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It was only the ‘above average’ pilots and navigators who were invited to volunteer for what was some of the most challenging, daring and rewarding flying operations of the Second World War. Their role was to take Mosquitos at low level through the night across Europe to loiter near a Luftwaffe airfield to attack and shoot down returning enemy bombers or night fighters. The Mosquito intruders’ story starts during the Battle of Britain, when RAF planners noticed a few German interlopers ‘hiding’ in the returning bomber streams, so that they could attack landing RAF aircraft. They recognised that this was a tactic the RAF could also employ. To exploit this concept properly, the RAF needed the right equipment, training programme and airmen. Each would take time to establish. It was not until mid-1943, with the superior performance and capabilities of the iconic de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito FB VI, that the intruders’ full impact would at last be felt. The first three intruder squadrons, Nos. 23, 418 and 605, were the elite of the elite. Their ‘Battle Honours’ demonstrate their contribution to delivering victory over the Axis forces. Mosquito Intruders – Target Europe uses diaries, first-hand accounts, contemporaneous sources, and official records to take the reader through the development of the intruder concept, their early days equipped initially with the Douglas DB-7 Boston and the Mosquito NF II (Special), to the operations of the first three Mosquito intruder squadrons. These three squadrons defended Malta, supported the invasion of Sicily, assisted No. 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron on their famous Dortmund-Ems Canal raid, were the first to attack on D-Day, and worked out how to defeat the V1 flying bombs. They were led from the front, and through example, by larger-than-life fighter aces. The Mosquito demanded respect and could take punishment. Beautifully balanced, fast and with a powerful punch, for most of the aircrew, it was the aircraft of their dreams. By the end of Mosquito Intruders – Target Europe, you will understand why!

The White Mouse: Gestapo’s Most Wanted tells the extraordinary true story of Nancy Wake during one of the darkest chapters in modern history. This new biography traces Nancy’s path across the globe, from her youth in Australia, to New York, London, Paris, and Marseilles – and her evolution from free-spirited journalist to wartime hero. When Europe slid towards war, Nancy found herself swept into the heart of the Resistance movement in Marseilles. And she chose to make a difference. What followed was a life marked by extraordinary courage, personal sacrifice, and unwavering defiance. Drawing on interviews, personal anecdotes, and rich historical detail, the book offers a full account of Nancy Wake’s life. It focuses not only on her most dangerous exploits but also examines the motivations and early influences that drove her to top the Gestapo’s Most Wanted List and become a leader in the Maquis. Her journey will take the reader from suburban Australia to daring missions behind enemy lines. More than just a tale of espionage, this is a story of risk, resilience, and the woman who made a vow to never look away from injustice — and kept it. Interwoven with historical context and dramatically retold, The White Mouse brings Nancy Wake’s courage and character to life, reclaiming her place in a period of history often dominated by men. For readers drawn to stories of defiance, resilience, and unsung wartime heroism, this is both an engaging biography and a reflection on bravery in the face of crisis.

Born into the shadows of Victorian London, Mary Carr began her criminal career as a pickpocketing flower-girl, rising to be the undisputed Queen of the Forty Thieves. Under her rule, the Forty transformed from a band of violent, disorganised thieves into a ruthless, well-oiled gang, making a fortune from hotel robberies and blackmail. By 1891, Mary ruled Southwark, Lambeth, and beyond, her power extending from seedy back alleys to high society establishments. But Mary was more than just a criminal mastermind. A ‘swan-necked beauty’ and muse to esteemed artist Frederic Leighton, she navigated both the art world and the criminal underworld with ease. She was a revered gang boss and a beloved benefactor, caring for the families of imprisoned comrades and ruling with both generosity and iron discipline. When a young boy, Michael McGee, vanished at the Epsom races, eyes on the street turned to Mary, who had recently adopted a young blonde-haired boy and had been showing him off to the world. But her defiance would prove her undoing. Betrayed by an informant, she was arrested for child theft in 1896, sentenced to three years in prison, and lost everything. How does a woman who loses her home, her title and her son all in one blow rise agai? mma Woodhouse's compelling narrative unravels the legend of Mary Carr — a woman who defied Victorian expectations, reshaped London’s underworld, and became one of the most fascinating figures of her time.

