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Drop Zone Borneo: Life and Times of an RAF Co-Pilot Far East, 1962-65
by Roger AnnettIn 1963 the Indonesian Army that threatened Borneo numbered 330,000 men, plus three thousand Commandos. Of these, six thousand were within 20 miles of the Borneo frontier. This grew to thirteen thousand in early 1965. From mid-way through 1964, British troops and their allies who were defending the border started to make offensive incursions into Indonesian Borneo—these operations were codenamed "Claret". Taken into account the confrontational nature of the campaign, casualties sustained in Borneo were surprisingly light. That in the whole of the Borneo campaign there were no fatalities among the RAF supply-dropping transports was extraordinary. The border area between the Indonesian and Malaysian parts of Borneo was one of the most inaccessible areas of mountainous jungle anywhere in the world—an entire army was kept supplied in the field for the complete campaign. This is the exciting account from a pilot who flew the dangerous flying missions and relates the tenseness and stresses of Jungle life in those dangerous days.
Blood, Bilge and Iron Balls: Naval Wargame Rules for the Age of Sail
by Alan AbbeyBlood, Bilge and Iron Balls is a set of wargame rules for naval battles in the age of sail. With them you can recreate the triumphs of Nelson or Hawke or tackle pirates on the Spanish Main. The rules themselves are very simple and easy to learn. Each player can easily command a single ship or several, the rules working equally well for a single frigate chasing down a privateer, or a large-scale fleet action with multiple players on each side. The basic rules have been written with the emphasis on providing a fast-playing and fun game, but optional rules are included which will add a greater level of historical realism and detail. A unique card-driven turn sequence prevents the game becoming too predictable. Also included are a selection of scenarios for re-fighting specific historical battles and simple campaign rules. Although intended for use with model ships, the rule book includes sheets of ship counters which can be used to get started. Just add dice, tape measure and pencil and you're ready to play.
Bomber Command: Battleground Berlin, July 1943–March 1944 (Bomber Command)
by Martin W. BowmanThis massive work provides a comprehensive insight to the experiences of Bomber Commands pilots and aircrew throughout World War Two. From the early wartime years when the RAFs first attempts to avenge Germanys onslaught were bedeviled by poor navigation and inaccurate bombing, to the final winning onslaught that finally tamed Hitler in his Berlin lair, these volumes trace the true experiences of the men who flew the bombers. Hundreds of first-hand accounts are punctuated by the authors background information that put each narrative into wartime perspective. Every aspect of Bomber Commands operational duties are covered; day and night bombing, precision low-level strikes, mass raids and operations throughout all wartime theaters. Contributions are from RAF personnel who flew the commands different aircraft from the early Blenheims and Stirlings to the later Lancasters and Mosquitoes. Each volume is full of accounts that tell of the camaraderie amongst the crews, moments of sheer terror and the stoic humor that provided the critical bond. The five volumes of this work provide the most vivid and comprehensive work on the outstanding part played by RAF Bomber Command in their vital role in the destruction of the Third Reich.
Timekeepers: How the World Became Obsessed with Time
by Simon GarfieldBy the bestselling author of Just My Type: a &“thoroughly enjoyable and illuminating&” journey into the concept of time &“stuffed with fascinating material&” (Observer, UK).Timekeepers is a book about our obsession with time and our desire to measure it, control it, sell it, film it, perform it, immortalize it and make it meaningful. In this fascinating, anecdotal exploration, award-winning author Simon Garfield has two simple intentions: to tell some illuminating stories, and to ask whether we have all gone completely nuts. Here, Garfield explores the nature of time through stories such as: the Beatles learning to be brilliant in an hour and a half; an Englishman arriving back from Calcutta, refusing to adjust his watch; Beethoven&’s symphonic wishes being ignored; a US Senator&’s speech that goes for 25 hours; the horrors of war frozen at the click of a camera; a woman who designs a ten-hour clock and reinvents the calendar; Roger Bannister living out the same four minutes over a lifetime; and a who prince attempts to stop time in its tracks.&“Digressive, gossipy, thoughtful and thoroughly entertaining.&”—The Sunday Times, UK
Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich: A Way Diary, 1942–45
