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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.

Supported by eleven maps and over 150 photographs, this is the story of Scottish Troops fighting for survival in Normandy.The story of the 51st (Highland) Division during 1939 and 1940 is a short and largely tragic one and although it firmly burnt itself into the minds of Scotsmen it has never been granted the recognition it deserves. Even in Scotland it is often forgotten that the men, and attached troops, of the 51st Division, were fighting for survival in Normandy for some ten days after the evacuation from Dunkerque had been completed. Most present-day accounts of the Second World War in 1939/40 deal with the 'Phoney War' and the evacuation from Dunkerque but few mention the rearguard action at St Valery-en-Caux, other than a giving it a passing mention. Nevertheless, the action of the 51st Division against the might of German forces won the admiration of General Erwin Rommel and Charles De Gaulle, who fought against and alongside them.One of the enduring beliefs is that Churchill deliberately sacrificed the 51st Division in an attempt to keep France in the war; this, apart from being palpably incorrect, fails miserably to address the intricacy of the circumstances that overtook the 51st Division after they returned from the Saar. In a situation where units were repeatedly changing affiliation, communication between the French Supreme Command and British forces suffered language difficulties and the inclination to blame each other for the debacle that inevitably ensued. Nevertheless, for all the criticism that is thrown at the French Army, it is clear that a number of French units fought hard and with great courage, the main fault with the French command lying with poor leadership and lack of tactical planning.As far as the Highlanders were concerned it was bad luck that their term of duty on the Saar coincided with the beginning of Fall Rot. The speed and extent of the German advance from Abbeville took their own High Command and the French by surprise and it was with little wonder that Allied military thinking failed to keep up with actions on the battlefield. The theory that Churchill sacrificed the division to keep the French in the war owes a great deal to the Scottish need to attribute all the misery of the world to one scoundrel, a trait that exists to this day!Supported by eleven maps and over 150 photographs, the book traces the history of the 51st Division from its inception until its final surrender at St Valery-en-Caux and deals with the fighting on the Saar and the often ragged skirmishing though Normandy. The book also touches on the actions of the 1st Armoured Division and the Battle of Abbeville. There are three walks and a car tour included in this volume which allows the battlefield visitor to base themselves firstly in Abbeville and, secondly, further into Normandy.

The Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment was a Canadian armoured regiment attached to the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade which landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day in support of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and then fought through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany until VE-Day. As an independent armoured regiment, it was assigned to support various infantry formations. As such, it fought the first major tank battle on European soil when it went up against the panzers and panzergrenadiers of the 12.SS-Panzerdivision (Hitlerjugend) on 7 June 1944, these combat actions are portrayed in Armoured Thunder. In this volume, the author explores the regiment's battles through Antwerp, the Scheldt, the Rhine River and the Hochwald Gap in Germany. One remarkable Sherman tank of the regiment - BOMB - would survive from D-Day to VE-Day.

The essence of northern UK railways through photographs, illustrating their impact on the landscape and their historical and modern significance.This book endeavors to capture the very essence of the railways in the northern UK, exploring in photographs their imprint upon the landscape. Railways are illustrated as they traverse the bleak fells, pass by traditional cotton mills and industrial heritage, stride over iconic viaducts crossing vast windswept valleys and coastal estuaries, and as they share the grandeur of iconic cathedrals of both religious and railway station designs, while not forgetting the intricate network of canals intertwining with the rails that eventually carried the very traffic that kept these waterways in use. Here is a personal selection which I trust helps explore all that characterizes and reveals the moods and atmosphere which conjure the heart and "Spirit" of railways traversing our northern climes.Locomotives, train designs and liveries past and present will help recall the rails of the 1980's and 90's and offer an interesting contrast to the more modern images of the present millennium. With a mix of traction and train fleets, both in use on passenger and freight consists, this selection of images reveals their participation in capturing the heart of railways in the north. Readers are invited to share this fascinating adventure and indeed the inherent "Northern Spirit" which permeates throughout such a journey.

A brief history of the Class 22 diesel-hydraulic locomotives, from their introduction and technical aspects to their withdrawal by 1972.The British Railways 'Pilot Scheme' orders of 1955 included six Type 2 diesel-hydraulic locomotives built by the North British Locomotive Co., these being introduced during 1959 for use on the Western Region. Without operational experience, a further fifty-two locomotives were delivered between 1959 and 1962. The fleet survived intact until 1968, when approximately half of the class was withdrawn as a result of declining traffic levels across the UK, with successive National Traction Plans progressively selecting the less successful, non-standard and 'numerically challenged' classes for removal from traffic. All fifty-eight locomotives were withdrawn by New Years Day, 1972.This book, the first of two, sets the scene surrounding the short history of the Class 22s covering the introduction of the fleet, technical aspects, appearance design, delivery and acceptance testing, works histories and allocations. Detailed individual histories of each of the fifty-eight locomotives are included.

