HMS Boyne (1904)

HMS Boyne (1904) was a River class destroyer that served with the Grand Fleet in 1914-15, as an escort ship based at Plymouth in 1915 and with the Devonport Local Defence Flotilla for the rest of the war.

USS McLanahan (DD-264)/ HMS Bradford

USS McLanahan (DD-264)/ HMS Bradford was a Clemson class destroyer that went to Britain as part of the destroyers for bases deal. In British service she was used on convoy escort duties in 1941-43, and took part in Operation Torch

HMS Waveney (1903)

HMS Waveney (1903) was a River class destroyer that served with the Ninth Destroyer Flotilla on the Tyne in 1914-15, coming under fire during the German raid on Hartlepool, and the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla on the Humber for the rest of the war.

USS Laub (DD-263)

USS Laub (DD-263) was a Clemson class destroyer that went to Britain under the terms of the Destroyers for Bases deal and became HMS Burwell.

Panzer IV 1939-1945, Paul Thomas

A mix of a history of the Panzer IV and a modelling guide, combined with an excellent selection of photographs of the tank, showing the many variants produced and their identification features. A good introduction to the topic, with an especially good selection of well captioned photographs
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Casca 41: The Longbowman, Tony Roberts

An atmospheric retelling of the Agincourt campaign, mainly looking at it from the level of a group of archers in a minor retinue, so away from the main decision makers. Takes us through the mud and confusion of a Medieval campaign, with all of its disease and confusion, and gives a good idea of how it must have felt for the common soldiers as Henry V’s army attempted to escape from far more numerous French forces. A strong entry in this long running series
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The Trafalgar Chronicle New Series 2, ed. Peter Hore

Mainly built around a series of articles looking at the early history of the US Marine Corps and the Royal Marines in the period around the Napoleonic Wars. An interesting mix of articles, ranging from the American campaigns against the Barbary Pirates to the life of an officer stranded ashore in Dorset, taking in many of the major campaigns of the period, and in particular Trafalgar. Includes a splendid selection of illustrations, most memorably those produced by one naval officer to illustrate his career
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HMS Eden (1903)

HMS Eden (1903) was a River class destroyer that served with the Ninth Flotilla on the Tyne in 1914-15 and with the local Defence Flotilla at Portsmouth from 1915 until she was sunk in a collision with a merchant ship on 18 June 1916.

USS McDermut (DD-262)

USS McDermut (DD-262) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Pacific Fleet for most of the 1920s, before being scrapped in 1932 under the terms of the London Naval Treaty.

HMS Derwent (1903)

HMS Derwent (1903) was a River class destroyer that served with the Ninth Flotilla in 1914-15, then at Portsmouth from 1915 until she hit a mine and sank on 2 May 1917 while escorting a convoy.

USS Delphy (DD-261)

USS Delphy (DD-261) was a Clemson class destroyer that was most famous for being one of the seven destroyers lost in the Honda Point disaster of 1923.

Bren Gun Carrier – Britain’s Universal War Machine, Robert Jackson

A look at one of the most numerous tracked vehicles in British service during the Second World War, originally designed to carry machine guns to the location where they were needed, but soon adapted to fulfil a much wider range of functions. Found wherever British and Commonwealth forces fought during the Second World War, this was one of the most flexibly vehicles in British service
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Admiral Albert Hastings Markham – A Victorian Tale of Triumph, Tragedy & Exploration, Frank Jastrzembski

A biography of a Victorian admiral most famous for his part in the disastrous lost of HMS Victoria in 1893, but who deserves to be better known for his role in Arctic exploration, and the general adventurousness  of his life! This saw him serve in Chinese waters, the South Seas, and reach the furthest point north yet achieved by explorers
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Whitehaven in the Great War, Ruth Mansergh

Looks at the impact of the war on Whitehaven and the surrounding area, including the one German attack on the area, the exploits of the area’s winners of the Victoria Cross, the impact on industry, the location of the many war memorials in the area, the impact of Belgian refuges, and a wide range of other topics
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HMS Garry (1905)

HMS Garry (1905) was a River class destroyer that was attached to the Grand Fleet at the outbreak of the First World War, then served with the North Channel Patrol in 1915-1917 then escorted the Scandinavian Convoys in 1917-18.

The Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Age – Senior Service, 1800-1815, Mark Jessop

An unusual approach to naval history, with each chapter built around fictional individuals who experiences shine a light on a particular aspect of the war. Covers the period from 1801 to the end of the war, so including the piece of Amiens, the victory at Trafalgar and the long years of blockade that followed, with a focus on the impact of the war on Plymouth and what became Devonport
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SS: Roll of Infamy - A Biographical Guide to Leading Members of the SS, Christopher Ailsby

Brings together biographies of SS members from every branch of that vast, appalling organisation, from the staff of the extermination camps to the many war criminals of the Waffen-SS. Demonstrates the dreadful scale of the atrocities committed by the SS, from the extermination camps to the murder of civilians across occupied Europe or of POWs on every front
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Lost Heirs of the Medieval Crown – The Kings and Queens who Never Were, J.F. Andrews

An unusual but interesting choice of topic, looking at all of those people who could reasonably expect to have inherited the throne of England, but for whatever reason either didn’t survive to take the throne,  or were usurped by someone with a worse claim but more determination, luck or support. Starts with the sons of William the Conqueror and ends with the career of Richard III, a king involved with two of these lost heirs
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USS Gillis (DD-260)

USS Gillis (DD-260) was a Clemson class destroyer that was converted into a seaplane tender and served in Alaskan waters in 1941-44, then as a plane guard before taking part in the invasion of Okinawa.

HMS Welland (1904)

HMS Welland (1904) was a River class destroyer that was on the China station at the outbreak of the First World War, before moving to the Mediterranean at the end of 1914, where she remained for the rest of the war.

Beechcraft L-23/ U-8 Seminole

The Beechcraft L-23/ U-8 Seminole was a general utility aircraft that remained in US Army service for four decades, from the early 1950s to the early 1990s.

USS Turner (DD-259)/ Moosehead (IX-98)

USS Turner (DD-259)/ Moosehead (IX-98) was a Clemson class destroyer that had a very varied later career. After a very brief time as a destroyer in the early 1920s she was turned into a water barge in 1936, but was then turned back into an active warship at the Moosehead, serving as a ferry in the San Diego, and then as an advancing training ship for the staff of the advanced Combat Information Centers being installed on more modern warships

Steel Wall at Arnhem - The Destruction of 4 Parachute Brigade, 19 September 1944, David Truesdale

A detailed account of the part played by the 4th Parachute Brigade in the fighting at Arnhem – their arrival on the second day, their failed attempt to break through the German defensive line between the bridge and the landing grounds and the prolonged defence of the Division position at Oosterbeek. A very detailed account of the Brigade’s activities, focusing on the entire battle, not just the events of 19 September
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Walcheren to Waterloo - The British Army in the Low Countries during the French Revolutionary & Napoleonic Wars 1793-1815, Andrew Limm

A good history of the unsuccessful British campaigns in the Low Countries between 1793 and 1814, looking in detail at how each army was organised and led, and examining the reasons for their general lack of success. Less convincing when looking at the idea of a transformation of the British military, although this does provide a different viewpoint of these campaigns
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Roman Emperor Zeno, Peter Crawford

A biography of the Eastern Roman Emperor most famous for being on the throne when the last western Emperor was deposed, but who managed to maintain his own position despite facing a wide range of internal and external opponents. Looks at his background, his rise to power, his difficult reign, his achievements, his rather negative later reputation, and if it was genuinely deserved
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