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Explores the history, organization, and uniforms of the British military under George II, detailing their roles in the Jacobite Rebellion, War of the Austrian Succession, and the global Seven Years' War.Gabriele Esposito provides a detailed overview of the history, organization and uniforms of the British military forces during the long reign of George II (1727-1760). Perhaps best known for the Jacobite Rebellion, this period saw the British military forces greatly expanded and involved in two major international conflicts: the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War. The latter was truly a global war, subsuming the French and Indian wars fought in the Americas, as well as conflicts in India and elsewhere. By 1760, despite achieving little in Europe, Great Britain had been able to expel the French from both Canada and India.After a brief overview of the British forces prior to the period, the author examines each component. He covers not only the regular cavalry and infantry (the Guards, line, Highland and light regiments) but also the artillery and Royal Engineers, Corps of Invalids, the Fencibles, naval infantry, the auxiliary corps created to face the Jacobite Rising of 1745 and the 'allied' contingents from Germany and the Netherlands that fought for Great Britain during the period 1745-1760. There are chapters devoted to the colonial forces deployed in the Thirteen Colonies of North America, with full details on the American militia and provincial military units, as well as forces deployed in the Caribbean and the military contingents of the East India Company. The book is illustrated throughout with excellent color illustrations from The Cloathing Book commissioned in 1742 by the Duke of Cumberland and from the oil paintings of David Morier preserved in the Royal Collections.

Frederick the Great's military prowess and the detailed structure of the Prussian Army, including uniforms and equipment, are vividly explored.Frederick the Great was an acknowledged master of war. Admired and studied by Napoleon, he commanded the Prussian army at sixteen major battles and numerous sieges and other actions, often leading from the front. Under Frederick the Prussian Army became arguably the most feared and efficient in Europe, often defeating numerically superior forces. Gabriele Esposito details the organization, uniforms and equipment of the various branches of service that made up the Prussian Army. Starting with the infantry, whose incredible discipline and excellent training made them the backbone of Frederick's forces he details the famous Guards and the line regiments but also the light infantry jagers and even little-known garrison and auxiliary units. Equal attention is given to the cavalry: Guards, cuirassiers, dragoons, lancers and hussars. There is also a chapter devoted to the 'technical corps' of artillery, pioneers and the like, and there are chapters on the mercenary 'freikorps' and Frederick's German allies. The whole is lavishly illustrated with beautiful colour plates.

A collection of poems reflecting Thomas Hardy's tumultuous marriage to Emma Gifford.In many of his poems, the great Dorset poet and novelist Thomas Hardy referred to a certain romantic courtship, a marriage which became progressively more problematical, and finally to a bereavement in which a man loses his wife. So, who was Hardy writing about? The clue is to be found in his early poems, where the names of several locations in North Cornwall are mentioned, this being the very same place which featured in Hardy's courtship of Emma Gifford, who was to become his first wife.The poems raise certain questions. Given that Hardy and Emma gradually drifted apart so that in the end they lived mainly separate lives, albeit under the same roof, why was he so grief-stricken when she died, bearing in mind that their marriage was so unsatisfactory?How did Hardy cope as he passed through the various stages of grief, which he articulated so poignantly and expressively in his poems? These stages are recognized today, thanks to the work of Swiss-US psychiatrist, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, and US expert on grieving and loss, David Kessler.Finally, how did Hardy survive and come out the other side, and can his experience be a guide to others who find themselves alone and bereft after losing their partner?

King Arthur and the Battle for Britannia is the last in a series of three books. The first, King Arthur: Man or Myth, weighed the evidence for and against a historical figure. The second, The Battles of King Arthur, looked in detail at the famous battle list from the Historia Brittonum. Having looked at the questions of whether and where, this final book takes on the different question of who was Arthur? The book is intended to save readers time and money wading through the scores of competing theories. It explains the problems with many of these theories to date, their failure to gain widespread support and why many historians remain sceptical about the existence of a historical Arthur.There is however a reasonable consistency in medieval genealogies and a good reason why Arthur does not appear in any of the list of kings of early kingdoms. Instead he is placed in the context of a fragmenting post-Roman provincial structure, alongside the emergence of petty kingdoms with new cultural identities. A heroic Brythonic culture in the west and north and a Germanic culture in the east and south.The book looks at the evolution of the legend comparing the chivalric French Romances with the Arthur of the darker Welsh tradition. A mythical figure may have emerged from the mead halls and war band culture of the sixth century. However the book describes how a historical figure may have been mythologized and who such a warrior may have been.

