Index, bibliography, maps, p.96.non-fictionThe North African campaign has been studied in detail over the years but much of the study has been dedicated to the battles between the British Eighth Army and Rommel's Afrika Korps. There has been little serious study of Wavell's campaign against Italian forces in 1940-41, nor of the role played by the Australian Sixth Division.world war 1939 – 1945 – campaigns – north africa, libya - campaigns - 1940-1941

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, maps, p.548.non-fictionPearl Harbour. Kokoda. The fall of Singapore. Curtin's fight with Churchill. The bombing of Darwin. The Battle of Midway. POWs. Kamikaze. Hiroshima. These words alone are enough to convey the terror, courage and drama of the Pacific War, when the balance of power stood on a knife-edge and when the future of Australia herself was on the brink - threatened by Japanese aggression on one hand and British apathy on the other. Until now the history of the Pacific War has largely been written from the American perspective. Now, for the first time, Peter Thompson places Australian voices and action at the heart of a struggle that took an unimaginable number of lives and only ended with the unleashing of the most powerful weapon the world had ever seen. Pearl Harbor; The fall of Singapore; Curtin's fights with Churchill; The bombing of Darwin; POW camps; The battle of Midway; Kokoda; Buna; Kamikaze pilots; Hiroshima. These words alone are enough to convey the terror, courage and drama of the Pacific War, when the balance of power stood on a knife-edge and when the future of Australia was on the brink - threatened by Japanese aggression on the one hand and British deception on the other. After a conflict that took an unimaginable number of lives and ended with the unleashing of the most powerful weapon the world had ever seen, the Allies emerged victorious. Australia, however, was criticised by Churchill and his generals for showing cowardice in the face of the enemy and for not caring about the fate of other nations. The endorsement of these claims by several military historians today shows that the smear has not gone away. Until nowworld war 1939 – 1945 – campaigns – pacific, world war 1939 – 1945 – australia

Bibliography, ill, map, p.305.non-fictionThe riveting true story account of a young WW2 pilot's heroic journey, illustrated throughout with fascinating photographs, maps and excerpts from his log books.world war 1939 – 1945 – aerial operations - britain, world war 1939 – 1945 – personal narratives – australia

Index, ill, map, p.303.non-fictionA biography authorised by Bader and based on his own private papers, flying logs and notes. Written by a close friend, it tells the story of a man who lost both legs in an air crash in 1931 and went on to become a leading pilot in the Battle of Britain, a prisoner of war (who still tried to escape despite artificial legs), businessman, public speaker and worker for the disabled. world war 1939 – 1945 – aerial operations - britain, douglas bader - biography

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, ill (b/w plates), maps, p.276.non-fictionThe author has travelled in Nepal and met many Gurkhas to investigate the background to their traditional service to Britain and the threat that this is now under. He recounts famous battles when they collected VC's and earned admiration.great britain - army - history, ghurkha soldiers

Index, maps, ill(b/w), p.285.non-fictionA narrative history illustrated by photographs from the Nation's Archives by A.K. MacDougall, which include the Boer War, World War I, World War II, Korea War, Malaya War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Battle of Britain, Mediterranean War, Tobruk, Battle of the Coral Sea, Desert War, Gallipoli, Dardanelles and diggers. With a list of VC (Victoria Cross) awards from Australia and New Zealand.australia - history - military, australian army - history

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

p.317.fictionOn an island in the outer Hebrides, a British guided weapons unit battles the elements during a raging polar storm. Underlying the ordeal is the mystery of Major Braddock, who disappeared on the island 22 years before. english fiction, psychological 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, p.313.non-fictionCollection of speeches by Winston Churchillbritain - politics and government, world war 1939-1945 - britain

Index, notes, ill, maps, plans, p.702.non-fictionReginald Jones was nothing less than a genius. And his appointment to the Intelligence Section of Britain's Air Ministry in 1939 led to some of the most astonishing scientific and technological breakthroughs of the Second World War. In Most Secret War he details how Britain stealthily stole the war from under the Germans' noses by outsmarting their intelligence at every turn. He tells of the 'battle of the beams'; detecting and defeating flying bombs; using chaff to confuse radar; and many other ingenious ideas and devices. Jones was the man with the plan to save Britain and his story makes for riveting reading. world war 1939 – 1945 – secret service – britain, world war 1939 – 1945 – science and technology

