Friday, January 31, 2014

USS Salt Lake City (CA-25)

USS Salt Lake City (CA-25) was a Pensacola class heavy cruiser that escorted the Doolittle raid, and fought at the battles of Midway and Guadalcanal, the battle of the Komandorski Islands, the invasion of the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands, the second battle of the Philippine Sea and the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, winning eleven battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation for her service during the Second World War.

USS Pensacola (CA-24)

USS Pensacola (CA-24) was the name ship of the Pensacola class of heavy cruisers and served in the Pacific during the Second World War, fighting at Midway, off Guadalcanal (where she was very badly damaged), at Tarawa, the Marshal Islands, the Aleutians, the battle of Leyte Gulf and the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Pensacola class heavy cruisers

The two Pensacola class heavy cruisers were the first American heavy cruisers built after the First World War and were restricted by the terms of the 1921 Washington Naval Treaty.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

USS Memphis (CL-13)

USS Memphis (CL-13) was a Omaha class light cruiser that served in the South Atlantic from 1942 to the start of 1945, then moved to the Mediterranean for the rest of her career.

USS Marblehead (CL-12)

USS Marblehead (CL-12) was an Omaha class light cruiser that survived the disastrous campaign in the Dutch East Indies then served in the South Atlantic for most of the war, as well as supporting Operation Dragoon, the invasion of the south of France.

USS Trenton (CL-11)

USS Trenton (CL-11) was an Omaha class light cruiser that served in the south-east Pacific in 1942-44 and the Aleutians from 1944 to the end of the Second World War.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Battle of Losecote Field (or Empingham) of 12 March 1470

The battle of Losecote Field (or Empingham) of 12 March 1470 saw the defeat of Richard Neville, earl of Warwick's second attempt within a year to gain power over Edward IV and saw Warwick forced into exile, where he formed a surprising alliance with the Lancastrians.

Battle of Edgecote (26 July 1469)

The battle of Edgecote (26 July 1469) was the first fighting in the second phase of the Wars of the Roses and saw a rebel army supported by the earl of Warwick defeat a Royal army led by the earls of Pembroke and Devon, leaving Edward IV vulnerable to capture.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Battle on the Aisne 1914: The BEF and the Birth of the Western Front, Jerry Murland.

Battle on the Aisne 1914: The BEF and the Birth of the Western Front, Jerry Murland.

A history of the British Army's involvement in the Battle of the Aisne, the moment when the war of movement ended and the stalemate of the trenches began, effectively beginning the Western Front as we understand it. Supported by copious eyewitness accounts, this is an excellent study of this often neglected battle.
 [read full review]

America's Elite - US Special Forces from the American Revolution to the Present Day, Chris McNab.

America's Elite - US Special Forces from the American Revolution to the Present Day, Chris McNab.

Takes segments from a number of earlier Osprey titles to produce a history of US Special Forces from the pre-revolutionary Rangers to the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, with material on the Civil War, the Second World War, Vietnam and the post 9-11 wars.
 [read full review]

Dead Man's Hill, George Peter Algar.

Dead Man's Hill, George Peter Algar.

 Sequel to the Shepherd Lord, this novel follows the life of Lord Henry Clifford during the reign of the first two Tudor monarchs, building up to the crushing defeat of a Scottish army at Flodden in 1513. The episodic story is told against the background of the constant state of tension on the Scottish border, and life on the borders is the main theme of this entertaining novel.
[read full review]

Friday, January 24, 2014

Rommel's Desert Warriors 1941-42, Michael Olive & Robert Edwards.

Rommel's Desert Warriors 1941-42, Michael Olive & Robert Edwards.

An excellent collection of wartime photos covering a wide range of topics in the period between Rommel's arrival in the desert and the retreat from El Alamein. Organised by topic rather than chronologically, this book provides a wide-ranging picture of Rommel's army during the two years that really made his name.
[read full review]

The Transformation of British Naval Strategy, James Davey.

The Transformation of British Naval Strategy, James Davey.

A serious academic study of the major British fleet that operated in the Baltic from 1808-1812 protecting a vital British trade route, the complex supply system that allowed it to stay on station for so long and the impact such a sizable effort had on the organisation of the British state. A valuable contribution to our understanding of the roots of Britain's naval dominance during the Napoleonic period.
[read full review]

The Last Ride of the James-Younger Gang - Jesse James and the Northfield Raid 1876, Sean McLachlan.

The Last Ride of the James-Younger Gang - Jesse James and the Northfield Raid 1876, Sean McLachlan.

