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VF Eberle MC joined up on the outbreak of the war in No 2 Field Company Royal Engineers, 48th (South Midland) Division, the same company as his brother, who was a captain in it. He was commissioned before sailing for France at the end of March 1915 and remained with it for the rest of the war. In that time he saw action on the Somme and in the Advance to the Hindenburg Line before his Division took part for most of the Battle of Third Ypres (Passchendaele). Transferred to Italy at the end of 1917, he took part in the final stages of the war, including the Battle of Asiago.Besides his eloquent description of the work of a field company RE, he spends some time in outlining his role in the development of the Bangalore Torpedo.Based on his war time letters, diaries and records - which can now be consulted in the Imperial War Museum, it gives a detailed picture of the employment of a field company in war, both during periods of relative tranquility as well as during major offensives. There are relatively few memoirs of Royal Engineers'' officers, especially of those in his position, so close to the line. The memoirs benefit from his key eye for observation and his skilful use of the material available to him, making this a fine addition to the literature of the Great War.

During the 20th Century, Scotland Yard detectives and their uniform counterparts, rarely armed, needed to be physically tough and brave given the ruthless criminals they confronted.In this thrilling book the Author draws on his and his comrades’ experiences. Among the incidents vividly described is that of a detective known as ‘Pat the Cat’ who was awarded British Empire Medal for Gallantry and Bar after being shot on one occasion, surviving a fusillade of bullets from a escape convict on another and, four years later, being severely injured thwarting an armed robbery.We learn of police officers, who despite being shot, went onto arrest the gunmen and the Flying Squad officer who dismantled an IRA bomb, primed to detonate outside Scotland Yard.PC Reggie Grose won his George Medal rescuing a group trapped in a building during the Blitz. After wartime service with No. 3 Commando he returned to undercover duties with the secretive Ghost Squad. Detective Sergeant Ryland only survived by sticking his thumb between the hammer of his assailant’s gun and the bullet’s percussion cap. Two officers tackled a mentally ill axe-man 50 feet above street level warding off his attack with a bin lid. An army deserter shot and wounded Police Dog Rex III before fire at a detective, who flattened him with his truncheon.These and many more tales of outstanding bravery await the reader in the pages of Scotland Yard’s Bravest and Best.

The Wolseys of Suffolk date to Anglo-Saxon times. The earliest notice of a Wolsey as inhabitant of Ipswich is Thomas Wolsey’s father, Robert. He was a successful small businessman and married a Joan Daundy. Thomas was probably born in 1471 in an inn, and was almost certainly baptised in St Mary at the Elms church, Ipswich.Wolsey graduated from university and then his climb to power was extremely fast. He entered the royal household as the chaplain to King Henry VII. When Henry VIII ascended to the throne, Wolsey became his almoner, which gave him access to the king’s council. Henry was very impressed with Wolsey’s work, and Thomas gained many important clerical positions. In 1515, Wolsey became Lord Chancellor of England. Thomas Wolsey’s most famous peace treaty was signed between Henry VIII and Francis I of France at the glorious Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520.Henry had not produced a male heir. A woman called Anne Boleyn came on the scene. Henry began to think that she could mother him a son. The king asked Wolsey to seek a divorce from his first wife. He tried his outmost, as always, but the Pope kept delaying the matter. Wolsey failed and fell out of favour with Henry. He was charged with treason and escorted to the Tower of London. On his way, Thomas became very frail and sadly, on 29 November 1530 he died at Leicester Abbey.

The fictional superspy James Bond is a cultural phenomenon, becoming since his first appearance in the novel Casino Royale in 1953 a character as recognizable around the world as Sherlock Holmes and Robin Hood. While we may associate James Bond with exotic locales, underwater adventures, and even outer space, there are many sites in Britain connected with the character. Locations used in the Bond films, places mentioned in the novels, buildings inhabited or visited by Bond’s creator, Ian Fleming: James Bond has left his mark across the country.This book takes you on a tour of Britain, from the Highlands of Scotland to the White Cliffs of Dover, from Wales to East Anglia, to discover iconic film locations, landmarks described in the novels, and places associated with Ian Fleming.This is the first guide that takes readers around Britain not only to explore the film settings but also the literary locations and places that had a profound impact on Ian Fleming’s writing. The generously illustrated book can be used as guide on Bond tours across the country, as well as a treasure trove of fascinating Bond facts.

