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The greatest danger to Roman Emperors was the threat of deadly conspiracies arising among the Senate, the Imperial Court or even their own families All the emperors that reigned from Augustus to the end of the 1st century AD faced such efforts to overthrow or assassinate them. John McHugh uncovers these conspiracies, narrating them and seeking to explain them. The underlying cause in many cases was the decline in influence, patronage and status granted by emperors to the Senatorial class, leading some to seek power for themselves or a more generous candidate. Attempted assassinations or coups led the Emperors to be mistrust the senate and rely more on freedmen, causing more resentment. Paranoid emperors often reacted to the merest hint of treason, real or imagined, with punishments and executions, leading more of those around them to consider desperate measures out of self-preservation. And of course, amid this vicious circle of poisonous mistrust, there were ambitious family members promoting their own (or their offspringâEUR(TM)s) claims to the purple, and the duplicitous Praetorian Guard. John McHugh brings to light a century of assassination, conspiracy and betrayal, exploring the motives and aims of the plotters and the bloody cost of success or failure.

The Napier family are famous for their military exploits in the Peninsular War. Charles served in the 50th and 102nd Foot, George in the 52nd and 71st Foot and William (the famous historian of the Peninsular War) who served with the 43rd Foot. Two or three of them were always serving in the Peninsula at any given time and all suffered a number of severe wounds. William has a basic biography written of him and his famous _History of the Peninsular War_ is littered with his personal and professional prejudices; Charles wrote a form of autobiography, mostly dealing with his later India campaigns; and virtually nothing has been written on poor George, despite the fact that he commanded the storming party at Ciudad Rodrigo, where he was severely wounded. However, much of this writing emanates from decades after they fought, when memories and changing political attitudes had clearly affected their writing. _At War With Wellington_ focuses on their private letters penned immediately from the front, without that dreaded hindsight. They are packed with detail of the horrors of battle and siege warfare, but also show life in the Army, the close bond between the three brothers while serving close to each other in action and also with their mother at home, who clearly had constant fears that her three boys would never come home again. All three did survive but were all badly maimed during this war. Their individual exploits are legion, but no one has ever brought all of this material together in one book, until now. Between them, they participated in almost every action in the six-year war and two of them participated in the Army of Occupation in France from 1815-18, although none were at the Battle of Waterloo. Their close relationships with many senior officers of the period, gives a rare glimpse into the thinking of the generals and helps us understand how the decisions were made and with what information they were formed. Being also politically active, it is fascinating to hear their views on both political matters at home and the Allied cause against France. This material is both absorbing and revealing. It adds much to our understanding, primarily of the NapierâEUR(TM)s themselves, but also the effects of a world war on the family dynamics, the political upheavals surrounding it, the failures of the Allied campaigns and even the perceived failings of the senior officers in their promotion of the war effort, which are expressed vehemently. _At War With Wellington_ opens a window onto a different view of the war, from very experienced soldiers, but with very different political leanings, and will cause readers to question some of their long-held views.

In this unprecedented series exploring the big story of the Battle of Britain, renowned historian Dilip Sarkar investigates the wider context and intimate details of the epic aerial conflict in the summer of 1940 from all sides. In so doing, he gives due acknowledgement to the roles of Bomber and Coastal Commands in addition to the fabled Few of Fighter Command. This unique narrative draws upon a lifetime of research, the author having enjoyed a long relationship with survivors and the relatives of casualties; his innumerable interviews and first-hand accounts collated, in addition to privileged access to personal papers, providing essential human interest to this inspirational story. In this the fourth volume, _Battle of Britain: Airfields Under Attack_, Dilip continues to examine the fighting on a day-by-day, combat-by-combat basis from 19 August until 6 September 1940\. It is a period in which we saw the LuftwaffeâEUR(TM)s bombing of the all-important 11 Group airfields intensify, culminating in âEUR¿The Hardest DayâEUR(TM) of 18 August 1940, which saw both sides lose more aircraft than any other day throughout the whole Battle of Britain. The tensions and problems between Fighter CommandâEUR(TM)s 11 and 12 Groups also intensified. It was a situation that eventually led to Squadron Leader Douglas Bader criticising Fighter Command tactics, proposing the use of âEUR¿Big WingsâEUR(TM), contrary to the System of Air Defence and strategy involved, gaining the support of his 12 Group commander, Air Vice-Marshal Leigh-Mallory. Given its later significance, this is investigated in depth. Through diligent research, combined with crucial official primary sources and personal papers, Dilip unravels many myths, often challenging the accepted narrative. This is not simply another dull record of combat losses and claims âEUR" far from it. Drawing upon unique first-hand accounts from a wide-range of combatants and eyewitnesses, along with Daily Home Intelligence Reports and numerous other primary sources, this book forms part of what is likely to be the first and last such comprehensively woven account of this epic air battle.

