Sunday, August 30, 2009

Three book reviews: Varian Disaster, The Spanish Armada, Culloden

We add three new book reviews:

Ancient Warfare Magazine: The Varian Disaster

The Spanish Armada: The Great Enterprise against England 1588, Angus Konstam

Culloden: The History and Archaeology of the Last Clan Battle, ed. Tony Pollard

Scottish Arms and Armour; A Commanding Presence

We add twobook reviews: Scottish Arms and Armour by Fergus Cannan and A Commanding Presence, Wellington in the Peninsula 1808-1814 by Ian Robertson

SA80 - Small Arms for the 1980s

Few items that have come into service with the British Army have caused more controversy over their operating lives than that of the SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) series of weapons

First and second Schooneveld and Texel, 1673

The first battle of the Schooneveld (28 May/ 7 June 1673) was the first of three battles in Dutch coastal waters during 1673 that prevented the British and French from landing an invasion army in the Netherlands (Third Anglo-Dutch War).
The second battle of Schooneveld (4/14 June 1673) was the second of three battles that prevented the French and British from successfully landing an invasion army on the Dutch coast (Third Anglo-Dutch War).
The battle of Texel or Kijkduin (11/21 August 1673) was the third of three inconclusive battles that prevented the British and French from landing an invasion army on the Dutch coast, and that helped to convince the British to make peace.

Holmes Bonfire 1666, Medway raid 1667

'Holmes's Bonfire' of 10/20 August 1666 was a successful British attack on Dutch shipping that came in the aftermath of their victory in the battle of St. James's Day on 25/26 July.
The Medway raid of 9-14/19-24 June 1667 saw a Dutch fleet sail into the Thames and attack the British fleet in its anchorage in the Medway, causing a panic in London and winning a victory that helped bring the Second Anglo-Dutch War to an end.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Battles of Nevis and Martinique, 1667

The battle of Nevis (19 or 20 May 1667) was a confused clash between the British and an Allied Franco-Dutch fleet in the West Indies that may have prevented an Allied invasion of Nevis.
The battle of Martinique (25 June 1667) was a British victory over a French fleet that came towards the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War and secured their position in the West Indies

Four Days' Battle and St James's Day Battle, 1666

The Four Days' Battle (1-4 June 1666) was a major Dutch victory during the Second Anglo-Dutch War that saw a badly outnumbered British fleet suffer heavy casualties in one of the largest and longest battles fought during the age of sail.
The St. James's Day Battle (25-26 July 1666) was a British victory during the Second Anglo-Dutch War that proved that the Royal Navy had not been too badly damaged during the Dutch victory in the Four Days' Battle at the start of June.

Battles of Lowestoft and Bergen, 1665

The battle of Lowestoft (3 June 1665 O.S./ 13 June 1665 N.S.) was the first major battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War and was a rare British victory in a war that came to be dominated by the Dutch.
The battle of Bergen (2/12 August 1665) was an unsuccessful attempt by the British to capture a Dutch convoy that had taken shelter in the neutral harbour of Bergen in Norway.

Portland, Leghorn, the Gabbard, Scheveningen, 1653

The three day long running battle of Portland (18-20 February 1653) saw the English inflict a heavy defeat on a Dutch fleet under Admiral Maarten Tromp, in the process regaining control of the English Channel, lost after the Dutch victory at Dungeness in the previous November.
The battle of Leghorn of 4 March 1653 was a disastrous English attempt to break a Dutch blockade that was preventing them from uniting the two halves of the English fleet in the Mediterranean.
The battle of the Gabbard (or Nieuwpoort) of 2-3 June 1653 was the decisive battle of the First Anglo-Dutch War. It was the first battle to involve the full fleets of both nations, and ended as a major English victory.
The battle of Scheveningen (31 July 1653) was the final major battle during the First Anglo-Dutch War and ended as an English victory that confirmed their dominance won at the Gabbard Bank in June.

