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Sir Frederick Handley Page’s aviation career began after his dismissal from Johnson & Phillips Ltd. for unauthorized aircraft experiments. Undeterred, he founded his own company, building his first aircraft in a shed on marshland. From these humble beginnings, Handley Page became one of the 20th century''s most significant aircraft manufacturers, designing models pivotal in both world wars.His creations ranged from the Handley Page Type O of the Great War to the Victor bomber of the Cold War. Despite his many achievements, his life and legacy have remained relatively unexplored—until now. Drawing on extensive correspondence preserved at the Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon, this biography offers a rare glimpse into his personal and professional life.The letters reveal his interactions with aviation pioneers like Louis Bleriot, Ernst Heinkel, and Willy Messerschmitt, with one proposal even suggesting Messerschmitt as a consultant. Page’s hands-on approach is evident in his correspondence, including his 1941 exploration of bomber speeds, pressurized cabins, and jet propulsion as countermeasures against enemy fighters.This biography, enriched by Page’s own words, highlights his foresight, passion, and dedication, offering insights into his role as an innovator and leader during a time of great technological change and global conflict.

Although Trotsky was dramatically assassinated just over eighty years ago, he remains a controversial figure. He has had many biographers over the decades - ranging from the overly-sympathetic, to the extremely-hostile. Robert Service, his most recent biographer, expressed the hope that his book would ‘finish off’ Trotsky - a job he believed the ice-axe had failed to do in 1940!This biography, as expected, deals with those aspects for which Trotsky is noted: his passionate and fiery oratory which captivated and inspired huge crowds; organising the Bolshevik Revolution of November 1917; masterminding the creation of the Red Army and ensuring its victory during the Civil War; becoming the most determined opponent of Stalin’s creation of a monolithic party and state; being a Marxist theoretician of socialist revolution and combatting fascism; and, of course, being the originator of the very specific brand of revolutionary socialism that, as early as 1906, became known as Trotskyism.However, this biography also explores other aspects of Trotsky’s life which are not so well-known. In particular, from a very early age, his love of writing: the world of books and publishing became his first passion; it remained his first love and, if revolutionary politics had not taken over, his life would have been a very literary one. Immediately after the November Revolution, he hoped to return to his literary work, believing his main practical work as a revolutionary was over. His writings on art and literature, when compared to the stultifying strictures of the ‘Socialist Realism’ associated with Stalinism, are remarkably sympathetic and open; while he also wrote many perceptive articles as a war correspondent, covering both the Balkan Wars and the early stages of the First World War.Other aspects covered by this biography concern his family life, and his relationships with his children. Also explored is his love-life - while it is known he had a brief affair with the Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, there are also suggestions he may have had other affairs. Whatever the truth of such allegations, he certainly maintained a passionate relationship with his long-term companion, Natalya Sedova; and readers should be aware that one proof of that, provided towards the end of this book, contains very explicit language.

Born to over achieving parents during the conservative and bourgeois Victorian period, in 1854, Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde would become one of Ireland’s finest poets and playwrights.The moulding of the real Oscar Wilde was shaped by his formative years, education and experiences, but he would continue to evolve and change as a poet, aesthete, a playwright, political thinker, essayist, husband, father, lover and even while he was prisoner. He was a complex and sometimes contradictory man, and was in many ways, ahead of the times in which he lived in.His professional successes including The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Importance of Being Ernest and A Woman of No Importance, to name but a few, are some of the most quoted works in modern times.But it is his personal life and the Victorian scandal that he caused in 1895 that Wilde is most remembered for today. Just after his second son was born, Wilde started to explore his sexuality. This new personal liberation and happiness would lead to meeting Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas. At the height of his success, Wilde’s life and the lives of his wife and children changed forever after a libel suit that lead to criminal charges and then to prison.Wilde’s time as a prisoner and his life after prison were filled with physical and mental illness, sadness, tragedy and loneliness that all contributed to his death in 1900. The real Oscar Wilde can be found in the legacy of work that he left behind, the lives of his two sons, Cyril and Vyvyan, and how his story had become important to the modern LGBTQ communities well into the twenty-first century.

