Pen & Sword Books Ltd strana 11 z 41

Since Richard Trevithick’s first forays into the development of the steam locomotive, Britain’s engineers have been at the forefront of railway technology. Often innovative, and sometimes unfairly maligned, the country’s locomotive engineers continually broke new barriers in traction technology although not everything was successful. From the earliest simple steam locomotives to the latest diesel and electric engines, Britain had led the way in railway locomotion, although competition from European, Japanese and American manufacturers sometimes exceeded what British engineers had achieved. In this new book, industrial and railway historian Dr Richard Marks provides fresh insights into Britain’s role in railway locomotive design and technology, and examines the highlights of British developments from Trevithick’s Coalbrookdale locomotive to the Brush Class 60 diesel locomotive. Based upon new research this useful primer aims to start the reader on a journey of discovery, unravelling some of the myths which have arisen around Britain’s railway history and explaining in an easy to follow narrative why some potentially advantageous developments failed to live up to expectations. In this new survey of 200 years of British locomotive history to accompany the Railway 200 celebrations, the reader is presented with a compelling and easy to read introduction to a complex, but intriguing subject.

The Stroudley Brighton Terriers were one of the most successful designs of tank locomotive to run on the railways of Britain. They were introduced in 1872 and operated in main line service until November 1963, when ten members of the class were preserved both officially and by heritage railways. This volume tells the facinating story of there service and operational life, both on the main line and later when many of them had a further existence on light railways and in industry. John Scott-Morgan and Peter Steer have spent many hours reserching the interesting history of these Victorian survivors that operated long after there original lifespan on many railways across Britain.

Trooper Mick Holland served seven months with the Long Range Desert Group as an interpreter, medical orderly, and gunner until his capture in September 1942. From there until the end of the war he spent more time ‘on the run’ than in PoW camps. He made seven escape attempts in Italy and two in Germany. Holland’s accounts take the reader on an incredible journey that exhibit an exceptional man with great tenacity and determination. The story begins with his time in the LRDG and the events leading up to his capture. This is followed by an overview which describes the life and conditions in the PoW camps in Europe, subsequential chapters outline the dramatic stories of his nine escape attemptsHis evasion skills were reflective of the LRDG motto ‘Not by Strength, by Guile’. Holland was a persistent and determined escaper who preferred to operate alone to bring less attention to himself. He gave his whole focus to the problems of planning escapes and was alert to seizing every opportunity and, if necessary, creating one. Holland spoke both German and Italian and was very stoic in all he did. He fought with the Italian partisans for several months and on another occasion was intercepted by a German unit in Italy and was given the option of being returned to a PoW camp or being imbedded with them as an interpreter. The offer was accepted but after six weeks he found the opportunity to escape again. Later in Germany he stole a Colonel’s staff car and almost made it to the Swiss border before being captured at the final checkpoint. This is an engaging and dramatic story of an intelligent and resourceful man who utilised all his LRDG Special Forces skills to help evade the enemy and win his eventual freedom.

Two commoners pretend to be royalty to bring down the Tudors. The long-awaited Tudor prince dies of the Sweat on his fifteenth birthday. The Queen of Scots is ruthlessly executed by the Queen of England. A seventeen-year-old ascends the Throne of England to rule it for a mere nine days. The last Plantagenet prince is put to death to facilitate a much-longed-for marriage alliance. From Mary, Queen of Scots, to Lady Jane Grey, from Edward, Earl of Warwick, to Arthur Tudor and on to Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck, these were the Lost Heirs to the Tudor Throne. They were the ones who - had luck favoured them - could have ascended the Throne of England. With an overview of the lives of the Princes in the Tower and the Battle of Bosworth, this book delves into the lives of these commoners and royalty alike, who may have rewritten history had they ascended the throne.