There are plenty of ways to delve into the history of a city like London, but itâEUR(TM)s not often done through the world of the motor car. But thatâEUR(TM)s exactly what Chris Randall has done, exploring the links between the capital and its automotive past. That makes this book a somewhat unique approach to the subject, and readers will discover a fascinating history that involves some of the most famous names in motoring. Enthusiasts will certainly recognise the likes of Aston Martin, Bentley and Rolls-Royce but amongst those are names that might be less familiar today. The buildings that youâEUR(TM)ll find within this book all exist today, which means you can see the motoring history for yourself. Some are now famous restaurants, others are offices and a few are private homes, but what they all have in common is the automobile and for those that love all things four-wheeled there are some real treasures to be found. Illustrated with photographs that show you what those places look like today, along with how some of them appeared in their motoring heyday, this is a very different look at the history of the famous city. ItâEUR(TM)s played a part in the very earliest days of the automobileâEUR(TM)s story, and thatâEUR(TM)s something this books sets out to celebrate.

Innocent, guilty, coerced, framed. These are the stories of dozens of women who found themselves on the wrong side of the law. Whether innocent or not, these women were all indicted for murder of some sort; most of them ended up facing execution. From BritainâEUR(TM)s late medieval period through the following 600 years, this book explores the world of murderous female crime and pulls you in to the lives of these women. It situates their stories on the timeline of British crime and relates their terrible deeds to the criminal world and proceedings of the times they lived in. Enjoy this glimpse into the history of BritainâEUR(TM)s criminal underbelly and the women within it, who showed what desperation, lack of mental health support, and cruelty, could lead to.

In 2019 it was announced that the Isle of Wight's iconic 1938 Stock tube trains were to be withdrawn and replaced with a 'new' fleet of refurbished ex-London Underground trains, as part of a wider project to upgrade the Island's ageing railway infrastructure. This book examines in detail the events that followed: the infrastructure works, the withdrawal and disposal of the old trains, and the development and introduction of their replacements - all of it carried out in the midst of a global pandemic. What went wrong, and what went right? What would happen to the 1938 Stock? And would the new trains even fit through Ryde Tunnel...?In writing this book the author has been able to draw upon unique insights provided by some of the key figures involved in the Island Line upgrade, as well as by the current owners of many of the withdrawn 1938 Stock units.

This richly illustrated volume tells the story of the seven regiments of the Household Division, along with the supporting personalities and units of London District. A subject as fascinating as it is multifarious. From the key personalities responsible for the razor-sharp execution of state ceremonial and public duties, to the historical figures who helped establish and shape a military dynasty. Travel through the history of the Household Division from its birth in 1660, with the restoration of Charles II, to its role in establishing Britain's Special Forces. It is a journey of political intrigue, cementing empire, and fighting terrorism. From the founding fathers such as George Monck, who laid the foundations for a professional British Army, to adventurers like David Stirling and Sir Frederick 'Boy' Browning, the history of the Household Division is one of almost continuous action and innovation. Supported by the Honourable Artillery Company and the King's Troop, The Royal Horse Artillery, LondonâEUR(TM)s Ceremonial Regiments put the pomp in circumstance, the distinction in battle, and the sobriety in the sombre notes of _The Last Post._

This book is about how the dreams of exploring other worlds became a reality with the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. The problems encountered in the development of the spacecraft, including the disastrous fire aboard Apollo 1 which resulted in the deaths of the three American astronauts, Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chafee are covered. When Neil Armstrong stepped out onto the surface of the Moon on 20 July 1969, many people thought that this was the first time man had visited its nearest neighbour. Although this was the first manned landing, there had been forty-one missions prior to this by both the Americans and the Russians. This book is about all those missions and the sixty-five missions that followed. Also included, although in much lesser detail, is the part the Russians played in the formative years of the âEUR¿space raceâEUR(TM) and the problems they encountered, culminating in the successful Apollo/Soyuz program which proved that the two super-powers could work together. The laboratory in the sky, Skylab, the forerunner of the ISS station is also covered. The book contains over 200 photographs, all of which are either credited to NASA or from the author's own collection. The sources include correspondence and the author's personal conversations with some of the astronauts involved in the early part of the space program.

This is a fresh examination of the âEUR¿intelligenceâEUR(TM) gathered for the great train robbery. The suggestion of an Irishman (âEUR¿The UlstermanâEUR(TM)) was simply part of a package created by the robbers in time for their release from prison and to contribute to the subsequent book âEUR" everything since has compounded the âEUR¿mysteryâEUR(TM). Gordon Goody was one robber who âEUR¿metâEUR(TM) The Ulsterman and speaks highly of The UlstermanâEUR(TM)s information, but this information could easily be found elsewhere, and some of it is incorrect. So who else might have given âEUR¿intelligenceâEUR(TM)? One by one, other âEUR¿suspectsâEUR(TM) are identified and discounted, but with evidence for their defence. To use the metaphor âEUR¿hidden in plain sightâEUR(TM), one can identify another âEUR¿suspectâEUR(TM) with all the attributes The Ulsterman was said to have. If the reader is willing to look at the evidence afresh, itâEUR(TM)s necessary to consider not what the robbers et al have said, rather what they havenâEUR(TM)t said. The robbers were dishonest men who frequently lied âEUR" but writers and commentators have followed what they have said. And it hasnâEUR(TM)t really led anywhere. To unravel the yarn presented, it wasnâEUR(TM)t a senior official in either the Post Office or British Rail. It was an âEUR¿ordinary thiefâEUR(TM) with an extraordinary ability to blend into the background, and have fingers in a great many pies. LetâEUR(TM)s expound the myth.

