Rising Sun, John Toland.

Rising Sun, John Toland.

A well researched and compelling history of the Second World War in the Pacific, mainly told from the Japanese point of view. As a result we learn more about the Japanese strategy for the war, the reasons for each decision, and the political background in Japan.
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Britain's Part-Time Soldiers: The Amateur Military Tradition 1558-1945, Ian F. W. Beckett.

Britain's Part-Time Soldiers: The Amateur Military Tradition 1558-1945, Ian F. W. Beckett.

An in depth study of the amateur military tradition, from its medieval roots to the modern Territorial Army. Looks at the impact of the militia, volunteers and territorials on society, their composition and their relationship with the professional army.
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Images of War: Blitzkrieg Poland, Jon Sutherland and Diane Canwell.

Images of War: Blitzkrieg Poland, Jon Sutherland and Diane Canwell.

Contains three photo albums belonging to German soldiers who took part in the invasion or occupation of Poland in 1939. Each picture is accompanied by an informative caption, discussing either the details of the picture or the wider situation in the fighting.
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The Battle-Cruiser HMS Renown 1916-1948, Peter C. Smith.

The Battle-Cruiser HMS Renown 1916-1948, Peter C. Smith.

Built as a First World War battlecruiser, the Renown survived to become one of the most important British warships of the Second World War. Making extensive use of the memories of the crewmen who served in her, this book tells the tale of a fast, happy, but vulnerable ship that despite her thin battlecruiser armour surivied to play a major part in the most British naval successes, especially in the Mediterranean.
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No.262 Squadron

No.262 Squadron was a flying boat squadron that was based in South Africa from 1942 until it was transferred to the S.A.A.F. in 1945. The squadron was formed on 29 September 1942 at Liverpool, and its personnel immediately set sail for South Africa.

No.261 Squadron

No.261 Squadron was the fighter squadron responsible for the defence of Malta in 1940-41. It was later reformed in Iraq, and served in Palestine, Cyprus and Burma, ending the war as a fighter-bomber squadron.

No.260 Squadron

No.260 Squadron was a fighter squadron that briefly served in Scotland, before moving to the Mediterranean, where it remained for the rest of the war, acting as a fighter-bomber squadron.

No.259 Squadron

No.259 Squadron served as an anti-submarine warfare squadron over the Indian Ocean, from its formation in 1943 until the end of the Second World War.

No.258 Squadron

No.258 Squadron was a fighter squadron that served in Britain until 1941, when it was moved to the Far East. After taking part in the disastrous defence of Singapore, Sumatra and Java the squadron was reformed in India, and spent the rest of the war fighting on the Burma front.

No.257 Squadron

No.257 Squadron was a Typhoon squadron that took part in the campaign against German fighter-bomber raids on the south coast before joining Second Tactical Air Force to serve as a fighter-bomber squadron during the invasion of Western Europe.

No.256 Squadron

No.256 Squadron was a home based defensive night fighter squadron from 1940 until 1943, when it moved to the Mediterranean, ending the war flying intruder missions over the Balkans.

No.255 Squadron

No.255 Squadron served as a night fighter squadron through the Second World War, first in a home based defensive role, then in North Africa and Sicily and finally as a night intruder squadron operating over the Balkans.

No.254 Squadron

No.254 Squadron was formed as a shipping protection squadron, and spent the first half of the war on largely defensive duties, before becoming a torpedo bomber squadron with the North Coates strike wing from 1942 until the end of the war.

Ancient Warfare Vol IV, Issue 6: Royal Stalemate: Hellenistic kingdoms at war.

Ancient Warfare Vol IV, Issue 6: Royal Stalemate: Hellenistic kingdoms at war.

An examination of the long series of wars between the successor states to Alexander the Great, often seen as a series of futile wars that only ended when Macedonia, Ptolemaic Egypt and Seleucid Empire were swept away by the Romans.

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Ancient Warfare Vol V Issue 1: The 'new man' who saved Rome: Gaius Marius at War.

Ancient Warfare Vol V Issue 1: The 'new man' who saved Rome: Gaius Marius at War.