In 1943, US bomber crews based in the UK were tasked with a 25-mission tour of duty. Most crews never made it past their fifth. The Luftwaffe owned the skies over Europe and the men of the Eighth Air Force were paying the price and strategic bombing was being called into question. Until, that is, the arrival of the Rolls Royce powered long-range P-51 Mustang. The tale of the P-51 began with a request from a wartime British procurement commission in April 1940. In response, Dutch Kindelberger and Edgar Schmued of North American Aviation set the gears in motion that would give birth to the groundbreaking fighter aircraft—the P-51 Mustang. The aircraft was an unqualified success and swept the Luftwaffe from the skies over German, facilitating devasting raids on German industry and paving the way for D-Day in 1944. This book goes on to tell the stories behind ten other weapons and weapons systems, from the drawing board to successful field deployment and their strategic impact beyond the battlefield. They were inspired by outstanding designers such as Sir Sydney Camm, scientists such as Alan Turing, and industrial visionaries such as Andrew Jackson Higgin. Their stories are interlinked with many of the most famous events and people in the history of World War II. Some of the weapons are well-known, others less so, and some are not usually regarded as weapons at all, such as SPAM and the Royal Navy’s “game” used to defeat the U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic. The Allies found that these weapons meant their forces could be better led given that they had faith in the means given to them to gain victory. The author explores the development, the challenges, and the deployment of these “weapons” and analyses their operational and strategic impact on the allied war effort and their collective contribution to eventual victory. This very readable account is a different perspective on the weapons that won the war.

While the armies of the Roman Empire, including its late 'Byzantine' phase, have been copiously studied, naval warfare of the period has been neglected. In part this is due to relative paucity of the available sources but Augustine H Kobayashi demonstrates that this does not imply a lack of maritime activity in this period; in fact quite the opposite is true. This compelling book delves into the profound significance of naval and maritime power in shaping the destinies of ancient empires, with a particular focus on the Empire of the Romans in the East. This 'Byzantine Empire', thrived remarkably for centuries—its longevity attributed to its formidable sea power. The imperial fleet played crucial roles in the Empire’s reconquest of the West by Justinian I, its struggles against the Muslim Arabs, (which turned the Mediterranean into a naval war zone,) as well as its resurgence in the tenth and eleventh centuries. The Age of Crusade was also about the changing balance of power at sea at the expense of the Byzantine Empire, which signalled the rise of the Latin West. The main narrative vividly explores the empire’s pivotal history from its zenith in the sixth century, a time when the remnants of the Roman Empire aspired to restore its former glory, to its demise at the hands of the Westerners in the early thirteenth century. The Byzantine navy not only provided critical logistical support to its armies but also facilitated the reclamation of lost territories and the triumph over formidable adversaries.

Ancient Ireland and Britain were large Celtic territories on the northwest edge of Europe. They were subject to myth and speculation by the early Greeks and Romans, but they later became the focus for trade, exploration and partial conquest. Dr Raoul McLaughlin presents the ancient sources for the Atlantic Celts in chapters covering the resources, commerce, warfare and beliefs of the oceanic Celts. This book contains updated translations of ancient sources concerning the lands known as Ivernia and Britannia. These accounts reveal what the Greeks and Romans knew about the origins, culture, and social practices of the insular Celts. The evidence begins in 600 BC when Carthaginian merchant ships explored the Atlantic coasts of western Europe searching for metal alloys. Then, in 325 BC, a Greek mariner named Pytheas explored the northern limits of the Atlantic territories and returned with accounts of Bretannike, Ierne and Thule. But it was Rome that led armies across the northern seas to conquer Britain. This book includes the campaign reports of Julius Caesar, along with accounts of conquests by the Emperor Claudius. These ancient texts reveal the ambitions, conflict and compromises involved in establishing the Roman province of Britannia, which by AD 60 encompassed most of southern Britain. This book therefore provides a unique resource for future scholarship and a fascinating insight for anyone interested in the distant Celtic past.

Mary Fitton was born in 1578 in the delightful village of Gawsworth in Cheshire. She grew up to become a confident, intelligent and vivacious young woman who became a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I and many of the gentlemen of her Court; had affairs with some and became pregnant by one resulting in a threat of being imprisoned in the Tower of London. She bore a few illegitimate children before taking two husbands, and then had at least five more legitimate children, and died in 1641, aged 63. Thus a colourful and eventful life. Added to this it is claimed that she is the ‘Dark Lady’ of Shakespeare’s Sonnets. So, Mary’s story is certainly an intriguing one. The name of Mary Fitton as a contender for the identity of the Dark Lady of Shakespeare's Sonnets has been known of since 1890 when Thomas Tyler first proposed it. Since then theories have been put forward as to why she is not and who therefore might fit the bill, equally arguments as to why she is. Added to which the actual authorship of what are known as Shakespear's Sonnets is hotly debated. This new book looks at Mary's story in the context of her immediate family, her life in the Queen's court, her companions, her lovers and her two husbands. It also considers the arguments for and against her identification as the 'Dark Lady' and refers to the authorship debate.