ParryâEUR(TM)s life began two hundred and twenty years ago. The Revolutionary Wars against France and Napoleon were just beginning. His naval career started in wartime and lasted throughout the next fifty years during which significant changes took place in the Royal Navy. He pioneered Arctic exploration, led a memorable albeit unsuccessful expedition to reach the North Pole, reformed and improved the operations of the Hydrographers office, and oversaw the difficult transition from sail to steam power in British warships. Throughout his career he strove to improve the educational standards and living conditions of all lower deck sailors. He was knighted by William IV alongside his close friend John Franklin in 1829\. Both survived years of hardship and became national and international celebrities. Tragically though it was Parry and his in laws, the aristocratic Stanley family, who were partly responsible for FranklinâEUR(TM)s death in 1846 commanding one more expedition to complete the Northwest Passage. During their lifetime Parry and Franklin contributed new information on sciences only just emerging from the generalised description of âEUR¿natural philosophy.âEUR(TM) Subjects such as, geography, meteorology, geology, and astronomy. Parry was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London and was an expert navigator and fearless surveyor. His grave at Greenwich Hospital was destroyed during an air raid in World War II. This book is intended to secure his well-deserved place at the forefront of British Arctic exploration and science.

Operation Pistol was a British operation performed by 2 SAS during World War 2 launching 51 SAS soldiers into the German territory of Alsace Lorraine 80 miles ahead of the American forces, running alongside Operation Loyton. Of those 51 soldiers, SQMS Jack Alcock commanded a four man party from his C3 group and this is the story of his incredible bravery that awarded him the Croix de Guerre with Silver Star. Jack's group parachuted in to France in extreme weather conditions lacking vital supplies of food and suffering the theft of their radio receiver they fought through enemy territory seeking shelter with sympathetic locals along the way experiencing a close call with the Gestapo at one farmstead to eventually reach the front line position of the American Fourth Armourerd Division near Arracourt where he was debriefed by Colonel Bruce C Clarke of Command A. Jack later returned to France with his son to retrace his footsteps for this incredible memoir of determination, courage and tenacity.

The book looks at rail travel from the passengerâEUR(TM)s point of view, beginning when a coach drawn by horses, rumbled down the newly laid tracks linking Swansea to Mumbles in 1807 and takes the reader right up to the present day. It was not long after that first service opened in Wales that the first steam passenger trains began to operate. The story broadens out from the first inter-city line connecting Liverpool to Manchester to spread first around Britain and eventually spread across the world. The book paints vivid pictures of how travel seemed to passengers in different countries, drawing on many first-hand accounts. The early days offered little in comfort âEUR" third class passengers had to make do with carriages that were simply open trucks. Gradually conditions improved and eventually there was an age of luxury travel epitomised by the famous Orient Express. Every aspect of rail travel is looked at, from tragic tales of fatal accidents to the role of railway travel in films and books. This lively account of the pioneering days and what many regard as the golden age of rail travel will be welcomed by anyone who enjoys taking the train.

The bitter fighting in the so-called Falaise-Argentan Pocket in August 1944, during which the Allies encircled and destroyed a substantial part of Hitler's forces in northern France following the D-Day landings, marked the last major battle of the Normandy campaign. Despite this, tens of thousands of German soldiers managed to escape through the infamous Falaise Gap. It was as the Allies continued to pursue the retreating enemy forces that the planners considered or drew-up a number of further airborne operations. As James Daly reveals, three operations, namely _Lucky Strike_, _Transfigure_ and _Axehead_, might well have been part of the last of the fighting in the breakout from, Normandy itself. The first of these, _Lucky Strike_, was intended to see General Montgomery's 21st Army Group strike to the north-east in the direction of the River Seine, where bridges near Rouen were to be taken by the British 1st Airborne Division. _Transfigure_ was to be a major operation with the aim of using the First Allied Airborne Army against the French road network with the object of cutting the German lines of retreat across the Seine. _Axehead_, meanwhile, was a plan to establish an air-head on the eastern bank of the Seine. In this assault the British 1st Airborne Division, along with infantry, Sherman DD amphibious tanks, and specialised engineers, would establish crossings of the Dives, Touques, Risle and Seine rivers. As the Allies advanced further east into the Low Countries, further Allied airborne assaults were suggested. In Operation _Linnet_, for example, airborne forces were to capture and hold Tournai on the Escaut river in the western part of German-occupied Belgium. In the event, they were all cancelled, usually as the Allied forces reached the intended dropping zones before the airborne forces could take off. In particular, several of these operations bear very strong resemblance to elements of the _Market Garden_ plan and show early signs of the mistakes. Operation _Comet_, for example, included a glider coup-de-main for the bridges at Arnhem, Nijmegen and Grave - why did this disappear for _Market Garden_?These operations and their planning show that far from being an operation that went wrong in September 1944, the flaws in the Arnhem plan were evident much earlier. They also show that divisions between the Allies emerged much earlier and ran much deeper than originally thought.