by Donald CaldwellA day-by-day account of Nazi air operations in WWII by the coauthor of The Luftwaffe over Germany, winner of an Air Force Historical Foundation Award. Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich is a detailed, comprehensive daily reference to the air operations flown by the Luftwaffe. During the Second World War, German air defenses struggled to cope with the threat posed by the American 8th and 15th Air Forces, which were charged with destroying Germany&’s critical war industries and wresting control of the air over the Reich from the Luftwaffe. This unique volume includes a brief narrative and a table of statistics detailing every mission of every Luftwaffe unit defending the Greater German Reich or the western occupied zone against strategic raids by the USAAF; tables of monthly sorties, losses and victory claims by the USAAF and the Luftwaffe over the Reich and the western occupied zone; and combat accounts by Luftwaffe pilots. This &“tremendous piece of work,&” is based on documents in the German, American and British government archives and German pilot logbooks and interviews from the author&’s extensive collection (Aeroplane Magazine). Caldwell is well known for his balanced presentations and the clarity of his writing. This book is a must-have for anyone with a serious interest in World War II aviation history. &“Highly recommended, and quite likely to be remembered as one of the most important new books of the year.&”—Stone & Stone &“Such a staggering quantity of information would be overwhelming in less capable hands. But Caldwell spices up his tight narrative with excellent photos and informative captions.&”—Aviation History
Confounding the Reich: The RAF's Secret War of Electronic Countermeasures in WWII
by Martin W. Bowman Tom CushingA history of the British RAF’s 100 Group—the airmen, ground crew, and technicians—who supported the Strategic Bomber Offensive during World War II.On 23 November 1943, 100 (Bomber Support) Group of RAF Bomber Command was formed. The object was to consolidate the various squadrons and units that had been fighting a secret war of electronics and radar countermeasures, attempting to reduce the losses of the heavy bombers—and their hard-pressed crews—in Bomber Command. This secret war involved the use of air and ground radars, homing and jamming equipment, special radio and navigational aids, and intruding night-fighters to seek out and destroy their opposite numbers: the Ju 88s and Bf 110s of the Nachtjagdgeschwader who defended the night skies of the Third Reich with ever increasing success. The book contains many first-hand accounts from pilots and crew and provides a fascinating record of 100 Group’s wartime history.
Poor Angus
by Robin Jenkins&“A blackly comic romp&” of art, ambition, and sexual politics in the Scottish Isles: &“a remarkable novel…written with the lightest of touches&” (The Sunday Times, UK). Struggling painter Angus McAllister has returned to the idyllic Hebridean island of his birth in the hope that it will inspire him to create his masterpiece. But soon, his privacy is invaded by Janet, a visitor with relatives on the island, who has decided that an affair with an artist would be the simplest way to incense and recapture her husband, a golf-fanatic devoid of imagination. So begins an irresistible story of comic lightness and serious implications; a tale told with Jenkins&’s characteristic ironic wit that explores the attitudes of men and women to sex and relationships, and which focuses on the psychology of the artist and the justification, if any, for art.&“Poor Angus is a strange, wonderful love story [and] Jenkins a remarkable writer whose gentlest touch induces the greatest of pleasures.&”—The Times, UK
British Railways A C Electric Locomotives: A Pictorial Guide
by David CableThe genesis of 25kv overhead electrification began in the late 1960s on the West Coast Main Line, the 1980s for the East Anglian Main Line, and the East Coast Main Line in the late 1980s. Development took place in stages culminating in fully electrified lines from London to Scotland on both East and West Coast lines, and from London to Norwich. The introduction of these lines required the construction of new motive power.Initially five types were produced for the WCML, from which the second phase of loco design was developed, giving a higher level of reliability, as well as power output. These newer designs were applied to the Anglian services, but the ECML plans required an updated design, ostensibly for mixed traffic, but hardly ever used on anything other than express passenger services, for which their 140mph potential enabled a major recast of the timetable. The opening of the Channel Tunnel required a mixed traffic dual voltage locomotive, running on both 25kv and the Southern Region 750v third rail DC.The locomotives are classified between 81 and 92 inclusive, and this book of photographs by David Cable covers all the classes in a variety of locations and duties.
British Army of the Rhine: The BAOR, 1945–1993 (Cold War, 1945–1991)
by Paul ChrystalThe nervous geopolitical tension between East and West, the Cold War, emerged before the end of the Second World War and lasted until 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The British Army of the Rhine was born in 1945 out of the British Liberation Army at the close of the war as the military government of the British zone of occupied Germany. As the Soviet threat increased, so BAOR became less of an occupational army and assumed the role of defender of Western Europe, and as a major contributor to NATO after 1949.This book traces and examines the changing role of BAOR from 1945 to its demise in the 1993 Options for Change defence cuts. It looks at the part it played in the defence of West Germany, its effectiveness as a Cold War deterrent, the garrisons and capabilities, logistics and infrastructure, its arms and armour, the nuclear option and the lives of the thousands of families living on the front line.