RAF in Camera: 1980s – The Later Years by Keith Wilson provides a visually rich account of the Royal Air Force during the transformative latter half of the 1980s. This continuation of Wilson’s earlier work examines the RAF’s operational and technological evolution during a pivotal decade for British military aviation.The period witnessed the retirement of iconic aircraft like the English Electric Lightning in 1988, symbolizing the end of a Cold War era. Simultaneously, the RAF introduced advanced platforms that redefined its capabilities, including the Tornado F.3 Interceptor, Harrier GR.5, British Aerospace BAe 146 CC.1, and Tucano T.1 trainer. Additionally, the innovative conversion of Lockheed Tristar and Vickers VC10 airliners into aerial refuelling tankers replaced the aging Victor K.2, enhancing the RAF’s strategic reach.Year-by-year coverage explores milestones such as the post-Falklands War recovery of military confidence and the integration of cutting-edge technology into RAF operations. Illustrated with numerous photographs, the book captures the RAF’s modernization and the cultural shifts within the service.Meticulously researched, RAF in Camera: 1980s – The Later Years offers aviation enthusiasts and historians alike a detailed exploration of the RAF’s evolution, blending iconic imagery with insightful analysis of this critical period in its history.

A History of Scottish Witches: The Devil's Handmaidens explores the phenomenon of witch persecution in Scotland between 1563 and 1736. Looking at the influence of the likes of John Knox and James VI of Scotland, this book examines the magic and fairy beliefs that underlay witchcraft and how this became twisted by the Scottish Kirk’s obsession with the Devil. Using examples from actual trial records and so-called witch confessions, this book explores how societal norms surrounding women caused so many to face the rope and the flames and how those norms were exacerbated by the chaos of the reformation and the wars of the Three Kingdoms. How did the magical beliefs of ordinary people become twisted into Devil worship? And why did so many come to believe this? How did the Scottish church and the courts fall into a frenzy of belief that the Devil was around every corner, causing terror across Lowland Scotland, and how did they extract themselves from that frenzy? Finally, the book looks at how this period of persecution affected the ordinary people of Scotland and what lessons it might hold for today.

From the sinking of the Titanic to the heroic rescue at Dunkirk, Charles H. Lightoller’s life was anything but ordinary. Unsinkable Lights tells the gripping story of a man who braved and survived four shipwrecks, raging storms, a pandemic, a revolution in South America, being stranded on a desert island and two World Wars. Orphaned young and drawn to the sea aged just 13, Lightoller’s early adventures took him across the globe, from deserted islands to gold rush expeditions in the Canadian wilderness. Then, in 1912, as the most senior surviving officer of the Titanic, he saved countless lives and narrowly escaped death himself, three times in one night. When the First World War began, he continued his daring feats, sinking a German U-boat. During the Second World War, he took his motor yacht, Sundowner, and set out for Dunkirk to rescue members of the British Expeditionary Force. Though the Sundowner was only constructed to hold around 20 people, Lightoller's yacht dodged enemy bombs and gunfire to save 127 soldiers from France. A thrilling tale of courage, survival, and an unbreakable spirit, with details that have never been published before, Unsinkable Lights is the definitive biography of a man who truly earned his place in history.

Dilip Sarkar, renowned for his meticulous research, delves into the Battle of Britain in this first volume of an eight-part series. His evidence-based approach offers a comprehensive view of the 1940 aerial conflict, exploring the development of air power, Britain’s defense, the German strategy, the Home Front, and political events. Sarkar goes beyond the well-known narrative, revealing new human stories and events.The book traces the conflict''s background, including the German invasion of Norway, the Fall of France, and the air battles over Dunkirk. Sarkar questions the official start date of the Battle of Britain, arguing that the fighting began earlier, on 2 July 1940. A detailed, day-by-day account follows, acknowledging aircrews lost before 10 July and recognizing contributions from Bomber and Coastal commands, not just the pilots of Spitfires and Hurricanes.Sarkar’s research, based on official sources and personal accounts, challenges many myths and the accepted narrative. This work is more than a record of combat losses; it’s a deep dive into the broader context of the battle, drawing on unique firsthand accounts, intelligence reports, and political documents. It’s an unprecedented look at the Battle of Britain and its far-reaching implications.