JIM BLAKE'S latest book on London's buses may come as a surprise, since he usually concentrated on older vehicles in the fleet. However, the unpopular, unsuccessful DMs and DMSs were still part of London Transport's history, so he recorded them too, particularly towards the end of the short working lives. Forced by central government to buy "off-the-peg" standard manufacturers' products, rather than their own tried and trusted designs, LT opted for Daimler Fleetlines for their first fleet of one-man-operated double-deckers. Optimistically christened "Londoners" when they first entered service in January 1971, they instantly became unpopular with passengers, staff and bus enthusiasts alike. Their square, box-like appearance and bland all-over red livery did not endear them to the latter. Passengers used to boarding buses immediately with fares collected or tickets checked by a conductor objected to waiting at termini until the driver appeared and opened their doors, and having to queue at stops waiting to pay as they entered. Automatic ticket machines meant to mitigate this broke down making matters worse; all this increased journey times. The vehicles had flimsy bodywork, easily damaged by the slightest collision, and were also mechanically unreliable: their rear engines often caught fire. This made them unpopular with drivers and maintenance staff. Although the type worked satisfactorily in the provinces, it was just not suited for the rigours of London service. This book presents a selection of pictures of them, many previously unpublished and also graphically illustrating the buses' many defects.

PHILIP SNOWDEN was a proud Yorkshireman, a founding father of the Labour Party, its first Chancellor of the Exchequer and eventually was seen as a traitor by the movement he did so much to build. Growing up in the poverty of a weaving village in the Pennines, Snowden was paralysed in his twenties but overcame his disability by teaching himself to walk again with the aid of two sticks. He came to socialism in the 1890s and helped build Labour from a fringe sect into a governing party. Snowden was LabourâEUR(TM)s undisputed economic expert for decades and served as chancellor three times in the 1920s and 30s. He would be expelled from the party for joining Ramsay MacDonaldâEUR(TM)s controversial National Government in 1931 and has been condemned as a turncoat ever since. A gifted orator, Snowden was regarded as the archetypal Yorkshireman; strong-willed and straight-talking, caustic and biting in his criticism but warm in friendship. He earned the moniker âEUR¿Iron ChancellorâEUR(TM) after doggedly standing up to the French during tense negotiations, with one Paris journal bawling, âEURœThere is only one thing left âEUR" we must occupy Yorkshire!âEUR? SnowdenâEUR(TM)s infamous 1931 election broadcast, in which he condemned LabourâEUR(TM)s programme as âEURœBolshevism run madâEUR?, played a major role in the National Government winning the biggest landslide in British electoral history. In 1934, Snowden wrote his autobiography. It is one of the most readable memoirs of the period, packed with SnowdenâEUR(TM)s characteristic wit and sarcasm. SnowdenâEUR(TM)s portrait of his youth in the rural Yorkshire of the 1870s is a unique window into a lost world, while his narrative of the pioneering days of the Labour movement is passionate and vivid. In describing his long career in parliament and government from 1906-1932, the great men of the age jump off the page as we encounter Asquith, Lloyd George, Churchill, Baldwin and MacDonald among others in this tumultuous period of British history. SnowdenâEUR(TM)s story is both an absorbing account of a fascinating time and an invaluable source for students and scholars.