The Soviet T-34 tank is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable symbols of the Red Army and its struggle against the Third Reich in the Second World War. Not surprisingly, over the years a considerable number of books and films have been dedicated to Stalin’s so-called ‘wonder tank’. Many historians, especially those in Russia, peremptorily call the T-34 the best tank of the war. In so doing, they often refer to the ‘authoritative’ opinion of Heinz Guderian and other German generals. Von Kleist, for example, is stated to have once referred to the T-34 as ‘the finest tank in the world’. But, as Dmitry Zubov sets out to explore in this book, was this the true pictur? he reality of the summer of 1941, following Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, revealed that it took the Wehrmacht only a couple of months to turn Stalin’s tank armada into little more than a pile of scrap metal. Despite this inauspicious beginning to its combat service, the myth of the T-34’s ‘invincibility’ was already being born. It was a development that, argues Dmitry Zubov, was in part driven by the Soviet propaganda machine, but also by their enemy. As the fighting wore on, the Germans became increasingly bogged down in endless operations to cover their flanks from the mythical counterattacks of Stalin’s Red Army, which by that time had actually lost most of its combat capability. But to hide the consequences of Hitler’s incompetent command, German generals had to explain the collapse of Operation Barbarossa by the incredible resilience of Soviet soldiers, the appalling ‘Russian winter’, and finally, by the ‘vast superiority’, to quote Guderian, of the T-34 tank. Between them, Hitler’s commanders argued, they had torn apart their excellent plans. These facts motivated the author to examine the real history of the creation, production, and combat use of Stalin’s ‘wonder tank’. Under the numerous layers of Soviet secrecy, myths, propaganda and outright lies, he has exposed a bitter reality. The T-34 tank was not a masterpiece of Soviet engineering, but in fact a design that, in reality, was based on plans ‘borrowed’ by Soviets from designers in the West. Produced in an incredible hurry by unskilled workers, Stalin’s ‘wonder tank’ often presented an easy target for the German panzers and anti-tank gunners, and battlefield graves for their Soviet crews.

The murder of Emily Beilby Kaye in 1924 was a crime of shocking brutality. Her body, having been dismembered, was found scattered, and her killer’s capture and subsequent trial unraveled under the glare of public scrutiny. Despite its notoriety at the time and its role in shaping modern forensic investigation, this case has been largely overlooked in dedicated true crime accounts. This book investigates the infamous ‘Second Crumbles Murder’ with fresh eyes, drawing on archival material, trial transcripts, memoirs of investigators, and contemporary press reports. It explores the intense human drama, involving an apparently charming male protagonist, along with the gruesome details that captivated the nation, and the forensic breakthroughs – including the introduction of the ‘Murder Bag’ – that left a lasting legacy. For true crime enthusiasts and history buffs alike, this is the definitive account of a crime that shocked 1920s Britain and continues to fascinate today.

From the flamboyant preacher accused of forgery to the fourteen year old burned at the stake for coining, the eighteenth century was rife with financial crime. This book outlines the stories of men and women accused and convicted of coining and forgery at a time when the death penalty was used for over 200 crimes and society was unforgiving. When the British government decided to produce low value paper currency in 1797 to pay for the war with France they had overlooked the consequences of a population unfamiliar with banknotes. From 1797 to 1812 over 300 people went to the gallows. This book tells the story of some of these people. The schoolmaster pressed into the Royal Navy who turned forger on discharge. The exciseman who found himself out of pocket when whisky production was regulated and forged money to pay his bills. A coining gang holed up on a farm in Birmingham who ran a successful monetary enterprise until the law caught up with them. Finally, there’s the architect who was transported to Australia for forgery whose face ended up on a (legal) banknote. All these characters and more give an insight into the crime of forgery in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. When Rachael Rowe discovered a forger in the family, her research took her on a journey to find out more about the crime and why people in the eighteenth century were intent on breaking the law. Using original records, the book highlights the scope of the crime and shows how national and global events combined to fuel an increase in forgeries with devastating effects for the criminals and their dependants.