This groundbreaking book offers a detailed exploration of the dress of the thirty-seven regiments of Light Infantry and other support troops in Napoleon''s Grande Armée, including foot and horse artillery, sapeurs, musicians, and carabiniers. For the first time in two centuries, it accurately examines how these troops were clothed and equipped.Paul Dawson’s research draws from over 1,000 archive boxes in the Service Historique de l’Armée de Terre and the Archives Nationales in Paris. These documents reveal how the 1806 uniform regulations and Bardin regulations were implemented in practice, offering insights previously unavailable to the public.The archives focus on the annual inspections of regiments, where the condition of uniforms and equipment was assessed. Soldiers'' uniforms were provided through stoppages in their pay, with a prescribed lifespan for each item. The regimental Council of Administration also drew funds for clothing renewals, repairs, and equipment.Dawson’s study demonstrates that the Bardin regulations, often seen as the standard, were largely a myth until the Waterloo Campaign. Through contemporary illustrations and photographs of existing uniforms, this book provides an authoritative understanding of the actual dress worn by Napoleon’s troops, making previous descriptions of the Grande Armée’s appearance obsolete.

Which Disney character is responsible for the most onscreen deaths? What are the entry requirements for becoming a Disney Princess? Why is Jiminy Cricket always breaking into people''s home? n Disney''s Animated Classics, Stephen Rötzsch Thomas explores the iconic features from the studio''s first 100 years, from Snow White to Wish. A love letter to storytelling and collaboration, each chapter takes readers behind the scenes of a different movie, uncovering the hidden secrets, creative geniuses, and surprising connections that will enthral die-hard Disney fans and casual viewers alike.Disney''s Animated Classics examines how the studio''s films have shaped and been shaped by the world around them and how they have attempted to reflect a changing culture. From the studio''s representation of race and sexuality to its fluctuating creative fortunes through the decades, Rötzsch Thomas offers an unflinchingly funny history of one of the biggest icons in cinema.His unauthorised deep dive is an irreverent but loving tribute to the films that have defined generations of childhoods. Whether you''re a self-proclaimed Disney Adult, a film fan looking to learn about the animation behemoth, or just someone trying to understand why Robin Hood was responsible for your sexual awakening, there''s something for you here.

In a history once thought too big for one book, the individual lives and careers of the Cambridge Five are now woven together in a single action-packed saga.The Cambridge Spy Ring: The Treachery of the Five Who Got Away tells the incredible true story of the five most damaging spies in British history, from their recruitment at Cambridge University to their infiltration of the highest levels of government, all while successfully eluding prosecution.When legendary KGB spymaster Arnold Deutsch began cultivating his network of agents, he didn’t try to entice established bureaucrats. He instead sought out young rising stars with elite educations and promising futures, enlisted them as spies, and sent them into government careers where they would gain access to the most coveted state secrets in an increasingly polarised world. Beginning with the recruitment of the audacious Kim Philby, who would become the de facto ringleader, we follow the exploits of Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, Anthony Blunt, and John Cairncross as they funnel a deluge of confidential documents and privileged information to the Soviet KGB.Their espionage adventures spanned nearly two decades, from the Spanish Civil War and Stalin’s Great Purge, through the Second World War, to the early Cold War. Their antics would not be complete without binge drinking, fist fights, car wrecks, romantic liaisons, and the heartless betrayal of friends and country alike.The Cambridge Spy Ring finally pieces together the full account of all five Cambridge Spies in one compelling history.

Catherine of Aragon was the first wife and queen of England''s most married King, Henry VIII. She did not know it, but she would be immortalised as the first in a line of six queens still hotly debated and discussed today. Catherine and Henry were married for over twenty years, longer than his other five marriages combined, but she knew him even longer. Arriving in England in 1501 to marry Henry''s elder brother, Arthur, she was widowed shortly after and was forced to endure seven years of uncertainty and hardship before marrying her second husband. Henry and Catherine were happy and indeed in love on their wedding day in 1509, and they had a lot of shared interests and ambitions.Setbacks and losses would tear apart this once-happy couple. As one of three parties involved in the King''s Great Matter, which changed the face of England forever, Catherine refused to back down and fought for what she believed to be right until the very end. This book gives us a glimpse of Catherine''s world: her family, her friends, her enemies, and her legacy, which still inspires us with her loyalty and courage to this day.