An examination of the career of one of the great military and political leaders of the late Republic, looking at his military achievements, the innovations attributed to him and the political background to his rise and career. Also looks at professionalism under Alexander the Great and the role of the chariot on the battlefield.

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Frigates, Sloops and Brigs, James Henderson.

Frigates, Sloops and Brigs, James Henderson.

Originally published as two separate books, this single volume edition looks at the frigates and smaller ships that served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic and Revolutionary Wars. Tales of daring successes mix with stories of bold actions that ended in defeat to produce an picture of life and death in the small ships.

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Cross and Crescent in the Balkans - the Ottoman Conquest of Southeastern Europe, David Nicolle.

Cross and Crescent in the Balkans - the Ottoman Conquest of Southeastern Europe, David Nicolle.

Partly chronological and partly thematic, this book looks at the Ottoman conquest and retention of the Balkans, overcoming the remnants of Byzantium, a number of powerful Balkan states, before  recovering from the devastation caused by Tamerlane. Looks at Ottoman culture, architecture, urban and rural life as well as the military campaigns that established an empire that lasted into the Twentieth Century.

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The Soviet Union at War 1941-1945, ed. David R. Stone.

The Soviet Union at War 1941-1945, ed. David R. Stone.

An examination of the impact of the German invasion on the Soviet Union, and how effective the various elements of the Soviet system were in fighting the war. Topics covered include the collective farming system, Soviet industry, the structure and attitudes of the military, the role of Women and the fate of non-Russians on both sides of the front line.

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Battle of Eretria (411 BC)

The battle of Eretria (411 BC) was a naval defeat suffered by Athens that was followed by a major revolt on the island of Euboea, cutting the city off from one of its last sources of food (Great Peloponnesian War).

Battle of Cnidus (412/411 BC)

The battle of Cnidus (412/411 BC) was an inconclusive naval battle which meant that the Athenians were unable to prevent two Spartan fleets from uniting on the coast of Asia Minor.

Mitsubishi Ki-7

The Mitsubishi Ki-7 was the designation given to two K3M training aircraft produced for the Japanese Army.

Mitsubishi K3M 'Pine'

The Mitsubishi K3M 'Pine' was a single-engined crew trainer that also saw service as a light liaison aircraft during the Pacific War.

No.253 Squadron

No.253 Squadron was a fighter squadron that fought in the Battle of Britain, before moving to the Mediterranean, ending the war operating from a base in Yugoslavia.

No.252 Squadron

No.252 Squadron was reformed on 21 November 1940, and was the first squadron in Coastal Command to be equipped with the Bristol Beaufighter.

No.251 Squadron

No.251 Squadron was reformed on 1 August 1944 by the renumbering of No.1407 Flight at Reykjavik, and served as an air-sea rescue and meteorological squadron for the rest of the war.

Siege of Syracuse of 414-413 BC

The Athenian siege of Syracuse of 414-413 BC was a two year long epic that ended with the total defeat and destruction of the Athenian army, and that put Athens onto the defensive in the renewed fighting in the Great Peloponnesian War.

Battle of Syracuse (or of the Anapus River) of 415 BC

The battle of Syracuse (or of the Anapus River) of 415 BC was an Athenian victory won close to the shore south of the city of Syracuse, but one that had no impact on the long-term outcome of the Sicilian expedition, which ended in total defeat.

No.250 Squadron

No.250 Squadron spent the entire Second World War operating in or around the Mediterranean, taking part in the battles in the Western Desert and the invasions of Sicily and Italy.

No.249 Squadron

No.249 Squadron was a fighter squadron that took part in the Battle of Britain, where one of its pilots won Fighter Command's first Victoria Cross, before moving to Malta and the Mediterranean.

No.248 Squadron

No.248 Squadron was formed as a night fighter unit, but spend most of the war serving with Coastal Command, ending the war with the Banff Strike Wing.

Battle of Mantinea (418 BC)

The battle of Mantinea (418 BC) was a Spartan victory over an alliance of Peloponnesian states led by Argos and supported by Athens. The alliance survived into the following year, but the threat that it originally posed to Sparta was gone.