A guidebook that pairs London's historical landmarks with nearby pubs, offering a journey through the city's diverse history and vibrant pub culture.From the Roman conquest to the passing of legislation protecting the rights of LGBTQ+, the history of London is one of diversity, integration and progress - never standing still and always setting the agenda. Metropolitan London has around 7,000 public houses - an average of 25 pubs per square mile. No other capital city in the world matches this density. It's not surprising that the London pub is such an institution at home and abroad! Pubs were part and parcel of the expansion of London - that grew to be the world's largest city by the 1830s. Because pubs are omnipresent in the capital, a pub can always be found near a place of historical significance. This book selects some key moments in the history of London, from Roman times to the modern day, and suggests a popular pub nearby to savour the moment - re-living the history with a drink in hand! The Pub Lover's Guide to London explains the driving forces behind the most significant moments in the history of London - and the best pubs near to where history was made. In all, 52 great pubs to visit - one for each week of the year!

A guide with suggestions, tips, anecdotes, and exercises to help you get started in Creative Writing.Does the idea of creative writing excite you, but you've no idea how to begin?Do you want to write a story, a local interest book, or even complete a book of poetry? Maybe you would love to create a legacy piece to hand down to future generations, or capture the essence of your relative's lives but don't know where to start or what to include?Between suggestions, tips, anecdotes, and exercises, you will glean a mountain of information that will set you on your way no matter if you are new to creative writing or have a book or three under your belt.With a friendly, accessible tone, A Guide to Creative Writing gives you the tools you need to write for the love of it or to take it further.

Polish fighter pilots were crucial to RAF operations from 1939 to 1945, fighting valiantly across Europe, North Africa, and beyond.From the first combat over Poland in 1939, until Bomber Command's assault on Hitler's alpine retreat at Berchtesgaden in April 1945, when the red and white marked Mustangs escorted the bombers on their way to the target, there was no major RAF aerial operation undertaken in Europe without the involvement of Polish fighter squadrons and pilots.As well as mounting offensive sorties from the UK, Polish fighter squadrons fought in North Africa in 1943, where they added to their already formidable reputation. Some Polish airmen were even posted to the US Air Force, again proving themselves in battle.Polish fighter pilots operated over the Normandy beaches in support of the D-Day landings in June 1944. Some of the Polish squadrons were then deployed across the Channel to France, from where they undertook dangerous dive-bombing missions, while their colleagues in Britain chased the much-feared V1 flying bombs.The last Polish claims were made in April 1945, when a number of the Luftwaffe's technically-advanced Messerschmitt Me 262 jets were destroyed in a dog fight by Nos. 306 and 309 Polish squadrons. These victories marked the end of the journey that started almost six years earlier.After claiming a total of 748 enemy aircraft destroyed under British and American command, Polish fighter pilots gained a reputation for being loyal and fearsome warriors, who sacrificed nearly 550 of their own men, killed in action, wounded, missing, or captured, while fighting for the freedom that their countrymen would not enjoy for many decades.Polish fighter pilots fought in the skies from the very first day of the war until its last. As well as seeing action in Western Europe, they fought in Italy, North Africa and in Asia. The last PAF airman was killed in action on 4 May 1945. He was a fighter pilot of No. 317 (City of Wilno) Squadron. While his Spitfire was going down, not only Wilno, but the rest of Poland, was being absorbed into the Soviet Union. He died for a cause that was already lost. Nevertheless, the achievements of the Polish squadrons, man for man, rank amongst the highest of the Allied nations.

"An exceptionally well-written account of the Successor Wars entered around Perdiccas, Ptolomy, and Antipater." -- Historical Miniatures Gaming SocietyOn 11 June 323 BC in Babylon, Alexander the Great breathed his last. He left one of the largest empires the world had seen, stretching from Greece to the Punjab.Alexander the Great's death in Babylon that fateful day in June 323 BC triggered an unprecedented crisis. Within a couple of days, Macedonian blood had stained the walls of the chamber in which he died. Within a couple of weeks, Babylon had witnessed the first siege of the post Alexander age. Within a couple of months, a major revolt had erupted on mainland Greece. Within a couple of years, theaters of conflict had arisen across the length and breadth of what was once Alexander's empire.From a Spartan adventurer attempting to forge his own empire in North Africa, to a vast horde of veteran Greek mercenaries heading home from ancient Afghanistan. From a merciless, punitive campaign against some of the most infamous brigands of the time to a warrior princess raising an army and pressing ahead with her own power play during this ancient Game of Thrones. What followed Alexander's death was an imperial implosion. This book attempts to explain why it happened.

