Index, bibliography, notes, ill, p.271.non-fictionIn 1941 in the midst of the British military defeats in Greece and the Middle East, a bitter conflict was taking place between two of the most charismatic leaders of the time. Robert Menzies and Winston Churchill were engaged in a war of polite public faces and behind the scenes lobbying and manipulationaustralia - foreign relations - great britain - 1939-1945, world war 1939-1945 - diplomatic history

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, maps, p.592.non-fictionEven Stalin was awed by D-Day. 'In the whole history of war, ' he wrote to Churchill, 'there has never been such an undertaking.' Those who took part in the great cross-Channel invasion, whether soldier, sailor or airman, would never forget the sight. It was by far the largest invasion fleet ever known.world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - france, operation overlord

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, maps, p.235.This book traces the history of the SAS from its birth. It shows how this unique fighting force overcame the disapproval of military authorities to win glory and fame.world war 1939-1945 - military operations - great britain., special air service regiment

Ill, maps, p.288.non-fictionProbably the most daring exploit of World War Two was the plan to destroy the great dock of St Nazaire. Operation Chariot was carried out in 1942saint nazaire 1942, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns -france

Index, maps, ill, p.239.non-fictionMajor-General Urquhart commanded the 1st British Airborne Division in Operation Market Garden, the greatest airbone assault of World War II, the struggle to capture Arnhem and win control of the bridge across the lower Rhine. The story of the 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem involved not only an Airborne Corps of three Divisions but also the bulk of the British 2nd Army in Europe. Gen. Urquhart has told the story of those fateful nine days clearly, frankly and, despite the terrible circumstances, not without humour. great britain - army - 1st airborne division, battle of arnhem 1944

Ill, maps, p.162.non-fictionThe experience of the Australian army during the battles for Greece and Crete in 1941world war 1939-1945 -campaigns - greece and crete, greece and crete - australian involvement - 1941

Ill, maps, p.120.non-fictionAn account of Bomber Commands operations in the first years of the warworld war 1939-1945 - aerial operations - british, royal air force - bomber command

Index, ill, p.137.non-fictionFirst published to acclaim in 1992, this book deals with the exploits of Bomber Command during their offensive against German Industry in the Ruhr during World War II. The author begins by describing the role of Bomber Command and goes on to define the Ruhr area and its great importance in terms of industrial output to the Germans. The author provides the statistics for bombers dispatched, the number, which actually got to the targets and those, which never made it for one reason or another. Air Battle of the Ruhr is a complete overview of a major aspect of the air war against mainland Germany.bombimg - ruhr region - germany, world war 1939-1945 - aerial operations - britain

Index, bibliography, p.201non-fictionThe author describes his life in Victoria during the great Depression and his wartime experiences in the RAAF. He was shot down over France, but evaded capture and joined the partisans with the help of a French family. world war 1939-1945 - personal narrativies - australia, world war 1939-1945 - aerial operations - britain

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, maps, p.580.non-fictionPeter FitzSimons, Australia's most beloved popular historian, focuses on one of the seminal moments in Australian history: the Battle of tobruk in 1941, in which more than 15 000 Australian troops - backed by British artillery - fought in excruciating desert heat through eight long months, against Adolf Hitler's formidable Afrika Korps. During the dark heart of World War II, when Hitler turned his attention to conquering North Africa, a distracted and far-fl ung Allied force could not give its all to the defence of Libya. So the job was left to the roughest, toughest bunch that could be mustered: the Australian Imperial Force. the AIF's defence of the harbour city of tobruk against the Afrika Korps' armoured division is not only the stuff of Australian legend, it is one of the great battles of all time, as against the might of General Rommel and his Panzers, the Australians relied on one factor in particular to give them the necessary strength against the enemy: mateship. Drawing on extensive source material - including diaries and letters, many never published before - this extraordinary book, written in Peter FitzSimons' highly readable style, is the definitive account of this remarkable chapter in Australia's historyworld war 1939 – 1945 – campaigns – north africa, siege of tobruk

p.275.non-fictionLawson Glassop a survivor of Tobruk, reveals the personal anguish, the fear and bravery - the humaneness - of the Australian soldiers who took part in the siege, as they strove to maintain dignity amid chaos. Above all, he captures their spirit of grim determination as they fought against great odds and in bloody battles.world war 1939 – 1945 – campaigns – north africa, siege of tobruk

Ill, p.140non-fictionStories of daring and heroism of men who beat the odds during RAAF air operations in World War two.world war 1939 – 1945 – aerial operations - australia, raaf - air pilots - biographies

bibliography, index, pg.402.non-fictionGordon Thomas is a leading expert on intelligence communities. This book provides the definitive historu of the famed MI5 and MI6intelligence services - great britain - history, great britain mi5 - history, great britain mi6 - history

non-fictionCaught in a Snare' explores the plight of the refugee scholars fleeing Germany and the Incorporated Territories between 1933 and the beginning of World War II in 1939, and the War years in England.refugees - great britain - history, great britain - intellectual life, great britain - political refugees

