HMS Savage (1910)

HMS Savage (1910) was a Beagle class destroyer that spent most of the First World War in the Mediterranean, where she took part in the Gallipoli. She returned to home waters briefly over the winter of 1914-15 to escort troop ships across the Channel and permanently in 1917 to carry out anti-submarine warfare and convoy escort duties.

USS Woodbury (DD-309)

USS Woodbury (DD-309) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Pacific Fleet before being lost in the Honda Point disaster of September 1923

Curtiss R-3

The Curtiss R-3 was a twin float version of the Curtiss R-2 observation aircraft, and although only two were completed, it was followed by the more numerous R-6 and R-9.

General George Patton (1885-1945)

General George Patton (1885-1945) was one of the most controversial, and most able, American generals of the Second World War, and played a major role in the breakout from Normandy and the defeat of the German Ardennes offensive, despite the occasion outburst that on occasion almost cost him his career.

Blood and Soil – the Memoir of a Third Reich Brandenburger, Sepp de Giampietro

Looks at the wartime career of a German from the South Tyrol who ended up leaving Italy to join the Bradenburgers, Germany’s most famous Special Forces unit of the Second World War. Heprovides interesting accounts of his role in Greece and the Soviet Union, almost entirely ignores his year fighting partisans in the Balkans, and finishes with a fascinating account of his escape from American captivity and return home. Combines an interesting account of German special operations with an examination of how the author’s attitude to the war changed over time.

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Armies of the Great Northern War 1700-1720, Gabriele Esposito

A look at the many armies that were involved in the Great Northern War, from the main participants in Russia and Sweden to the Cossacks, Tatars and Ottoman forces that were briefly involved during Charles XII’s time in exile. An important conflict that ended Sweden’s brief time as a great power and established Russia as a Baltic power, and helped establish the reputation of Peter the Great as a great military reformer 

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King William’s War, Michael G. Laramie

A look at the American part of the War of the League of Augsburg, mainly a clash between the English and French colonies in North America and their Native American allies, at a time when the Native Americans were still a major power, and the European colonies were still surprising fragile. 

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HMS Renard (1909)

HMS Renard (1909) was a Beagle class destroyer that spent most of the First World War in the Mediterranean, where she took part in the Dardanelles and Gallipoli campaigns. She returned to home waters late in 1918 and joined the Second Destroyer Flotilla in Ireland.

USS William Jones (DD-308)

USS William Jones (DD-308) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Pacific Fleet during the 1920s before being sold for scrap in 1932.

Curtiss R-2

The Curtiss R-2 was a two seat observation aircraft that served with the US Army, and in larger numbers with the RFC, and that was essentially an enlarged version of the Curtiss Model N.

Operation Tractable (14-21 August 1944)

Operation Tractable (14-21 August 1944) was a Canadian and Polish attack that finally helped close the Falaise Gap, although not after some fierce battles in the mouth of the gap.

HMS Rattlesnake (1910)

HMS Rattlesnake (1910) was a Beagle class destroyer that spent most of the First World War in the Mediterranean, where she took part in the Gallipoli campaign. She returned to home waters briefly over the winter of 1914-15 to escort troop ships to France, and was the last member of the class to return home in 1918, arriving not long before the Armistice. 

USS Paul Hamilton (DD-307)

USS Paul Hamilton (DD-307) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Pacific Fleet during the 1920s before being scrapped because of her badly worn boilers.

Curtiss-Wright C-76 Caravan

The Curtiss-Wright C-76 Caravan was a wooden cargo aircraft designed in case the United States ran short of light alloys as military production accelerated after the US entry into the war.

battle of the Falaise Gap (8-20 August 1944)

The battle of the Falaise Gap (8-20 August 1944) was the final stage of the wider battle of Normandy, and saw the Allies exploit the breakthrough achieved in Operation Cobra to destroy the German position in France. In its aftermath the Allies were able to sweep onto to Paris, across the Seine and liberate most of France ahead of their original schedule.

