Pen & Sword Books Ltd strana 23 z 40

In April 1940, when British cryptographers at Bletchley Park decrypted some German air force messages, Group Captain Frederick Winterbotham recognized the potential of such intelligence and established a secure system to handle it. He created Special Liaison Units, small teams of RAF officers and enlisted men, to receive and securely distribute decrypted Ultra messages to relevant commanders. These messages, transmitted through encrypted radio signals, were kept highly classified, with recipients unaware of their origins.Winterbotham''s units played a critical role in key moments during the war. His selected intercepts provided early insights into the French collapse during the Battle of France and proved crucial in the Battle of Britain, North Africa, El Alamein, and the D-Day invasion. The Ultra intelligence was vital for informing Allied military decisions, with Winston Churchill receiving urgent messages directly via a secure phone line.By 1944, the system was highly efficient, delivering time-sensitive information, such as the rapid intelligence on the German evacuation of the Casino line in Italy. Winterbotham also analyzed the surprise of the 1944-45 Ardennes Offensive, noting that the absence of German signals should have raised alarms.Winterbotham’s first-hand account of the Enigma program offers an unmatched perspective on its strategic importance.

The Railways of Northern England in the 1960s covers the area from Crewe and Doncaster up to the Scottish border. Specific locations include Birkenhead, Liverpool (Edge Hill), Warrington, Northwich, Manchester (Gorton), Preston, Southport, Morecambe, Isle of Man, Oxenholme, Shap, Whitehaven, Workington, and Carlisle. The Stainmore route over the Pennines is visited with photographs at Barnard Castle, Barras, Belah and Deepdale Viaducts, Bowes, Kirkby Stephen, and Penrith. The Sheffield tram system is seen in 1960, then Wakefield and Leeds, before time is spent at York. We continue via Market Weighton, Bridlington, Filey, Scarborough, Malton, Kirbymoorside, Tadcaster, Alne, Thirsk, Melmerby, and Northallerton. An early morning visit is made to the Catterick Military Railway, then Darlington, Sunderland, Tyne Dock, Gateshead, and Newcastle to conclude at Tweedmouth and Coldstream. Industrial sites are also visited and include Bickershaw, Corkickle Brake, South Kirkby, Peckfield, Seaham, Doxfords, the Bowes Railway, and the Harton Railway. The time period is largely between 1955 and 1967 and although steam predominates, diesel and electric power are represented, even rope-worked inclines. It will appeal to railway enthusiasts, modelers and those interested in local history. Virtually all of the photographs, a mixture of monochrome and color, have never previously been published and are accompanied with extensive and informative commentaries.

Rulers (and would-be rulers) have always faced the possibility of a violent death. Between the seventh and eighteenth centuries over 20% of all British and European monarchs suffered such a fate. Some died in battle or in accidents but most of them were murdered or executed.During the time of the Tudors and Stuarts some monarchs were the victims of lone assassins, some were killed after palace coups led by relatives or royal officials, and others after being defeated in a civil war. Their manner of death included public beheading, internal injury as a result of a knife attack, being hacked down by a group of noblemen, and ritual strangulation with a silk cord.Killing Monarchs takes us on a journey across Europe. Starting in England and Scotland (Lady Jane Grey and Mary Queen of Scots), it moves to France (Kings Henry III and Henry IV), and then further east to Russia (Tsar Feodor II and various pretenders to the throne) and the Ottoman Empire (Sultans Osman II and Ibrahim I). It then returns to Britain to consider why Charles I was executed.It provides a clear picture of the various forces that existed in society at the time and these are reflected in the motives of the regicides - the killers of monarchs – even though many were not honest about them. The lust for power, the desire for a more effective leader, religious differences, and occasionally the wish to do away with monarchy altogether, all played a significant role.

The Eyemouth Fishing Disaster saw almost two hundred men lose their lives when their small, wooden fishing boats were caught in near-hurricane force winds off the coast of Scotland in 1881. The Japanese fishing training vessel the Ehime Maru was quietly making its way across the Pacific Ocean when it was struck from beneath by a US Navy nuclear submarine and sank within minutes. The British trawler Gaul, newly constructed and specifically designed to handle harsh conditions and stormy seas, was lost with all hands in 1974 without managing to issue a distress call. The cause of its sinking would remain a mystery for over two decades.These are three of the twelve disasters this book covers in gripping detail. The key events which led to each disaster are analysed, along with the impact that the disaster had on the fishing industry and local communities, and the changes in laws and legislation which were put in place to prevent such tragedies from happening again. Several different types of fishing disasters are examined with incidents involving trawlers, dredgers, shellfish pickers, seal hunters and recreational anglers all being covered. This book reveals exactly why commercial fishing is the world’s most dangerous peacetime occupation.

