that we think we all know.

For such a famous regiment as the 42nd Regiment of Foot (The Black Watch), the number of published memoirs is surprisingly low. The discovery of the three hand-written journals in the collection of the National Library of Scotland covering the period from August 1808, when the regiment left Gibraltar for Lisbon until the end of 1813, are therefore of significant importance in our understanding of the actions of this regiment during the Peninsular War. James Stirling became an Ensign by purchase in the 42nd Foot on 14 August 1805 at the age of thirteen, vice Ensign Thomas Munro. He then rose to the rank of Lieutenant without purchase on 27 August 1807. Stirling served in the Peninsula with 42nd Foot from September 1808 to January 1809, then at Walcheren and again in the Peninsula from May 1812 to August 1813 (from October 1812 as Aide de Camp to his father Major General James Stirling). On his father's retirement from active service, he joined the Portuguese Army from 9 November 1813 as a Brevet Captain in the 11th Line Regiment, remaining with them until 13 October 1814. He then became a Captain in the 42nd by purchase on 11 May 1815. He saw action at Walcheren, Corunna, Salamanca, Burgos, the Pyrenees, Orthez and Toulouse. He retired from the army in 1817 and died on 20 January 1818 aged only 25 years old. These absorbing and revealing journals cover Captain James Stirling's entire period of active service with the 42nd Foot, as well as the time he served with the Portuguese forces until the end of 1813, his sudden death preventing him from completing the record of his service with the Portuguese Army in 1814. Author Gareth Glover provides explanatory notes throughout to add extra context to Stirling's commentary, making this book accessible for both the historian and enthusiast.

The date is the 6 June 1944. The paratroopers on board the aircraft are crammed together, joking and singing over the drone of the engines, none of them dwelling on the gnawing fear in their guts. They reach the French coastline, and everyone goes quiet when loud explosions and flashes erupt around the aircraft.

Vikings. One of history's most recognizable archetypes. These hardy warriors enjoyed fighting and conquering, but there was much more to the culture than physical might.A deep sense of spirituality and purpose permeated the Norse societies that dreamed beyond their borders. And Norse history is a tapestry of adventurers, kings, wayfarers, queens and conquerors who etched their names into legend.Norse Fighting Heroes tells the stories of some of the most (in)famous Vikings in history. From the wanderlust of Bjorn Ironside to the boundless ambition of Harald Hardrada, the lives of these people were anything but black and white. Get to the heart of their wants, loves, fears, reasons for living and dying.

Gabriele Esposito presents an overview of the history, organization and equipment of the military forces deployed by the nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppes during the period from the appearance of the Huns in Eastern Europe to the death of Genghis Khan. Each chapter is devoted to a different group that played a prominent military role during Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Starting with the Huns of Attila, whose migration was one of the key factors behind the fall of the Roman Empire, he moves on to the Avars, who established a large state in Eastern Europe that contested with Charlemagne's Frankish Empire. Chapter three covers the Magyars, who terrorized most of Europe during the tenth century before creating the Kingdom of Hungary. Next are the Bulgars, who became the worst enemies of the Byzantine Empire in the Balkans but also created a flourishing state in the Volga region of Russia. The Khazars and the Alans share a chapter, as do the Pechenegs and Cumans-Kipchaks, while the Turks merit a dedicated chapter. Last but not least are the Mongols, who are traced from the unification of their tribes to the death of the great Genghis Khan.By describing the military organization, weapons and tactics of these nomadic peoples the author shows how they dominated the battlefields of the world for almost 1,000 years thanks to their superior capabilities. He also discusses how they interacted with other civilizations and how the latter learned a lot from them, especially militarily. Without the existence of the warlike nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppes, the history of the world would have been very different.

Dirt. Depravity. Danger. Disease. From the slurry-filled sewers to the most overcrowded of tenement blocks, Victorian Britain thrummed with the heartbeats of those who had lived there. Infants and children, adults and elders had called these twisting labyrinthian warrens home; here they had laboured, they had loved, they had lost. These people had celebrated progress and had fought for reform; they had raised families, fallen in love, worked laborious jobs, and lamented the deaths of their loved ones. In her second book, Bethan Catherine Watts explores every crevice of the dark and dingy slums of Victorian Britain and illuminates the lives of those who lived there. From favourite pastimes, recipes and beauty practices to the treatment of children, animals and the dead, The Dark and Dingy Underworld of the Victorian Slums sheds light on those who were born, who had lived, and who had died in nineteenth-century British slums.