Down to the Sea in Submarines is a unique memoir that charts the career of the author in the Royal Navy Submarine Service during the period 1967 to 1997, and in doing so details many of the Silent Service's remarkable achievements since the end of the Second World War. It provides a dramatic first-hand account of the underwater confrontation during the Cold War between submarines of the West and the huge submarine force of the Soviet Union. Dan Conley narrates the successive stages from his basic submarine training to taking command of two nuclear attack submarines, but he does not demur from describing the personal and professional difficulties he encountered in this journey. He sets out in detail what life was like serving onboard both diesel and nuclear submarines, and in particular, the book describes the British submariner's remarkable transformation from the somewhat buccaneering, free spirit serving on a clapped-out WW2 boat during the sunset of the British Empire, to the highly professional individual who spends prolonged periods under the sea in a platform which matches the complexity of a space craft. The book describes the long and difficult challenges encountered in developing effective weapon systems for the British submarine force, and discusses the difficulties and shortcomings in the UK's defense procurement system, a situation which still exists today. Ultimately, however, Western technological superiority and crew proficiency enabled the submarines of the Royal and United States Navies to match those of the Soviet Union, and he describes vividly the suspense and tension of underwater confrontations which might so easily have escalated to another dimension of warfare. The book also sets out hitherto undisclosed details of submarine activities during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when the world confronted the real possibility of a massive nuclear exchange. But it is not all serious content, and Conley offers a glimpse for the reader of many humorous situations and events, of animals that found themselves under the sea in a submarine, in one case during a war patrol, and other moments of levity that broke the tension of serving in a highly complex and sophisticated fighting machine. The Cold War era is now long past. However, it is evident that as the West now confronts an aggressive, recidivist Russia and a more aggressive China, Britain's submarine force once again will be key to the security of all its citizens. This fine memoir captures vividly the key events and history of the Cold War, and in doing so will open the reader's eyes to the significance and importance today of the Royal Navy Submarine Service.

Sinéad O'Connor, renowned for her angelic voice and activism, overcame a tumultuous upbringing to become a global protest singer and advocate for social justiceSinéad O'Connor achieved worldwide success as an angel-voiced, shaven-headed Irish singer of heartfelt songs, but she was far more than just a pop star - she was also an activist and a survivor. Reeling from a troubled childhood at the hands of her violent mother, she spent 18 months living in a former Magdalene Laundry due to her truancy and shoplifting, and suffered her mother's death in a car crash - all by the age of 18.Her pain, anger and compassion would turn her into one of the world's greatest protest singers and activists. She would release ten studio albums during her 36-year music career - the second of which (I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got) would reach number 1 across the world and earn her ten million pounds, half of which she gave to charity. During this time, she would also advocate for survivors of child abuse and racism, and stand up for the LGBT community and women's reproductive rights.Most notably, she would tear up a picture of Pope John Paul II during an episode of Saturday Night Live in order to protest at child sex abuse within the Catholic church, creating headlines around the world and derailing her career.Featuring six exclusive interviews with friends and peers who knew her, this is the true story of her extraordinary and courageous journey.

An examination of Hitler's key military generals and their contributions and failures to the Germany military.Under the surveillance of General von Seeckt the Germans re-established their military, which Hitler utilised for his aggression of recovering Germany's military greatness. This book explores some of the leading military figures. The often-ignored Field Marshal Keitel is explored, to see if there were any substance in the Allied belief that this Chief of the OKW was the driving force behind initial German success or was he merely Hitler's lackey and bureaucrat. He was derided by his contemporaries because of his unstinting Prussian obedience to Hitler.This sense of total compliance was also reflected by General Paulus, who although obedient, was reluctant to carry out Hitler's barbaric orders relating to Jews and prisoners, but otherwise was obedient and trusting of Hitler even though he knew it would lead to military disaster. It took time in a Russian prison camp to turn him against the once adored German dictator where he eventually became anti-Nazi.In striking contrast to the failed Paulus Field Marshal Manstein is examined. He was a skilled strategist and tactician and proved this in his victory in France. He lacked the social sophistication of many other leading military commanders, but he was one of the very few who had the courage to challenge Hitler's military directions and decisions. He was eventually dismissed by Hitler and postwar wrote two books to regain his reputation, despite the fact he was convicted of war crimes, and whether he deserves a pedestal remains with the reader.