Vietnam Fire Mission reflects on Larry Hiton’s time in the U.S. Marine Corps, initially enlisting at 18 with the belief that all Marines were infantrymen. However, upon completing boot camp, he was assigned to artillery as a cannoneer (MOS 0811), which was a significant surprise. In this first hand account Hilton explains that artillery units, while typically thought of as being behind the lines, were often directly targeted during the Vietnam War, where there were no front lines. Artillery positions were frequently attacked by mortars, snipers, and enemy forces, requiring Marines to defend themselves.The author describes the initial confusion among Marines in 1965, as many had no knowledge of Vietnam before being abruptly deployed there. Marines who had been stationed in the Pacific were quickly shipped to Vietnam, with some arriving without their proper gear. The deployment to Vietnam, especially in the early stages, caused frustration for those whose service was extended.Reflecting on his own experiences, the author recounts how the stress of war sometimes led to memory lapses. For instance, they struggled to recall the details of November 10, 1966, despite it being the U.S. Marine Corps’ birthday, only to later discover that they had participated in a ceremony in Vietnam that day. Hilton concludes that by acknowledging the challenges of recalling events accurately under the intense conditions of war he is able to share his story to the best of his ability to give the reader a glimpse in to one of the most contentious conflicts.

The British Military of the Cold war era trained to counteract the real threat of Russian invasion into any vulnerable Country of NATO. The Royal Marines enthusiastically took on the role of Arctic Warfare troops in the Northern Flank of Norway becoming experts in this field. The idea was to deny the Russia submarine fleet the Norwegian fjords which would have prevented USA reinforcement of Northern Europe.How did NATO and the British Military implement this? Well they sent The Royal Marines downhill skiing in Norway for three months each year, military skills were further enhanced with sailing all over the world and any sporting activity encouraged. Occasional bouts of slightly active service in Northern Ireland kept internal security skills alive but the big one was the Falklands Islands invasion by Argentine forces in April 1982.Royal Marines easily adapted Commando and Arctic warfare skills to not only survive the elements of a harsh South Atlantic winter but to excel and overcome a vastly numerically superior army 8000 miles from the UK. 42 Commando Royal Marines played a significant part in the conflict and perhaps pulled off one of the most successful Battalion sized attacks since World War two on Mount Harriet.

Around the mid-fifth century three Saxon keels cut through the waves towards the southern coast of Britain. They were not the first Germanic warriors or migrants to arrive since direct Roman authority had ended in the early fifth century and would not be the last. Yet the arrival of these particular warriors would prove to be a turning point in the history of these islands.The literary sources that survive point to the arrival of these mercenaries and their subsequent revolt as the pivotal event rather any invasion or mass migration. There have been many books on the Anglo-Saxons. Those that touch on the first arrivals deal only briefly with the fifth and sixth centuries due to the lack of historical records.This book is unique in focusing on the events mentioned by the sources such as Gildas and Bede. It will show that the former Roman Diocese limped on outside direct Roman rule for a generation, beset by constant raiding from Picts and Scots in the north and Saxons and other Germanic pirates in the south.It will look at Roman practices of hiring and settling mercenaries and Germanic groups across the empire. A comparison with these will provide important clues, as well as understanding how and why the diocese and provincial structure fell apart, allowing petty kingdoms to emerge in the sixth century.The subsequent centuries have been termed the Anglo-Saxon period. This book goes back to the very beginning, the adventus Saxonum: The Coming of the Saxons.

The first book to cover the Fawlty Towers stage plays, this book annotates the episodes with details to assist 21st century viewers, collates a wide range of interviews and reviews from across the decades and around the world, and discusses censorship, criticism of the show, and remakes. The Legacy of Fawlty Towers draws on interviews with the cast and crew completed in 2009, as well as reviews and articles from the last 15 years that have not been covered anywhere before. It also includes rediscovered archive material, original photographs and artwork, and new interviews.The book contains a comprehensive episode guide with information about filming, the cast, and the crew; a guide to the hotel and its inhabitants; and an abundance of related material from 1975 to 2025. It mentions the war once or twice but I think we get away with it.