The story of wool covers 4,000 years of human history - the first written record of dying wool for cloth was found on a Mesopotamian papyrus c. 2000 BCE. In this book, the whole story is told, from the rearing of the different animals that provide the raw material to its transformation into woven cloth and knitted material. Much of the emphasis is on Britain, where, in the Middle Ages, wool was the basis for much of the country's prosperity, as can still be seen in the magnificent opulence of the churches endowed by the wool merchants. It deals with the different techniques used for spinning, weaving and finishing cloth. The eighteenth century saw great changes, as production moved from cottage to mill and the mill towns grew. But this is also an international story, looking at a variety of different topics, from the work of Incan and Mayan people in South America to the development of the flocks of Australia. But, this is not just about technology - it is also about how that technology has an impact on the lives of people, from th life of the shepherd to the industrial disputes that broke into the violence of the Luddite rebellions.

Vera Brittain is one of the twentieth century's most significant feminist and pacifist figures. Her 1933 best-selling First World War memoir, Testament of Youth, is acclaimed as one of the most important autobiographies of the last hundred years. Testament of Lost Youth is the first book to examine Vera's cossetted middle-class upbringing in once-fashionable Buxton, between 1905 and 1915. She condemned her 'provincial young ladyhood' with remorseless fervour, but were her criticisms justified, or is there a more complex, nuanced story?Drawing on Vera's own diary, letters, and a wealth of historical sources, Kathryn Ecclestone uncovers the hidden layers of Vera's privileged early life. Her book challenges traditional portrayals to shed new light on the unique social atmosphere of Edwardian Buxton, Vera's schooling and experience of university, her family, social and love life, before a harrowing journey through the First World War, where she lost her fiancé, adored brother and many friends and acquaintances. From her intellectual awakening to her battles against societal constraints, this book, filled with images of Vera and her family, presents a nuanced exploration of a remarkable woman, revealing how her early life shaped and inspired the icon the world came to know.

'The book relates in wonderful detail the tragedy of an era through the dreadful actions of a war criminal' - Nikos MarantzidesHitler's Hunting Squad in Southern Europe traces the violent path of Fritz Schubert and his Greek 'hunting squad' across occupied Crete and Macedonia, offering a complete translation of Thanasis Fotiou's comprehensive study on the German Lieutenant during World War II.The author's research reveals previously unknown aspects of Schubert's life and his actions as an officer, including the murder and torture of civilians, and the looting and burning of homes.Fritz Schubert, born in 1897, joined the German Forces in 1914 and concluded his service in Turkey, where he settled and married. By 1934, he had joined the National Socialist Party, influenced by Nazi ideology and propaganda. Fluent in several languages, he trained at the School of Interpreters under the reserve army's administration, attaining the rank of Unteroffizier. Hitler intended for Crete to play a significant role in the Middle East and Egypt due to its strategic oil reserves.In 1947, a special commissioner's report on Schubert's hunting squad stated, 'They murdered, they tortured in the most brutal ways numerous civilians, they looted and burned many homes. Generally, the arrival of Schubert's gang signaled unrelenting plunder, marked by tears, pain, and bloodshed.'

Among the great hidden narratives of twentieth-century history are the movements in Europe which, between the two world wars, aimed to restore the royal and imperial houses forced out of power in 1918 (or, in Portugal's case, eight years earlier). These efforts acquired media coverage and, often, strategic importance far greater than would be now supposed from the cursory, often dismissive, treatment which they have received from most historians since. Campaigns to reinstate such dynasties as the Hohenzollerns, the Habsburgs, the Wittelsbachs, the Braganças, and even France's House of Orléans, were taken seriously at the highest governmental and journalistic levels in London and Paris, not to mention the Holy See. Upon the whole phenomenon, this book seeks to shed light. It discusses both the phenomenon's 'soft power' manifestations (the designs of newspaper tycoon Lord Rothermere upon the Hungarian throne for his son, for instance) and the phenomenon's 'hard power' manifestations, among which probably the most dramatic were the successful monarchical campaigns in Albania and Greece. With a cast that includes not only the monarchist candidates themselves but Churchill, Lloyd George, Hitler, Mussolini, and Franco, this is a drama that embraces a continent and forces thorough reappraisals of events which we thought we knew. No one can read it without acquiring a firmer grasp of political power's very nature and the sheer narrowness of the gap between victory and defeat.