The Mighty Warrior Kings – From the Ashes of the Roman Empire to the New Ruling Order, Philip J. Potter

A series of biographies of significant Medieval kings, largely focused on their military careers, with limited analysis of other aspects of their reign. Few if any surprises in the kings chosen, but the all-inclusive approach to their military careers does mean that we learn about many conflicts that are otherwise ignored or skipped over, such as the 1069-70 Viking invasion of England or Richard I’s extensive military experience before becoming king 

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Armies of Celtic Europe – 700BC – AD106 – History, Organization and Equipment, Gabriele Esposito

A look at the military history of the ancient Celts, from their origins in central Europe through their expansion west into modern France, Spain and Britain and east into the Balkans and Anatolia, and their long conflict with the expanding Roman empire. Especially strong on the armours and weaponry of the Celts, and illustrated with a large number of pictures of modern re-enactors showing a wide range of types of Celtic arms and armour 

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Rome’s Sicilian Slave Wars, Natale Barca

Looks at the first and second Servile Wars, massive slave uprisings that threatened Roman control of Sicily, and with it the grain supply to the city of Rome. Places them in the context of the wider Mediterranean world, the nature of the ancient slave trade, and the increasingly unstable nature of Roman politics. I don’t entirely agree with some of the author’s conclusions, but I did find this a useful book on two major conflicts that are often only mentioned in passing

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HMS Racoon (1910)

HMS Racoon (1910) was a Beagle class destroyer that spent most of the First World War in the Mediterranean, where she took part in the Dardanelles and Gallipoli campaigns. She returned to home waters late in 1917 to take part in anti-submarine patrols and convoy escort duties, but she was lost with all hands on 9 January 1918 after hitting rocks on a dangerous part of the coast.

USS Kennedy (DD-306)

USS Kennedy (DD-306) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Pacific Fleet during 1920s before being sold for scrap in 1931.

Curtiss C-55

The Curtiss C-55 was the designation given to the prototype of the Curtiss Model CW-20/ C-46, after it was given a new tail and purchased by the USAAF.

Operation Totalize (8-11 August 1944)

Operation Totalize (8-11 August 1944) was the first Canadian attempt to break through to Falaise to close the Falaise Gap, and began with an over complex night attack that still made good progress, before coming to a stop after moving halfway to Falaise. The next attack, Operation Tractable, would finally see the gap closed.

God’s Viking – Harald Hardrada, the Life and Times of the Last Great Viking, Nic Fields

A look at the world in which Harald lived rather than an actual biography of the man, so has large sections on the history of the Vikings in Russia, the Varangian Guards, Viking warfare and so forth, often going some time without actually mentioning Harald. Includes plenty of interesting material on Harald’s world, but needed to focus more on its subject, or at least bring all of the pieces on Harald together before heading off into the background

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German Soldier versus Polish Soldier, Poland 1939, David R. Higgins

Looks at three battles between German and Polish infantry from the early days of the German invasion, when the Poles were still able to put up a decent fight, including a brief account of the development of both armies, how they were trained and equipped before moving onto good accounts of the battles, with excellent material from both sides 

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US Air Cavalry Trooper versus North Vietnamese Soldier – Vietnam 1965-68, Chris McNab

Largely focuses on the combat record of the US 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) in 1966-7, looking at how it performed in three battles against the North Vietnamese. Good on the US side, a bit thin in the Vietnamese side, so better seen as a examination of the airmobile concept than a direct comparison of the two units covered  

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HMS Pincher (1910)

HMS Pincher (1910) was a Beagle class destroyer that spent most of the First World War in the Mediterranean, where she took part in the Gallipoli campaign. She returned to home waters briefly over the winter of 1914-15 to escort troop ships to France, and permanently in 1917, but she was wrecked after hitting rocks between Cornwall and Scilly on 24 July 1918.