When the American War of Independence broke out, the American, British and French intelligence agencies were particularly well structured, but it soon became apparent to all involved that victory hinged on sound political and military intelligence. While Britain and France had a tradition of conducting espionage, the Americans struggled with an intelligence service that was almost always markedly inferior. Even so, despite this disadvantage, it was they who prevailed. Right from the start, General George Washington had been keenly aware of the importance of the espionage and counterintelligence roles. Under his supervision, several networks of spies operated in both close-knit circles and far-reaching societies. The undercover agents were merchants, tailors, farmers, and other extraordinary patriots with ordinary day jobs. Benjamin Franklin took responsibility for covert action, while John Jay oversaw the counterintelligence work. All three men were all honoured by the CIA in 1997 as the Founding Fathers of the American intelligence services. The British, in particular, required information about geography and terrain unfamiliar to their forces. The British, for example, conducted a campaign of trying to win over the American public and especially the enslaved people of African descent. They also relied in part on spies such as Benedict Arnold, whose name later became synonymous with treason and betrayal. Discounting technology, there are few differences between modern espionage and the techniques and methods of 250 years ago. Double agents, secret writing, dead drops, clandestine meetings, code-making and breakings, sabotage, bribery deception, signals, propaganda, and partisan warfare were all very much in evidence during the revolution. Both sides also mounted disinformation campaigns to confuse and mislead. In no small part, the outcome of a number of Civil War battles, such as Lexington, Concord and Yorktown, owed much to the use of intelligence and the work of America’s spymaster, Agent 711 – General George Washington.

The work of the Military codebreakers at Bletchley Park is now rightly and justly celebrated for its contribution to the Allied victory in World War Two. The ability to read enemy communications allowed strategic and tactical information to be understood and utilized. However less attention has been given to a range of other non-military codes, and the organisations involved with them, yet their significance on the development of the war is profound. This account outlines how these other areas functioned, who was there and what was achieved. In particular it covers the working of the Diplomatic and Commercial section of the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS), which was evacuated to Bletchley Park in August 1939 with the military codebreakers as war loomed, and remained there until early 1942 when the section went back to London to be housed in Berkeley Street and other nearby buildings. The section did not handle military material except where military matters appeared in diplomatic communications (which by their nature were more strategic than combat in nature). This book sets the scene for the economic, diplomatic, sociological and even psychological struggle which was part of the war, including raw materials, food, power supplies and transportation. Neutral countries, by their very status still able to interact with belligerents on both sides, also played important roles, as did the information that could be drawn from them. The ability to read many neutral messages between representatives gave valuable indications of enemy intentions, issues and conditions. This new account of the ‘other’ codebreakers draws on original documents in the National Archives and from Bletchley Park to describe fully how the breaking of non-military codes revealed the activities of diplomats, commercial groups, espionage rings, financial and business interests, traders and smugglers, all locked in a battle of wits. It will be of interest to anyone wanting to learn more about codebreaking, the second world war, and the economics and politics of nations.

This book concentrates on the aftermath of Peter Sutcliffe’s murderous campaign, including the trial, his ‘hearing voices’ defence, his life in Broadmoor Hospital and prison, the continued police investigation into further crimes he may have committed, and a look at ‘Wearside Jack.’The trial is covered day-by-day, including Sutcliffe’s own testimony and that of the doctors he had spoken to who had diagnosed him as mentally unwell. Expert cross-examination by the Attorney General Sir Michael Havers, QC, and Harry Ognall, QC, of these doctors showed that their diagnosis was based solely on what Sutcliffe had told them. As the trial was drawing to a close, Sir Lawrence Byford, who wrote the most comprehensive report on the Yorkshire Ripper investigation, began gathering evidence as to the overall efficiency of the police inquiry. He could not understand why the investigation had focused so much on the letters and tape that had been sent in purporting to be from the perpetrator. The man who sent these letters and tape was identified much later as an alcoholic called John Humble. For the first time, we take a look at his life, what made him an alcoholic, and potentially why he sent the tape and letters. Using Home Office files that the author had released under the FOI Act at the National Archives, this is the true story of what happened to the Yorkshire Ripper after his arrest.

