Operation Spring (25-27 July 1944)

Operation Spring (25-27 July 1944) was one of the most costly Canadian operations of the Second World War, but although it failed to capture any of its targets, it did achieve its main purpose of pinning German troops down on the Caen front.

Combat over the Mediterranean, Chris Goss

Focuses largely on the RAF’s anti-shipping missions, using the gun camera photographs taken during actual attacks to give a vivid picture of this important part of the war in the Mediterranean. Focuses largely on No.252 Squadron, as the pictures came from the collection of Dennis Butler, who commandeered the squadron twice during the war. Often includes a whole series of pictures from the same attack, giving us an unparalleled view of events as they happened
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The Light Division in the Peninsular war 1808-1811, Tim Saunders and Rob Yuill

Looks at the history of the units that would become the Light Division, and the early activities of the division itself, from Wellington’s first campaign in 1808, through Sir John Moore’s time in charge and on to Bucaco Ridge the Lines of Torres Vedra and the French retreat back into Spain. Uses a wider range of sources than most (although does include the famous Rifleman Harris), so we get a better picture of the overall activities of the division
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The Archaeology of the Holocaust, Richard A. Freund

Looks at the use of non-invasive archaeological methods, including Geoscience (perhaps better known in the UK as geophysics) at two centres of Jewish life, in Rhodes and Vilna, both destroyed during the Holocaust.  Focuses on the technical aspects of what was done, why it was done, the background story of the two areas and the way the local population was involved, rather than on the actual details of the digs

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HMS Foxhound (1909)

HMS Foxhound (1909) was a Beagle class destroyer that served in the Mediterranean for most of the First World War, taking part in the Gallipoli campaign. She briefly returned to home waters over the winter of 1914-15 to escort troop ships to France, and permanently late in 1917 to carry out anti-submarine warfare patrols and convoy escort duties.

USS Farragut (DD-300)

USS Farragut (DD-300) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in the Pacific during the 1920s, narrowly avoiding disaster at Honda Point, and taking part in many of the Fleet Problems of that period.

Curtiss

The Curtiss JNS was the designation given to those JN-4Hs and JN-6Hs that were reconditioned after the First World War, eliminating the differences between the two types.

Operation Atlantic (18-21 July 1944)

Operation Atlantic (18-21 July 1944) was the Canadian counterpart to Operation Goodwood, and saw the newly activated Canadian II Corps attack on the right flank of the main Goodwood attack, finally clearing the south part of Caen and completing the liberation of the city. 

Norfolk Tank Museum fund raiser

This looks like a worthwhile project - the Norfolk Tank Museum is trying to raise money to save the first Challenger 1 prototype, which was used as a gunnery target for many years! 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ntm-rescue-the-challenger-1-prototype

Vietnam War US & Allied Combat Equipments, Gordon L. Rottman

A detailed examination of the non-combat equipment carried by US and allied troops during the Vietnam War, looking both at the official kit and what was actually carried. Excludes the uniform itself and any actual weapons, but covers just about everything else, from the webbing used to carry most of the kit to the various types of first aid kits. The author actually served in Vietnam in 1969-70, so knows what he is talking about!
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Leading the Roman Army – Soldiers and Emperors 31 BC-AD 235, Jonathan Eaton

Takes a different approach to the Roman army, looking at the relationship between the Emperor and his soldiers, both the regular army and the Praetorian Guard, how the army was led and disciplined and what influence it actually had over politics (ie the Emperor and succession), in a period when the Emperor was the sole source of military authority.
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Rome’s Third Samnite War – 298-290BC – the Last Stand of the Line Legion, Mike Roberts

Focuses on the Third Samnite War, the last time the Samnites were Rome’s main opponents in a conflict, placing the conflict in the wider context of its times and looking at Rome’s other foes at the time, as well as following the rivalry through to its end in the dying days of the Republic. Generally very good, although outside the Third War the timeline could be clearer. During the war itself does a good job of creating a coherent account of this often poorly recorded conflict.
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HMS Bulldog (1909)

HMS Bulldog (1909) was a Beagle class destroyer that spent most of the First World War in the Mediterranean, taking part in the Gallipoli campaign. She also briefly returned to home waters over the winter of 1914-15 to escort troop ships to France, and permanently late in 1917 to join the Second Destroyer Flotilla in Ireland.

USS John Francis Burnes (DD-299)

USS John Francis Burnes (DD-299) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Pacific Fleet during the 1920s, before being decommissioned because her Yarrow boilers were badly worn.

Curtiss JN-6

The Curtiss JN-6 was an improved version of the Curtiss JN-4H, mainly distinguished by the use of ailerons on both wings.