Ill, p.286non-fictionIn April 1951, at the height of the Korean War, Chinese troops advanced south of the 38th parallel towards a strategic crossing-point of the Imjin River on the invasion route to the South Korean capital of Seoul. The stand of the 1st Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment, against the overwhelming numbers of invading troops has since passed into British military history. In The Edge of the Sword General Sir Anthony Farrar-Hockley, then Adjutant of the Glosters, has painted a vivid and accurate picture of the battle as seen by the officers and soldiers caught up in the middle of it. The book does not, however, end there. Like the majority of those who survived, the author became a prisoner-of-war, and the book continues with a remarkable account of his experiences in and out of Chinese prison camps. This book is not an attempt at a personal hero-story, and it is certainly not a piece of political propaganda. It is, above all, an amazing story of human fortitude and high adventure. korean war 1950-1953 - history, korean war - campaigns - gloucestershire regiment

Ill, p.221.non-fictionA personal account of the experiences of a British soldier during the Falkland conflictfalkland island war - 1982, battle of mount longdon

Index, bibliography, ill, maps, p.275.non-fictionOn 7 March 1944 Tokyo announced that the Japanese invasion of British India had begun. By mid-month, the Japanese 31st Division had crossed the Chindwin River in northern Burma, advancing on a wide front towards Imphal and Kohima. In bitter jungle fighting from early April, the British Fourteenth Army under Field Marshal Slim held the Japanese assault on Kohima Ridge. By late June the Japanese were in headlong retreat. Kohima ranks for strategic importance with Alamein, Midway and Stalingrad. The increasing dominance of Allied airpower in the region in the aftermath of the battle was a major factor. kohima - siege - 1944, world war 1939-1945 - land operations - india

Index, bib, ill, , maps, p.208.non-fictionGermany attempts to strangle Britain--U-boats--Bismarck--convoys--Allied counterattack. world war 1939-1945 - naval operations, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - atlantic ocean

Index, ill, maps, facsims, sound disc, p.61.Volume one of a four volume series featuring Blitzkrieg. A four-volume series, published in association with the Imperial War Museum, covering the whole six-year global conflagration. Each volume contains removable documents and memorabilia in pockets or pasted in, featuring personal accounts from British veterans and contemporary letters, diaries, maps and archival facsimile memoabilia from the Imperial War Museum. Memorabilia includes: Order No 1 - the German order to invade Poland which led to the British declaration of war against Germany; The fake passport used by Sub-Lieutenant Heinz Kummer of the Graf Spee to flee back to Germany following the Battle of the River Plate; and, Montgomery's personal diary charting the events of the evacuation from Dunkirk; Roosevelt's handwritten notes for his 'day of infamy' speech which saw America's entry into the war; the order to McArthur to abandon the Philippines; Stalin's handwritten notes on his 'scorched earth' policy; and the letters home of a British officer in Africa telling of his harrowing involvement in the battles of Gazala and Tobruk; Montgomery's orders for El Alamein; Stalin's annotated proof of his famous 5 September 1942 order regarding partisan warfare; and diary kept by a German soldier on the North African front; Montgomery's hand-written D-Day notes; Eisenhower's draft 'in case of failure' message written before D-Day; and, diary of a sergeant in the Royal Hampshire regiment covering his involvement in the D-Day landings, battle for Normandy and Operation 'Market Garden' - the battle for Arnhem.world war 1939-1945 - history, world war 1939-1945 - pictorial works

Index, ill, maps, facsims, sound disc, p.61.Volume two of a four volume series featuring Axis ascendancy. A four-volume series, published in association with the Imperial War Museum, covering the whole six-year global conflagration. Each volume contains removable documents and memorabilia in pockets or pasted in, featuring personal accounts from British veterans and contemporary letters, diaries, maps and archival facsimile memoabilia from the Imperial War Museum. Memorabilia includes: Order No 1 - the German order to invade Poland which led to the British declaration of war against Germany; The fake passport used by Sub-Lieutenant Heinz Kummer of the Graf Spee to flee back to Germany following the Battle of the River Plate; and, Montgomery's personal diary charting the events of the evacuation from Dunkirk; Roosevelt's handwritten notes for his 'day of infamy' speech which saw America's entry into the war; the order to McArthur to abandon the Philippines; Stalin's handwritten notes on his 'scorched earth' policy; and the letters home of a British officer in Africa telling of his harrowing involvement in the battles of Gazala and Tobruk; Montgomery's orders for El Alamein; Stalin's annotated proof of his famous 5 September 1942 order regarding partisan warfare; and diary kept by a German soldier on the North African front; Montgomery's hand-written D-Day notes; Eisenhower's draft 'in case of failure' message written before D-Day; and, diary of a sergeant in the Royal Hampshire regiment covering his involvement in the D-Day landings, battle for Normandy and Operation 'Market Garden' - the battle for Arnhem.world war 1939-1945 - history, world war 1939-1945 - pictorial works