The outbreak of the Second World War came towards the closing stages of the 1939 cricket season. ‘Hitler permitted us almost to complete an exceptionally interesting season,’ Sir Home Gordon, wrote in the Cricketer magazine, ‘When shall we see the stumps pitched again?’As the West Indies touring team cancelled their last five matches and sailed home before the U-boat threat developed, the treasures at Lord’s, including the Ashes, were sent to a secret location for safe-keeping. The Marylebone Cricket Club cancelled its tour to India - England played under the MCC banner then.During the ensuing conflict twelve test cricketers (five English, two South Africans, one Australian and one New Zealander) perished together with 130 first class players. In this superbly researched sequel to Final Wicket, covering cricketing fatalities during The Great War, this book reveals each man’s career details, including cricketing statistics, and the circumstances of death. There is also a brief history of the game during the War.Arguably the period between the two world wars was the golden age of cricket, and this book honours those who made it so only to die serving their countries in a different way.

The Georgian era was unique, so unlike what preceded it and never since repeated. What would it have been like to live there? With no welfare and little charity, people lived on their wits alone, and the sweat of their brow. There was a huckster on every street corner, a pickpocket in every crowd, and cheap gin was readily available to drown every conceivable sorrow. What was it like to live in a smuggling community where the criminals made the rules and enforced them arbitrarily, brutally, and without hindrance? How would you survive the highwayman intent on taking your riches, your dignity, and your life too, if require? ut Georgian Britain also underwent a great flourishing in the arts, commerce, industry and innovation. It was a time of great opportunity should you have the means to seize it. For all its harsh realities, the Georgian era is also famous for its gentility and refinement, for the pottery of Josiah Wedgwood, the furniture of Thomas Chippendale, the sculpted landscapes of Capability Brown, the elegance of the Georgian Ball, the romantic and evocative novels of Jane Austen, but also the tawdry excesses of the Prince Regent and the cutting edge of the satirist’s pen.Let this book be your guide to the past, and learn from their own lips the conversation, what drove the narrative, what was whispered in the taverns and shouted in the streets. It was a time of excess, but of great achievement too, a transformative time that changed Britain forever. So be prepared, buckle up, and enjoy the ride.

For nearly a century, the relationship between Charles Dickens and Ellen Ternan has been viewed through the lens of scandal, defined by rumours of a hidden love affair. But what if history’s assumptions are wrong? This groundbreaking analysis dares to ask a question that no biographer has ventured to explore: could Ellen Ternan have been Dickens’ daughte? xamining Dickens''s letters and his works from Oliver Twist through to Edwin Drood, this book provides the first comprehensive look at the possibility of a filial bond between the two. Unlike previous biographers, who have focused on the years after 1857, Brian Ruck traces Ellen’s potential impact on Dickens’ life and relationships from her earliest days, casting new light on his increasingly strained marriage to Catherine Dickens. Through careful reinterpretation of existing material, the author uncovers a plausible and previously unexplored explanation that challenges the prevailing narrative.This thought-provoking work does not claim new evidence but offers a rigorous alternative interpretation of Dickens'' life, one that weighs the probabilities and presents a fresh hypothesis grounded in literary analysis.

We can now celebrate the 200 years anniversary of railways, which have served to connect communities across this country and across world countries. Our railways started with steam power in 1825, until steam was phased out by British Railways in 1968.Nowadays the preservation movement continues to provide the glorious spectacle of steam trains at work in many parts of the U.K. The preserved railways and the preserved locomotives running on the main line are making their own history, and it is part of this history that is covered by this book, which records many of the steam activities from 1986 to 2000. There are numerous locomotives pictured here which may never steam again as the costs of refurbishment, coupled with very much stricter safety requirements, preclude the reappearance of some old favourites.This book contains colour pictures from the author’s collection of large format slides and latterly some 35mm slides. The style is similar to the author’s previous books, using approximately of 200 pictures with informative captions to describe the scenes depicted, presented in chronological order. The enormous work of volunteers in continuing the development of the preservation movement cannot be underestimated, because without those efforts, there would be no history to record. This book is a further salute to the volunteer movement, in recognition of their outstanding achievements.

The story of the Titanic has been told countless times, but very few books talk in detail about the numerous expeditions that have visited the wreck; even less will talk about the personal stories associated with these underwater trips. Now, for the first time, details are given of some of the less well-known deep diving expeditions to the world’s most famous shipwreck, focusing on the people who lead them, the equipment being used and the background stories of the research vessels that have carried these teams out to the cold, dark Atlantic swells.From the failed expeditions in the early 1980s to the tragic loss of a submersible four decades later, this is the story of the searches and the dives to the wreck of a ship which has become synonymous with disaster. Using interviews with people who were there at different times, we rediscover a shipwreck that has captivated the imagination of people from around the world to the point where they are willing to risk their lives just to have a glimpse.But it is this glimpse of the Titanic that has cost so much money and affected so many lives.