Churchill’s Hellraisers – A Secret Mission to Storm a Forbidden Nazi Fortress, Damien Lewis

A very entertaining account of Operation Tombola, a joint SOE and SAS mission in northern Italy that joined with the Italian resistance to attack the HQ of the German LI Corps. A very readable and atmospheric book covering a fascinating raid, slightly marred by insisting on calling the Corps HQ the 14th Army HQ throughout the book. Otherwise good, with an adventure story stone that brings the story to life
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We Killed Yamamoto, Si Sheppard

Looks at one of the most famous air attacks of the entire Second World War, the P-38 strike that killed Admiral Yamamoto, one of the key targets for the US after his role in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Includes good material on code breaking and its role in the war to that date, the decision to carry out the raid, the planning and the raid, and finally the long running controversy about which pilot actually shot down Yamamoto
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Wellington and the British Army’s Indian Campaigns 1798-1805, Martin R. Howard

Looks at the wider context to Wellington’s time in India, covering most of the military campaigns that took place while he was present, not just those in which he was involved. A little weak on the Indian side of the fighting, but otherwise good, and provides some useful context to Wellington’s famous victories of this period
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HMS Beagle (1909)

HMS Beagle (1909) was the name ship of the Beagle class of destroyers, and spend most of the First World War in the Mediterranean, where it took part in the Gallipoli campaign. She also spent the winter of 1914-15 in home waters escorting troop ships to France, then moved to Ireland late in 1917 to join the large anti-submarine and convoy escort forces.

USS Percival (DD-298)

USS Percival (DD-298) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Pacific Fleet during the 1920s, surviving the Honda Point disaster.

Curtiss JN-5

The designation Curtiss JN-5 was given to two different aircraft – first to what became known as the Twin JN and then to a single prototype of an improved model of the Jenny that never entered production.

Operation Goodwood (18-20 July 1944)

Operation Goodwood (18-20 July 1944) was one of the more controversial battles of the Overlord campaign, and involved a massive British armoured attack to the east of Caen that forced the Germans to move reinforcements to area and finally completed the liberation of Caen, but that failed to achieve the dramatic breakthrough that some had been expecting

Hitler’s Eastern Legions 1942-45, Nigel Thomas

Looks at the units raised by the Germans in the far eastern part of the conquests – the Caucasus, Turkestan, Volga and Crimea, with lots of information on their uniforms, organisation, locations, insignia etc squeezed into the space, but apparently no room to discuss any war crimes committed by these units.
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The Piat – Britain’s anti-tank weapon of World War II, Matthew Moss

A good examination of the PIAT, the British Army’s most effective man portable infantry anti-tank weapon of the Second World War, looking at how it was developed, how it actually operated, and how effective it was in combat, where it was used against armour, against strong points and as a light mortar. Tracings its use in Italy, Normandy and afterwards, Warsaw and the Far East, as well as its limited post-war career 

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To Defeat the Few, Douglas C. Dildy and Paul F. Crickmore

A look at the Battle of Britain as seen from the German point of view, looking at what the Luftwaffe was attempting to achieve at each stage of the battle, how their plans were formed and implemented and what each individual raid was trying to achieve. This is a very useful approach to the battle, showing us its familiar events consistently from a different angle
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HMS Basilisk (1910)

HMS Basilisk (1910) was a Beagle class destroyer that served in the Mediterranean for most of the First World War, taking part in the Gallipoli campaign. She was one of the last to remain in the Mediterranean, but was back in home waters by June 1918 to join the large convoy escort forces.

USS Fuller (DD-297)

USS Fuller (DD-297) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Pacific Fleet in the early 1920s, before being lost in the Honda Point disaster.

Curtiss JN-4Can ‘Canuck’

The Curtiss JN-4Can ‘Canuck’ was an improved version of the Curtiss JN-3 that was developed independently in Canada, and constructed at the same time as the American Curtiss JN-4.

Operation Charnwood (8-9 July 1944)

Operation Charnwood (8-9 July 1944) saw the British and Canadians finally capture the northern half of Caen, a month after the city was originally expected to have fallen on D-Day.

Setting the Med Ablaze – Churchill’s Secret North African Base, Peter Dixon

A fascinating book looking at SOE’s secret HQ in North Africa, code named Massingham, from where the organisation ran operations across the Mediterranean – on Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily, mainland Italy and France. The focus of this book isn’t on the individual missions themselves, but rather on the organisation behind them and their overall objectives 

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Women at War in the Classical World, Paul Chrystal

A survey of the role, experiences and attitudes to women in warfare across the Classical world, from the archaic Greek world of Homer to late Roman antiquity, including both real and fictional women and mythological figures. Covers the full range of experience from women as commanders (Cleopatra being the most famous) to women as victims of war, especially in the aftermath of defeat, as well as interesting sections on the attitude of these societies to woman’s role in warfare 

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Roman Soldier versus Parthian Warrior – Carrhae to Nisibis, 53 BC-AD 217, Si Sheppard

Looks at one of the great rivalries of the ancient world, between the infantry led armies of Rome and the cavalry armies of the Parthians, a rivalry that saw Rome suffer some of its worst defeats, and ended the Empire’s advance east. Nicely structured, examining three key battles alternating with the overview of events between to paid a picture of the overall nature of the relationship

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