Robert the Bruce, King of Scots: King of Scots
by Ronald McNair Scott&“A heroic biography of one of Scotland's legendary leaders, by a British novelist and former literary critic for the London Sunday Times&” (Kirkus). Robert the Bruce had himself crowned King of Scots at Scone on a frozen March morning in 1306. After years of struggle, Scotland had been reduced to a vassal state by Edward I of England. Its people lived in abject poverty. But on the day he seized the crown, Bruce renewed the fight for Scotland&’s freedom, and let forth a battle cry that would echo through the centuries. Using contemporary accounts, Ronald McNair Scott tells the story of Scotland&’s legendary 14th century leader, and one of Europe&’s most remarkable medieval kings. From Bruce&’s historic victory against England in the Battle of Bannockburn to the day in 1324 when the Pope recognized him as king of an independent Scotland, this is a story of a man whose life shaped a nation.&“A thundering good narrative … splendidly told.&”—Sunday Telegraph, UK
Lady Death: The Memoirs of Stalin's Sniper
by Lyudmila PavlichenkoThe memoir of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, the Russian woman who was WWII&’s most accomplished sniper—and a friend of Eleanor Roosevelt.In June 1941, when Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, Lyudmila Pavlichenko left her university studies, ignored the offer of a position as a nurse, and became one of Soviet Russia&’s two thousand female snipers. Less than a year later, she had 309 recorded kills, including 29 enemy sniper kills. By the time she was withdrawn from active duty due to injury, she was regarded as a key heroic figure for the war effort.To continue serving the war effort, Pavlichenko spoke at rallies in Canada and the United States. She toured the White House with FDR, and the folk singer Woody Guthrie wrote a song, &“Miss Pavlichenko,&” about her exploits. An advocate for women&’s rights, she befriended Eleanor Roosevelt and toured England to raise money for the Red Army. Never returning to combat, Pavlichenko trained other snipers. After the war, she finished her education at Kiev University and began a career as a historian. Today, she remains a revered hero in Russia, where the 2015 film, Battle for Sevastopol, was made about her life.
Flying to the Limit: Testing World War II Single-engined Fighter Aircraft
by Peter CaygillThe author of Javelin from the Cockpit looks at some of the more notable British, German, and American fighters through performance and handling trials. During the years preceding and during WW2, the RAF and the Royal Aircraft Establishment were responsible for the selection and procurement of British military aircraft and also to evaluate their capabilities against captured enemy models whenever possible. During the lend-lease agreement with the USA, the RAF and Fleet Air Arm operated several American designs, each of which was tested to evaluate its potential. This book looks at the key area of fighter aircraft and includes the test results and pilot&’s own first-hand accounts of flying seventeen different models, designed in the UK, America and Germany. The reader will learn of the possibilities of air superiority offered by these types and also their weaknesses. Types included are The Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, Boulton Paul Defiant, Hawker Tempest and Typhoon, Bell Airacobra, Messerschmitt Bf 109, Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Brewster Buffalo, Curtiss Tomahawk, North American Mustang, Grumman Martlet, Republic Thunderbolt, and Vought Corsair. All aircraft that saw a great deal of action throughout the War and which are now part of legend.
Words of Advice: A Novel
by Fay WeldonA weekend in the country goes awry in Fay Weldon&’s wickedly entertaining novel of lust, avarice, and murder Nineteen-year-old Elsa is poor in material goods, but rich in looks. Her employer and lover, forty-four-year-old Victor, used to be a tax accountant. Now he&’s an antique dealer who gave up his family for Elsa, and together they live in a room behind his shop. For her birthday, Victor is treating Elsa to a weekend in the country, courtesy of his rich friends, Hamish and his wheelchair-bound wife, Gemma, who mistakes Elsa for Victor&’s daughter. Not the most propitious way to start the weekend. Things go from bad to worse when Gemma starts treating Elsa like a home wrecker and Victor proposes a partner swap. Elsa is about to discover the darker side of &“happily ever after&” in this story about love, life, and fairy tales that never come true.