Of all the tanks in the German arsenal the Tiger was perhaps the one most feared, certainly by the Western Allies from the time they first encountered it in North Africa to the end of the war in Europe. This was no small feat for a tank of which only 1,347 were produced out of a total German tank production of around 27,000 tanks. This is not surprising given that it was armed with the dreaded 88 mm gun, the rounds of which could pass right through a Sherman tank and whose thick frontal armour meant that it was virtually invulnerable to anything the Allies could field at that time.Though a fearsome weapon on the surface the Tiger was not well suited to offensive operations. It suffered from a weak transmission, which often failed. The lack of suitable recovery vehicles, until the Bergepanther made its appearance, meant the crews would often attempt to tow it with another Tiger rather than abandon it. This usually resulted in the loss of both Tigers as the towing tank also broke down through mechanical failure, brought about by the extra strain imposed on the towing vehicle. However, as a defensive weapon it was second to none, especially in Italy. Here the country’s hilly terrain, with its scattering of small villages, restricted the routes of advance the Allies could take. Just the knowledge that Tigers were in the area imposed an extra caution on Allied tank crews, particularly after their duels with its lighter Panzer cousins.Starting at the Anzio amphibious landings in January 1944 and finishing with the Senio offensive in 1945, the book draws on official histories unit diaries, reports, and personal accounts to look at encounters between Tigers (and sometimes the Elefant based on the hull of its cousin the Porsche Tiger). In this way it seeks to examine how the crews of Allied armour leaned to deal with this menace and sometimes failed to do so to their chagrin. To illustrate this the narrative delves into a number of detailed accounts of some significant encounters at Anzio, in Tuscany and on the plains of the Po Valley.

On 1 April 1945, US troops launched the largest amphibious assault of the Pacific War on the heavily-defended island of Okinawa. Supporting the invasion, the USS West Virginia participated in the bombardment of entrenched Japanese defenders. That evening, a Japanese aircraft launched a Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka, a rocket-powered kamikaze plane. West Virginia was hit by an Ohka, becoming the first ship damaged by such a weapon. Twelve days later, the USS Mannert L. Able became the first ship sunk by an Ohka.The deployment of the Ohka was a desperate measure by Japan as the war turned against them. This manned flying bomb evolved from earlier kamikaze tactics. However, the Germans had also considered similar weapons. As early as 1944, figures close to Hitler, such as Otto Skorzeny and Hanna Reitsch, advocated for kamikaze missions. Hitler authorized the creation of the Leonidas Staffel to prepare for these attacks, leading to the development of the Messerschmitt Me 328 and Fieseler Fi 103R, also known as the Reichenberg.Though the Fi 103R began production in October 1944, the changing dynamics of the war rendered it obsolete by the time it was ready for use. The project was formally abandoned in March 1945. This book details the development of both the Ohka and Reichenberg.

More Irish personnel served in the Italian campaign than in any theatre of the Second World War. The greatest numbers were in the Army but airmen and sailors also played important roles. From the first actions in Sicily on 10 July 1943 until the German surrender in Italy on 2 May 1945, Irish personnel were in the front line. Those in the combat support services also gave outstanding service, as did medical officers, nurses and chaplains. Many were decorated. At least one was recommended for a posthumous Victoria Cross and there were numerous awards of the DSO, DCM, MC and MM as well as Mentions in Despatches.For most there were no decorations, only the Italy Star; and the service of many was marked only by a headstone or a name on a memorial. Their stories are equally inspiring and deserve to be told whether they were tankmen, gunners, sappers, signallers, infantry or the faithful members of support services such as drivers and mechanics or nurses who were often under threat from air attack or artillery fire. At the other end of the spectrum, many of the commanders, including General Montgomery, Admiral Cunningham and Field Marshal Alexander were also Irish.Drawing on personal memoirs, published works, official records and interviews with veterans, as well as his own in-depth knowledge of the Italian campaign, Richard Doherty reveals the service of Irish units and Irish personnel of all ranks and throughout the campaign, especially during the major battles.

