Operation Greif (16 December 1944 onwards)

Operation Greif (16 December 1944 onwards) was a German special mission during the Battle of the Bulge that failed in its main objective of capturing the Meuse bridges, but partly achieved its secondary objective of spreading confusion behind American lines.

The Army of Ptolemaic Egypt 323-204 BC – An Institutional and Operational History, Paul Johstono

Looks at the organisation and performance of the army of the first four Ptolemies, members of the longest lived of the successor kingdoms founded after the death of Alexander the Great. Takes advantage of the impressive array of surviving documents (mainly papyri) to study the structure of the army in great detail and then compare those results to what we know about the army’s performance, and what ancient historians reported about the army

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Napoleon’s Women Camp Followers, Terry Crowdy

A look at those women who were officially present with the French armies during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, focusing largely on the laundresses and the vivandiere or sutlers, who provided any supplies that weren’t part of the official ration. Based on a mix of official regulations, soldier’s memoirs and contemporary art works, this book paints an interesting picture of this key non-military element of the French army 

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The Bayonet, Bill Harriman

Looks at the long history of the bayonet, from its emergence as a novel weapon that helped revolutionised warfare in the seventeenth century by eliminating the need for pikes, through its time as one of the queens of the battlefield, before its downfall in the face of increasing firepower on the late 19th century battlefield. Good both on the physical development of the bayonet, and its use and influence on the battlefield  

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HMS Martin (1910)

HMS Martin (1910) was an Acorn class destroyer that served with the Second Destroyer Flotilla with the Grand Fleet in 1914-15, at Devonport from late 1915 to late 1917 and then on the Irish Station, before moving to the Mediterranean where she spent all of 1918.

USS Hull (DD-330)

USS Hull (DD-330) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Pacific Fleet in the 1920s before being scrapped because of her badly worn boilers.

Curtiss HS-1

The Curtiss HS-1 was a single engined flying boat that was used as a coastal patrol aircraft in American and French waters, and was one of the most significant American designed combat aircraft of the First World War.

Siege of Bastogne (18-26 December 1944)

The siege of Bastogne (18-26 December 1944) was one of the most famous parts of the battle of the Bulge, and saw a US garrison hold off repeated German attacks, badly disrupting the German plans.

Animals in the Second World War, Neil R. Storey

Looks at the full range of animal involvement in the war, from the practical use of horses, mules and dogs to the dreadful impact on domestic pets of the outbreak of war. Horse and mules, dogs and pigeons each get their own chapter, reflecting their wide-spread use, while other animals are covered topic by topic. Fairly short, but with lots of interesting material 

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The Junks and Sampans of the Yangtze, G.R.G. Worcester

A truly compelling book looking at far more than it’s title might suggest – as well as detailed examinations of the many different types of junks and sampans found on the Yangtze, we also get an enthralling account of life on that river as it was until fairly recently, written by a British member of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service, who was given eight years to research his topic! Has a timeless feel, despite being researched during a time of near constant civil war, followed by Japanese invasion, with the author spending time in a Japanese prison camp, and having to leave China after the Communist takeover. This is one of those books that I’m sad to have finished!

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