When the B-52 Stratofortress entered operational service with the US Air Force in 1955, work was already underway on de?ning its successor. The B-70 Valkyrie, a Mach 3 jet bomber, was one option. Although two XB-70A prototypes ?ew, the B-70 never went into production. Out of the subsequent Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft program came the B-1A bomber, which ?ew at high speed and low altitude to evade enemy air defenses. The B-1A was cancelled in favour of ?tting the B-52 with cruise missiles. The B-1, known as the BONE, was revived in 1981 as the improved B-1B to boost American military power and be a symbol of American strength at the peak of Cold War tensions. The B-1B entered service in 1986 with several de?ciencies. The resolution of most of these issues coincided with the end of the Cold War.After the Cold War, the B-1B lost its primary nuclear mission but remained relevant by transforming into a high-speed, long-range, high-payload delivery platform for conventional precision-guided munitions. The ?rst combat use of the B-1B was in 1998 in Iraq. The BONE has proved a highly effective combat aircraft in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and the former Yugoslavia.This superbly researched and illustrated book traces the BONE’s long development and operational history in fascinating detail.

The projecting of military force to a distant shore has come to be seen as a uniquely British way of waging war. To be sure, many of these operations would now be classed as administrative landings with battle, if occurring at all, only following sometimes afterward. Others, of course, merit the label of opposed landings. To contemporaries of the period covered by this study, the evolutions went by the appellation of conjoint or combined operations. Less important than how they were styled remains the thought and the purpose giving rise to these ventures. In the decades before the First World War, professionals appreciated the myriad difficulties and dangers associated with amphibious operations. The laity, including statesmen, thought rather less of these matters but could recount numerous examples of their occurrence before 1914. Indeed, whatever operational failings Britain demonstrated during the World War a corpus of relevant experience was the least of these.What is now styled joint amphibious operations were difficult because they were never of a single type. Naval support to a military force standing on the defensive, raids, feints, blocking operations, riverine operations, and, yes, an opposed landing, spoke to a series of joint operations of ever-increasing complexity. Meanwhile, as every operation must at some point end, even the manner of evacuation came to be viewed as a special type of combined operation to be understood and learned. Finally, it remained that in a campaign of the grandest scale, examples of each might feature at differing moments along the way. Landings before 1914 were difficult and what military and naval authorities thought feasible before the onset of the World War in the realm of joint operations is a neglected field of study—a surprising omission given the ink that has been spilt retelling the debacles experienced at Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, and East Africa. Every campaign has its context—operational and strategic to be sure—but also political, doctrinal, and bureaucratic. How Britain elected to wage war in 1914 proved a product of these variables just as surely as the military and naval capabilities it could muster. Tying the strands of pre-war military experience and thought in the realm of joint operations is the chief purpose of this study which takes as its starting point 1882 and the British assault against Egypt. The choice is far from arbitrary as the moment saw several earning their spurs who would later play a central role in the amphibious operations executed during the Great War.To the extent learning is more than the product of self-experience, this work pays special attention to the Russo-Japanese War. Thinking officers appreciated that fundamental changes were occurring in the nature and style of war. A learned public also appreciated this courtesy of works such as Ivan Bloch’s Is War Now Possible? Notwithstanding what British officers understood on the eve of the World War, the problem of time and scale remained. This alone should give one pause before chiding others over past mistakes. This study looks at what was thought, what was taught, what was expected, and what occurred in the thirty years before Britain found herself facing a scale of conflict not witnessed in a century.

What does it mean to be a philosopher? Being a deep thinker? Taking a stand against the norms of society? Being really good at winning an argument? The beauty of philosophy is that there is no one answer and that it’s worth asking that question across every aspect of the human condition.In History’s Greatest Philosophers: Classical Wisdom for Modern Times, Jamie Ryder journeys through the lives of some of the world’s most radical thinkers, leaders, politicians and creatives to uncover the truth of philosophy and different wisdom traditions.From the political arenas of Cicero and Niccolo Machiavelli to the everyday living of Mary Wollstonecraft and Sojourner Truth, get a bird’s eye view into what it means to live and die by what you believe in. Discover ageless truths about the nature of the world and human relationships. Learn how to practice philosophy and not just talk about it.