Ill, p.159.non-fictionAn account of the difficulties facing British troops in Germanyworld war 1939-1945 - campaigns - germany, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - western europe

Ill, maps, p.159.non-fictionThe development and use of parachute warfaregreat britain - parachute regiment, parachute troops - history

Bib, ill, maps, p.248.non-fictionA significant World War Two mutiny took place on the night of 8 May 1942 in a lonely atoll in the Indian Ocean in a setting of intrigue, rebellion and the blood and tears of war. Japanese naval forces were at the peak of their southward thrust." "While the battle of the Coral Sea raged, gunners of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands off Australia's north-west coast attempted to arrest their British commanding officer and compel him to surrender to the Japanese. One soldier was killed and another wounded, but the mutiny failed and seven men were condemned to death. Ultimately three soldiers were hung, becoming the only Commonwealth troops to be executed for mutiny in World War Twomutiny, world war 1939-1945 - sri lanka

Ill, maps, p.337.non-fictionReveals the war within the war: the battle not only for the hearts and minds of Afghanis but between soldiers and spies , between allies sharply divided by purpose.afghan war 2001-2021 - military operations - britain, afghan war 2001-2021 - political aspects

Index, bib, ill, map, p.230.non-fictionThis is a study of Sir Ian Hamilton VCs command of the Gallipoli campaign. Appointed by Kitchener after the failure of the initial Allied naval offensive in the Dardanelles, Hamilton was to lead the ambitious amphibious landings that were intended to open the way to Constantinople. In the event, however, opportunities immediately after the landings were squandered and, in the face of unexpectedly effective Turkish resistance, soon stalled in attritional trench warfare like that on the Western Front. Hamilton has often been criticized for this failure and in many ways seen to typify the stereotype of a British general clinging to outdated Victorian thinking. Yet this fresh reappraisal, drawing on original archival research, shows that Hamilton did display some progressive ideas and a realization that warfare was rapidly changing. Like all generals of this period he faced the challenge of unprecedented technological and tactical revolution as well as the political and media battle.world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - gallipoli, generals - great britain - biography

Index, bib, ill, maps, p.329.non-fictionThis account explores this battle which for many epitomises the futility of the Great War. In the few hours in which it took place many heroic deeds were done but the battle caused a souring of Anglo-Australian relationships and truly was a baptism of fire for these British and Australian troops.world war 1914- 1918 - campaigns - western front, western front 1914-1918 - australian participation

Index, bib, ill, maps, p.476.non-fictionHMAS Sydney's hunt for the German raider, Emden. When the ships of the new Royal Australian Navy made their grand entry into Sydney Harbour in October 1913, a young nation was at peace. Under a year later Australia had gone to war in what was seen as a noble fight for king, country and Empire. Thousands of young men joined up for the adventure of having 'a crack at the Kaiser'. And indeed the German threat to Australia was real, and very near - in the Pacific islands to our north, and in the Indian Ocean. In the opening months of the war, a German raider, Emden, wreaked havoc on the maritime trade of the British Empire. Its battle against the Australian cruiser HMAS Sydney, when it finally came, was short and bloody - an emphatic first victory at sea for the fledgling Royal Australian Navy. This is the stirring story of the perilous opening months of the Great War and the bloody sea battle that destroyed the Emden in a triumph for Australia that resounded around the world. In the century since, many writers have been there before Mike Carlton. Most were German, some of them survivors of the battle, others later historians, and they have generally told the story well. British accounts vary in quality, from good to nonsense, and there have been some patchwork American attempts as well. Curiously, there has been very little written from an Australian point of view. This book is - in part - an attempt to remedy that, with new facts and perspectives brought into the light of day.world war 1939 – 1945 – naval operations - australia, world war 1939 – 1945 –naval operations - germany

Index, ill, p.190.non-fictionDouglas Bader tells the inspiring story of the Battle of Britain from the viewpoint of 'The Few'. Using superb illustrations he traces the development of the Spitfire and Hurricane and describes the nail-biting actions of those who flew them against far superior numbers of enemy aircraft. As an added bonus, other well-known fighter aces including Johnnie Johnson, 'Laddie' Lucas and Max Aikten contribute to Douglas's book, no doubt out of affe.world war 1939-1945 - aerial operarions - britain, spitfire, hurricane