"Via philosophy, technique and knowledge, Giles encourages the reader to question and ponder, sharing expert insight.âEUR? - _The Field_ (Alexandra Henton, editor). _The Secret Life of Salmon_ is something both personal and intimate, and macro and global. The life story of Atlantic, Chum, Sockeye, King, Silver and Pink salmon, has gripped the human consciousness since the dawn of time. Now we have a new interactive angle on the existential eco status of the king of fish. A mirror held up to our warming world - via science, sporting and aquacultural viewpoints. This book takes in the start of a salmonâEUR(TM)s life cycle with gravel covered eggs hatching in a specific river pool, we hear fascinating secrets with a backdrop of the time-lapsed seasons changing overhead and specified times of year. We follow the salmon's epic journey of quest through icy and wild northern waters to its conclusion in an upland stream. Read about the great success stories of conservation - the 21st-century buy-out of drift-nets in British and Irish waters; the application of ranching in the vast waters of the Alaskan-Pacific. The groundbreaking smolt tracking methods using cutting edge science applied on famous but threatened salmon populations from New Brunswick streams to Moray Firth rivers and out to sea. A sustainable future for these iconic fish? The answer is here including the latest on new technology and significance and legacy of COP26 in Glasgow, taking in the road to COP 27 and beyond. Predators. Size of river. Numbers. Withering in-river predation from mergansers, goosanders and mink, then grey seals, dolphins and orcas in salmons' marine iteration. How do fish in your chosen location fare compared to salmon elsewhere? The answer is here. Bringing it back home: the pods of muscled chrome-silver salmon nosing back into tidal reaches of their home river to spawn. A map in its head, a smell of the water. Nature's wisdom staggering runs of fish back on an imperative they canâEUR(TM)t ignore?This book, with its unique pictures is a visual, technical, philosophical and emotional feast and a serious call to arms. New light is shed on new events, new scientific and environmental projects, and the foreword by Dr Paul Rouse FRSA, who worked with the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative as its science adviser, sets an epoch defining moment for the salmon and its secrets. Praise for _How To Catch More Salmon_ (White Owl Books, 2019):"Devoted salmon fisher Henry Giles has written a book to help others catch the elusive kings of the river. Try itâEUR¿ you might just get hooked.âEUR? - _The Scotsman_

This is an adventure story about Royal Marine Commandos going to war during the Falklands War of 1982\. Myth and legend. War is an odd thing. It brings out the very best in a person and probably the converse, too. It is also the story of Argentinian Marines who also went to war. The very same war and eventually the very same battle. Memories are still very much alive. But it is curious that people witness the exact same events but remember something quite different. This book allows for these differences, accepting them as truths. The dark stormy stage is set and the players are not even aware they are going to war. One by one, they tell their story of this great Homerian adventure. But it is not a story of heroics and daring-do. It is a story of quite normal people who, through the accident of birth dates, meet in the absurd position of fighting each other for their very lives. Some are injured, some die. Some are deeply affected by the war. If there is a case for the âEUR¿Universal SoldierâEUR(TM), it is truly in this story. Soldiers are sent to war by other people. They endure, suffer and kill for a cause they know or care little about. Real war and real fighting create a microcosm of experiences. Friendship groups reduce in size from a Commando Unit size of 600 men to much smaller groups. 9 Troop, Charlie Company, 40 Commando Royal Marines experienced this. 9 Troop comprises 32 men. All extremely close friends. Closer than you could possibly imagine. As the war progresses, the groups in the Troop reduce in size until you are only concerned with the other two men immediately around you. Microscopic. These are the men you fight for. These are the friendships you will take to the end of your days. If love were ever a thing, it was clearly present among the men of Charlie Company in 1982, also, among the men of the Argentine Marines on Sapper Hill. The War was short and violent. Extremely violent. The Marines on both sides suffered the extreme Antarctic weather conditions and the vicious fighting. Weather was the paramount concern. Royal Marines are trained to pay attention to detail and constantly do their âEUR¿adminâEUR(TM). Clean and service equipment and themselves. It is a harsh religion within the Corps and we all pay homage to it. This may have affected the outcome as much as any fighting.

Well before Yuri Gagarin or Alan Shepard, Lothar Sieber became the first man to take off vertically from the ground under rocket power on March 1, 1945\. The plane crashed after flying for 55 seconds and he was killed. The launch marked a milestone on the road to spaceflight, even though it remained virtually unknown to the general public for more than half a century. But the Natter was a weapon of war born out in the closing months of World War II when Germany was desperately looking for 'wonder weapons' to fight the inevitable defeat. A vertical take-off rocket fighter, the Natter would reach the Allied bomber altitude in seconds, then the pilot would get within firing distance of a bomber, and fire all 24 rockets into the nose in a single shot. Its fuel running out, the pilot will then glide the plane at high speed to a lower altitude, at which point he will trigger the plane to break up, a large parachute opening at the rear, popping off the nose and the pilot with it. The pilot and the tail with the Walter rocket engine would land under their separate parachutes, while the disposable nose, fuselage and wings were to crash to the ground. The Natter is unquestionably an exciting aircraft but it is safe to assume that it would have been a failure as a bomber interceptor.

The Royal Marines had the distinction of serving in every major land campaign of the First World War, as well as participating in most minor ones. They also served afloat as an element of the Royal Navy. For the greater part, the morale and esprit de corps of the formation was second to none, wherever its men found themselves and whatever challenges they faced. This new history examines the participation of the corps in actions such as the Defence of Antwerp, the Gallipoli landings, the Battle of the Somme, the Zeebrugge Raid and the Allied intervention in North Russia. It covers the Marines in action aboard ship at the Dardanelles and Jutland, and throws a spotlight on the little-known Royal Marines presence in the West Indies. Flying Marines operated with the Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Flying Corps, often with noted bravery. Wherever possible the words used are those of the men who were there, and these eye-witness accounts (some never before published) offer an immediacy and freshness to this story.