"Although never formally diagnosed, Frank Merritt was on the autistic spectrum. He was also dyslexic and it was rare for him to write anything down. When he was called up for National Service in the 1950s, during the Korean War, he could have deferred, as he was a farmer's son and farming a reserved occupation. Feeling it was his duty to serve, he joined the Royal Engineers. When Frank arrived on the frontline in Korea to join 55 Independent Field Squadron, 28th Field Engineer Regiment, they didn't know what to do with him. Frank was unconventional and rebellious, and upon discovery of his keen interest in photography he was appointed the unit's photographer. Frank took it upon himself to explore Korea, believing in the 'join the army and see the world' motto. He'd frequently wander off alone with his Leotax camera, in an active war zone, oblivious to the danger. The Koreans he encountered were often surprised to see a UN soldier strolling through their villages and farms unarmed and taking photos. Frank went into places that were off limits due to enemy activity, taking candid photographs of ordinary Koreans going about their daily lives despite the war."--

Explores the evolution of snapshot photography from Victorian times to the digital age.The arrival of the first snapshot camera in Victorian times bred a new kind of photographer, one who might never before have thought of owning a camera, but for whom the ability to take pictures without any previous experience offered a new liberation. The way snapshot cameras and the pictures they took evolved through the following years and into today's digital age is what this book is all about. With more than 200 mono pictures and sixteen pages of colour, it examines how different types of snapshot camera opened up opportunities to shoot new kinds of picture; reveals the dubious way in which snapshot photographers were once perceived; shows how to identify where and when certain snapshots were taken; looks at the role of professional snapshot photographers; examines the part snapshots have played in social history; and explains why yesterday's snapshots are still so important today.

Chronicles Operation TITLE, an Allied mission led by Prime Minister Winston Churchill to sink the formidable German battleship Tirpitz.Prime Minister Winston Churchill referred to Tirpitz as 'The Beast, ' and on 25th January 1942 he wrote, 'The destruction or even the crippling of this ship is the greatest event at this present time. No other target is comparable to it.' With these words the seeds were sown for Operation TITLE, an Allied mission to sink Tirpitz. Harvesting began on 19th October 1942 when the fishing boat, Arthur, sailed from Scalloway with a crew of four Norwegians, a six-man team of Royal Navy divers and two 'chariots' in a brave attempt to tame 'the Beast.' Arduous training of men, fine tuning of the experimental 'chariots, ' and the determination of those who undertook this mission all combined in a contest comparable with the biblical tale of David and Goliath. In this case Goliath, in the form of Tirpitz, survived with, sadly, the death of one Able Seaman, Robert Paul Evans RN. This book is a tribute to him and to all those who, undertaking similar dangerous deeds of valour, shared the same fate.

The Soldier Kings of France explores the reigns of eight monarchs, from King Charles II to Napoleon Bonaparte, tracing their roles in expanding French power and shaping European history.In early October 1795, Napoleon Bonaparte led the governing Directory's army against the rioting royalists in Paris (who were rebelling to restore the monarchy), crushing their campaign and beginning his rise to supremacy and greatness. Napoleon is one of the eight sovereigns discussed in The Soldier Kings of France, who brought glory, power and territorial expansion to France, while altering the course of European history. The work begins in the ninth century with King Charles II's seizure of the French crown and concludes in the nineteenth century with Napoleon's rise and fall. In the book, the reign of Philip II and his participation in the Third Crusade to the Holy Land is the second monarch reviewed, followed by Louis XI, who ended the Hundred Year War with the English and Louis XII's rule is next, which fought to expand French territorial holdings into the Lombardy region of Italy. The fifth king surveyed is Francis I and his enlargement of French lands into Italy, while the sixth king is Henry IV, whose conversion to the Catholic faith ended thirty years of French religious wars and established a stable and popular regime. The kingship of Louis XIV is the book's seventh overlord, whose rule was occupied with wars to expand his territories and the building of France into the center of European culture, arts, architecture and music during the Baroque era, while presiding over a magnificent court at the Versailles Palace. The final sovereign lord discussed is Napoleon Bonaparte, who led his armies to victory, establishing French dominance across Europe until his defeats at Leipzig and Waterloo and his forced exile to the remote and desolate island of Elba in the south Atlantic Ocean.