The Biggin Hill Wing, 1941: From Defence to Attack
by Peter CaygillAn in-depth study of England&’s most famous fighter station during the year of the Battle of Britain. The Biggin Hill Wing, 1941 looks at the political upheaval within Fighter Command that saw the removal of Sir Hugh Dowding and Keith Park and their replacement by Sir William Sholto Douglas and Trafford Leigh-Mallory. The ongoing Big Wing controversy and the resulting change in tactics during 1941 are examined. The main part of the book is a chronological account of the squadrons of the Biggin Hill Wing, with particular emphasis on the pilots. The units covered include No.s 66, 72, 74, 92, 124, and 609 Spitfire Squadrons and 264 Defiant Night Fighter Squadron. The author&’s research is based on combat reports and squadron Operation Record Books as well as firsthand accounts written by the participant pilots in the battles over southern England and northern France. Extensive appendices include Air Combat Claims of the Wing, Operational Aircraft Losses, Details of Selected Operations, and The Great Escape, which recounts the marked influence of ex-Biggin Hill pilots on the escape from Stalag Luft III in 1944.
The Battle for Cotentin Peninsula: 9–19 June 1944
by Georges BernageIn June 1944, the Americans left the Sainte-Mre-Eglise and Utah Beach bridgehead and crossed the Merderet river to the Chausse de la Fiere, taking Picauville on 10 June. Their advance was slowed following the failure of the 90th Infantry Division, but they were able to take Pont-l'Abbe on 12 June and Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte 16 June. Two days later they cut the Cotentin peninsula at Barneville, before heading north towards Cherbourg.As well as authentic eyewitness testimony, the book also acts as a field guide, including maps and both contemporary and modern photographs.
The Scared Stiff
by Donald E. WestlakeA couple&’s insurance scam could turn a faked death into a real one, in this witty crime thriller by the Edgar Award–winning author of the Dortmunder novels. After more than a decade of skipping out on their debts, Lola and Barry owe a lot of money to the wrong people. To escape the loan sharks, Barry decides it&’s time for one of them to die—or at least to pretend to. As the venue for this insurance fraud, they choose Lola&’s home country, Guerrera, where death certificates come cheap and government record-keeping is sketchy at best. There is only one problem: la familia. After Barry&’s &“death,&” Lola returns to the US, leaving her husband in the hands of her family as he begins to assume her brother&’s identity. But the South-American hospitality of Lola&’s relatives soon wears thin as they realize that their lives might be easier if Barry&’s death weren&’t just an act. Conning an insurance company is tricky enough, but no matter the country, no one is more dangerous than the in-laws.
Drop Zone Burma: Adventures in Allied Air-Supply, 1943–45
by Roger AnnettAir-dropped supplies were a vital part of the Allied campaign in Burma during World War II. The transportation of munitions, food and medical supplies was undertaken in the most difficult situations, both on the land where the air bases were often situated in remote tropical jungle terrain and in the air when hazardous flying conditions were met in the steamy airs above the carpet of forest treetops.This book is based upon the memories of nine veterans of the campaign: John Hart, an air-dispatcher with 194 Squadron; Peter Bray, a Dakota pilot with 31 Squadron; Arthur Watts, a fitter with both 31 and 194 Squadrons; Colin Lynch an Observer on 31 Squadron; Norman Currell, a Dakota pilot with 31 Squadron; George Hufflett, 1st Queens Infantry; Ken Brown, Royal Signals; Eric Knowles, the Buffs and Dame Vera Lynn who was with ENSA during the campaign. It describes how they arrived in Burma and their previous wartime experiences and then explains there parts in the famous actions such as The Defence of Arakan, The Sieges of Imphal and Kohima, the Allied Counterattack, the Advance to Mandalay and the Race to Rangoon.The author explains the background to this theater of war and then puts the veterans memories into context as the campaign progresses.