Reveals the provocative and irreverent life of Dorman-Smith through his private letters and war diary, highlighting his military brilliance and conflicts with Churchill.A follow-up to the best-selling biography 'Chink', this selection from private letters and intimate war diary has the impact of a fresh 'no holds barred' autobiography. Dorman-Smith the man - flesh and blood - comes alive here on the page.Provocative, irreverent, caustic and witty, his disdain for Churchill - and for the Establishment in general - increases as his military career unravels. Egotistical? Yes. Arrogant? Certainly. His own worst enemy? Perhaps. But Dorman Smith's grasp of tactics and strategy was unsurpassed, as his exchanges with Basil Liddell-Hart demonstrate.Full of contradictions, he was externally reserved and inwardly super-sensitive. Growing up in style in Ireland and educated at public school in England, his religion was Catholic and he scorned any Anglo-Irish tag. His private life while rising up the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers proved colourful, while a brief dalliance with the IRA in the 1950s never endangered his vow of silence over the Enigma/Ultra secret.This book gives a marvellous picture of personal war experience in two world wars, from RMC Sandhurst and life in the trenches, via the Staff College to high command in Egypt and India between the wars, until service in North Africa under Wavell began, and working side by side with Auchinleck at the First Battle of Alamein. That would lead to confrontation with Churchill and Brooke, and subsequent breakout from Anzio under fire. Readers will know what it was like to survive the trenches, to serve in HQ as crises arose, and to have command involving losses - the reality of war is dramatic and moving.The First Battle of Alamein, fought under Auchinleck in the emergency that dangerous summer of 1942, was to be followed within three months by Montgomery's celebrated battle and its consequent fame. The important argument of Military Maverick, however, is that First Alamein was the real turning point in the Desert War, and that makes Dorman Smith's account even more valuable.The letters and diary entries are linked by commentary and explanation by the editor Lavinia Greacen, and by the military historian John Lee.

An exploration of the vital but overlooked role of alum in global trade, dye production, and historical events spanning centuries.Never heard of alum? You're not alone.Yet, for centuries, alum was vital to the production of coloured cloth. Alum was needed to fix dyes and colours to the cloth. Without alum, the colours ran and faded. With alum, they shone and were fast. As a result, as the Italian scientist Vanoccio Biringucci put it in the 16th century, alum was as 'essential to dyers as bread is to man'. Corner the market in alum, and you could make a fortune.Manufactured from a rock called alunite that was mined in China, Egypt and Turkey, alum contributed to the fabulous wealth of the Chinese emperors, the Pharaohs, the Byzantines and the Ottomans. A prized commodity in international trade, alum funded the opulence of Genoa, Bruges and late Renaissance Rome. Henry VII cannily exploited it, but it nearly ruined Elizabeth I.But alum also allowed crooks to make debased coins and to adulterate bread, and was at the heart of one of the most spectacular bankruptcy scandals of the 18th century. And the Black Death used the shipping routes of the alum trade to spread through Europe.In this fascinating and eminently readable book, Sydney Thorne has picked out quirky and exciting stories of alum that range across the centuries and across the world, shedding new light on topics ranging from the slave trade to female entrepreneurs while re-discovering a fully-fledged industrial complex on the Yorkshire that was thriving two hundred years before the industrial revolution.

British railways evolved through wars and state control, facing innovations like diesel engines and challenges from road transport amid financial struggles.When King George V ascended to the throne in 1910, world trade was increasing and at home the country's private enterprise railways were booming with larger trains and more freight being carried than ever before. Over the next fifty years the country had experienced not one, but two world wars. Railways had been forcefully reorganized, not once but twice, eventually becoming state owned. With the Government now in control of the railway's finances, reformation was on the horizon in the medicine of Dr. Beeching.This volume sets out to chart the passage of the railways during these turbulent times.Contrary to popular belief, life on the railways during these times was not all doom and gloom but times of innovation, competition, new buildings, new lines and the spread of electrification. This was the era of faster, larger, non-stop expresses, streamlined trains: we even showcased our best trains abroad, not once but twice!More and more people were taking holidays by trains and holiday camps emerged. Challenging the position of steam engines were new diesel locomotives. The Festival of Britain (1951) and the Coronation of Elizabeth (1953) saw the country emerge from the devastation and crippling debt after World War 2. On the horizon were devastating rivals that wounded the previously unassailable position of steam trains: motor lorries and family cars.With looming unsustainable finances, the Government solicited external help to help sort out matters.