The JFK assassination, a pivotal moment, stirs enduring conspiracy theories and questions of accountability, justice, and governmental transparency.The assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy is one of the milestones of history. Everyone, it is said, remembers where they were when they heard the news. Because the official investigation, the Warren Commission, set up by Kennedy's successor in the White House, Lyndon Johnson, was such a whitewashing travesty of justice, the world has felt itself free to speculate ever more wildly about what really happened in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, in November 1963.The killer, said the Warren Commission, was the peculiar loner, Lee Harvey Oswald, and he acted alone. Evidence, science and common sense have long ago proved that this was not possible. So it was the Russians. It was the Cubans. It was the Mafia. It was Lyndon Johnson. It was the Secret Service. It was the FBI. It was the CIA. It was that murky conspiratorial bunch, the Military-Industrial Complex.This book evaluates all the above and comes to another conclusion entirely. The reason that we are still arguing about who was responsible for a murder committed in front of a large crowd in broad daylight is that no one was prepared to put up their hands and admit their responsibility for not doing their jobs properly. Yes, there was a conspiracy, but the 'cock-up' element was even greater. Why was there inadequate Secret Service protection for the president in Dallas? Why was the motorcade route made public well in advance? Why was Lee Oswald identified on the word of a single witness? Why was Jack Ruby allowed to slip past dozens of policemen to kill Oswald? Why were the lawyers of the Warren Commission allowed to select witnesses and bully them into saying what they had not seen? Why did subsequent governmental inquiries fudge the physics of a headshot and a bungled autopsy? Why does the American mainstream media still cling to the lone gunman, single bullet theory?The answer is simple. Everybody in 1963 and for many years afterwards were far too concerned about covering their own backs. Truth and justice got lost somewhere in all of that.

An in-depth study of the Battle of Bannockburn, exploring the strategic preparations and the battle's pivotal impact on future Scottish-English conflicts.The Battle of Bannockburn has long been recognized as one of the most influential moments in Scottish history. The fighting that took place on 23rd and 24th June 1314 is frequently presented as a stirring tale of how a small but committed and well-organized militia army can overcome a larger, better-resourced foe, as well as a crucial early turning point in the long, bitter, and destructive conflicts between Scotland and in England in the late medieval and early modern period. This book offers an in-depth study of the immediate context of the battle, looking in detail at the preparations that both sides undertook in the months leading up to the conflict, and the reactions of the two sides to the outcome following months, aspects which have been overlooked in previous studies.Dr Callum Watson considers the state of affairs in Scotland in the autumn of 1313 and how this influenced Edward II's decision to invade Scotland in 1314. He explores the possibility that King Robert was unwell during this period and considers the influence this had on the outlook and activities of both sides leading up to the battle. He reconstructs the initial Scottish response to this threat, while examining the preparations made by the English crown for the proposed campaign and tracking these alongside Scottish military activities. Detailed consideration is given to what we know about the siege of Stirling and the resultant deal made between the Scots and the Stirling garrison, highlighting how this development fundamentally altered the expectations of both armies and placed them inexorably on the path to direct confrontation at Bannockburn.The battle itself is closely examined, taking into account how Bruce's preparations in the weeks before the event and his inventive use of the landscape secured victory for the Scots. The immediate fall-out of the battle is also discussed, covering efforts by the English crown to consolidate the defenses of northern England against renewed Scottish raiding, the experience of English widows created by the battle to secure their rights, and the cautious attempts at diplomacy - including arrangements made for the exchange of prisoners - undertaken in the months that followed. Finally, Bruce's parliament at Cambuskenneth Abbey in November 1314 is discussed alongside how the gradual redistribution of lands that this facilitated shaped the history of Scotland for the remainder of the fourteenth-century.