Based on Captain John Orr's previously unseen campaign diary and personal documents, this is the first biography of the man who would become Superintendent of the Scottish Naval & Military Academy (SNMA). We follow John during his eighteen months in Portugal and Spain informed by his first-hand accounts of the Battle of Salamanca, the siege of Burgos and fighting in the Pyrenees. Later he fought at Quatre Bras and was wounded at Waterloo. He was retired on full pension in 1821. Ten years later, aged 41, resigning himself that he would no longer be commissioned into a regiment, he enrolled as a captain in the Edinburgh Militia. Almost immediately he was asked to become the Superintendent of the Scottish Naval & Military Academy which was situated in Edinburgh. It had been established six years earlier and was struggling after the Directors had made a number of bad decisions.John's appointment stabilised the SNMA and the enrolment started to grow. He had enthusiasm for his job and managed to mix discipline with affection for the boys. In 1832 the Duke of Wellington became President. By the mid-1840s it had become a successful military college. It sent over a thousand young men into the services, including over a hundred who fought in the Crimean War. Nearly every British army regiment had at least one officer who had studied at the SNMA. Through John's letters, the history of the Academy is interwoven with a description of the Orr family. John died in 1879, aged 89 years old. He was the last surviving member of the Black Watch who had fought at Waterloo. The book is brought to life with paintings and photographs of John, his family, his uniform and pages from his Peninsular War diary. It is an intimate portrait of a soldier who served his country on and off the battle field.

According to Pliny (admittedly a native of the province), Gallia Narbonensis was 'by the cultivation of its soil, the manners and civilization of its inhabitants and the extent of its wealth, surpassed by no other province in the Empire'. Philip Kay-Bujak describes how this vital area came to be occupied and incorporated into Rome's domains  and how it was then governed. Straddling important roads connecting Rome with Spain, northern Gaul and the Channel ports, the province grew into an agricultural and economic powerhouse. Containing some of the finest examples of Roman cities, such as Narbonne and Lyon, it was among the most sought after postings for Roman officials. However, this strategic positioning also made it the battlefield for numerous foreign invasions and civil wars, and we follow the region's fluctuating fortunes through several centuries of drama. Drawing on extensive research and many personal visits to the area, Philip Kay-Bujak brings us a fascinating story of this particular region. Moreover, it also serves as an excellent case study in the evolving methods, challenges and impacts of imperial governance across the Roman world. Part historical study, part travel guide, it explores the legacy the Roman Empire bequeathed to this beautiful region.

This latest Images of War series book examines the controversial development of the Allied campaign in Normandy in the weeks after the D-Day landings. After overcoming Rommel's beach obstacles and 'Atlantic Wall' fortifications, a secure Allied lodgment of the five beaches developed along the Caen-Bayeux-Carentan axis with a period of consolidation while reinforcements and supplies were built up.The early arrival of 12th SS Hitlerjugend, 21st Panzer and the Panzer Lehr Divisions delayed Montgomery's Anglo-Canadian capture of Caen until mid-July and prevented an early breakout into the countryside inland from Gold, Juno and Sword which was suitable for armored combat.An early American goal was to cut the Cotentin Peninsula in two at its southern base to prevent the Germans from supplying and strengthening the deep-water port of Cherbourg, which U.S. VII Corps captured on 26 June.Inland from Omaha and Utah, the close 'bocage' country proved advantageous to the German defenders. The Allied breakout occurred at the end of July with Bradley's Operation COBRA near St. Lo followed by the entire Allied front first moving to close the Falaise Gap before heading southward and then pivoting to the east for the capture of the Seine River crossings.These crucial and testing weeks for the Allies are described in graphic contemporary images with full captions and authoritative text.

