USS Noa (DD-343)

USS Noa (DD-343) was a Clemson class destroyer that was converted into a high speed transport and took part in a series of amphibious landings in the South Pacific, before being rammed and sunk by another US warship on her way to the Palau Islands.

P.Z.L. P.1

The P.Z.L. P.1 of 1929 was the first Polish designed fighter aircraft, and was the first in a line of fighters that would still be in front line service a decade later, at the outbreak of the Second World War.

No.403 Squadron, RCAF

No.403 Squadron, RCAF, was a fighter squadron that was the first Canadian squadron to be formed overseas during the Second World War, and that took part in the air offensive over France, joined Second Air Force and supported the D-Day landings then moved to Europe to support the campaign in North-western Europe.

The Eastern Fleet and the Indian Ocean 1942-1944, Charles Stephenson

Looks at the difficult war experienced by the British Eastern Fleet, which was outclassed by the Japanese in 1942, largely hollowed out to help other fleets in 1943 and was only able to go back onto the offensive in 1944, once the Japanese navy had been largely neutralised by the US Navy in the Pacific. Makes a good argument that the poor quality of Fleet Air Arm aircraft in 1942 combined with the lack of any real doctrine for using large carrier air groups would have given the Japanese an advantage even against the full Britist fleet, but also argues that the Navy and in particular Admiral Somerville, actually did rather well in these difficult circumstances 

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Caesar’s Great Success – Sustaining the Roman Army on Campaign, Alexander Merrow, Agostino Von Hassell & Greagory Starace

. Looks at the role of logistics in Caesar’s military campaigns, as well as the food eaten by the Roman army, the concepts behind modern logistics and how they might apply to Caesar’s campaign in Gaul in particular, and how well Caesar performed in the task of keeping his armies supplied. An interesting approach to Caesar’s campaigns, helped greatly by the amount of attention he gave it in his own writing, combined with an intelligent look at how other elements of the campaigns must have been guided by the need for supplies. Also comes with some fun Roman recipies to try out

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They Shall Not Pass - the French Army on the Western Front 1914-1918, Ian Sumner

Built around an impressive array of first hand accounts from veterans of the French Army on the Western Front, combined with a history of the French contribution to the fighting, which for most of the war was the most significant part of the Allied war effort in the west, and allowing us to trace how the original enthusiasm slowly disappeared, largely to be replaced by a mix of determination and cynicism. A very useful addition to the English language literature on the war, giving us a better understanding of the massive French contribution to the eventual Allied victory. 

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HMS Ferret

HMS Ferret was an Acheron class destroyer that served with the First Flotilla at Harwich in 1914-16, fighting at the battle of Heligoland Bight, then with the 3rd Battle Squadron in 1916-17 before becoming a minelayer, ending the war as part of the slow division of the 20th Destroyer Flotilla of Minelayers based on the East Coast.

USS Hulbert (DD-342/ AVD-6)

USS Hulbert (DD-342/ AVD-6) was a Clemson class destroyer that served as a seaplane tender in the Aleutians in 1942-43, then as a plane guard for new aircraft carriers for most of the rest of the war.

No.402 Squadron, RCAF

No.402 Squadron, RCAF, was a fighter squadron that was mainly used on offensive duties, including the raid on Dieppe and supporting the D-Day lands, as well as taking part in the campaign against the V-1 Flying Bomb.

The Price of Victory - The Red Army's Casualties in the Great Patriotic War, Lev Lopukhovsky & Boris Kavalerchik

. Looks at the various attempts to produce ‘official’ figures for the Soviet casualties during the Second World War, arguing that they are all deeply flawed, underestimate the number of casualties and are largely politically motiviated. The authors also attempt to produce their own figures, using many of the same sources as their opponents, but coming up with a much higher figure. The resulting book is somewhat hard going, as its partly based around a detailed analysis of statistics and partly around an argument with the authors of the official work, but does make a convincing case. 

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The Avro Type 698 Vulcan Design and Development, David W. Fildes

A look at the design and development of the Vulcan bomber, almost entirely presented using original documents, including material from AVRO, the Air Minstry, RAE, RAF and other interested parties. We look at the original idea that developed into the Vulcan, the design and construction of small scale test aircraft and the first prototypes, and the ongoing development process that turned the prototypes into a satisfactory service aircraft, then kept updating it, first in an attempt to improve its high altitude performance, then to make it more suited for the new low level role. The heavy use of contemporary documents makes it quite a dry read in places, but also makes the book of great value if you are interested in the process of aircraft design. 

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Rome & Parthia: Empires at War: Ventidus, Antony and the Second Romano-Parthian War 40-20 BC, Gareth C. Sampson

Looks at the war that started with a Parthain invasion of Rome’s eastern provinces after the victory of the triumvirs at Philippi and that saw both sides carry out unsuccessful invasions of each others territory during a war that was repeated disrupted by civil wars within both powers. Not the best known of Romans wars from this period, and rather over-shadowded by the rivaly between Octavian and Antony, but still an interesting conflict and one that demonstrates the problems faced by the two empires as they expanded towards each other. 

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HMS Druid (1911)

HMS Druid (1911) was an Acheron class destroyer that took part in the battles of Heligoland and Dogger Bank, then served with the 3rd Battle Squadron, and with destroyer flotillas on the south coast, before spending most of 1918 in the Mediterranean.