Maintaining its appealing style and presentation, the _Yearbook of Astronomy 2025_ contains comprehensive jargon-free monthly sky notes and an authoritative set of sky charts to enable backyard astronomers and sky gazers everywhere to plan their viewing of the yearâEUR(TM)s eclipses, comets, meteor showers and minor planets as well as detailing the phases of the Moon and visibility and locations of the planets throughout the year. To supplement all this is a variety of entertaining and informative articles, a feature for which the _Yearbook of Astronomy_ is known. Presenting the reader with information on a wide range of topics, the articles for the 2025 edition include, among others, Recent Advances in Astronomy; Recent Advances in Solar System Exploration; Skies over Ancient America: Mystical Mounds and Landmarks of the Prehistoric Americas; Astrophysicist Cecilia Helena Payne and Professor H. N. Russell; The AstronomersâEUR(TM) Stars: The Terrible Twos; Eta Carinae: A Chance Encounter and Journey of Discovery; Saturn at its Equinox: A History of Ring-Plane Crossings from 1612 to 2025; A History of Observatory Designs: Before the Telescope; Signals from the Magnetosphere; How to Read a Scientific Paper; and Small Stars. This iconic publication made its first appearance way back in 1962, shortly after the dawning of the Space Age. Now well into its seventh decade of production, the Yearbook continues to be essential reading for anyone lured and fascinated by the magic of astronomy and who has a desire to extend their knowledge of the Universe and the wonders to which it plays host. The _Yearbook of Astronomy_ is indeed an inspiration to amateur and professional astronomers alike, and warrants a place on the bookshelf of all stargazers and watchers of the skies.

Until 1943 there was little effective resistance to the German occupation of The Netherlands. Though numerous small opposition groups had formed immediately after the German invasion in 1940, there was no concerted movement or over-arching organisation. Gradually, though, as the Germans introduced harsher measures against certain groups, opposition grew, particularly in the urban areas. These met with very limited success due to poor security which was to plague the Dutch resistance movement in general. As is made clear in this official account, individuals were often members of more than one resistance group at the same time. This inevitably meant that when one cell was compromised others quickly met the same fate. Nevertheless, in 1941 the Netherlands, or N, Section of the Special Operations Executive under Major Seymour Bingham started sending trained agents to The Netherlands. These operatives were dropped by parachute or infiltrated into the country from France or Belgium. Unfortunately, poor discipline continued to hamper the resistance movement. Preparation was poor, security was lax, and codewords were forgotten or ignored. As a result, fifty-four of N SectionâEUR(TM)s agents were captured by the Germans; fifty of these were subsequently executed. Despite its egregious failings, SOEâEUR(TM)s N Section, could count on some successes. Its agents were able to coordinate the various groups and help maintain communications with the UK. They also undertook valuable weapons training and gave instruction on demolition techniques. The people the agents assisted in active resistance were usually ordinary Dutch citizens, often working in respectable jobs under the very noses of the Germans, their only precaution being the adoption of a false name while operating undercover. The SOE agents themselves had to adopt the cover occupations of those professions which would not be subjected to conscription, such as teachers, medical personnel, or police. Usually, they would take the identity of brave individuals who had volunteered to have their information duplicated. In addition, the agents would be thoroughly briefed on their adopted personas so that they could provide convincing accounts of their movements if stopped and interrogated. This official account of the development and activities of SOEâEUR(TM)s Dutch Section was written by a Staff Officer prior to SOE being disbanded in 1946\. It was based on information, reports and documents provided by those involved in the campaign. It details how SOE agents were recruited and trained in the UK and gives information on safe houses, contact addresses, secret telephone exchanges, training premises and methods of communications in The Netherlands and externally to London. In essence, it provides all the apparatus and procedures used in the establishment of the underground movement which sought to obstruct and oppose the Germans at every turn.

John LambsheadâEUR(TM)s highly popular One-hour Skirmish Wargames was designed for fights in the gunpowder era but now he is transporting the action back to the age of swords and sandals, of legionaries, hoplites and war elephants. These stand-alone rules (you donâEUR(TM)t need the first book) follow the same principles that made the original popular: streamlined game mechanics that are quick to learn and fast to play, allowing the players to concentrate on making tactical decisions and having fun rather than constantly having to look up and decipher over-complicated rules. Card-driven like the original, no dice are required. Although deceptively simple, the rules capture plenty of period flavour and allow for everything from slingers to chariots and stampeding elephants. There are sample force lists, a points system for building any force across this whole period and a couple of sample scenarios. The author explains his design choices and the logic behind the rules to make it easier for players to tweak them to suit their tastes and their specific armies or sub-period. He describes them as a toolkit, not a set of hard-and-fast tournament rules, and adaptation and customization of the rules is encouraged. Fast and furious fun is the order of the day.