A humorous critique of the trends of turning serious subjects into comedy."Nothing now succeeds unless it's in the comic line. We have comic Latin grammars, and comic Greek grammars; indeed, I don't know but what English grammar, too, is a comedy altogether. All our tragedies are made into comedies by the way they are performed; and no work sells without comic illustrations to it. I have brought out several new comic works, which have been very successful. For instance, The Comic Wealth of Nations; The Comic Parliamentary Speeches ... I even propose to bring out a Comic Whole Duty of Man. All these books sell well: they do admirably for the nurseries of the children of the aristocracy. In fact they are as good as manuals and text-books."Those words from best-selling Victorian novelist George W.M. Reynolds were a nod to the work of a writer named Gilbert Abbot á Beckett. Beckett loved history and writing about history but he was also something of a comedian. Then one day he had a bright idea: What if history could be funny and still be factual and educate people? He resolved to start writing a funny history book which he named The Comic History of England, which was originally serialised in Punch in 1847.It was an irreverent take on the conservative history books of Beckett's day. Kings and queens emerge as mean-spirited petty rascals and to look for their virtues "would require the aid of one of those solar microscopes which give visibility to the merest atom, and the particle." Other monarchs such as King John were downright useless and allowed himself to be "bullied by bulls"--papal bulls. The Church came off not better either, being "the medium of extortion" and taking hard-earned money off the people. In this history book, then, readers can laugh with Cæsar during his invasion of Britain; stand in the sea with Canute; and joke about Richard on the field of Bosworth.

This book provides a unique and fascinating insight into a little-known aspect of Hitler's life and character.Hitler at Hintersee tells two stories. On the one hand there is Gerhard Bartels, who still lives at Hintersee outside Berchtesgaden. As a small boy Gerhard was photographed on a number of occasions with Adolf Hitler when the Führer visited Hintersee. Gerhard tell us about his life growing up in an area frequented by senior members of the Nazi hierarchy. He talks about the lives of ordinary local people and how the remaining German forces in the area considered putting up a last defence as the Allies advanced towards Berchtesgaden and Hintersee in April and May 1945. His family hotel was taken over as a last stand headquarters.This fascinating book also examines the significance of the region to the ruthless all-powerful regime and why the Nazi leadership established a southern headquarters on the Obersalzberg above Berchtesgaden. It reveals Hitler's connection to the area and looks at why he was initially drawn to this beautiful Alpine region in 1923.Hitler's close links with Berchtesgaden and the Obersalzberg endured for over twenty years during which time the area was transformed. Local sources together with a wealth of contemporary images provide a depth of previously unexplored information. Hitler at Hintersee provides a unique and fascinating insight into a little-known aspect of Hitler's life and character.

A guide for modeling Victorian architecture, inspired by a community restoration project.Euston Station was the first intercity railway gateway for London and with the famed Doric Arch became a major landmark of that city. Initially built for the London and Birmingham Railway, it became the terminus of the LNWR Premier Line, then HQ of the London Midland and Scottish. The controversial 1960's demolition of the site stimulated the building preservation movement. Latterly we have a challenging on / off love affair with the area through the High Speed Two project. This book contains both a background history of Euston and its environs, combined with a modellers review of building a 'OO' gauge mid Victorian station complex. A core model of the old station was kindly donated to the Market Deeping Model Railway Club (MDMRC) following the sad act of vandalism of their model railway show in 2019. This in turn served as a stimulus to expand, detail and research during the Covid isolation and lockdown years. This book is the end result of these endeavours. We use the model to underpin the history and allow a geographical walkthrough of the site, plus hints, tips and techniques on building a landmark model. It has been an enjoyable and eye opening challenge to unveil the story under, through and over Euston. Written and contributed to by members of the MDMRC, all royalties will go the club. Charity number: 1187779.

Brian Slade, RAF's youngest bomber pilot of WW2, embarked on a remarkable career at 17, pioneering pathfinder tactics until his tragic loss over Berlin.Having left his grammar school just before his 16th birthday, Brian Slade falsified his age to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot. Within a few days of his 17th birthday, he was awarded his 'wings'. It was the start of this teenager's remarkable wartime career.Soon after being awarded his pilot's brevet, Brian was posted to his first squadron. Flying the venerable Vickers Wellington, he found himself experimenting with early target marking techniques. It was also there that Brian gained the nickname 'The Boy Slade'.Though Brian's journey through the wartime RAF mirrored the experiences of tens of thousands of young men, what was different, if not unique, was the fact before he had turned 18, which was the minimum age to begin aircrew training, Brian had already completed thirty-four operations - more than was needed for a tour. This tally included the three 1,000 bomber raids against Cologne, Essen and Bremen. He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for nursing his badly damaged Wellington, which sustained flak and night-fighter damage, home after a raid on Bremen.Undaunted, Brian soon after volunteered for his second tour of operations. It was at this stage that he joined the Lancaster-equipped 83 Squadron in the newly formed 8 Group, becoming an experienced Pathfinder skipper. It was a role in which he marked targets in the Battle of the Ruhr, the bombing of Hamburg (Operation Gomorrah) and the Peenemünde raid.The RAF's Youngest Bomber Pilot of WW2, told by his nephew, a former officer in the British Army, details all of Brian's fifty-nine missions, and captures his compelling progress with Bomber Command, alongside the technological advances in aircraft, pathfinder strategy and tactics. Sadly, Brian's Lancaster was shot down over Berlin in August 1943. The details of its loss remained shrouded in mystery until the puzzle of his aircraft's demise was eventually solved by tracing the family of the only survivor.The relent-less dangers, not just in operations but also in training, and the continuous loss of life, are drawn into sharp focus. But, on account of his age, Brian's story is unique. There may have never been, nor will ever be, an RAF pilot of 19 years old with his flying and operational experience.Complemented with a collection of previously unpublished photographs, The RAF's Youngest Bomber Pilot of WW2 is one of the Second World War's most amazing tales.