Index, ill (plates), p.281.non-fictionSince the second world war the British army has been engaged in armed conflict around the world in every year except 1968. This book is the fighting soldiers view of these campaigns.great britain - army - military life, great britain - military - personal narratives

Bibliography, Index, Chronology, ill (plates, col, b/w) maps. p.452.non-fictionFrom longbow, pike, and musket to Challenger tanks, from the Napoleonic Wars to the Gulf campaign, the Duke of Marlborough to Field Marshal Montgomery, The Oxford Illustrated History of the British Army recounts the history of the British army from its medieval antecedents to the present day. Drawing on the latest scholarship, this survey shows how British fighting forces have evolved over the last five centuries. The continuities revealed are sometimes surprising: narrow recruitment patterns, friction between soldiers and civilians, financial constraints and recurrent political pressure for economies are constant themes. Commanders, campaigns, battles, organization, and weaponry are covered in detail within the wider context of the social, economic, and political environment in which armies exist and fight. The British army has been remarkably successful in fighting terms, losing only one major war (of American Independence 1775-83). As one of the engines of empire it has been active all over the world, as well as shaping the internal destiny of the nation in civil war and revolution. Its history is charted in a sequence of chronological chapters, each containing special feature articles, beginning with the medieval, Elizabethan, and Restoration army and moving on through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to the two world wars of the twentieth. The book concludes with accounts of the army of British India, the amateur military tradition, the British way in warfare, and an assessment of what the future may hold in the light of the Options for Change review. Extensively illustrated in black and white and colour, and with a detailed chronology and further reading lists, this is the definitive one-volume history of the British army for specialists and non-specialists alike.great britain - military history, great britain - military tradition

Index, bibliography, notes, ill (b/w), p.348.From the 1930s through WWII to Afghanistan today, from total war to counterinsurgency, this history unravels and defines the intangible qualities that differentiate the "Sky Men" from other soldiers Seventy years ago the Parachute Regiment was formed - the army's elite air assault force was tough, well-trained, and designed to fight hazardous operations behind enemy lines with little or no backup. Dropping into the middle of enemy territory, these "Sky Men"- British, American, German, and Russian soldiers - engage in gruelling combat in the most dangerous conflict zones around the world. Ex-Parachute Regiment officer Robert Kershaw reveals the history of these airborne forces and their role during the most dramatic battles of the 20th century. He finds out what drives a "Sky Man" to take these extraordinary risks, and what marks these sky warriors out from ordinary soldiers. How do military paratroopers conquer the fear of jumping from aircraft at low level, by night, and frequently under fire? Has the helicopter replaced the need for parachutists in the 21st Century? Has the increasing lethality of anti-aircraft weapons made the airborne option redundant? These issues are examined alongside the personal experiences of the Soviet "Locust Warriors," German Fallschirmjäger, British Red Devils, American "devils in baggy-pants," and Les Paras. Based on letters, diaries, and exclusive interviews with soldiers from around the world, this book is full of vivid personalities and nail-biting action.great britain - history - military, great britain - parachute regiment

Index, ill (col plates), p.235.non-fictionAn alphabetical listing of British combat aircraft in world war two with detailed technical data.airplanes - military - great britain, aircraft - military - great britain - guides

Index. bibliography, ill (b/w) p.193.non-fictionThe Owen gun had a great influence on Australia's role on world war two. This book explains its evolution and the role of Evelyn Owen, its inventor.submachine guns, owen submachine gun

p.426fictionThe year young Australians sailed off to war in high hopes of adventure, only to find themselves faced with disaster. The tragedy and violence of Gallipoli provide the climax to this very personal, moving and surprisingly romantic story. With remarkable skill and in achingly beautiful prose, Roger McDonald takes the reader on an archetypal Australian journey which parallels the nation's progress from its country childhood, through the adolescent exuberance of its young cities, to initiation on one of the world's ancient battlefields. It is a vital journey, haunted by menace and disillusionment, one embedded in our national mythology. This astonishing first novel, published to great critical acclaim in 1979 and since then selling over 100,000 copies, tells the story of two boys from the bush, the thoughtful and awkward Walter and his knowing friend Billy Mackenzie, and their girls Frances and Diana. Together they discover a future which seems full of promise, drawing them into the exciting turmoil of passion and war. But theirs is a fateful alliance, in a world all too quickly passing, with an outcome they never could have foreseen.gallipoli campaign - fiction, world war 1914-1918 - fiction

ill, p.279.non-fictionPoet Robert Graves traces the monumental and universal loss of innocence that occurred as a result of the First World War. Written after the war and as he was leaving his birthplace, he thought, forever, Good-Bye to All That bids farewell not only to England and his English family and friends, but also to a way of life. Tracing his upbringing from his solidly middle-class Victorian childhood through his entry into the war at age twenty-one as a patriotic captain in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, this dramatic, poignant, often wry autobiography goes on to depict the horrors and disillusionment of the Great War, from life in the trenches and the loss of dear friends, to the stupidity of government bureaucracy and the absurdity of English class stratification.world war 1914-1918 - personal narratives - english, graves robert 1895-1985 - biography