A fun, entertaining history of notable Star Trek games including interviews with the video game designers, writers, producers, and gaming journalists.Star Trek video games have been around almost as long as Star Trek itself. From humble beginnings as an unofficial text-based game playable on mainframe computers to modern multi-million dollar spectacles, Star Trek video games span the history of gaming itself.In Star Trek Video Games: An Unofficial Guide to the Final Frontier, author Mat Bradley-Tschirgi dives into notable Star Trek games across a variety of genres in his fun, humorous style with loads of aplomb. Whether they are based on the live-action or animated TV series, movies, or crossover scenarios, dozens of games (some memorable, some not so memorable) are covered in rich detail with proper historical context along the way.Aside from its sometimes snarky text, this book features over 100 color photos showing off the wide variety of Star Trek video games covered within. There's also interviews with game designers, writers, producers, and gaming journalists on select titles offering a behind the scenes look or color commentary on such fan favorites as Star Trek: Starfleet Command, Star Trek: Judgment Rites, Star Trek: Legacy, Star Trek: Resurgence, and more!Relive memories of playing Star Trek games on Mac, PCs, consoles, handhelds, and mobile phones or discover new favorites to add to your collection. Whether you've played all the Star Trek games or are curious as to what the world of Trek gaming holds, Star Trek Video Games: An Unofficial Guide to the Final Frontier will make a fun addition to your home library.

The early history of tunnel construction in Britain during the railway boom.To the early railway traveller, the prospect of travelling to places in hours rather than days hitherto was an inviting prospect, however a journey was not without its fears as well as excitement. To some, the prospect of travelling through a tunnel without carriage lighting, with smoke permeating the compartment and the confined noise was a horror of the new age. What might happen if we broke down or crashed into another train in the darkness? To others it was exciting, with the light from the footplate flickering against the tunnel walls or spotting the occasional glimpses of light from a ventilation shaft.To the directors of early railway companies, planning a route was governed by expense and the most direct way. Avoiding hills could add miles but tunnelling through them could involve vast expense as the Great Western Railway found at Box and the London and Birmingham at Kilsby. Creating a cutting as an alternative was also costly not only in labour and time, but also in compensation for landowners, who opposed railways on visual and social grounds having seen their land divided by canals.Construction involved millions of bricks or blocks of stone for sufficiently thick walls to withstand collapse. However, the entrance barely seen from the carriage window might be an impressive Italianate arch as at Primrose Hill, or a castellated portal worthy of the Middle Ages as at Bramhope.This book sets out to tell the story of tunnelling in Britain up to about 1870, when it was a question of burrowing through earth and rock with spade and explosive powder, with the constant danger of collapse or flooding leading to injury and death. It uses contemporary accounts, from the dangers of railway travel by Dickens to the excitement of being drawn through the Liverpool Wapping Tunnel by the young composer Mendelssoln. It includes descriptions from early railway company guide books, newspapers and diaries. It also includes numerous photographs and coloured architectural elevations from railway archives.

Explore the evolution of movie-based video games from 2001 to 2023, featuring iconic franchises and over 450 titles across multiple platforms and genres.Play Along with the Film!When gaming moved from the 16-bit era and into the exciting realm of 3D gameplay, Hollywood properties continued their journey into the interactive medium. Popular home and handheld consoles played host to ambitious titles that sought to bridge the gap between movies and video games, providing fans with scenarios that both replicated and went beyond their favourite stories.Gathered in this book are some of the biggest video games that originated from movies; some being direct adaptations and others that expanded existing universes. With 20 chapters covering over 450 games - including every Lego movie video game and franchises such as Star Wars, Aliens, Disney, Pixar and The Lord of the Rings - A Guide to Movie Based Video Games: 2001-2023 gives readers a chance to revisit and discover the ups and downs of licenced titles across two action-packed decades.Load up the reels, press start, and immerse yourself in timeless adventures!