A variety of factors surround military firearms âEUR" they needed to be produced in large numbers to a standardised pattern at an affordable price. This books examines the transition from traditional hand-craft methods to the beginnings of mechanised manufacture using as examples the French Model 1777 and the Russian Model 1808 infantry muskets. A number of factors led to this choice. The French Model 1777 musket, designed by HonorÃ(c) Blanc working under General Gribeauval, contained many novel features which became blueprints for the arms of numerous countries and was copied in its entirety by Russia. Another factor is that they are the only firearms whose manufacture is covered in contemporary accounts. A third factor is that they provide contrasts in their methods of manufacture; the French 1777 musket was largely produced by hand-craft methods, whereas in Russia we see the beginnings of extensive mechanisation in the early 19th century. Another important aspect which appears is âEUR¿interchangeabilityâEUR(TM) âEUR" the ability to exchange identical parts of identical mechanism without âEUR¿special adjustmentâEUR(TM). This is a vital factor at the foundation of modern manufacturing and first appears in early 18th century France, was pursued again by Blanc in 1777 and was picked up in Russia. For the first time, all these âEUR¿technologiesâEUR(TM) are examined, explained, compared and contrasted in extensive detail.

Samuel Herbert Dougal had a successful military career lasting over 20 years in the Royal Engineers, where he rose to the rank of Quartermaster-Sergeant. But he was also a forger, embezzler, thief, arsonist, serial womaniser and murderer. After leaving the army he preyed on well-off older women and one of them âEUR" Camille Cecile Holland âEUR" would become the central figure and victim of the Moat Farm Murder. In 1899, Dougal persuaded her to purchase Coldhams Farm, an isolated property at Clavering, Essex, which they renamed âEURœThe Moat FarmâEUR? and which she supposed was to be their love-nest. Instead, she disappeared shortly after they moved in, with Dougal reporting that she had gone travelling on a sudden whim. He also installed his real wife Sarah at the Moat Farm; she was his third wife and it is likely that he poisoned both the others whilst serving in Canada. He then began to systematically ransack Miss HollandâEUR(TM)s bank account using forged cheques, as well as selling off her substantial investments with forged letters to brokers and putting the farm into his own name. The womanising continued unabated and became the stuff of local legend. Four years later, when Miss HollandâEUR(TM)s funds were used up, Dougal tried to flee the country but was arrested at the Bank of England trying to change high value banknotes. After an unsuccessful attempt at escape on the way to the police station, he remained in custody for several months while an unsatisfactory trial for fraud dragged on before the Magistrates Bench. At last the police decided to look for a body, spending weeks to no avail dragging the moats which surrounded the farmhouse. At the very moment when the trial for fraud hung on a thread, Miss Holland was discovered in a filled-in drainage ditch with a bullet in her skull. Public hysteria was at fever-pitch and sightseers came in thousands from all over England. An inquest and trial for murder followed swiftly; Dougal was convicted and executed in July 1903\. His last word was âEURœGuiltyâEUR?.

_Operation Telic and the Liberation of Iraq_ is an anecdote-packed daily diary recounting the authorâEUR(TM)s experiences as a reserve officer and media handler with 7 Armoured (the Desert Rats) and 19 Mechanized Brigade during Operation TELIC in Iraq in 2003. A journalist in uniform, Abbott provides an insider-outsider account of British Army media ops in southern Iraq during the immediate post-conflict phase. With a sharp eye for detail, Abbott provides a behind-the-scenes account of the highs and lows of serving two âEUR¿mastersâEUR(TM) âEUR" his demanding military commanders on one hand and a voracious press on the other. One of his first missions is dealing with a barrage of media questions following the brutal murder of six Royal Military Police by a crazed mob in Majar-al-Kabir. Abbott recalls the adrenalin-filled atmosphere when the British Army garrison at Basra Palace is surrounded by a crowd firing mortars and unleashing hundreds of rounds from their AK-47s. ItâEUR(TM)s only after a tense stand-to that the nervous troops discover that they are not under attack: the crowd is celebrating the demise of Saddam HusseinâEUR(TM)s sons. There are plenty of lighter and un-woke moments, too, as Abbott tells stories that fortunately didnâEUR(TM)t make the news at the time. The author admits how criminal thoughts might just have crossed his mind over the $30 million flown in by the US government each week and stored feet from his camp-bed. Above all this is a vivid account of a controversial operation that cost many lives and severely tarnished the reputation of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Unconvinced of the merits of military action before arriving in theatre, Abbott ends his tour in a positive mindset despite the failure to locate WMD. His diary is more SOS than SAS, with little of the derring-do of an Andy McNab adventure. Yet it's just as un-put-downable. More in the tradition of Leslie Thomas' Virgin Soldiers than Bravo Two Zero, itâEUR(TM)s an honest, authentic and often funny read which has the potential to appeal beyond a niche audience. There has been no account of the British in Iraq quite like this.