Prisons, as you know, have been my hobby wrote the prominent suffragette Lady Constance Bulwer-Lytton. An influential British activist as well as a writer, speaker and campaigner for votes for women - and not forgetting prison reform - Constance Lytton was born in Vienna and spent the first eleven years of her life in India (her father was the Viceroy). After meeting a number of suffragettes, particularly at the Esperance Club and including Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, Constance took on the 'hobby' of prison reform. She later demonstrated at the House of Commons, along with fellow suffragettes and was arrested, imprisoned, but subsequently released due to her social position and health. Whilst in Holloway Prison in March 1909, she carved the outline of a V on her chest. Outraged by the treatment of fellow suffragettes of a lower class, in January 1910 she took on the pseudonym of Jane Warton to avoid release and suffered much mistreatment, including forcible feeding, at the hands of the prison warders. She was to include these experiences in her book, Prisons and Prisoners. Constance Lytton died in 1923 after many health complications, but with the knowledge that (some) women over the age of 30 had finally been given the right to vote.

Constantine V, was the second East Roman (Byzantine) emperor of the Isaurian Dynasty. A masterful general, who halted the Arab Umayyad advance and went on the counter attack, he was loved by the fighting men of the East till well after his death. He was also an active ruler in other spheres, continuing the legal, social and governmental reforms of his father. His reign effectively strengthened the Empire, which was on the brink of collapse at the end of the Heraclian dynasty and he is generally regarded as one of the most capable men to rule from Constantinople. A ruthless persecutor and iconoclast, he was, however, reviled and maligned by the monastic historians of the church. His true brilliance and accomplishments would always be overshadowed by the name they bestowed upon him after his death: Copronymos (‘the dung-named’). He was compared to a summoner of demons, a magician or even a precursor to the Antichrist.Married three times to women who themselves are worthy of books, he was shrewd in his choice of wives and poltically savvy. As a shrewd ruler and administrator, and for his influence upon the theological debates of his day, he bears comparison with the much-better-known Justinian I, some 200 years before. However, unlike Justinian, his military leadership was more personal and he met his death on campaign in Bulgaria.

Queen Victoria famously presided over an empire upon which the sun never set. Extending, defending and policing Britain’s global territories required the British Army to fight a bewildering array of foes, in equally varied terrain and climates. From the subarctic mountains of Canada to the Sahara Desert and the South African veldt, from the jungles of West Africa and central India to China, the British forces flew the flag. The task was only made possible by the recruitment of troops from throughout the colonies, some of which then served far from home (such as the Australians used in the Boer Wars). Colonial troops not only boosted the numbers available to the Empire’s forces but their local knowledge of climate and terrain, as well as their differing fighting styles, offered vital variety and flexibility. This allowed the ‘British’ armies to adapt to the wide range of enemies and environments encountered.Gabriele Esposito offers an excellent overview of the troops raised from every corner of the British Empire, discussing their organization, weapons, uniform and equipment as well as how and where they were employed. The informative text is lavishly illustrated with colour artworks.

First flown in 1940, the prototype Vought F4U Corsair instantly became the fastest fighter in the world and the fastest US aircraft of any description. Powered by a huge 18-cylinder Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp engine driving an enormous 13 feet 4 inch propeller, the first Corsairs were capable of 417mph. This figure would rise to nearly 450mph in later versions despite the fact that fuel load and overall weight was increased.Production began in 1941, not only by Vought but also by Goodyear and Brewster. The F4U entered service with the US Navy in September 1942, although carrier-borne operations were initiated a little later not by the Americans but by the British Fleet Air Arm. The aircraft subsequently came to be extensively used from land and sea by the US Marines, Royal Navy and Royal New Zealand Air Force. Famous squadrons like VMF-214 ''The Black Sheep’ and VF-17 ‘Jolly Rogers’, along with many others, maintained total ascendancy over the Japanese for the rest of the war - a remarkable achievement for a single type.After the Second World War, the Corsair stayed in production and was used with distinction by the French in Indo-China and again by the US Navy in Korea. Since then Corsairs have achieved significant success in air races and more and more are being restored to fly for museums and warbird enthusiasts the world over.Martin Bowman’s comprehensive new book combines technical information and detailed development history with a fascinating combat history told, in many cases, by the Second World War pilots themselves. Well researched, readable and illustrated with dozens of rare and previously unpublished photographs, The Men Who Flew the Vought F4U Corsair is the perfect book for any fan of the ‘bent wing bird’.