"Reporting the Nuremburg Trials is steeped in reverence for an era in journalism faintly lit by modern history despite its many parallels to today. Fletcher again and again reveals lessons for today's real-time news cycles, including the perils of misinformation, professional subterfuge and abbreviated ethics." -- Jesse Garnier, Journalism Chair and Associate Professor, San Francisco State UniversityFor the first time, journalists who shared details about Nazi crimes from the International Military Tribunal, better known as the Nuremberg Trial, have their own story told.As World War II in Europe drew to a close in 1945, the Allies prepared to hold Nazi leaders accountable for crimes against humanity and selected Nuremberg as the site for the trial. The U.S. military took the lead in refurbishing a courtroom and making accommodations for 325 journalists and 23 defendants plus Allied judges, prosecutors, translators and administrative staff. Because publicity was a main consideration, the latest innovations and technology were incorporated into the courtroom to enhance news coverage of the trial. Press passes were in demand worldwide for courtroom seats. A press pool was selected to witness the executions in which 10 criminals were hung on Oct. 16, 1946.Famous war correspondents and young journalists who later became household names were headquartered in a castle, explored bombed ruins and faced dangers as a lingering spirit of Nazism seethed within the city. The lengthy trial became an excruciating endurance test for journalists by the time it ended (far longer than expected) on Oct. 1, 1946, setting a precedent for coverage of subsequent justice at Nuremberg.The author, a long-time journalist and former foreign correspondent, provides an insider's look at how the news was gathered and conveyed. The book is based on extensive research and insights gathered from Nuremberg, including at the location where the journalists were housed and at the courtroom itself.

Explores the harsh realities and societal perceptions of Victorian prostitutes, revealing their lives beyond stereotypes through extensive historical research and personal narratives."As dangerous as if she stood on the corner of the street exploding gunpowder."This was the view of 'Miles', a correspondent in the Bedfordshire Mercury, writing about the dangerousness of prostitutes in 1874. They were considered a scourge by the Victorians; a menace to society and a threat to the moral and physical wellbeing of a nation. Carrying disease, committing crime, corrupting others; prostitutes were the most feared 'social evil'. These women were the focus of controlling and invasive legislation, designed to clear the streets. They were imprisoned and removed from their friends and family. They were scorned and shamed and deemed worthless by much of society.The contemporary view of prostitution in the nineteenth century is coloured by years of Ripperology, a grim fascination with the lives of a few mutilated women living in London. However, prostitutes were far more than caricatures of sinners or inevitable victims and lived in every other part of England too. Searching through the plethora of newspaper, census, police, and local history records it is now possible to uncover the lives of prostitutes in greater detail than ever before and discover the real women behind the stereotypes. Piecing together these women's movements from cradle to grave and from one side of the country to another builds a rich picture of what it meant to be a prostitute, including the lives of prostitutes living in small towns, villages, and islands that have all been previously over-looked.This book explores the lives of the women who were omitted from the genteel history books of the past, aiming to identify what they looked like, what life was like for them, and who the important people in their lives were. It also looks in depth at the lives of a select few prostitutes, examining what drew them into prostitution and what happened to them afterwards. From Whitehaven to North Shields, from Peterborough to Bloomsbury (via Paris), these women led extraordinary, richly textured lives that are still relevant today, and that we can continue to learn so much from.The perfect introduction to Victorian prostitutes for family and local historians, genealogists, and students of the Victorian era.

Celebrates a century of sidecar racing at the Isle of Man TT, highlighting technical innovation and the dominance of iconic teams like BMW, BSA, Yamaha, and Honda.The Isle of Man TT is arguably the most historic motorsport event on the planet. Its 37 3/4 mile Mountain Course is the world's oldest racing circuit that is still in use. Three wheeled machines first appeared in 1923, and were an instant hit with the spectators. Early pioneer Fred Dixon set the standard for technical innovation with his banking sidecar, but lack of manufacturer support meant that the class was soon dropped.When sidecar outfits made a comeback at the TT in the 1950s, it was West German BMW machines which dominated the podium places. The Munich factory supported World Championship contenders such as Max Deubel, Georg Auerbacher and Siegfried Schauzu, and it was not until the late 60s that BSA-mounted British riders began a fight-back.Through the 1970s Yamaha two stoke engines were the weapon of choice at the TT, and powered the likes of World Champions George O'Dell and Jock Taylor; that is until Mick Boddice secured the support of Honda UK. Boddice battled it out with the rising young star Dave Molyneux, who would go on to dominate the sidecar TT over three decades as the most successful driver in the history of the event.In recent years the pace at the TT has been set by the electrifying World Championship duo of Ben and Tom Birchall. Sidecar Century celebrates the technical innovation and sheer determination of all of these competitors, over 100 years of classic racing.