Looks at the botched bank robbery that ended the violent career of the James-Younger Gang and saw most of the gang captured or killed, either during the crime or during the pursuit that followed.
[read full review]

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Siege of St. Michael's Mount (30 September 1473-February 1474)

The siege of St. Michael's Mount (30 September 1473-February 1474) was the last military threat to Edward IV's rule, and saw two of the last Lancastrian peers hold the castle for five months before finally surrendering

Battle of Twt Hill (16 October 1461)

The battle of Twt Hill (16 October 1461) was a Yorkist victory that ended open Lancastrian resistance to Edward IV in most of Wales, leaving only Harlech in Lancastrian hands.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Thomas Percy, Lord Egremont (1422-1460)

Thomas Percy, Lord Egremont (1422-1460) was the second son of Henry Percy, second earl of Northumberland, and was a troublesome and violent man who played a part in the increase of tension in the north of England in the years before the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses.

Sir Andrew Trollope

Sir Andrew Trollope was a professional soldier who was part of the Calais garrison early in the Wars of the Roses. He came to England with the earl of Warwick in 1459 but changed sides at Ludford Bridge in October and became a key Lancastrian commander for the rest of his career.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

398th Bombardment Group

The 398th Bombardment Group was a B-17 group that served with the Eighth Air Force from May 1944 until the end of the war in Europe.

397th Bombardment Group

The 397th Bombardment Group was a medium bomber unit that served with the Ninth Air Force and supported the D-Day invasion and the campaign that followed.

396th Bombardment Group

The 396th Bombardment Group was a home based training unit that was active from February 1943 until May 1944.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Wars of the Roses (1455-1485)

The Wars of the Roses (1455-1485) were a series of fairly brief civil wars fought between the Houses of York, Lancaster and eventually Tudor and their supporters. They began as a struggle for control of the court of Henry VI but turned into a battle for the throne that was won twice, first by the Yorkist Edward IV and then after his death by the first Tudor monarch, Henry VII.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Battle of Hexham (15 May 1464)

The battle of Hexham (15 May 1464) was the final battle of the first phase of the Wars of the Roses and saw the Yorkists defeat a Lancastrian army led by Henry Beaufort, duke of Somerset, ending a dangerous Lancastrian revolt in Northumberland.

Battle of Hedgeley Moor (25 April 1464)

The battle of Hedgeley Moor (25 April 1464) was a Yorkist victory that marked the beginning of the end of Lancastrian resistance in Northumberland.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Morane-Saulnier M.S.760 Paris

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.760 Paris was a high-speed liaison aircraft and jet trainer that was used by the French military from the late 1950s until 1997 and by Argentina until 2007.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.755 Fleuret

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.755 Fleuret was a prototype for a two-seat jet trainer that lost out to the Fouga Magister, but that became the basis for the successful Morane-Saulnier M.S.760 Paris.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Henry Beaufort, third duke of Somerset (1436-1464)

Henry Beaufort, third duke of Somerset (1436-1464) was a major Lancastrian military leader during the first phase of the Wars of the Roses. He considered the death of his father at the first battle of St. Albans as a murder that had to be avenged, and despite the best efforts of Edward IV to win him over died fighting for Henry VI.

Edmund Beaufort, second duke of Somerset (c.1406-1455)

Edmund Beaufort, second duke of Somerset (c.1406-1455) was a major supporter of Henry VI in the period before the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses, but he was killed at St. Albans in the first battle of the wars.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Richard Plantagenet, third duke of York (1411-1460)

Richard Plantagenet, third duke of York (1411-1460), was a controversial figure who played a major part in the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses, although his motives for opposing the Court party are unclear. His death in 1460 came just after he had been acknowledged as heir to the throne, and cleared the way for his rather more able son Edward, earl of March, to seize the throne as Edward IV.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Morane-Saulnier M.S.733 Alcyon (Kingfisher)

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.733 Alcyon (Kingfisher) was a French basic trainer that also served as a counter-insurgency aircraft in French and Moroccan service.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.732

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.732 was the designation given to the final prototypes of the aircraft that entered production as the M.S.733 Alcyon (Kingfisher) basic trainer.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.731

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.731 was the designation given to the M.S.730 basic trainer prototype after it was re-engined with an Argus As 10.

Morane-Saulnier M.S.730

The Morane-Saulnier M.S.730 was the first prototype for a basic trainer that eventually entered French service as the M.S.733 Alcyon (Kingfisher).

Friday, January 10, 2014

395th Bombardment Group

The 395th Bombardment Group was a home-based training unit that was active from February 1943 until April 1944.