p.610.fictionIn the aftermath of the Great Depression few opportunities existed for working-class boys, but at just eighteen Danny Dunn has everything going for him: brains, looks, sporting ability and an easy charm. His parents run The Hero, a neighbourhood pub, and Danny is a local hero. Luck changes for Danny when he signs up to go to war. He returns home a physically broken man, to a life that will be changed forever.world war 1939-1945 - veterans - fiction, bars - australia - fiction

index, ill (maps), p.499.non-fictionIn the nine years of war between 1802 and 1814 Britain triumphed of Napoleon in a number of battles. great britain - history - 1802-1837, great britain - military history

ill, notes, index, p.666non-fictionPompey Elliott was a remarkable Australian. During the Great War he was a charismatic, controversial, and outstandingly successful military leader. An accomplished tactician and the bravest of the brave, he was renowned for never sending anyone anywhere he was not prepared to go himself. As a result, no Australian general was more revered by those he led or more famous outside his own command. An officer on his staff even concluded that no greater soldier or gentleman ever lived.generals - australia - biography, world war 1914-1918 - history

ill, notes, p.234.non-fictionThe dark clouds returned and gathered about the boy. His eyes grew distant, and he began to tremble. He heard not only shells exploding, but the cries of dying men . . . He was stumbling over churned earth, looking into the face of an officer, bloodied red as the poppies, ripped apart in the Flanders mud . . . A small boy, an orphan of the First World War, wanders into the Australian airmen's mess in Germany, on Christmas Day in 1918. A strange boy, with an uncertain past and an extraordinary future, he became a mascot for the air squadron and was affectionately named 'Young Digger'. And in one of the most unusual incidents ever to emerge from the battlefields of Europe after the Great War, this solitary boy was smuggled back to Australia by air mechanic Tim Tovell, a man who cared for the boy so much that he was determined, however risky, to provide Young Digger with a new family and a new life in a new country, far from home.world war 1914-1918 - children - biography, henri tovelle

Index, ill, p.486.non-fictionFollowing the publication of the remarkable 'Forgotten Voices of the Great War', Max Arthur has once again gone deep into the Imperial War Museum Sound Archive to create this landmark oral history of the most devastating conflict the world has ever seen, the Second World War. The Imperial War Museum holds a vast archive of interviews with soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians of most nationalities who saw action during WW2. world war 1939-1945 - personal narratives - britain, oral history

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, maps, p.497.non-fictionOn a wet afternoon in September 1938, Neville Chamberlain stepped off an aeroplane and announced that his visit to Hitler had averted the greatest crisis in recent memory. It was, he later assured the crowd in Downing Street, 'peace for our time'. Less than a year later, Germany invaded Poland and the Second World War began. This is a vital new history of the disastrous years of indecision, failed diplomacy and parliamentary infighting that enabled Nazi domination of Europe. Drawing on previously unseen sources, it sweeps from the advent of Hitler in 1933 to the beaches of Dunkirk, and presents an unforgettable portrait of the ministers, aristocrats and amateur diplomats whose actions and inaction had devastating consequences.great britain - politics and government - 1936-1945, great britain - diplomatic history

Index, notes, references, ill, p.554.A brilliant insight into Britain's atomic scientists during the war from the Costa Award-winning author of The Strangest Man .world war 1939 – 1945 – science – britain, atomic bomb - great britain

Index, notes, bibliography, ill, p.421.non-fictionMarking the fiftieth anniversary of Winston Churchill's death, Boris Johnson explores what makes up the 'Churchill Factor' - the singular brilliance of one of the most important leaders of the twentieth century. Taking on the myths and misconceptions along with the outsized reality, he portrays - with characteristic wit and passion-a man of multiple contradictions, contagious bravery, breath-taking eloquence, matchless strategizing, and deep humanity. Fearless on the battlefield, Churchill had to be ordered by the King to stay out of action on D-Day; he pioneered aerial bombing, yet hated the destruction of war and scorned politicians who had not experienced its horrors. He was a celebrated journalist, a great orator and won the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was famous for his ability to combine wining and dining with many late nights of crucial wartime decision-making. His open-mindedness made him a pioneer in health care, education, and social welfare, though he remained incorrigibly politically incorrect. Most of all, as Boris Johnson says, 'Churchill is the resounding human rebuttal to all who think history is the story of vast and impersonal economic forces'. THE CHURCHILL FACTOR is a book to be enjoyed not only by anyone interested in history: it is essential reading for anyone who wants to know what makes a great leader.great britain - politics and government - 1936-1945, winston churchill - biography

Index, ill, maps, p.289.non-fictionAfghanistan in the summer of 2006. In blazing heat in remote outposts the 3 Para battlegroup is pitted against a stubborn enemy who keep on coming. Until now, the full story of what happened there has not been told. This is it. In April 2006, the elite 3 Para battlegroup was despatched to Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan.afghan war 2001-2012, great britain - parachute regiment