_The Lost Years_ tells the story of Roger Rothwell, captured by the Japanese on Christmas Day 1941 during the fall of Hong Kong, along with 900 of his fellow soldiers. He was one of only 150 who walked through the camp gates to freedom in 1945. The book describes his four long years of captivity in Shamsuipo and Argyle Street prison camps in beautifully written and sometimes harrowing detail. Experiences are told from notes made in a secretly kept diary of Roger's incarceration, the discovery of which would have meant his inevitable death at the hands of his captors. Roger recounts his enlisting in the British Army as a newly qualified teacher at the outbreak of World War Two in 1939, his time training for combat, his long and arduous journey to Hong Kong via Africa, his capture and eventual release, and finally, the journey home. _The Lost Years_ is a book which will fascinate those interested in World War Two, the bombing of London during the Blitz, and the experiences of Prisoners of War. The book is written with the attention to detail only a soldier could produce. It is a story of determination and a man who owed his life to the loyalty of his fellow prisoners and his love for the childhood sweetheart at home, who waited. It is written with humility and humour and is a fascinating account of one man's eagerness to serve his country, his experience of war, and his ultimate survival.

This book offers a no-holds-barred insight into the often passionate, sometimes controversial, subject of tension and mistrust between the worlds of archaeology and metal detecting with the intent of shedding new light upon and bringing into the open some of the working practices, procedures and thoughts which have fuelled an ill-wind that flurries through levels of archaeological academia. Beginning in the mists of history, the author explores the birth of archaeological investigation from a Kings search, the grave robbers, through the antiquarian collectors, museum artefact collections through to a profession which appears these days to rely upon the construction industry and its commercialism for survival. Integrating various sources of information to highlight analytical information as well cultural, social, and economic intervention to form an unbiased argument. The later appearance of metal detecting as a hobby which fired discontent, distrust, and deliberate efforts to either govern or ban the hobby. This distrust is echoed by the authorâEUR(TM)s extensive research which uncovered a deep-set denial of the use, by archaeologists, of an innovative invention which has become an essential tool for artefact recovery, the metal detector. This hobby, also listed as a sport, boasts a practitioner membership of over thirty-five thousand in the UK alone, the history of which is covered in depth from the development of electro-magnetism, leading to an ever-increasing number of inventions, including machines for the detection of explosive devices which morphed into the metal detector as we know it today.

In February 1917, German U-boats launched a savage unrestricted campaign against both Allied and neutral shipping. At its peak in April, 860,000 tons of Allied merchant shipping was sunk. BritainâEUR(TM)s supremacy at sea was being severely challenged and with it the chances of victory in the wider war. Taking up the challenge was BritainâEUR(TM)s new First Sea Lord, Sir John Jellicoe, until the previous December C-in-C of the Grand Fleet âEUR" famously described by Churchill as the only man who could have lost the war in an afternoon. The battle he now faced was equally critical, although the timeline of defeat was a matter of days rather than hours âEUR" BritainâEUR(TM)s food stocks were dangerously low with wheat reserves down to six weeks and sugar to only two, while wide-scale shortages were crippling the industrial economy. Jellicoe outlined the gravity of the situation with total candor to Rear Admiral William Sims, USN, sent over before America officially declared war by Franklin Roosevelt, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. The two men already knew each other from service together in China during the Boxer Rebellion, so JellicoeâEUR(TM)s plea for urgent American assistance was taken seriously by Sims. After the USA joined the war in April 1917, together they lobbied Washington for aid, addressing their needs directly to two reluctant Anglophobes at the head of the USN, Secretary of the Navy, Josephus Daniels and Chief of Naval Operations, William Benson. Clearly, a radical new approach to anti-submarine warfare was called for, and Convoy was the leading contender. There were many objections to protecting shipping in this way, some ideological but most practical âEUR" a workable system, for example, effectively required state control of both shipping and distribution networks, something inconceivable in normal circumstances. However, Convoy had powerful advocates, including the Prime Minister, Lloyd George, who later claimed he had personally forced its adoption on a reluctant Admiralty. This self-serving political myth cast Jellicoe as an opponent of Convoy: nothing could be further from the truth. As both Jellicoe and Sims understood, the key requirement was a rapid increase in the number of destroyers for escort duties. America provided them, the first arriving in Queenstown, Ireland on 4 May and by June 46 were operating in European waters. This was the first step in an Anglo-American campaign that gradually brought the U-boat threat under control and led to its ultimate defeat. This book takes a fresh look at the undersea war as a whole and all the complex factors bearing on the campaign, only one of which was convoy. Its analysis is original, and its conclusions thought-provoking âEUR" an important contribution to the naval history of the Great War.