For centuries, the lives of medieval women have been overshadowed by queens, saints and warriors, their stories of power and defiance celebrated while the voices of ordinary women have faded into obscurity. Women of the Middle Ages challenges this narrative, shedding light on the everyday experiences of those who ploughed fields, healed the sick, and sought refuge in religious life. From the Beguines, who defied convention to serve their communities, to the midwives, nuns, and traders who shaped medieval society, this book reveals the resilience and determination of women who lived beyond the pages of history. Meticulously researched and richly told, Women of the Middle Ages uncovers the realities of life for the women who made the medieval world turn.

On 24 February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an attack on Ukraine, marking the most significant European conflict since World War II. The invasion aimed to capture Kyiv and replace President Zelenskyy with a puppet regime, but the Russians faced fierce Ukrainian resistance, forcing them to retreat and re-direct their efforts to other fronts.The Battle of Kyiv chronicles the Ukrainians’ heroic resilience against a vastly more powerful enemy. Despite Russia’s population and economic superiority, Ukraine’s military, bolstered by NATO and international support, held its ground. The book details the early phase of the war, when Russian forces pushed toward Kyiv, surrounded cities like Chernihiv, seized Kherson, and threatened the Ukrainian state. U.S. intelligence predicted Kyiv’s fall within days and offered to evacuate Zelenskyy. His response: “I need ammunition, not a ride.”The book covers the fighting in Kyiv, Kherson, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Mariupol, documenting military operations, destruction, civilian suffering, and survival struggles. Written as the battle unfolded, it provides an urgent historical account of the uncertainty, anxiety, and global significance of the war, reflecting the pivotal moments in Ukraine’s defense against the Russian invasion.

Among the many epithets associated with a prince, ‘unlucky’ tends not to come to mind first. Germanicus, nephew of Tiberius, grand-nephew of Augustus, seemed to possess all that a Roman man might desire: beauty, strength, virtue, education, a devoted and chaste wife, numerous offspring, illustrious ancestors, a brilliant career and the prospect of inheriting the throne of the mightiest state of antiquity. Until the Blind Goddess decided to turn her gaze elsewhere. Germanicus died suddenly in AD 19, aged only 33, shocking the Roman world. While his body was still warm, rumours about a murder involving poison were already spreading like wildfire, whispers of an uncle and a grandmother who, for fear and jealousy, had made sure the popular young man was eliminated before he might jeopardize their position. Alessio Perry investigates, by a careful re-evaluation of the historical sources and the archaeological record, whether this prince was indeed killed or whether he was just too unlucky. He examines the most significant events of Germanicus’ brief life: the campaigns on the Rhine; his visit to Egypt; his friction with the governor Piso; his relationship with his uncle the emperor. He considers Germanicus’ funerals and follows the trial against those suspected of his murder, seeking to ascertain if Tiberius really ordered his nephew killed. The reader will glimpse into the schemes of his wife Agrippina and, finally, see how the memory of Germanicus was instrumentalized by his widow and sons for their own political games.

Many of us have at least one ancestor who served in the British Army during the Second World War. We probably know where they served and what regiment they served with but we are not aware of exactly how they became soldiers.The British Soldier: Training for War focuses on those who became infantry soldiers, commandos and paratroopers and the training they received in the British Isles to fight ''at the sharp end'' of combat all over the world during the years 1939 to 1945.Drawing on contemporary training manuals, battalion histories, magazines and newspaper articles, personal memoirs, regimental museum archives, declassified military files and interviews with those who experienced wartime military training first-hand, a vivid and authentic account is presented of training from ''square bashing'' and skill at arms to the evolution of battle schools, assault courses, battle drill and significant training exercises.All infantrymen were trained hard but it gave them the skills, fighting spirit, endurance and confidence they needed in themselves, their comrades and their unit when in battle. By the end of the Second World War, nearly three million men had served in the British Army. Every one of them had to be trained to become soldiers. This is their story.