The Second World War saw the eclipse of the battleship as the capital vessel in any navy by a new feat of maritime engineering: the aircraft carrier. It was to change naval warfare forever. But when one thinks of the Kriegsmarine during this period, the German effort to construct an aircraft carrier is often overlooked. Designed in the late 1930s, Graf Zeppelin was the largest ship built by Nazi Germany. The lead ship of her class, she represented the Kriegsmarine’s efforts to create a balanced, ocean-going fleet capable of projecting German naval power across the oceans. Though 85 per cent complete by the outbreak of war in September 1939, Graf Zeppelin became a white elephant, a ship filled with promise but ultimately disappointing. Hitler’s war arrived too early for the Kriegsmarine and construction of Germany’s only aircraft carrier was never completed. Graf Zeppelin: The Story of Hitler’s Aircraft Carrier tells the full story of the monumental effort and ultimate failure by the Kriegsmarine to crown the German fleet with that most coveted of naval assets, an aircraft carrier.

Reginald Bacon was no Drake, Hawke or Nelson, yet in a naval career that spanned four decades of critical change for the Royal Navy, he was a pivotal figure among Admiral ‘Jacky’ Fisher’s ‘five best brains in the navy’ who revolutionised Britain’s naval warfighting capability between 1900 and the end of the First World War. This new biography traces Bacon’s remarkable career from his service as a fifteen-year-old Midshipman aboard Sir Geoffrey Hornby’s Mediterranean flagship to his three years in command of the Dover Patrol. A mine and torpedo specialist, he was by turns the father of the Submarine Service, the first captain of HMS Dreadnought and Director of Naval Ordnance at the Admiralty before leaving the Royal Navy for five years to run Coventry Ordnance Works whose fortunes he transformed. Having ended the war as Controller of Munition Inventions with the rank of Admiral, over the next twenty-five years he re-invented himself as a writer, dividing his time between homes in Hampshire and Italy. No stranger to controversy, having been unwittingly caught in the bitter Beresford/Fisher feud of 1909, he robustly defended Sir John Jellicoe as C-in-C Grand Fleet against accusations of weak and defensive tactics that deprived the nation of a resounding victory at Jutland. He went on to write acclaimed biographies of both Jacky Fisher and Earl Jellicoe besides two novels and two layman’s guides to new technologies, the motor car and the wireless, the latter in his A Simple Guide to Wireless for All Whose Knowledge of Electricity is Childlike. His account of his service in Command of the Dover Patrol is considered a classic of naval reminiscence and reveals undercurrants of contested naval doctrine that resonate today. As war threatened again in the 1930s, he wrote two more books championing the role of the Royal Navy in wartime. This highly readable biography does justice to both the man – ‘the ablest and cleverest officer I have ever known,’ wrote Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Oliver – and his remarkable input into so many aspects of the development of the Navy at a time of exponential change.

Olga of Kyiv, the first female ruler of the Rus, was a leader unlike any other. Best remembered for her ruthless revenge against the Derevlians—the tribe that murdered her husband—Olga’s calculated brutality secured her grip on power and cemented her legend. Yet she was more than just a warrior queen. Her rule reshaped the Rus, introducing political and administrative reforms that strengthened the state, centralised governance, and fortified cities. She established a structured tribute system, secured key alliances with Constantinople, and laid the foundation for the Christianisation of the Rus. Her infamous Siege of Iskorosten showcased her mastery of psychological warfare, proving that her mind was as sharp as any blade. A ruler of vision, resilience, and contradiction, Olga’s legacy shaped Eastern Europe and paved the way for the rise of one of the most powerful medieval states.

Discover the Rome that has inspired writers for centuries, from the Classical era to the present day. Walk in the footsteps of Virgil’s Aeneid, trace the path of Renaissance laureates or writers on the Grand Tour. The Book Lover’s Guide to Rome takes you to the favourite haunts of the Romantic poets, the places that stirred the Victorian imagination or formed the backdrop to the dolce vita. It also showcases the literature from a different Rome, one that struggled through the war and aired its scars in neo-realism and detective fiction. Whether at the scene of Ovid’s amorous adventures whilst watching the chariot races in the Circus Maximus or at a caffe that attracted the literati, each location is accompanied by sumptuous full colour photographs and helpful information on the best mode of travel.