Friday, September 25, 2015

Agis III (d.330 BC)

Agis III (d.330 BC) was a Spartan king who attempted to revive his city's fortunes, but who was killed during a revolt against Alexander the Great.

Archidamus III, king of Sparta (r.359-338 BC)

Archidamus III, king of Sparta (r.359-338 BC) was a major Spartan leader during the period of the Theban Hegemony, and was unable to prevent a major decline in Spartan power.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Battle of Laufach (13 July 1866)

The battle of Laufach (13 July 1866) was a Prussian victory over German Federal troops who were trying to defend the exits from the Spessart Mountains and prevent the Prussians from approaching Frankfurt (Austro-Prussian War of 1866).

battle of Kissingen (10 July 1866)

The battle of Kissingen (10 July 1866) was the bigger of two battles lost by the Bavarians on the same day in the aftermath of their failure to unite with their German allies (Austro-Prussian War, 1866).

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

USS Chauncey (DD-3)

USS Chauncey (DD-3) was a Bainbridge class destroyer and was the first US destroyer to be lost in service, after colliding with a British merchant ship she was escorting in 1917.

USS Barry (DD-2)

USS Barry (DD-2) was a Bainbridge class destroyer that served in the Philippines before the First World War and then in the Mediterranean after the US entry into the war.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Churchill IV

The Churchill IV combined the 6-pounder gun of the Churchill Mk III with a new cast turret.

Churchill Mk III

The Churchill Mk III was the first version of the Churchill tank to be armed with a 6-pounder gun, replacing the 2-pounder turret gun of the Mk I and Mk II.

Friday, September 18, 2015

Douglas B-23 Dragon

The Douglas B-23 Dragon was produced in an attempt to replace the B-18 Bolo, but its performance wasn't as good as its more modern rivals and only 38 were ever built.

Douglas B-22 Bolo

The Douglas B-22 Bolo was the designation given to a version of the B-18 that would have been powered by the 1,600hp R-2600-2 Cyclone engine.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

The 439th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF) took part in the D-Day landings, the Italian campaign and the invasion of the south of France, Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge and the crossing of the Rhine.

The 439th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF) took part in the D-Day landings, the Italian campaign and the invasion of the south of France, Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge and the crossing of the Rhine.

438th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF)

The 438th 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.

437th Troop Carrier Group (USAAF)

The 437th 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.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

General Jacques Gervaise, baron Subervie (1776-1856)

General Jacques Gervaise, baron Subervie (1776-1856) was a French general who commanded a division at Waterloo and went on to have a successful political career after the Napoleonic Wars.

Marshal Louis-Gabriel Suchet, duc d'Albufera (1770-1826)

Marshal Louis-Gabriel Suchet, duc d'Albufera (1770-1826) was one of the most able of Napoleon's marshals when given an independent command, and performed better than any of his contemporaries during the Peninsular War.

Monday, September 14, 2015

Histiaeus (d.c.494/493 BC)

Histiaeus (d.c.494/493 BC) was the Tyrant of Miletus during the reign of Darius I and was said to have helped save the Persian army during an expedition across the Danube, before later turning on Darius and encouraging the Ionian Revolt of 500/499 BC.

Aristagoras of Miletus (d.c.497-6 BC)

Aristagoras of Miletus (d.c.497-6 BC) was Tyrant of Miletus and helped trigger the Ionian Revolt against Persia, before fleeing into exile in Thrace where he was killed in a minor siege.

Friday, September 11, 2015

Battle of Hammelburg (10 July 1866)

The battle of Hammelburg (10 July 1866) was one of two defeats suffered by the Bavarians on the same day, as they retreated south in the aftermath of a failure to join up with their German allies.

Battle of Dermbach (4 July 1866)

The battle of Dermbach (4 July 1866) was a Prussian victory over a Bavarian army that prevented the Bavarians from joining up with their German allies (Austro-Prussian War, 1866).

Thursday, September 10, 2015

USS Bainbridge (DD-1)

USS Bainbridge (DD-1) was the name ship of the Bainbridge class of destroyers. She spent most of her active career serving in the Philippines, before spending nine months based at Gibraltar during the First World War.

Bainbridge Class destroyers

The Bainbridge Class destroyers were the first American destroyers, although they were officially designated as torpedo-boat destroyers.  All five served in the Philippines before the First World War and then as escort vessels in the Mediterranean from late 1917.

Wednesday, September 09, 2015

The End of Empire: Napoleon's 1814 Campaign, George Nafziger .

The End of Empire: Napoleon's 1814 Campaign, George Nafziger .
A very detailed examination of Napoleon's attempts to defend France against a massive Allied invasion early in 1814. Despite one of his best performances Napoleon was unable to take advantage of poor Allied leadership, and was actually absent when the Allies finally captured Paris, fatally undermining his legitimacy and public support and ending his regime (at least until 1815).
[read full review]

Images of War: Armoured Warfare and the Fall of France, 1940, Anthony Tucker-Jones.

Images of War: Armoured Warfare and the Fall of France, 1940, Anthony Tucker-Jones.
Starts with chapters on British, French and German tanks and the Maginot Line, then looks at the campaigns in Belgium and the Netherlands, the German breakthrough that ended at Dunkirk and finishes with the Fall of France. A good choice of pictures that well illustrate the campaign
[read full review]

German Infantryman vs Russian Infantryman 1914-15, Robert Forczyk.

German Infantryman vs Russian Infantryman 1914-15, Robert Forczyk.
 Looks at the early clashes in East Prussia between the pre-war regulars of the German and Russian armies, a period in which the Russians sometimes performed much better than is generally acknowledged. Looks at one well known and two obscure battles, and produces a balanced view of the conflict on this front.
[read full review]

Tuesday, September 08, 2015

Churchill Mk II

The Churchill Mk II was the most numerous of the 2-pounder versions of the Churchill infantry tank. It carried a 2-pounder gun and a machine gun in the turret and a second machine gun in the hull front.

Churchill I

The Churchill I was armed with a 2-pounder anti-tank gun and coaxial Besa machine gun carried in a small cast turret and a 3" howitzer carried in the hull front. The turret was too small to carry the upcoming 6-pounder gun, even though the tank had been designed with that weapon in mind.

Monday, September 07, 2015

Douglas B-18 Bolo

The Douglas B-18 Bolo was a bomber based on the DC-2 airliner and played an important part in the expansion of the USAAC, despite being obsolete by the time the United States entered the Second World War.

Douglas YB-11/ YO-44/ YOA-5

The Douglas YB-11/ YO-44/ YOA-5 began life as an amphibian navigational leader and rescue aircraft to operate alongside land based bombers, but was completed as an observation aircraft and didn't enter production.

Friday, September 04, 2015

General Alexander Antoine Hureau, baron de Senarmont (1769-1810)

General Alexander Antoine Hureau, baron de Senarmont (1769-1810) was a French artillery command best known for his 'artillery charge' at the battle of Friedland.

General Joseph, Comte Souham (1760-1837)

General Joseph, Comte Souham (1760-1837) was a French general who fought early in the Revolutionary Wars then fell out of favour, before returning to active service during the Peninsular War, where he briefly commanded the main French army.

Thursday, September 03, 2015

Mausolus (d.353/350 BC)

Mausolus (d.353/350 BC) was a semi-independent Persian satrap most famous for his tomb, the Mausoleum, which was completed by his wife and sister after his death.

Artabazus (fl.362-328) BC

Artabazus (fl.362-328) BC was a Persian satrap who rebelled against Artaxerxes III but was pardoned, served Darius III loyally and was taken into the service of Alexander the Great.