Examines Queen Elizabeth I's complex courtships, revealing how her romantic and political decisions shaped her reign as England's Virgin QueenThe many courtships of the woman who became Elizabeth I began when she was an infant, displayed before foreign ambassadors who considered her as a possible clause of a contract between England and France. From such an unromantic beginning, Elizabeth grew to see her father marry multiple times and experienced frequent changes in stepmothers and status in the family. Eventually, she became the most eligible woman in Europe. From start to finish, her marriage prospects were as much political as they were personal.When she came to the throne in 1558, the primary question facing everyone from foreign monarchs to English nobles and ministers was which of her many suitors would finally win her hand. Through the longest Tudor reign, Elizabeth used courtship as a tool to consider foreign alliances, hold ambitious English courtiers in check, and navigate her role as a woman ruler in a world that considered her unnatural without a man at her side.Elizabeth was, in fact, always the 'Virgin Queen', from the early days as a twenty-five-year-old presenting herself as a potential royal bride to her final years as an ageing and unmarried woman who was destined to end the Tudor dynasty. Ultimately, she became the only monarch in England to rule as an adult and never marry. Through it all, as friends and potential lovers faded away, she clung to the one true love of her life: England.

The mysterious 1943 plane crash that killed Polish Prime Minister General Wladyslaw Sikorski shifted European alliances, strained Polish-Soviet relations, and led to Poland's marginalization and Soviet domination until 1990.The plane crash at the height of the Second World War which claimed the life of the Polish Prime Minister, General Wladyslaw Sikorski, ranks among the most enduring mysteries of the conflict. It was a death that shifted European alliances and loyalties, brought Stalin into the Anglo-American camp, and sealed Poland's fate for the remainder of the twentieth century.Poland and the Soviet Union's historically precarious relationship had taken an even darker turn in September 1939 when the Third Reich's Adolf Hitler and the Soviet Union's Josef Stalin divided the nation and forced its government to relocate first to France and then to Britain in 1940.Sikorski's Polish government-in-exile established a military, political, and personal relationship with Winston Churchill's government, only to see it fractured by the United States' entrance into the war and the Western Allies' courtship of Stalin following Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union.The Allies overall support of Stalin's denials following the 1943 discovery of 20,000 bodies of Polish officers murdered and buried by the Soviets in Katyn Forest only made matters worse. Sikorski's open protests against describing the Soviet dictator as a benevolent 'Uncle Joe' made him publicly and privately 'difficult' to the new Anglo-American-Soviet coalition.As per reports of the British and Polish intelligence services, seemingly not doing enough to stand up to the Soviets had also strained Sikorski's relationship with different Polish government factions.Leaving from a layover stop at Gibraltar on 4 July 1943, having visited Polish Army units in Iran, Sikorski's RAF Liberator, AL523, crashed into the sea just sixteen seconds into its flight. while Stalin privately blamed Churchill, the Germans were more public in accusing the British. Others pointed to the Soviets or even the Poles.A British Court of Inquiry convened in 1943 presented an inconclusive report on the crash's cause or foul play and locked up most of its files until 2043. Lacking a respected leader, Poland fell out of favour with the Allies, who allowed Stalin to redraw the Polish borders and establish a pro-communist puppet state in Poland until 1990.Not only exploring what happened on that fateful day in 1943, but also the events leading up to it and those that followed, The Death of General Sikorski is more of a political thriller than a conspiracy book, telling an often complex, and enthralling story of a tragedy within a tragedy - that of a man and his nation.

How Cavaliers and Roundheads in English ghost stories reflect historical trauma, integrating detailed regional history of the 1642-1651 conflicts.Cavaliers and Roundheads are figures who appear in hundreds of English ghost stories. In this innovative account, Charles Esdaile argues that such tales are in reality folk memories of an episode of English history that was second only to the Black Death in terms of individual and collective suffering alike, and, further, that they reveal important truths about the way in which the conflict was represented: it is no surprise, then, to find that spectral Cavaliers are often romantic figures and revenant Roundheads grim ones full of menace. Yet, the book is no mere catalogue. On the contrary, rather than being discussed in a vacuum, the tales of haunting are rather set within a detailed regional history of the conflicts of 1642-1651 of a sort that has never yet been attempted, but is, for all that, badly needed.