394th Bombardment Group

The 394th Bombardment Group was a medium bomber unit that served with the Ninth Air Force in Europe, taking part in the D-Day invasion and the campaign that followed.

391st Bombardment Group

The 391st Bombardment Group was a medium bomber unit that served with the Ninth Air Force in Europe, supporting the D-Day invasion and the campaign that followed.

Thursday, January 09, 2014

USS Concord (CL-10)

USS Concord (CL-10) was a Omaha class light cruiser that served in the south Pacific until 1944 before moving to the Aleutians, from where she took part in the bombardment of the Japanese Kurile Islands.

USS Richmond (CL-9)

USS Richmond (CL-9) was a Omaha class light cruiser that served in the Pacific during the Second World War, spending most of her time in the Aleutians and northern Pacific. She earned two battle stars for her service during the war.

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

Dönitz, U-boats, Convoys, Jak. P. Mallmann Showell. - The British Version of his memoirs from the Admiralty's Secret Anti-Submarine Reports.

Dönitz, U-boats, Convoys, Jak. P. Mallmann Showell. - The British Version of his memoirs from the Admiralty's Secret Anti-Submarine Reports.

Takes the monthly British reports on the U-boat war and compares them to Dönitz's memoirs to give an idea of how both sides saw the progress of the battle of the Atlantic and how that related to actual events on the oceans.
[read full review]

Glider Pilots in Sicily, Mike Peters.

Glider Pilots in Sicily, Mike Peters.

Looks at the first major British airborne operations, during the invasion of Sicily, and the role played by the glider pilots who flew their flimsy aircraft into battle and then fought as infantry. Traces the development of the Glider Pilot Regiment, their training as 'total soldiers', the disastrous early operations and the impressive way in which the glider-borne troops recovered from their chaotic journey to Sicily to carry out their missions.
 [read full review]

Tuesday, January 07, 2014

387th Bombardment Group

The 387th Bombardment Group served with the Eighth and then Ninth Air Forces as a medium bomber unit, taking part in the anti V-weapon campaign, the D-Day invasion and the fighting in north-western Europe.

386th Bombardment Group (USAAF)

The 386th Bombardment Group (USAAF) was a medium bomber group that served with the Eighth and then Ninth Air Forces from England, taking part in the anti V-weapon campaign and supporting the D-Day landings and the campaign in Western Europe.

382nd Bombardment Group (USAAF)

The 382nd Bombardment Group (USAAF) went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a home based training unit and then as a B-29 unit with the Eighth Air Force in the Far East.

Monday, January 06, 2014

USS Detroit (CL-8)

USS Detroit (CL-8) was a Omaha class light cruiser that served from Pearl Harbor, in the Aleutians and in the South East Pacific during the Second World War, earning six battle stars.

USS Raleigh (CL-7)

USS Raleigh (CL-7) was a Omaha class light cruiser that was damaged at Pearl Harbor but returned to action in the summer of 1942 and fought in the Aleutians and the northern Pacific.

Friday, January 03, 2014

Japanese Military Aircraft - Special Units of the Japanese Army, Eduardo Cea.

Japanese Military Aircraft - Special Units of the Japanese Army, Eduardo Cea.

Looks at the smaller air units of the Imperial Japanese Army which performed a wide variety of functions from basic training to active fighter defence and army co-operation duties. Each unit gets a brief history, supported by colour side-plans showing paint schemes and identification marks.
[read full review]

The Portuguese in the Age of Discovery, c.1340-1665, David Nicolle.

The Portuguese in the Age of Discovery, c.1340-1665, David Nicolle.

 Looks at the military organisations that allowed the Portuguese to create and then hold onto a world-wide empire despite a forced merger with Spain and a length war with the Dutch. An interesting examination of what became one of the most integrated and multi-racial armies of its time, and a key element in the long-term success of Portugal
[read full review]

Thursday, January 02, 2014

USS Cincinnati (CL-6)

USS Cincinnati (CL-6) was an Omaha class light cruiser that spent most of the Second World War serving in the South Atlantic but that also took part in the invasion of the south of France.

USS Milwaukee (CL-5)

USS Milwaukee (CL-5) was an Omaha class light cruiser that spent most of the Second World War serving in the South Atlantic, before being transferred to the Soviet Union early in 1944.

Wednesday, January 01, 2014

USS Omaha (CL-4)

USS Omaha (CL-4) was the nameship of the Omaha class of light cruisers, and spent most of the Second World War operating in the Atlantic, where she stopped three German blockade runners.

Omaha class cruisers

The Omaha class cruisers were the only American cruisers to be ordered during the First World War, although they weren't completed until the early 1920s.