Vice Admiral Schofield recounts Operation NEPTUNE's monumental role in the D-Day landings, offering firsthand insights from his pivotal position at HMS Dryad.Operation NEPTUNE was the codeword for the naval side of the OVERLORD plan for the historic June 1944 landings in Normandy. Massive in its scale, its tasks were wide-ranging and varied, from beach reconnaissance, minesweeping, shore bombardment as well as the organization of loading, assembly and disembarkation; it was also responsible for positioning two Mulberry artificial harbors and Pluto: the laying of the cross-channel fuel pipeline under the sea. Operation NEPTUNE may not have been a naval battle in the traditional sense, but it ranks as one of the greatest naval exploits in history.In this timeless book, Vice Admiral Schofield describes the great events of June 1944 which, as Captain of HMS Dryad, the Royal Naval shore establishment which housed General Dwight Eisenhowers Supreme Allied Headquarters before the landing, he witnessed at first hand.

A journey back in time through objects and locations into the life of one of Britain's most enigmatic and celebrated individuals.A twentieth century icon, Lawrence of Arabia, as Thomas Edward Lawrence is more commonly known, spent thirteen out of his forty-six years in the region from which he drew his name. This was as a scholar researching his university thesis, a spy surveying Sinai for the British Army before the First World War, an intelligence officer in Cairo, a liaison officer to the Arabs, and as a diplomat who galvanised and united the Arab tribes into an effective fighting force. He became an explosives expert and a guerrilla fighter who influenced Arab leaders in defeating their Ottoman occupiers.The story of his achievements in Arabia, derailing Turkish trains and attacking enemy strongholds, has become the stuff of legend. But his life after the disappointment of witnessing the Arabs being denied independence at the end of the First World War is as intriguing as his more famous escapades in the desert.Uncomfortable with the fame and celebrity status that Lowell Thomas's lectures brought upon him, after a brief tenure as a civil servant working for Winston Churchill in an attempt to address the failure of achieving Arab independence at the Cairo Conference, Lawrence, the former Lieutenant-Colonel, remarkably sought a life in obscurity. In the years after the war, for example, he served in the Royal Air Force as an aircraftsman and spent a brief period as a private in the Royal Tank Corps under the alias John Hume Ross or Thomas Edward Shaw. He became a competent marine motor mechanic, and was personally involved in the development of the fast RAF 200 Seaplane tender and an armoured target boat. He also became a renowned author and could claim literary giants such as Thomas Hardy, E.M. Forster and George Bernhard Shaw as his friends.In this highly illustrated book, the story of Lawrence's fascinating life is explored through many of the places and objects associated with him, from his birthplace in Wales through to his grave at Moreton in Dorset. Lawrence of Arabia features his places of education in Oxford, sites where he served as a British Army intelligence officer in Cairo, as liaison officer and adviser to the Arabs, even where he fought alongside his Arab brothers against the Ottomans.It also follows his life in the years after Arabia. Some of the fascinating locations Paul Kendall visits include RAF stations at Calshot and Bridlington, or the Tank Depot at Bovington Camp where he served in the ranks, his cottage at Clouds Hill and the homes of his famous friends that he frequently visited. The objects examined include Arab robes that he wore, his Khanjar, his service rifle, and even the Brough motorcycle which he enjoyed and valued.This book is not just a journey across Arabia, Britain and Europe, but also a journey back in time through objects and locations into the life of one of Britain's most enigmatic and celebrated individuals.