Friday, May 29, 2015

Waterloo 1815 (3) Mont St Jean and Wavre, John Franklin .

Waterloo 1815 (3) Mont St Jean and Wavre, John Franklin .
Focuses on the events of 18 June, with most of the text dedicated to the fighting at Waterloo, allowing the author to pack in a great deal of information into the limited space. An excellent account of the battle, weaving the Prussian contribution into the main narrative to give a better impression of how important their contribution actually was.
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Waterloo 1815 (2): Ligny, John Franklin. .

Waterloo 1815 (2): Ligny, John Franklin. .
Second in a trilogy on the Waterloo campaign, looking at the least familiar of the three battles to the English-language reader, the French victory over the Prussians at Ligny, fought on the same day as the successful Allied defensive battle at Quatre Bras. This is a good study of Napoleon's last battlefield victory, and the last of the many 'missed opportunities' of his later years.
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Waterloo 1815 (1) - Quatre Bras, John Franklin .

Waterloo 1815 (1) - Quatre Bras, John Franklin .
First of a trilogy on the Waterloo campaign, looking at the battle at the crossroads of Quatre Bras where Napoleon suffered his first setback of the campaign. A well written, densely packed account of the battle, with two thirds of the book dedicated to the actual fighting. Can be read as a stand-alone title or as part of the trilogy.
[read full review]

Thursday, May 28, 2015

USS Juneau (CL-52)

USS Juneau (CL-52) was a Atlanta class light cruiser that took part in the Guadalcanal campaign and was sunk by Japanese torpedoes at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

USS Atlanta (CL-51)

USS Atlanta (CL-51) was the name ship of the Atlantic class of light cruisers, and had a short wartime career in the Solomon Islands, before being sunk at the naval battle of Guadalcanal (13-15 November 1942).

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Valentine V

The Valentine V used a new three-man turret, but retained the same engine and main gun of the Valentine IV.

Valentine IV

The Valentine IV was powered by a G.M.C. diesel engine, in place of the A.E.C. model used on the Mk II, but was otherwise similar to the earlier model.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Operation Reckless, the invasion of Hollandia and Aitape of 22-27 April 1944

Operation Reckless, the invasion of Hollandia and Aitape of 22-27 April 1944, was one of the most dramatic leapfrogging operations during the New Guinea campaign, and saw American forces bypass the strong Japanese bases at Wewak and Hansa Bay and capture key bases for MacArthur's planned return to the Philippines

Occupation of Emirau (20 March 1944)

The occupation of Emirau (20 March 1944) helped to complete the Allied noose around the Japanese base at Rabaul and saw the 4th Marine Division occupy the undefended island in the seas west of New Ireland.

Friday, May 22, 2015

Yokosuka B4Y Type 96 Carrier Attack Bomber 'Jean'

The Yokosuka B4Y Type 96 Carrier Attack Bomber 'Jean' was a torpedo bomber that the Allies erroneously believed was still in service in 1941, a mistake that played a part in their underestimating the threat from Japanese air power.

Yokosuka B3Y Navy Type 92 Carrier Attack Aircraft

The Yokosuka B3Y Navy Type 92 Carrier Attack Aircraft was a disappointing level bomber that was produced to replace the Mitsubishi B2M Type 89 Carrier Attack Aircraft

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Battle of Marathon (12 September 490 BC)

The battle of Marathon (12 September 490 BC) was the decisive battle during Darius I of Persian's campaigns against the Greeks, and saw the Persians defeated by a largely Athenian army at Marathon in north-eastern Attica.

Battle of Eretria (490 BC)

The battle of Eretria (490 BC) was the second and final Persian success during the campaign that ended in defeat at Marathon.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

The Spartan Supremacy 412-371 BC, Mike Roberts and Bob Bennett. .

The Spartan Supremacy 412-371 BC, Mike Roberts and Bob Bennett. .