Walking holidays have become more popular, and it certainly looks like they're here to stay. In 2022 Mintel found that walking is the UK's most popular active holiday, while in June 2023, the New York Times ran a headline that claimed 2023 as the year of the walk. Whether it's setting off on a long walk or going walking for the day, it doesn't get much better than doing it in Italy. Italy has it all: mountains, hilltop towns, medieval squares, olive groves, vineyards, Renaissance art, routes which speak the stories of people and places.This is a book about walking that's not necessarily for walkers. It's for those who love walking and go regularly but it's also aimed at beginners, those of us who enjoy a walk followed by lunch or dinner in a medieval square and a night at a cosy B&B. Maybe you'll never actually go on any of the walks. This is also the book for you. It's full of the history and stories of routes and places, so you can go on your own journey from the comfort of your living room. It gives you all the relevant links you'll need such as up-to-date maps, detailed routes, GPS navigation, updates, further reading, and advice on the walking itself. Start reading, start dreaming and maybe you too could be walking through Italy soon.

London has been a favorite city for film directors to shoot on location for decades, as it houses some of the most iconic British landmarks as well as beautiful historic buildings. With the constant regeneration of the city, there are also inevitably some shifty-looking derelict sites just perfect for despicable criminal activities to be shot. That is what this book is about.Have you ever wondered where Hatchet Harry's office was in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, where Mitchel gets stabbed in London Boulevard, where the final fight took place between the Millwall and Chelsea gangs in the Football Factory, or where Poirot's flat was in the iconic TV series?You will be able to visit all of these locations using this book. You can also take a tour of your favorite movie's locations, go on a crime movie pub crawl (although be warned - there are a lot of pubs in crime movies), take a chilled walk through cemeteries and churches or even create your own tours based on postcode.In this book you will find more than 630 locations from 76 crime movies and 12 crime-related TV shows. The book also has more than 100 images taken around the city showing the locations as you will see them today to help you channel your inner Danny Dyer, Poirot or even Kingsman.

Edinburgh is forever bound to The Royal Scots, the oldest regiment in the British Army and now part of The Royal Regiment of Scotland. For a period in the early twentieth century, it also had a Highland battalion, the kilted 9th Royal Scots, which became affectionately known as the Dandy Ninth. The battalion was formed in the aftermath of the Boer War's Black Week. It sent volunteers to South Africa and established itself as Edinburgh's kilted battalion, part of the Territorial Force. Mobilised in 1914 as part of the Lothian Brigade, they defended Edinburgh and environs from the threat of invasion, and constructed part of the landward defences around Liberton Tower. They were part-time soldiers and new recruits, drawn from the breadth of society but with a strong representation of lawyers, rugby players and artists such as the Scottish Colourist F.C.B. Cadell, and William Geissler of the Edinburgh School. A remarkably high proportion of the battalion received commissions and served in many branches of the armed forces, and in many theatres. In the Great War they mobilised to France and Flanders and served in many of the major actions: in Ypres in both the Second and Third (Passchendaele) Battles of Ypres as well as on the Somme 1916 at High Wood and the Ancre (Beaumont Hamel), at Arras 1917 (Vimy Ridge); at Cambrai 1917 (Fontaine); and during the 1918 German Spring Offensive at St Quentin and at the Battle of Soissonais-Ourcq. They were with the 15th (Scottish) Division in the Advance to Victory. Some 6,000 men passed through the ranks of the Dandy Ninth and over a thousand never returned.

Florence Nightingale is synonymous with nursing in the Crimean War of 1854 -1856. There were, however, many other women who contributed to nursing at this time. Martha Clough, who dismissed the rule of Nightingale and took charge of nursing the Highland Regiments; Eliza Roberts, an experienced hospital surgical nurse who became Nightingale's aide-de-camp, nursing Nightingale when she fell ill with Crimean Fever and those with a wider scope of caring, such as Mary Seacole, whose nutritious supplements and caring demeanour meant everything to the soldiers. This book focuses on the relationship between Nightingale and two very interesting characters: the irascible Betsy Cadwaladyr and the equally strong-willed Mother M. Francis Bridgeman, head of the nursing Irish Sisters of Mercy in the Crimea. Bridgeman came from a similar social standing as Nightingale but whose pathway saw her leaving society lifestyle as a young girl and following the convent life. Cadwaladyr earned Nightingale's respect towards the end of her time in the Crimea due to her care of soldiers and her ability to run the kitchen at Balaklava, but nothing would change her stubborn dislike of Nightingale. The Sisters of Mercy, much overlooked in nursing history, were clinically nursing the victims of cholera and dysentery (two of the biggest killers in the Crimea) in their localities long before their journey to the battlefront. Betsy Cadwaladyr preferred domestic service and cooking to nursing, whilst Nightingale had the unenviable task of proving the nursing experiment to those watching from Westminster, trying not to upset the medical men as well as trying to filter out the best women to nurse with her, which was a nightmare in itself.