The Battle of Jerusalem occurred during the British Empire's "Jerusalem Operations" against the Ottoman Empire, when fighting for the city developed from 17 November, continuing after the surrender until 30 December 1917, to secure the final objective of the Southern Palestine Offensive during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. (Wikipedia) On 11 December, General Edmund Allenby humbly entered the Old City on foot through the Jaffa Gate instead of horse or vehicles to show respect for the holy city. He was the first Christian in many centuries to control Jerusalem, which is a very important site for many faiths. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Lloyd George described the capture as "a Christmas present for the British people". The battle was a great morale boost for the British Empire.(wikipedia)Photograph showing a number of soldiers on a raised platform, including General Allanby. Locals look on from below, some wearing fez hats.Verso: Reading the proclamation at Jerusalem. General Allenby in centre. This photo no doubt will be valuable one day. Palestine, 1918world war one, jerusalem, palestine, allenby, general allenby

The photographer, Ann Gervasoni, was in Frommelles for the reburial ceremony for 5 previously unidentified Australian soldiers. "AFTER almost 94 years, Ballarat soldier Private Frederick Rawlings, and a long-standing family mystery, can finally be laid to rest. Private Rawlings was one of 5533 Australian soldiers killed in the bloodiest conflict in Australian history, the World War I Battle of Fromelles, France. He was one of 250 men buried in a mass grave at Pheasant Wood after the battle of July 19 and 20 in 1916. In the past two years, a joint Australian and British project has aimed to positively identify the remains of those soldiers buried at the site. This week, the Federal Government announced Private Rawlings was one of 75 men who had been identified by name. Also on the list were Corporal Leslie Hart, born in Clunes, and Lance Corporal Allan Bennett, born in Ballarat, both of whom joined the army in Western Australia. All but one of the 75 soldiers have now been re-buried, with full military honours, at a specially constructed cemetery near the battle site. Private Rawlings' grand-niece, Maureen Holding, of Mannibadar, got a call to confirm the news on Tuesday night. 'It's just quite incredible after all these years and huge loss of life, they've actually identified him,' Mrs Holding said yesterday. Last year, Mrs Holding and her brother, Leo Rawlings, gave DNA samples to the Australian Army to help with the identification process. But until seeing a newspaper article more than 20 years ago, they did not know Private Rawlings or his younger brother, Corporal Sydney Rawlings, had even been in the war. On Anzac Day 1988, The Courier published a photo of Cpl Sydney Rawlings and excerpts from a letter from an army chaplain that informed Ballarat family members of Cpl Rawlings' death in Northern France in 1918. 'About two years later, my husband, Malcolm, found in a tin of rusty nails and shoe buckles belonging to my late dad, a set of war medals,' Mrs Holding said. They were inscribed with Sydney's Rawlings' name, and checks of family records and The Courier story confirmed the connection. In 1991, this newspaper published a list of soldiers who had memorial trees in Ballarat's Avenue of Honour. Next to Sydney's name was that of Frederick Rawlings.(http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/543125/remains-of-ballarat-soldier-killed-in-france-during-wwi-identified/, accessed 16/04/2014.)A number of colour digital images showing the grave of Frederick Rawlings of Ballarat in the Pheasant Wood Cemetery, Frommelles, France.world war one, fromelles, pheasant wood, frederick rawlings, allan bennett, leslie hart

The mine was named after Lochnagar Street, the British trench from which the gallery was driven. It was one of 19 mines that were placed beneath the German lines on the British section of the Somme front to assist the infantry advance at the start of the battle. The Lochnagar mine was sprung at 7:28 a.m. on 1 July 1916 and left a crater 98 ft (30 m) deep and 330 ft (100 m) wide, which was captured and held by British troops. The attack on either flank was defeated by German small-arms and artillery fire, except on the extreme right flank and just south of La Boisselle, north of the Lochnagar Crater. The crater has been preserved as a memorial and a religious service is held each 1 July. (Wikipedia)A number of photographs of a crater which was created at the Somme, on the Western Front during World War One. lochnagar crater, tunnellers, the somme, world war one, western front, france

The Battle of Sunda Strait was a naval battle which occurred during World War II in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java, and Sumatra. On the night of 28 February – 1 March 1942, the Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth and the American heavy cruiser USS Houston faced a major Imperial Japanese Navy task force. After a fierce battle of several hours duration, both Allied ships were sunk. The sinking of HMAS Perth at the Battle of Sunda Strait 28 February -1 March 1942 cost 357 Australian lives. A further 324 crewmen fell into enemy hands. Two and a half years of brutal captivity claimed the lives of 106 of these men - 53 on the Thai Burma Railway alone.Framed cuttings of newspaper articles,13 photographs and 7 flags As Portrayed to the Australian Public 1942-1945 BATTLE OF JAVA SEA & SUNDA STRAIT 27 FEB - 1 MAR 1942 The first and only battle fought by a combined American Australian British and Dutch Naval Force against the Japanesesunda strait, hmas perth