Bøker av John Grehan

The epic of Dunkirk has been told many times, but the numerous accounts from surviving soldiers and sailors were often a blur of fear and fighting with the days mingling into each other, leaving what is, at times, a confusing picture. In this book, adopting a day by day approach, the author provides a clear portrayal of the unfolding drama on the perimeter around Dunkirk, in the port itself and along the beaches to La Panne and the Belgian border.Reports from many of the captains of the vessels which took part in the great evacuation were submitted to the Admiralty immediately after the conclusion of Operation Dynamo. With access to these, and supported by the various records maintained by the Army and RAF, the author has been able to finally piece together the movements and actions of the many of the squadrons, units and ships involved.With the Admiralty reports and a mass of other first-hand accounts, many of which have never been published before, the true tale of the heroism of the rescued and the rescuers is laid bare. Operation Dynamo saw civilian volunteers and Royal Navy personnel manning every type of craft from the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Calcutta to the cockle boats of the Thames Estuary. The accounts of the men who crewed these vessels tell of being bombed and strafed by the Luftwaffe or shelled from the shore. There are stories of collisions in the dark, chaos on the beaches and tragic losses as ships went down. Similar tales are told by the men waiting on the beaches, defending the perimeter or flying in the skies overhead in a valiant effort to hold the German Army and Luftwaffe at bay.Yet this is ultimately a story, as Churchill described it, of 'deliverance', for against all the predictions, the BEF was saved to fight again another day. With civilians and servicemen working without respite for days and nights on end under almost continual attack to rescue the army, the nation pulled together as never before. It truly was Britain's finest hour.

In the 200 years since the famous battle in the muddy, bloody fields of Waterloo, almost every aspect of the fighting has been examined and analyzed, apart from one - that of finding and illustrating locations relating to the campaign. From Napoleon's landing on the Golfe Juan on France's Côte d'Azur, along the Route Napoleon and through Grenoble, the Emperor's journey back to Paris, and back to power, is shown in glorious full color.In this beautifully produced book, we see where Napoleon distributed the Imperial Eagles to the regiments of his army, and where his forces assembled before marching to war, and where the Due of Wellington's Anglo-Allied army gathered in Brussels. The camera follows the initial encounters on the banks of the River Sambre and the maneuvering of the French and Coalition forces leading to the first great battles of the campaign at Quatre Bras and Ligny. The key sites occupied by the opposing armies at these battles are investigated as are the routes of the withdrawal to Mont St Jean by Wellington's army and to Wavre by Blücher's Prussians.The Waterloo battlefield and its associated buildings are examined in pictorial detail, as are the locations which marked the pivotal moments of the battle. The sites of the corresponding battle at Wavre are also shown, as well as the pursuit of the two wings of beaten French Army, including the sieges of the fortresses by the British army, before Paris was finally reached. The uprising in the Vendée and the last clashes of the campaign before Napoleon's abdication are also featured.The book closes with Napoleon's journey from Paris to St Helena via l'Île d'Aix and Plymouth.Headquarters buildings, observation posts, monuments and memorials, bridges and battlefields, and the principal locations of the campaign are portrayed in unique photographs - and behind every plague and place is a tale of political posturing, military maneuvering, sacrifice and savagery. Together these images tell the story of Napoleon's greatest gamble, and we know that a picture is worth a thousand words!

In the introduction the authors explore just why Winston Churchill authorised a super-raid' upon German-held territory. Examines why the French port of Dieppe was selected as the target.

Incredible as it may seem today, detailed plans were drawn up to recapture the Channel Islands, the most heavily fortified of all the German-occupied territories, regardless of the potentially 'severe' loss of life and the widespread destruction to the property of the British citizens.

For months, 'The Few' had defended Britain against the might of the Luftwaffe. Then, on 7 September 1940, everything changed. The Blitz had begun. With over 180 images, this book takes a look back at the Luftwaffe's unsuccessful attempt to break the British spirit and shares what life was really like during the Blitz.

Through the words of the Medical Officers themselves, some of the detail of what really happened on the Death Railway, for good or ill, is revealed here.

The Official Admiralty Accounts Midway Coral Sea Java Sea Guadalcanal and Leyte Gulf. Precise, factual appraisals of each stage of the battles, all of which are placed within its strategic context Midway was one of the most important battles of WW2, and resulted in the loss of all four Japanese aircraft carriers Leyte Gulf was the largest naval battle of the war Java Sea represented a disastrous defeat for the Allies Guadalcanal was the Allies first major offensive against the Japanese in WWII Comprehensive coverage of each battle and of the forces engaged Each account based solely and entirely on contemporary documents and

In this book, John Grehan has examined the known planned or proposed assassination attempts on Hitler, from Chicago to London and from Sweden to the Ukraine -some of which have not previously been presented to the general public by historians.

Beautifully illustrated guide to the five German headquarters complexes in the former East Prussia.

A fresh insight into the Battle of Hastings, one of the most famous battles in British history.

A chronological account of the battle More than 200 photographs, including graphic images of the fighting and the huge naval bombardment.

A list of all the officially recognised SOE casualties has not been produced before. The information uncovered by the authors has never been brought together in a single publication.

This collection of images shows how US warships, and, in particular, submarines helped sustain the garrison.

Features the battles of the Sibuyan Sea, Surigao Strait, Cape Engano and the Battle off Samar.

First time full collection of Despatches reports have been published. Unique insight into what happened from those in command.

A unique series of images that explores every aspect of the Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, which was undertaken on Saturday, 18 April 1942.

One of the most important battles of the Second World War. The four-day battle resulted in the loss of all four Japanese aircraft carriers, the US losing only one. More than 150 images of the ships and aircraft involved, all of which reveal the course of the battle in a chronological manner.

A unique series of images that explores every aspect of the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and 1949. Covers the contribution made by the RAF, USAF, RNZAF, RAAF and French Air Force, as well as various civilian operators.

The Special Operations Executive was one of the most secretive organizations of World War II, its activities cloaked in mystery and intrigue. The fate, therefore, of many of its agents was not revealed to the general public. Now, at last, it is possible to tell the stories of all those agents that died in action. These are their stories.