Named after his famous grandfather, John of Gaunt, John of Lancaster Duke of Bedford, has been largely forgotten and sidelined in history. As the third of four sons, he was not his father's heir, but he nonetheless distinguished himself in his youth in his service on the Scottish borders. As an adult, he was overshadowed by his charismatic older brother, the warrior king and victor of Agincourt, Henry V. Yet Henry trusted John the most of all his brothers and twice left him to rule England during his expeditions in France. John Duke of Bedford was the man who really governed England for almost half of his brother's nine-year reign. John reached the pinnacle of his career when he was appointed Regent of France. As Regent, he governed a polity that had not existed for three centuries: a truly Anglo-Norman realm. It was not just ruled by England but populated by English settlers who lived & fought alongside the French. For thirteen years, John held the English kingdom of France together on the negotiating table and often on the battlefield. He struggled against renegade soldiers and his adversary, Charles VII of France, but sometimes against the political machinations of his relatives to keep his late brother's dream alive. John became a man noted for equitable rule and an unshakeable commitment to justice. In England, people looked to him to heal the divisions which poisoned Henry VI's government, and in France, they viewed him as the only statesman fully committed to the good governance of Normandy and Paris. Today, John is only remembered as the man who condemned Joan of Arc, even though he was not involved. This biography provides a much-needed reassessment of John's life and political career.

DNA research is one of the most important and rapidly advancing areas in modern science and the practical use of DNA testing in genealogy is one of its most exciting applications. This accessible, wide-ranging introduction, the first British publication in this field, has been revised in a completely new edition with new topics and illustrative case studies. It offers a clear and practical way into the subject, explaining the scientific discoveries and techniques and how it can be used by genealogists to gain an insight into their ancestry. The subject is complex and perhaps difficult for traditional genealogists to understand but, with the aid of this book, novices who are keen to take advantage of it will be able to interpret test results and use them to help answer genealogical questions which cannot be answered by documentary evidence alone. It will also appeal to those with some experience in the field because it places the practical application of genetic genealogy within a wider context, highlighting its role as a genealogical tool and suggesting how it can be made more effective.

To many people the Supermarine Spitfire was Britain's saviour during the Battle of Britain and the embodiment of air combat during the Second World War. The Story of the Spitfire presents a thrilling appraisal of this unique aircraft, focusing on its fighting capability and the tactics of the pilots who flew it. Using official evaluations and reports, alongside technical and tactical developments, plus the recollections of Spitfire pilots, Ken Delve provides a fascinating insight into the combat career of this legendary aircraft. Despite some problems with their new aircraft, the Fighter Command pilots of 1938 were generally delighted with the Spitfire - speed, manoeuvrability and firepower were all far greater than they had been with the earlier biplanes. In tactics and training the RAF was outdated, but it adapted quickly and the air battles over Britain in late 1940 forged the Spitfire legend. How justified was the legend? There were only nineteen Spitfire squadrons in Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain; it was only later, as the RAF turned to the offensive, that the number of Spitfire units increased dramatically. At certain times the combat initiative was lost to improved Messerschmitt Bf 109s and Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, but with increased performance and better training, the Spitfire clawed back the advantage. By 1944 the Spitfire was operating as a fighter-bomber in various theatres of war, with new tactics and new problems. Many fighter pilots thought that having bombs strapped under the aircraft verged on an insult - but with aerial targets in short supply, this was the most effective, if risky, way of taking the war to the enemy. After the war the Spitfire saw action right up to 1948 in the Arab-Israeli War. Today there are approximately seventy airworthy Spitfires in existence and R.J. Mitchell's remarkable aircraft is still the highlight of flying displays around the world.