"The authors have provided an interesting and often eye-opening read. They argue how an effective maritime-deterrence strategy is critically supported by enhanced strategic naval air power... the points they make are worth the read and provide a starting point for discussions of how best to employ strategic air power." - The Journal of the Air Force Historical FoundationIn this book, the history and utility of land- and carrier-based strategic airpower is brought to life by the gallant exploits and photographs of B-17 aircraft "Quittin' Time" and of its Navigator, "Fred" Julian in the Second World War, and by the unforgiving and unswerving dedication of "Sharkey" Ward and his Sea Harrier team in the Falklands war.The overarching message is that the strategic airpower lessons of the past eight decades underpin the urgent need for the UK government to invest more wisely in its Fleet so that the latter may work effectively in conjunction with the US Navy on the global mission to deter those that would harm us, and to maintain the freedom of passage of all shipping throughout the global commons.The authors show how a maritime deterrence strategy in a challenging world is critically underpinned by strategic air power at sea and on land.

Explores the historical significance of the Barents Road, tracing its connections to World War II battlegrounds and artifacts across Nordic countries.This title begins with the Soviet Victory in the Arctic and tells the story of the Soviet offensive on the Karelian Front in October 1944. We then go on to tell the story of how Russian Abwehr agents were dopped over Kola and the subsequent investigation into German crashes in Lapland. This leads us nicely into the investigation of Relics of War Along the Barents Road. An ancient trade route along which people have journeyed since the beginning of time -- on foot, by reindeer, sled, horse and wagon, and by motorised transport -- the Barents Road connects four Nordic countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Crossing a vast territory along the Arctic Circle it also passes numerous Second World War battlegrounds, wreck sites and museums.

A timeline of wars from Antiquity to present day detailing the political, social, and social developments and military events.A global account of histories of war, from Antiquity to the present day, this thoughtful book shows how the varied modes of representation record political, cultural and social developments as well as military events. Covers all forms of discussion and commemoration from statuary to scholarship, films to novels. Important not only to those interested in the history of war but also to those concerned with culture and history in general.This erudite volume on the theory and practice of military history will interest a wide readership including both professional historians of war and those concerned with its broader philosophical dimension. The author - a well established authority in European history - has provided an informed, rigorous analysis of a difficult topic. It will delight those who seek enlightenment of the historian's craft, military or otherwise.

The Isle of Sheppey's railway network, built from 1860, supported its growth but declined due to economic challenges and closures.The Isle of Sheppey sits just off the north coast of Kent, where the Medway and Thames estuaries flow into the North Sea. Over centuries this was a place that was home to farmland, castles, a dock yard, an air station, industrial installations, calm beaches and a population of islanders who have taken a pride in their home. To serve the needs of all of this a small railway network was built up and even an urban tram network. Included in this was a fixed link that was the first to ever link the island to the mainland. From 1860 the network grew as the importance of the island grew. Continental boat passengers, dockyard workmen and day trippers, they were all carried on the trains and trams that shuttled about to, from and across the flat terrain of this often overlooked island. Being an island can create its own unique set of challenges and the railways on the island were certainly challenged by misfortune and circumstances, but the little network kept going until economics got the better of it and from there on it becomes a story of contractions and closure. The Island can still boast a railway today but it is far removed from the story of its past. This work seeks to tell the story of the railways on the island, how they came to be built, how they were run and how times changed over the following decades.

A celebration of the Australian pop icon who topped album charts across five decades.Kylie Minogue is an Australian pop icon who has sold over 80 million records worldwide. The pint-sized pop princess showed us she had the 'wow' factor when she first graced our screens as Charlene Mitchell in Neighbours in 1986. She 'did it again' (and again and again) through her numerous incarnations. From her early days as PWL's pop puppet, to the ultimate puppet master that she has transformed into today. Kylie achieved a massive musical milestone in 2020--being the first woman to top the album charts in five consecutive decades. She is one of our nation's most beloved pop princesses, or arguably - if you ask her legion of fans (me included) - THE most beloved Pop Queen.Kylie Minogue: Album by Album explores in detail Ms Minogue's extensive repertoire, spanning more than three decades. It commemorates this unique artist's genuinely exceptional, unmatched, and often under-appreciated career. The author is both a fan and a music critic, who examines Kylie's life and career from both perspectives. You will discover how Kylie became a pop icon, how she reinvented herself over the years, and how she influenced the music industry with her style and sound. This book is not just another biography, or discography critique; it is a unique analysis of Kylie's musical legacy and cultural impact. Whether you are a die-hard fan or curious listener, this book will give you a deeper appreciation of Kylie Minogue and her music.