The term ?fighter ace? grew in prominence with the introduction and development of aerial combat in the First World War. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ?ace? has varied but is usually considered to be five or more.For the Luftwaffe, a number of its fighter pilots, many of whom had fought with the Legion Condor in Spain, had already gained their Experte, or ace, status in the Battle of France. However, many more would achieve that status in the hectic dogfights over southern England and the Channel during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. A number would also be either killed or captured. Some of these men, individuals such as Adolf Galland, Werner Mölders, and Helmut Wick, who between them had claimed 147 aerial victories by 31 October 1940, are well-known, but most are less so.In this book, the story of each of the Luftwaffe?s 204 Messerschmitt Bf 109 ?aces? from the summer of 1940 is examined, with all of the individual biographies, detailing individual fates during the war, being highly-illustrated throughout. Original German records from the summer of 1940, have been examined, providing a definitive list of each pilot?s individual claims. It also covers, to a lesser extent, those forgotten fifty-three Messerschmitt Bf 110 pilots who also achieved ace status by day and also by night between 10 July and 31 October 1940.

The English Electric/BAC Lightning, a product of Britain’s once-thriving aviation industry, is arguably the most iconic single-seat interceptor ever created. Those who remember its arrow-shaped form hurtling skywards love to regale anyone who will listen with tales of its incredible performance, eardrum-assailing reheat and near-vertical climbs. The Lightning was advanced for its time and required considerable investment and research to take it from the drawing board to active service as an effective fighting machine. Significant strides were made in the early years after the award of the contract—all of which could have come to nothing when it was deemed in the 1957 Defence White Paper that piloted aircraft had had their day. The design was saved only by its advanced stage of development; as is often the case in flight, turbulence is to be expected. But despite the obstacles put in its path, the Lightning prevailed to become one of Britain’s most admired and respected fast jets. Taking the reader through the politics that threatened its development, its groundbreaking design, its service career and many other aspects of its extraordinary history, Lightning: From Inception to Preservation is a comprehensive study of Britain’s first and only truly homegrown supersonic jet-powered interceptor.

On 3 September 1943, Italy surrendered to the Allies. This was an immediate threat to Germany’s southern flank and Hitler acted swiftly.As part of what was codenamed Operation Achse, on 8 September 1943 the 2. Fallschirmjäger Division was ordered into Rome to take control of the city, disarm those Italian units based there, and crush any resistance. However, the Italian Army headquarters in the nearby town of Monterotondo refused to surrender. The task of dealing with this outpost, as well as capturing the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army, General Mario Roatta, was handed to one battalion of German paratroopers, the II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6, commanded by Major Walter Gericke.Gericke’s men were dropped onto Monterotondo on 9 September. The paratroopers soon encountered fierce opposition from the Italian defenders. The latter stubbornly held out all day until the headquarters was finally captured.Three combat war correspondents had jumped with the Fallschirmjäger. Between them they took hundreds of photographs, most of which had never been seen in print before. Drawing on their reports and first-hand accounts from those involved in the fighting, a vivid and comprehensive picture of the battle has been constructed.Each of the main actions in the battle for the town is described. These included the battles for Monterotondo’s railway station, the Santa Maria stadium and the Osteria del Grillo, the Capuchin Convent, and culminating in the desperate struggle and eventual capture of the Italian headquarters at the Orsini Palace.The book also includes analysis of losses on both sides, biographies of the main commanders and the original plan of what was considered to be the ‘perfect’ drop. Despite the success of Major Gericke’s battalion, it would prove to be one of the last airborne landings undertaken by Hitler’s Fallschirmjäger in the Second World War.