Hirschfeld: The Secret Diary of a U-Boat
by Geoffrey Brooks Wolfgang HirschfeldWhilst there have been many memoirs written by U-boat commanders of the Second World War, a book such as this, based upon the diaries of a senior Petty Officer telegraphist, written in 'real time' is something very special. Wolfgang Hirschfeld, whose diaries Geoffrey Brooks has translated is a born story teller. The principal chapters describe his experiences during six war patrols in U-109, in which he served as the senior telegraphist. His is a tale which covers the whole kaleidescope of emotions shared by men at war—a story of immense courage and fortitude, of remarkable comradeship born of the dangers, frustrations and privations shared and of transitory moments of triumph. Throughout runs a vein of humour, without which resistance to stress would have been virtually impossible. We get to know one of Germany's great U-boat aces, 'Ajax' Bleichrodt, holder of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and, in a special biographical appendix, learn how he finally cracked under the strain. The role of Admiral Karl Donitz, the dynamic commander of the U-boat service, so fascinatingly described by Hirschfeld, is of special interest—not least because even this dedicated Nazi had clearly realized by September, 1942, that the war was fast being lost. In 1944 Hirschfeld was promoted Warrant Officer and found himself on a large, schnorkel-equipped boat (U-234) heading for Japan with a load of high technology equipment and, in addition, a quantity of uranium ore. The possible significance of that uranium has been deeply researched by Geoffrey Brooks and is discussed in a second appendix.
Flesquieres–Hindenburg Line: Hindenburg Line (Battleground Europe)
by Nigel Cave Jack HorsfallThe third in a trilogy of books, the others being Cambrai -The Right Hook and Bourlon Wood by the same authors covering the battle for Cambrai in November 1917. It covers the defense against the German counter strike, the defense of the Flesquieres Salient against the Kaiserschlact in March 1918 and its recapture in Sept/Oct 1918 all key elements in great Allied advance to victory. This book and guide to the Battle for Flesquieres Ridge tells of the onslaught by 470 tanks and infantry battalions which smashed through the Hindenburg line to the great surprise of the Germans who thought it invincible. So successful was the initial assault that for the first time in the war church bells rang out and the face of land warfare was changed forever. The story illustrates the indomitable spirit of British infantry who in spite of being outnumbered and outgunned, and frustrated by political interference, still managed to thwart Ludendorff's last drive for the Channel Ports. They were then in a position to force him back eastwards, breaking through the reinforced Hindenburg Line once again before final victory in November 1918.
Alan Bristow, Helicopter Pioneer: The Autobiography
by Patrick Malone Alan Bristow&“You could be forgiven for taking Bristow&’s story as the invention of an action thriller writer . . . One of the best flying books you&’ll ever read.&” —Pilot Magazine Alan Bristow was a truly remarkable man. As a merchant navy officer cadet during the war, he survived two sinkings, played a part in the evacuation of Rangoon and was credited with shooting down two Stukas in North Africa. He joined the Fleet Air Arm and trained as one of the first British helicopter pilots, becoming the first man to land a helicopter on a battleship and Westland&’s first helicopter test pilot. He flew in France, Holland, Algeria, Senegal and elsewhere, narrowly escaping many helicopter crashes before winning the Croix de Guerre evacuating wounded French soldiers in Indochina. For four years he flew for Aristotle Onassis&’s pirate whaling fleet in Antarctica before joining Douglas Bader and providing support services to oil drillers in the Persian Gulf. Out of that grew Bristow Helicopters Ltd, the largest helicopter company in the world outside America. Bristow&’s circle included the great helicopter pioneers such as Igor Sikorsky and Stan Hiller, test pilots like Harold Penrose and Bill Waterton, Sheiks and Shahs and political leaders, business giants like Lord Cayzer and Freddie Laker, and the author James Clavell, a lifelong friend whose book Whirlwind was a fictionalized account of Bristow&’s overnight evacuation of his people and helicopters from revolutionary Iran. Bristow and precipitated the Westland Affair when he made a takeover bid which eventually led to the resignation of Michael Heseltine and Leon Brittain, and almost to the downfall of Margaret Thatcher.&“Has all the ingredients of a bestselling novel.&” —Firetrench
Bomber Barons (World War Ll Ser.)
by Chaz BowyerAt the end of the Second World War over 55,000 air crew of Bomber Command had lost their lives, in this authoritative book, the Author selects a number of men, some well known like Leonard Cheshire, Hughie Edwards, but many less known such as Nick Knilans, Syd Clayton and Jo Lancaster, and details their careers, relating episodes that reflect the qualities that made them outstanding. Bomber Barons shows the development of Bomber Command from compartively unorganised, non-cohesive raids of the early part of the war to the highly-trained and deadly offensive weapon it became under Sir Arthur Harris, from 1942 AOC-in-C of Bomber Command, the greatest baron of them all.