 Looks at the short spell between the end of the Great Peloponnesian War and the battle of Leuctra where Sparta's political power matched her military reputation. The authors look at how Sparta proved to be politically unequal to her new position, and how this period of supremacy ended with Sparta's military reputation in tatters and her political power fatally wounded.
[read full review]

Special Forces Pilot - A Flying Memoir of the Falklands War, Richard Hutchings. .

Special Forces Pilot - A Flying Memoir of the Falklands War, Richard Hutchings. .

Follows the experiences of a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War, as he got used to new night vision equipment, supported early Special Forces operations on the island and then took part in a rather farcical operation on the mainland of South America. Gives a feel for an operation conducted on a very narrow margin.
[read full review]

The Twilight of the East India Company - The Evolution of Anglo-Asian Commerce and Politics 1790-1860, Anthony Webster .

The Twilight of the East India Company - The Evolution of Anglo-Asian Commerce and Politics 1790-1860, Anthony Webster .

A look at the declining years of the East India Company, where it lost first its monopoly of the Indian trade and then the China trade and its commercial activities to become almost a branch of the British Government in India. Also looks at the Company's rivals and how well they performed in India.
[read full review]

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

317th Troop Carrier Group

The 317th Troop Carrier Group served in the Pacific theatre, taking part in the long New Guinea campaign and in the re conquest of the Philippines.

316th Troop Carrier Group

The 316th Troop Carrier Group took part in the fighting in North Africa, the invasions of Sicily and Italy, the D-Day landings, Operation Market Garden and the airborne crossing of the Rhine.

315th Troop Carrier Group

The 315th Troop Carrier Group took part in the D-Day landings, Operation Market Garden and the airborne crossing of the Rhine.

Monday, May 18, 2015

USS Boise (CL-47)

USS Boise (CL-47) was a Brooklyn class light cruiser that fought at Guadalcanal then took part in the invasion of Sicily and the landings at Salerno on the mainland of Italy before returning to the Pacific to take part in the campaigns on New Guinea, the Philippines and Borneo.

USS Phoenix (CL-46)

USS Phoenix (CL-46) was a Brooklyn class light cruiser that took part in the fighting in the southern Pacific, during the advance along New Guinea and the invasion of the Philippines, but that is better known as the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano, sunk during the 1982 Falklands War.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Valentine III

The Valentine III introduced a new three-man turret, but retained the same engine and main gun as the Valentine II.

Valentine II, Infantry Tank Mk III*

The Valentine II, Infantry Tank Mk III*, was the first version of the tank to use a diesel engine, but retained the 2-pounder gun of the Valentine I.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Battle of Manus (12-25 March 1944)

The battle of Manus (12-25 March 1944) saw the Americans capture the largest of the Admiralty Islands, securing their control of the massive Seeadler Harbour, which then became an important naval base for the rest of the Second World War.

Battle of Hauwai Island (11-12 March 1944)

The battle of Hauwai Island (11-12 March 1944) saw the Americans capture one of the small islands north of Seeadler Harbour in the Admiralty Islands, despite the failure of their first attack.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Yokosuka Type 91 Intermediate Trainer

The Yokosuka Type 91 Intermediate Trainer was judged to be too close in performance to contemporary service aircraft, and was thus rejected for production.

Navy Yokosho I-go Ko-gata Seaplane Trainer

The Navy Yokosho I-go Ko-gata Seaplane Trainer was produced to replace a pusher Farman type trainer, and was used alongside the Avro 504 by the Japanese Navy in the early 1920s. 

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Siege of Carystus (490 BC)

The siege of Carystus (490 BC) was an early Persian victory in the campaign that ended at the battle of Marathon.

Battle of Malene (494 BC)

The battle of Malene (494 BC) ended the career of Histiaeus, former Tyrant of Miletus, a former support of Darius who may have played a part in the outbreak of the Ionian Revolt, but who ended his career as something of an adventurer.

Monday, May 11, 2015

USS Nashville (CL-43)

USS Nashville (CL-43) was a Brooklyn class cruiser that took part in the Doolittle raid, then fought in the Guadalcanal and New Georgia campaigns and during the campaigns in New Guinea and the Philippines.