Elba and Dungeness, 1652

The battle of Elba (28 August 1652) was a clear Dutch victory early in the First Anglo-Dutch War that gave them control of the Mediterranean.
The battle of Dungeness (30 November 1652) was the most significant Dutch victory during the First Anglo-Dutch War, and saw a fleet under Maarten Tromp win temporary control of the English Channel.

Goodwin Sands, Plymouth and Kentish Knock, 1652

The battle of Goodwin Sands (or Dover) of 19 May 1652 developed from a chance encounter between two English squadrons and a Dutch fleet taking shelter off Dover, and led to the outbreak of the First Anglo Dutch War.
The action off Plymouth of 16 August 1652 was a convoy battle early in the First Anglo Dutch War in which Admiral de Ruyter successfully defended a large Dutch convoy against an English fleet.
The battle of Kentish Knock (28 September 1652) was the first major battle of the First Anglo Dutch War, and ended in a narrow English victory.

Saturday, August 08, 2009

Book reviews of Fireship and Ancient Warfare III.3

reviews of Fireship: The Terror Weapon of the Age of Sail by Peter Kirsch and Ancient Warfare Magazine Vol III Issue 3: Classical Heroes: The warrior in history and legend
4 August

Picture galleries for Fireship and Battle of Loos

We add a picture gallery for the Fireship and for the Battle of Loos, September 1915 and

No.180 Squadron, RAF

No.180 Squadron was formed around the North American B-25 Mitchell in 1942 and operated that aircraft over Northern Europe until the end of the Second World War.

No.87, 89, 91 and 93 Squadrons, RAF

No.87 Squadron spent the Second World War as a fighter squadron, first with the BEF in France, then with Fighter Command, until at the end of 1942 moving to the Mediterranean, taking part in the campaigns in North Africa and Italy and over the Balkans.
No.89 Squadron spent the entire Second World War operating as a night-fighter squadron on overseas stations, first in the Middle East and later over Burma.
No.91 Squadron was formed in 1941 from a Reconnaissance Flight, but soon became a conventional fighter squadron, flying sweeps over Occupied France, supporting the D-Day invasions and taking on the V-1 Flying Bomb.
No.93 Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first using the 'Pandora' aerial mine, and then as a standard fighter squadron operation in North Africa, Italy and southern France.

Nos 81, 84 and 86 Squadrons

After a short existence as a communications squadron in early 1940 No.81 Squadron spent most of the Second World War operating as a fighter squadron, serving in Russia, Britain, North Africa, Malta, Sicily, Italy and India.
No.84 Squadron had a relatively short active career during the Second World War, handicapped by a lack of aircraft or by the choice of aircraft for much of the time. After fighting in Greece between November 1940 and April 1941 the squadron moved to the Far East, and was involved in the retreat from Sumatra, but after that its active career was limited to six months flying the Vultee Vengeance over Burma in the first half of 1944.
No.86 Squadron served with Coastal Command during the Second World War, first flying anti-shipping strikes with the Blenheim and Beaufort before converting to the very long range Liberator to fly anti-submarine patrols.

EM-2 (Rifle No.9 Mk 1)

The EM-2 (Rifle No.9 Mk 1) was the first bullpup-style military rifle to be adopted by the British Army

Nos.74, 79 and 80 Squadrons, RAF

No.74 Squadron began the Second World War as a home-based Spitfire squadron, taking part in the fighting at Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain. It then spent two years in the Middle East before returning to Britain to take part in the Normandy invasions and the campaign in northern Europe, ending the war operating from bases inside Germany.
No.79 Squadron began the Second War as a home-based Hurricane squadron. After taking part in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain the squadron moved to the Far East, and operated over Burma until the end of the war.
No.80 Squadron was a fighter squadron that spend most of the Second World War operating in North Africa and the Mediterrean before returning to Britain in 1944 to take part in the D-Day landings.

Four book reviews

Today we add four book reviews - Roosevelt's Rough Riders by Alexandro de Quesada, The Great Islamic Conquests, AD 632-750 by David Nicolle, Operation Dragoon, 1944: France's other D-Day by Steven J Zaloga and Petersburg, 1864-65 by Ron Field