Anzac–The Landing: Gallipoli (Battleground Gallipoli)
by Stephen ChambersThe Anzac legend was born on the shores of Gallipoli during the historic morning of 25th April 1915. Landing on a hostile beach, under the cover of darkness, the Anzacs moved inland rapidly, but the response of the Ottoman forces was equally quick. The outcome of the campaign was arguably sealed during the first day, when the door for an Anzac victory was closed. With the order to dig, dig, dig and to stick it out, a stalemate was secured from the clutches of almost total disaster. After the Australians and New Zealanders received their baptism of fire, they became a stubborn thorn in the sides of the Ottoman army. Futilely after eight grueling months of fighting, the campaign came to an end with the complete evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula.Failure did not mar the actions and sacrifice of the Anzacs who bestowed a powerful legacy, as well as being a landmark in the birth of modern Turkey. Almost a century later, with all the veterans now sadly gone, their legacy still survives in Anzac Day and with the ever increasing numbers of pilgrims who visit the battlefield today.This attractive and well-written book will serve as either a handy guide or concise history (or both).
The Fetterman Massacre: Fort Phil Kearny and the Battle of the Hundred Slain
by Dee Brown&“One of the best studies that has been made of any sector of the Indian wars&” from the #1 bestselling author of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (Chicago Tribune). This dark, unflinching, and fascinating book is Dee Brown&’s riveting account of events leading up to the Battle of the Hundred Slain—the devastating 1866 conflict that pitted Lakota, Arapaho, and Northern Cheyenne warriors, including Oglala chief Red Cloud, against the United States cavalry under the command of Captain William Fetterman. Providing a vivid backdrop to the battle, Brown offers a portrait of Wyoming&’s Ft. Phil Kearney and the remarkable men who built and defended it. Based on a wealth of historical sources and sparked by Brown&’s narrative genius, The Fetterman Massacre is an essential look at one of the frontier&’s defining conflicts. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Dee Brown including rare photos from the author&’s personal collection.
The Complete Brigadier Gerard: Stories (Canongate Classics)
by Arthur Conan DoyleThese charming adventures of the 19th century French brigadier by the creator of Sherlock Holms are &“unjustly forgotten tales by a great master&” (Michael Chabon). Though Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is best known for his immortal character Sherlock Holmes, his tales of comic adventure featuring Brigadier Etienne Gerard, a French cavalry officer in the tine of the Napoleonic Wars, were equally beloved in their day. An old man who has retired in Paris, Gerard now recounts his escapades of younger days. In Napoleon&’s service, he fights battles, breaks hearts, and confounds the English all across Europe. This volume collects all of Doyle&’s Brigadier Gerard stories, originally published in The Strand Magazine between 1894 and 1903. In The Complete Brigadier Gerard Stories &“you will find adventure, action, romance, love and self-sacrifice, hair's-breadth escape and reckless courage, gallantry, panache and a droll, backhand humor that rivals that of P.G. Wodehouse. You will also find yourself, even more than with the celebrated stories of Holmes and Watson, in the hands of an indisputable artist. For more than any other adventure stories I know, these stories have a power to move the reader… unjustly forgotten tales by a great master" (Michael Chabon for NPR's You Must Read This). "The Brigadier Gerard stories display all the narrative gusto of Doyle's more famous Sherlock Holmes, together with an irresistible warmth and humor."—Philip Pullman
The Badges of Kitchener's Army
by David BiltonBadges of Kitchener's Army is based on thirty years research in museums, archives and collections. It is an exhaustive study of the development of the battalion, brigade and divisional signs of the thirty divisions raised by Kitchener's appeal for men. While the divisional signs are well known, there has been little authoritative work on the signs worn by the infantry battalions. The book will illustrate the unique cap and shoulder titles used, as well as cloth signs worn to provide easy recognition in the trenches. Each service battalion, of each regiment has a listing, which provides a brief history of the unit and detailed information on the badges worn.It is prodigiously illustrated and contains much information, like why a shape or color was chosen, when it was adopted, what size it was, whether it was worn on a helmet, what color the helmet was and even what colors were used on horse transport; the majority of this rich and detailed information has never been published before. What helps make the information accurate and authoritative is that much of it comes from an archive created at the time and from personal correspondence with hundreds of veterans in the 1980s, many of whom still had their badges and often had razor-sharp recollections about wearing them. The book will also provide some comments from these veterans. A further unique aspect of the book is that it will look at the uniforms and badges worn before the battalions left the country, providing much new information that will enable people to identify any photographs they have lying around.