In the seventh volume of Dilip Sarkar’s groundbreaking eight-part series, the day-to-day events of the fifth and final phase of the Battle of Britain are meticulously chronicled. This volume not only details every raid and squadron action but also places them within a broader context, including the roles of Bomber and Coastal Commands and the impact on the Home Front.Sarkar, renowned for his evidence-based research, revisits primary sources to challenge established narratives. This series represents the most comprehensive and up-to-date research on the Battle of Britain, standing out in its extensive bibliography.Volume 6 explored Reichsmarschall Göring’s determination to continue Luftwaffe attacks despite mounting losses. By late September 1940, the German He 111 bombers were shifted to night operations due to unsustainable daylight losses. The final phase saw Me 109 fighter-bombers and high-altitude fighter sweeps dominating daylight engagements. While these tactics were unlikely to defeat Britain, RAF pilots recall this period as the most grueling, with intense high-altitude dogfights between Spitfires and Me 109s.This volume concludes with a review of October 1940’s key events, questioning the month’s designation as the battle’s end and reflecting on the overall significance of the summer’s aerial engagements. Sarkar’s work provides invaluable insight into this critical phase of World War II.

This is the third release in a series that aims to dissect each aspect of Operation Market-Garden as it played out in September 1944. It draws on many individual soldiers and airmens narratives to tell the story of the ongoing fight to keep the Hells Highway open to relieve 1st Airborne at Arnhem, and the brave attempts to re-supply them from the air. The account offers a unique perspective on all aspects of aerial activity during this pivotal operation, illustrating the ways in which these vital endeavours impacted operations on the ground.The story is relayed of the comprehensive Allied effort to retain supremacy in the skies. Individual tales of gallantry work to humanize the account, rooting the action very much in the human experience of conflict. Tales include the never to be forgotten story of the Angel of Arnhem and the acts of chivalry that existed on both sides - even among battle hardened units such as the SS Panzer Grenadiers. All are unique in the annals of war. These and the other personal recollections of Allied soldiers and airmen and their German adversaries tell of extreme courage, camaraderie and shared terror under fire. They are complemented throughout by the authors background information that puts each narrative into wartime perspective.

A deeply personal story. Brave. Revelatory. Digs deep into the key issues facing modern day veterans.'' - **Damien Lewis**Soldier of Conscience is the true story of Wayne Ingram M.B.E, a British soldier who, after experiencing the horrors of war and battling Complex PTSD, finds his life changed by a four-year-old boy named Stefan. Born into a war-torn country and severely disfigured, Stefan’s encounter with Wayne begins a journey of healing for both of them. Over the course of 13 years, Wayne''s aggression and trauma are softened by Stefan’s love, courage, and the bond they share. Their relationship helps Wayne rediscover a life beyond war and violence, ultimately leading him to become a better, more compassionate person.Ingram’s story takes readers through various chapters of his life—his military service in reconnaissance, the challenges of PTSD, his work as a paramedic, and his volunteer efforts as a firefighter. The book also details his career in remote medicine, including time spent in war zones like Iraq and Africa, where he faced personal and professional challenges. Along the way, readers are immersed in his fundraising efforts, such as surviving a life raft challenge and organizing a 24-hour cycling event to build an orphanage in Africa.This is an emotional and multi-faceted narrative, blending themes of love, courage, death, mental health struggles, and personal growth. Written from the heart, it is a raw and honest account of a man who overcame his past through the transformative power of love and compassion. This memoir resonates with anyone facing personal battles, making it relatable to a wide audience.

