battle of Sadowa or Königgrätz (3 July 1866)

The Battle of Sadowa or Königgrätz (3 July 1866) was a decisive Prussian victory during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. Although the Prussian commander von Moltke failed to achieve the total destruction of the Austrian army that had been his objective, the battle helped break the Austrian will to resist, and peace was made on Prussian terms by the end of July.

Nazi Policy on the Eastern Front, 1941: Total War, Genocide and Radicalization, ed. Alex J Kay, Jeff Rutherford and David Stahel.

Nazi Policy on the Eastern Front, 1941: Total War, Genocide and Radicalization, ed. Alex J Kay, Jeff Rutherford and David Stahel.
Brings some of the latest international research on the first year of fighting and atrocities on the Eastern Front to the English-language audience. A rather grim read, but no less valuable for that, this traces the terrible way in which the pace and level of atrocities accelerated during the first year of fighting on the Eastern Front, slowly building up to the full scale holocaust.
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Feeding Nelson's Navy - The True Story of Food at Sea in the Georgian Era, Janet MacDonald.

Feeding Nelson's Navy - The True Story of Food at Sea in the Georgian Era, Janet MacDonald.
A splendid examination of the food eaten onboard British warships during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, looking at the food itself, the systems put in place to supply it, its quality, how it was cooked and how it was eaten. A very readable account of this important topic, while still including a look at the administrative background.
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Buffalo Bill: Forts, Fights and Other Sites, Jeff Barnes.

Buffalo Bill: Forts, Fights and Other Sites, Jeff Barnes.
Combines a biography of Buffalo Bill with a travel guide to the important locations in his life that fall within the Great Plains and 'Wild West' area. Includes coverage of his Civil War service, and involvement in some of the most famous incidents of the Indian Wars. Gives a good feel for the world that Cody inhabited.
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USS Hawaii (CB-3) was the third and final member of the Alaska class cruisers to be launched, but it was never completed and was finally sold for scrap in 1959.

USS Guam (CB-2)

USS Guam (CB-2) was the second and last member of the Alaska class of heavy cruisers to be completed, and supported the Fast Carrier Strike Force during the battle of Okinawa and raids on the Japanese Home Islands, before ending the war with raids into the East China Sea.

Infantry Tank Mk IV Churchill (A22)

The Infantry Tank Mk IV Churchill (A22) was a heavily armoured infantry tank that overcame serious reliability problems early in its career to become a mainstay of the British armoured forces during the fighting in North-Western Europe in 1944-45.

Watanabe E9W1 Navy Type 96 Small Reconnaissance Seaplane

The Watanabe E9W1 Navy Type 96 Small Reconnaissance Seaplane was the first aircraft to be designed and built by Watanabe, and was carried on the large Jun Sen Type 3 submarines.

Watanabe K6W1 Experimental 11-Shi Intermediate Seaplane Trainer

The Watanabe K6W1 Experimental 11-Shi Intermediate Seaplane Trainer was a failed design for an aircraft to replace the Yokosuka K5Y Type 93 Intermediate Seaplane Trainer.

General Anne Jean Marie René Savary, duc de Rovigo (1774-1833)

General Anne Jean Marie René Savary, duc de Rovigo (1774-1833) was a French soldier and diplomat, who saw widespread military service under Napoleon, but ended the wars as his chief of police.

General Edouard-Jean-Baptists, comte Milhaud (1766-1833)

General Edouard-Jean-Baptists, comte Milhaud (1766-1833) was a French cavalry general best known for commanding a cuirassier corps at Waterloo.

436th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF)

The 436th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF) took part in the D-Day landings, the invasion of the South of France, Operation Market Garden and the Crossing of the Rhine.

435th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF)

The 435th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF) took part in the D-Day landings, the invasion of the south of France, Operation Market Garden and the crossing of the Rhine.

434th Troop Carrier Group

The 434th Troop Carrier Group took part in the D-Day landings, Operation Market Garden, the battle of the Bulge and the crossing of the Rhine.

Arses (r.November 338-June 336 BC)

Arses (r.November 338-June 336 BC) was the penultimate Achaemenid emperor of Persian, and was raised to the throne by the eunuch Bagoas, the murderer of the pervious emperor, Artaxerxes III.

Bagoas

Bagoas was a powerful Persian minister who had the Emperors Artaxerxes III and Arses murdered before finally being killed by Darius III.

HMS Bellerophon, Colin Pengelly. .

HMS Bellerophon, Colin Pengelly. .
One of the earliest single-ship histories, originally published in 1966 and following the story of a ship of the line that fought at the Glorious First of June, the Battle of the Nile and at Trafalgar. Good on the battles, and provides a good cross section of naval warfare of the period, although in keeping with its original date shows less interest in the more routine elements of her service career.
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The Cover up at Omaha Beach: Maisy Battery and the US Rangers, Gary Sterne .

The Cover up at Omaha Beach: Maisy Battery and the US Rangers, Gary Sterne .
A very detailed account of the US Ranger's involvement on D-Day and in the following days, including the famous attack on Pointe du Hoc and the almost forgotten assault on the nearby Maisy gun batteries, written by the man who rediscovered that long-buried German position. At its heart is a fantastic collection of eye witness accounts, some from interviews conducted by the author himself.
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Freely I Served, Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski .

Freely I Served, Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski .
The fascinating autobiography of the commander of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade, one of the units caught up in the Allied defeat at Arnhem. Traces his career from his early service in the Austro-Hungarian Army, through the German invasion of Poland and on to his time in exile, the formation of his Parachute Brigade, arguments about its use and its eventually deployment at Arnhem.
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Action of Königinhof (29 June 1866)

The action of Königinhof (29 June 1866) saw the Prussian Guards Corps capture the town and its bridge over the River Elbe, badly disrupting the Austrian plan of campaign (Austria-Prussian War, 1866).

Combat of Schweinschadel (29 June 1866)

The combat of Schweinschadel (29 June 1866) saw the defeat of the last major Austrian attempt to retain a foothold east of the Eble, and completed the series of operations that brought the Crown Prince of Prussia's 2nd Army across the mountains into Bohemia.

USS Alaska (CB-1)

USS Alaska (CB-1) was the first member of the Alaska class of large cruisers to enter service, and took part in the final stages of the fighting on Iwo Jima, the invasion of Okinawa, and supported the fast carriers during their raids on the Japanese Home Islands and in the East China Sea.

Alaska Class cruisers

The Alaska Class cruisers were effectively battle cruisers, designed to deal with a potential threat from heavily armoured Japanese and German cruisers that had evaporated by the time the two members of the class were completed.

Germany's Secret Masterplan, Chris McNab. .

Germany's Secret Masterplan, Chris McNab. .

Looks at how the Nazis came to power, what they did to German society once in power, and what they did and planned to do in the conquered territories. Covering the pre-war and wartime periods, with some material on the Nazi plans for a post-victory world. Also has sections on rearmament and on some of the more advanced weapons planned or produced in the Third Reich.
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Lord Chelmsford and the Zulu War, Major the Hon. Gerard French, D.S.O.

Lord Chelmsford and the Zulu War, Major the Hon. Gerard French, D.S.O.

This is something of an historical oddity - a book published in 1939 vigorously (and rather unconvincingly) defending Lord Chelmsford's performance during the Zulu War, written by the son of Field Marshal French of BEF fame. Still has some value because of the detailed account of the war, although one always has to be aware of the author's bias.
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The battle of the Bulge: Hitler's Final Gamble, Patrick Delaforce.

A good account of the battle of the Bulge, including material on Hitler's subsidiary attacks and the air war on both sides. Supported by good maps, with detailed accounts of the activities of the individual US divisions caught out by the German attack. Has a slightly odd structure in places, but still a useful history of the final German offensive in the west.
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Valentine DD

The Valentine DD was the first production version of the floating tanks that saw action on D-Day when applied to the Sherman tank.

Valentine Bridgelayer

The Valentine Bridgelayer was the last version of the tank to see frontline service, and could deploy a medium sized bridge while under fire.

Yokosuka P1Y Ginga (Milky War) 'Frances'

The Yokosuka P1Y Ginga (Milky War) 'Frances' was a promising twin-engined medium bomber let down by reliability problems. These delayed its service entry until 1945, five years after work began on the aircraft.

Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka (Cherry Blossom) 'Baka

The Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka (Cherry Blossom) 'Baka' was a manned suicide rocket that achieved limited success, but was dangerously vulnerable while being carried to its target.

War of the Fourth Coalition (1806-1807)

The War of the Fourth Coalition (1806-1807) saw Napoleon defeat Prussia at Jena and Auerstädt in 1806, and Russia at Friedland in 1807, and the resulting Peace of Tilsit marked the high point of Napoleon's power.

Ariobarzanes (d.c.360)

Ariobarzanes (d.c.360) was the leader of the Satrap's revolt against Artaxerxes II.

Autophradates (fl.c.390-330 BC)

Autophradates (fl.c.390-330 BC) was a satrap of Lydia during the Satrap's Revolt, and then served Darius III during the invasion of Alexander the Great, taking joint control of the Persian fleet in the Aegean after the death of Memnon of Rhodes.

Battle of Gitschin (or Jicin), 29 June 1866

The battle of Gitschin (or Jicin), 29 June 1866, saw the western wing of the Prussian army invading Bohemia inflict a significant defeat on the retreating Austrian and Saxon troops who had been unable to stop them on the River Iser.

Battle of Soor or Berkersdorf (28 June 1866)

The battle of Soor or Berkersdorf (28 June 1866) was a Prussian victory that made up for their defeat at Trautenau on the previous day, and opened up a route to the River Elbe for the Prussian Guard Corps

USS Fresno (CL-121)

USS Fresno (CL-121) was the final member of the Atlanta class of light cruisers and had a short service career that fell between the end of the Second World War and the start of the Korean War.

USS Spokane (CL-120)

USS Spokane (CL-120) was an Atlanta class light cruiser that arrived too late for service in the Second World War and was decommissioned just before the outbreak of the Korean War. In 1966 she was selected for conversion into an experimental ship, but the work was never finished.

Valentine Scorpion III

The Valentine Scorpion III was a mine-clearing flail tank based on the Matilda Scorpion I, which had been developed in the Middle East.

Bishop, or Bishop, Carrier, Valentine, 25pdr gun

The Bishop, or Bishop, Carrier, Valentine, 25pdr gun, was a self-propelled gun produced in response to an urgent request from Middle East Command.