USS Savannah (CL-42)

USS Savannah (CL-42) was a Brooklyn class cruiser that took part in Operation Torch, the invasion of Sicily and the Salerno landings, where she was badly damaged by a radio-controlled bomb that ended her active career.

Friday, May 08, 2015

314th Troop Carrier Group

The 314th Troop Carrier Group took part in the invasions of Sicily and Italy, the D-Day landings, Operation Market Garden and the crossing of the Rhine.

313th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF)

The 313th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF) was a transport unit that took part in the invasion of Sicily, the Salerno landings, the D-Day landings, Operation Market Garden and the crossing of the Rhine.

89th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF)

The 89th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF) was a home-based training unit that operated from 1942 to 1944.

Thursday, May 07, 2015

Valentine I, Infantry Tank Mk III

The Valentine I, Infantry Tank Mk III, was the only version of the tank to use a petrol engine, and was armed with the standard 2-pounder gun of early war British tanks.

Infantry Tank Mk III, Valentine

The Infantry Tank Mk III, Valentine, was the most numerous British-built tank of the Second World War, with over 8,000 built between 1940 and 1944. It was a rare example of a private venture tank design that was accepted for mass production, and thus didn't have an 'A' number like most British tanks.

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Doctors in the Great War, Ian R Whitehead

Doctors in the Great War, Ian R Whitehead.
A serious study of the role of the Royal Army Medical Corps and the British medical profession during the First World War, looking at how the small pre-war RAMC expanded to include over half of all British doctors. Looks at a wide range of topics, from the structure of the RAMC to the way it dealt with the new problems thrown up by the fighting on the Western Front and the challenges to medical ethics posed by a mass military.
 [read full review]

lood and Steel: The Wehrmacht Archive: Normandy 1944, Donald E. Graves.

lood and Steel: The Wehrmacht Archive: Normandy 1944, Donald E. Graves.
A look at the German view of the fighting after D-Day, taken from the archives of the First Canadian Army, and mainly based on captured German documents. Gives an interesting view of an army under heavy pressure and the attitude of its soldiers, from the private soldier's diaries to the orders coming from high command.
[read full review]

The Sea Warriors, Richard Woodman.

The Sea Warriors, Richard Woodman.
 Looks at the exploits of frigates during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812, mainly when they were operating away from the main battle fleets, a mix of long patient patrols and blockades and daring battles against similar forces and French bases around the world. An exciting account of this important aspect of naval warfare.
[read full review]

Tuesday, May 05, 2015

Battle of Los Negros (29 February-8 March 1944)

The battle of Los Negros (29 February-8 March 1944) was the first stage in the American invasion of the Admiralty Islands, a campaign that helped completed the isolation of Rabaul and also forced the Japanese to abandon their stronghold at Madang.

Invasion of the Admiralty Islands (25 February-25 March 1944)

The invasion of the Admiralty Islands (25 February-25 March 1944) was a major step in the isolation of the powerful Japanese base at Rabaul, and saw forces from the US Cavalry capture the main islands in a series of battles that lasted for one month.

Monday, May 04, 2015

Navy Type 10 Reconnaissance Seaplane

The Navy Type 10 Reconnaissance Seaplane was an unsatisfactory design for an aircraft to replace the Ro-go Ko-gata seaplane that eventually evolved into the more successful Yokosho Type 14 Reconnaissance Seaplane E1Y.

Navy Yokosho Ro-go Ko-gata Reconnaissance Seaplane

The Navy Yokosho Ro-go Ko-gata Reconnaissance Seaplane was the first Japanese-designed aircraft to enter production for the Japanese Navy, and was in service into the late 1920s.

Friday, May 01, 2015

Siege of Miletus (494 BC)

The siege of Miletus (494 BC) followed the Ionian naval defeat in the battle of Lade, and saw the Persians recapture the city that had triggered the Ionian Revolt in 499.

Battle of Lade (494 BC)

The battle of Lade (494 BC) was the decisive battle of the Ionian Revolt, and was a crushing Persian naval victory that eliminated Ionian naval power and left the individual Ionian cities exposed to attack.