Living in the Third Reich intricately weaves together the personal stories of German historical witnesses across thematic chapters, covering diverse facets of the wartime experience. From the early years of National Socialism to the devastating bombings of German cities, these narratives are enriched with personal documents and photographs, vividly providing the human face of history.This book is more than just a chronicle of events; it is a profound exploration of human suffering and memory. Each testimony contributes to a larger mosaic, unveiling the emotional and psychological landscapes of those who endured one of history''s darkest periods.Included are German perspectives on antisemitic violence, such as the Night of Broken Glass and the deportation of Jews. The book also contains accounts from those who witnessed allied bombings across Germany, and the civilians caught up in the Russian invasion. The book goes on to cover the aftermath of the war, with people displaced and some forced into labour, and life in post-war Germany.The author''s dedication to impartial presentation allows these stories to resonate on their own, providing a rare and invaluable perspective on the past. Years of painstaking research, translation, and editing have transformed this book into a treasure trove for scholars and general readers alike. It serves as a vital preservation of a generation’s voices, fostering a deeper understanding of how the Third Reich''s profoundly impacted ordinary lives.By presenting these accounts in their unaltered and honest form, the author ensures that the true essence of these experiences is captured and conveyed.

Agricola was the great Flavian warrior governor of Britain tasked by the emperor Vespasian with conquering the far north of its main island for the first time. Initially campaigning in Wales and then the north of modern England to secure his rear, he launched his first assault into modern Scotland at the end of the 70s AD. Four more bloody campaigns beyond the Solway Firth-Tyne frontier followed, each time the Romans heading further and further into the heart of darkness, as they would have seen it. Famously, at one stage during the campaigns he also contemplated invading Ireland, only to be told no by the new emperor, Domitian. Ultimately, the primary sources say he defeated the combined armies of the natives in far north at the Battle of Mons Graupius in AD 83. After this, the successful conquest of the whole island was declared, Agricola commanded the Classis Britannia (the Roman navy in Britain) to circumnavigate the whole province for the first time, and Domitian ordered a monumental arch to be built at Richborough on the east coast of Kent to celebrate the Roman triumph. This became the imperial gateway into Roman Britain.In this new, generation-defining book on Agricola’s campaigns in Scotland new archaeological evidence will be used to show how Agricola was able to campaign so far north of the imperial frontier and in such numbers (with over 30,000 men, plus the fleet), and the exact routes he followed. Thus, for the first time, the true story of Agricola in Scotland can be told.

The Battle of Castillon, fought outside the French city of the same name on 17 July 1453,  was the final battle in the Hundred Years War. It was also a disastrous defeat for the English monarchy. It saw the death of one of England’s most famous medieval commanders and the complete collapse of the last vestiges of English rule in Gascony, which had been a possession of the English monarchy for nearly three centuries. The French King Charles VII completed his unification of his kingdom, once riven by a civil war that had forced him to flee Paris, and left England with only Calais as a toe-hold in France.Castillon drew together a wide cast of characters who had defined the end of the Hundred Years War. John Talbot and the Gascon nobility represented the English but against them were men who had fought alongside Jeanne d’Arc, mercenary captains, and soldiers from across France. The French were also supported by the cannons and defences of the Bureau brothers, who had risen from relatively modest backgrounds to become some of the defining military men of their era. It has sometimes even been seen as a transformative battle – the last medieval battle which ushered in a more modern form of warfare.Despite its importance, and Castillon is easily a rival to Crécy and Agincourt in terms of significant battles of the Hundred Years War, Castillon has been largely neglected in English language scholarship. This book is the most substantial study of the battle to date and aims to correct this oversight by examining not just the battle but how the war reached the point of being decided in Gascony in 1453 and its aftermath and legacy.Castillon: The Last Battle of the Hundred Years War covers the origins of the Hundred Years War, the Edwardian and Lancastrian phases of the war, the Military Revolution of the fourteenth century and Charles VII’s radical restructuring of the French military in the fifteenth century, as well as a detailed study of the battle and how we can know what happened on that day in Gascony. It is far reaching and comprehensive in how it analyses this key battle and will give readers a substantial understanding in not just Castillon but in late medieval Anglo-French warfare in general.