By mid-1944, the Allies, especially the United States, began preparing for a potential invasion of Japan. Churchill expected the Royal Navy to support the U.S. Navy in achieving aerial dominance. The Admiralty focused on strengthening its carrier forces, forming the 15th Naval Fighter Wing. However, a key question arose: which aircraft would the Wing us? he Supermarine Seafire lacked the necessary range and endurance for Pacific operations, while Hellcats were in short supply and prioritized for U.S. use. This left the Vought F4U Corsair as the best option. Although initially dismissed due to its poor safety record on carriers, the Corsair was transferred to the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm, relieving American forces of the controversial aircraft.The 15th Naval Fighter Wing, made up of Nos. 1830, 1831, and 1833 squadrons, became the first to deploy the Corsair at sea. Despite early losses, British and Commonwealth pilots demonstrated its effectiveness, eventually convincing even the skeptical U.S. Navy of its capabilities. The Corsair proved to be one of the war’s most effective fighters.Led by Battle of Britain ace Dickie Cork until his death in 1944, the Wing achieved notable successes against Japanese forces aboard HMS Illustrious. Drawing on accounts from 20 veterans and extensive archives, this book highlights the Corsair’s transformation into a legendary naval fighter and the pilots’ indomitable spirit.

When Nicholas Winton cancelled his skiing holiday in favour of going to Prague to visit a friend, little did he know this decision would change the course of thousands of lives, including his own. As millions of Jewish families attempted to flee the growing clutches of the brutal Nazi war of terror, this twenty-nine-year-old stockbroker decided to act, pulling off one of the most remarkable rescue missions of the century. The British Oskar Schindler tells the story of this remarkable man’s life and those around him who helped him to achieve all he did.

In this our fifth book in this modelling series we undertake an excursion into a new scale, modelling in TT120. Falling between the popular stalwarts of OO and N, the Market Deeping club were challenged to create a display layout in this scale, based upon the Devon Riviera coastal railway. In doing so they explored the arguments for and against the scale. Working with the challenges of ‘if I have X space what will fit into it?’ and ‘if I am depicting a scenario what space do I need?’ the club engineered the line alongside the famed red cliffs beloved of so many holidaymakers to run with full length HST consists. We illustrate a single day at ‘Holcombe Beach’ near Teigmouth, with the approaching Great Storm of 1987. The reward at exhibition is immediate recognition of the coastal strip and a flood of reminiscences from viewers. We also created a plan B practice layout based on County Durham to fit the early Hornby steam rolling stock releases. The Market Deeping Club commenced writing modelling books after experiencing extensive vandalism of their annual Stamford model railway exhibition in May 2019. The skills built up in rebuilding damaged, or replacing broken layouts, has led to a nimble team able to put their skills into a scale where initial perception of size is difficult, and resources feel thin on the ground.

The summer of 1940 marked a pivotal moment in the Second World War. Following the Fall of France, Britain and the Commonwealth stood alone against the threat of Nazi Germany. With the prospect of invasion looming and Hitler’s forces undefeated, the outlook appeared bleak. As the new Prime Minister, Winston Churchill predicted, "the Battle of Britain is about to begin."Under the leadership of Reichmarshall Hermann Göring, the Luftwaffe sought to destroy the RAF and secure aerial supremacy, but Fighter Command’s young aircrew—immortalised by Churchill as "The Few"—resisted with great determination. Over sixteen weeks, from 10 July to 31 October 1940, nearly 3,000 aircrew fought, with 544 losing their lives. Their sacrifice was supported by the RAF, Allied forces, and the civilian population, all playing vital roles in the struggle.In his eight-volume series, Dilip Sarkar MBE, FRHistS, explores the Battle of Britain with a meticulous evidence-based approach. Drawing on primary sources, Sarkar challenges popular narratives while providing comprehensive day-by-day accounts of every raid, squadron action, and strategic operation, including Bomber and Coastal Command activities and the impact on the Home Front. Produced in collaboration with the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, this series offers the most up-to-date research available.This final volume focuses on how the Battle of Britain has been commemorated over time and examines its cultural and historical significance. Concluding with a comprehensive directory of memorials, museums, and sites related to the battle, the book serves as an essential guide for those interested in exploring these locations and connecting with the dramatic events of 1940.