Siege of Orchomenes (418 B.C.)

The siege of Orchomenes (418 B.C.) was a short-lived success won by an alliance of Greek cities led by Argos and that included Athens.

Mitsubishi J8M/ Ki-200

The Mitsubishi J8M/ Ki-200 was a rocket plane based on the German Me 163B but that was developed in Japan in less than a year despite the lack of any detailed plans of the German original.

Mitsubishi A7M Reppu (Hurricane) 'Sam'

The Mitsubishi A7M Reppu (Hurricane) 'Sam' was designed to be the replacement for the A6M Zero, but despite a great deal of effort over several years only one production aircraft was completed before the end of the Second World War.

No.247 Squadron

No.247 Squadron was a fighter squadron that alternated between defensive duties and offensive sweeps over France, ending the war with 2nd Tactical Air Force.

No.245 Squadron

No.245 Squadron served with Fighter Command from 1939 until 1943, before joining 2nd Tactical Air Force to take part in the D-Day invasion.

No.244 Squadron

No.244 Squadron served in the Middle East for the entire Second World War, first as a patrol and army co-operation squadron and later as an anti-submarine squadron.

Mitsubishi J4M1

The Mitsubishi J4M1 was an advanced interceptor produced for the Japanese Navy but that never progressed beyond the design stage.

Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (Thunderbolt) 'Jack'

The Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' was a land-based interceptor that emphasised performance and pilot protection rather than manoeuvrability, and that would have been of great value to the Japanese Navy if its combat debut hadn’t been delayed until 1944.

Mitsubishi F1M 'Pete'

The Mitsubishi F1M 'Pete' was designed as an observation float plane, but saw service as an impromptu fighter, diver bomber and patrol aircraft.

Mitsubishi B1M

The Mitsubishi B1M was a Japanese Navy torpedo bomber that was designed by Herbert Smith, formerly of Sopwith, and that served well into the 1930s.

No.243 Squadron

No.243 Squadron had three incarnations during the Second World War, first as a fighter squadron at Singapore, second as a fighter squadron in the Mediterranean and finally as a transport squadron in the Pacific.

No.242 Squadron

No.242 Squadron went through three incarnations during the Second First World War, the first as Douglas Bader's fighter squadron during the Battle of Britain, the second as a fighter squadron in North Africa and Italy and the third as a transport squadron.

No.241 Squadron

No.241 Squadron was reformed in 1940 as an army co-operation squadron, but saw most of its active service as a ground attack and reconnaissance squadron in North Africa and Italy.

No.240 Squadron

No.240 Squadron was a flying boat squadron that spend the first half of the war serving in Home Waters and the second half operating from India.

No.239 Squadron

No.239 Squadron served as an army co-operation squadron and a tactical reconnaissance and ground attack squadron, before ending the war as a night intruder squadron supporting Bomber Command.

No.238 Squadron

No.238 Squadron was a fighter squadron that took part in the Battle of Britain before moving to the Mediterranean, where it took part in the fighting in North Africa, the invasion of Sicily and the invasion of Italy. It was then reformed as a transport squadron, and took part in the invasion of Burma.

Mitsubishi B5M 'Kate'

The Mitsubishi B5M 'Kate' was a torpedo bomber developed alongside the more successful Nakajima B5N, but that also entered production and saw some limited front line service.

Nakajima B5N 'Kate'

The Nakajima B5N 'Kate' was the most successful Japanese torpedo bomber of the Second World War, playing a major part in every victory in the year after Pearl Harbor.

Invasion of Poland, 1 September 1939 (Part 1)

The invasion of Poland on the 1 September 1939 by Nazi Germany heralded the start of another general European war, which quickly became a global conflict with the declaration of war by Britain and France as well as their respective empires, two days later.

Nakajima B6N Tenzan (Heavenly Mountain) 'Jill'

The Nakajima B6N Tenzan (Heavenly Mountain) Jill was designed to replace the Nakajima B5N 'Kate', but delays meant that it didn't enter service until 1943, two years after originally planned, and too late for it to have any real impact on the fighting in the Pacific.