This is the history of Britain’s munitions industry in the First World War. It begins with the shortages caused by an expanding army required to fight in trenches, then shows how the country was organised, with the expansion of private companies and the introduction of state owned factories. It also explains how new laws regulated industry.The narrative describes how production was initially estimated, until experience illustrated how the armed services’ demands could be met. It also looks at the problems caused by unchecked enlistment, which took no account of men’s skills, and the attempts to recall key workers from the armed services.The story continues with the raw materials, such as coal, which was dug by one million miners, and the huge amounts of iron ore imported from Spain. Learn how Britain’s steel industry struggled to make enough forgings for shells, while many more were imported from North America. See how manufacturing issues were resolved, while battlefield experience led to modifications being made. Also see how the nation’s chemical industry expanded to produce enough explosives before working out how to make large amounts of lethal gases.Learn how the war required the relations between the government, the employers, the unions, and the workforce to change; in some cases, forever. See how diluting production allowed the workforce to increase and how tens of thousands of women entered the factories. Also hear how various issues caused widespread industrial unrest at times, as the cost of living rose and the rules became stricter. On a positive note, a desire to improve production increased awareness of health and safety, as well as the benefits of positive welfare.The story ends with a nation being pushed to its limits suddenly demobilising, leaving everyone wondering what the future would hold for them.

With its rich historical background, Surrey once included areas now part of London, adding layers of complexity to genealogical research. A comprehensive resource, Tracing Your Surrey Ancestors offers a deep dive into Surrey''s history, explaining the boundary changes that affect where records are held today. From archives to online databases, this book equips you with the tools and knowledge needed to uncover your family''s past, providing clarity and guidance every step of the way. Whether you''re new to genealogy or a seasoned researcher, this guide is designed to help you trace your Surrey roots with confidence.

Gabriele Esposito presents a detailed overview of the history, organization, equipment and tactics of the military forces deployed by Achaemenid Persia during the period 550-330 BC. The Achaemenid Empire founded by Cyrus the Great was one of the major military powers of Antiquity, conquering vast territories that straddled three continents. Its large and varied population supplied a dazzling array of troop types, producing a versatile war machine that campaigned from India to Egypt. These were the armies that drank rivers dry as they invaded Greece and, at the Empire’s zenith, defeated the Spartans at Thermopylae and torched Athens. They continued to evolve but proved unable to cope with Alexander the Great’s Macedonians.The author outlines the major campaigns fought by the Persians from Cyrus the Great to the conquest by Alexander. He details the organization, equipment and tactics of the many different contingents that made up the Persian military forces, including (but not limited to) the famous royal guard of the Immortals, and such varied troops as Persian archers, scythed chariots, Ionian Greek hoplites, Arab camel riders, Scythian horse archers, Sogdians and Bactrian armoured cavalry, Thracian peltasts, Egyptians and Indian war elephants. The text is complemented by a colourful mix of photos of reenactors and specially-commissioned artworks.

This is an insider’s history of the UK’s development of on-site inspections for nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons arms control and disarmament treaties from the late 1980s through to the first two decades of the 21st century. It provides for the first time in print a detailed narrative and analytical account from the personal perspective of a senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office expert, who participated in scores of realistic and demanding verification exercises at British as well as overseas military and commercial facilities, including at the former Soviet nuclear weapons test site at Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan. The book draws on the author’s personal recollections, state papers in The National Archives and official reports submitted to the Conference on Disarmament and other international meetings to pull together a fascinating and riveting account of a key, but hitherto neglected part of Cold War and post-Cold War history. Despite the differences between nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons and their means of production, the UK’s verification exercises recounted in detail here revealed many common lessons applicable to the design and implementation of on-site inspections regardless of treaty. Generally nuclear, chemical and biological arms control verification is discussed separately, but this volume uniquely discuses all three in an overall coherent overview of the lessons learned. In addition to the serious nature of the subject matter, the author also recounts the humour that was ever present and many other tales that never quite made it to the formal reports produced after the exercises.