Hitler's Ardennes Offensive, his last great throw of the dice, was stagnating. After the initial German successes, the Allies had rallied. In a desperate bid to recover the momentum, the Luftwaffe aimed to gain control of the air by launching a major attack upon Allied airfields in the Low Countries - Operation Bodenplatte. On 1 January 1945, more than 800 fighters and fighter-bombers, predominantly Focke-Wulf Fw 190s and Messerschmitt Bf 109s, were despatched in this low-level, dawn raid on Allied airfields in Belgium and the Netherlands. The object was to destroy or cripple as many Allied aircraft, hangars and airstrips as possible. Generalleutnant Adolf Galland, the man in charge of Germany's fighter force and responsible for the original plans for Operation Bodenplatte, saw that the Allies had accumulated such a strong force of aircraft that there must be heavy congestion on the airfields used by the Allies. As the Luftwaffe rarely risked daylight raids, he hoped to take the Allies by surprise and catch their aircraft on the ground in a single massive strike. Galland's plan worked. Surprise was complete, and many Allied aircraft were destroyed before they could be scrambled. Allied pilots and aircrew ran or dived for cover as the German fighters swept over the airfields of Duerne at Antwerp, Evere in Brussels, Eindhoven, Ghent and another twelve bases of the RAF's 2nd Tactical Air Force, and the American Eighth and Ninth Air Forces. But not all the attacks were as successful as Galland had hoped. At some airfields the Allied squadrons were absent, already engaged in operations and at others powerful anti-aircraft batteries took a heavy toll of the attackers. As Galland, explained: 'In Unfamiliar conditions and with insufficient training and combat experience, our numerical strength had no effect. It was decimated while in transfer, on the ground, in large air battles ... and was finally destroyed.'Figures vary enormously, though it has been recorded that 224 Allied aircraft were destroyed (of which 144 were RAF) with a further eighty-four damaged beyond unit repair. For its part, the Luftwaffe lost sixty-two aircraft to Allied fighters and 172 to anti-aircraft guns - losses that it never really replaced, particularly in terms of aircrew. In Galland's words, the Luftwaffe 'received its death blow at the Ardennes offensive'. Told through a detailed narrative and a unique collection of dramatic photographs, the story of the last major air battle of the Second World War, is portrayed in vivid detail allowing the reader to see the destruction and devastation of the German attacks - and the crippling losses the Luftwaffe sustained.

In January 2000, the ban on LGBTQ servicemen and women being in the British Armed Forces was finally lifted after a fierce battle at the European Court of Human Rights, by veterans who won freedoms for others that they were themselves denied.. To mark the event's 25th anniversary, this book shares the stories of LGBTQ Armed Forces veterans who have lived remarkable lives. Their stories are profoundly moving testaments to their loyalty, their courage on the battlefield, and their unswerving sense of right and wrong. This book celebrates the lives of servicemen and women who have stood tall and taken their place with pride and dignity in the fighting units of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force and the British Army. These are inspiring stories of people who created amazing careers in their service in the United Kingdom's Armed Forces, but so many of these careers would ultimately fall victim to the 'gay ban'.

The end of the Great War in the Near East began with the Turkish Armistice but was not complete until the final peace treaty in 1923. During that five-year period the British Navy dealt with the overspill from the Russian Revolution in the Caucasus, the Caspian Sea and Central Asia as well, and then in the Aegean Sea and the Straits confronting the resurgent Turkish forces under Mustafa Kemal. The British in India were very concerned about Bolshevik activities in Central Asia and had sent two battalions of Indian troops under a British general to attempt to cope with it. They were successful in battle against larger forces, but politically they were unable to reach any sort of settlement. They were withdrawn when an Afghan war broke out. A second expedition was sent early in 1918 from Iraq through Persia to gain control of the oil fields at Baku in Azerbaijan. The object here was to prevent the oil falling into German or Turkish hands. This was an expedition at the limit of military capabilities, but it did succeed in seizing Baku and preventing a German conquest. In the process ships in the Caspian Sea were captured and turned into a Caspian Sea flotilla to fight Russian Bolshevik advances. These adventures happened before the Turkish Armistice. Constantinople had been occupied, but holding it became increasingly difficult and required the use of considerable forces, mainly British. The other allies gradually faded away or adopted the Turkish side. The resurgence of Turkish power in Anatolia eventually led to a tense confrontation between British and Turkish forces at Chanak on the Dardanelles and a difficult negotiation between generals. The result was a truce, British withdrawal from all occupied areas, and the collapse of the Lloyd George government in Britain, which was prepared to indulge in another war over the issues.