USS Decatur (DD-341)

USS Decatur (DD-341) was a Clemson class destroyer that spend most of the Second World War on escort duty in the Atlantic and Caribbean, as well as one tour with the hunter-killer group built around USS Card late in 1943.

Curtiss SC Seahawk

The Curtiss SC Seahawk was the last fixed wing scouting aircraft produced for service on the US Navy’s battleships and cruisers, and entered service late in 1944.

No.401 Squadron, RCAF

No.401 Squadron, RCAF, was a fighter squadron that took part in bomber escort and fighter sweeps before joining 2nd Tactical Air Force to support the D-Day landings and the campaign in north-western Europe.

Battleship Bismarck – A Design and Operational History, William Garzke Jr, Robert O Dulin Jr and William Jurens, with James Cameron

The most detailed book on a single ship I’ve ever read, covering the entire history of German capital ship design after the First World War, their service records before the Bismarck’s fatal cruise, followed by a massively detailed account of the Bismarck’s one war cruise, including the battle of the Denmark Strait and the final sinking of the Bismarck, covering just about every shot fired by every ship, every bit of damage suffered by the Bismarck, all supported by evidence from the German survivors, British eyewitnesses and the dives to the wreck

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Rome Rules the Waves – A Naval Staff Appreciation of Ancient Rome’s Maritime Strategy, 300 BCE-500 CE, James J Bloom

An interesting idea, examining Roman naval history from the point of view of the important late 19th century and early 20th century naval strategists, in particular Mahan and Corbett, as well as the terminology of modern naval warfare. Does a good job of proving how important control of the sea was to Rome, and the loss of that control played a major role in the fall of the Western Empire, although could do with being better organised  

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A Waste of Blood & Treasure - The 1799 Anglo-Russian Invasion of the Netherlands, Philip Ball

 A look at one of the least succesful British campaigns of the Revolutionary Wars, the Anglo-Russian attempt to free the Netherlands from French control that ended with a negotiated retreat, largely on French terms, after three costly battles fought in difficult terrain close to the Dutch coast. Looks at the reasons for the failure of the expedition, as well as providing a detailed narrative of the fairly short campaign. A good study of this brief but disasterous Anglo-Russian campaign 

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HMS Defender

HMS Defender was an Acheron class destroyer that started the First World War with the Harwich Force, and took part in the battles of Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland. From June 1916-March 1917 she was attached to the 3rd Battle Squadron, a force of older battleships posted on the Thames, then spent time based at Portsmouth and Devonport, before ending the war based at Gibraltar.

USS Perry (DD-340)

USS Perry (DD-340) was a Clemson class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, then served in the Aleutians, the Marshals, the Marianas, New Guinea and the invasion of Pelelieu, where she was sunk on 13 September 1944, probably by a mine.

Curtiss SO3C Seamew/ Seagull

The Curtiss SO3C Seamew/ Seagull was an unsuccessful attempt to replace the Curtiss SOC Seagull biplane spotter plane, and after a brief period of front line service in 1942-43 was withdrawn, and in some cases replaced with its predecessor.

No.400 Squadron, RCAF

No.400 Squadron, RCAF, began the war as am army co-operation squadron, before becoming a reconnaissance squadron, supporting the D-Day landings and the campaign in north-western Europe

Objective Falaise - 8 August 1944-16 August 1944, Georges Bernage

Looks at the two largely Canadian attacks, Operations Totalize and Tractable, that were launched to capture Falaise and help close the Falaise gap from the north. A good account of these two battles, with plenty of eye witness accounts from both sides to support the narrative of these two rather different battles, all supported by an impressive array of photographs and maps, tracing how the Canadians slowly pushed back the Germans. 

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The Wars of Alexander’s Successors 323-281 BC: Volume I: Commanders & Campaigns, Bob Bennett & Mike Roberts

The first part of a study of the wars of Alexander’s Successors, concentrating on the individual commanders, their overall careers and their campaigns, leaving the details of their battles for part two. An interesting approach, with some chapters covering the entire group during key events and others focusing on the career of one successor at a time. Looks at a forty year period of near constant warfare, involving some remarkable, ambitious characters, none of whom were quite able to ever reunite Alexander’s empire.

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Siege Warfare during the Hundred Years War – Once More into the Breach, Peter Hoskins

Looks at the vast array of sieges of castles and towns during the Hundred Years War, a war most famous for a handful of English battlefield victories, but that was dominated by the siege, from Calais to Orleans. Looks at the nature of fortifications, how sieges were conducted (and how that changed during this period), and the rise of gunpowder artillery, and in particular the impressive French royal siege train, which helped blast away the English positions in Normandy and Aquitaine in surprisingly short period at the end of the war. 

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HMS Staunch (1910)

HMS Staunch (1910) was an Acorn class destroyer that served with the Second Destroyer Flotilla with the Grand Fleet in 1914-15 and at Devonport late in 1915, before moving to join the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean in December 1915. She was torpedoed and sunk by UC-38 on 11 November 1917 while supporting the British troops during the fighting in Palestine.

USS Trever (DD-339)

USS Trever (DD-339) was a Clemson class destroyer that was present at Pearl Harbor and took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, New Georgia and Bougainville before ending the war on escort duties.

Curtiss SOC Seagull

The Curtiss SOC Seagull was a biplane scout-observation aircraft that operated from US battleships and cruisers throughout the Second World War, actually outliving two newer aircraft that had been designed to replace it.