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75017 SAS IN WORLD WAR II: An Illustrated History


by Gavin Mortimer The SAS was the Special Air Service, an élite organisation which, during World War II, was responsible for the dangerous and exciting raids against enemy airfields during the Desert War, the battles in Italy and those following


the D-Day landings, as well as the final push into Germany itself. In this exhaustive account of its formative years, the author draws not only on his own expertise, and his unprecedented access to the SAS Regimental Archives, but also on interviews with surviving veterans. This exciting volume recreates the heady days during the summer of 1941 when a young Scots Guards officer called David Stirling persuaded Middle East Headquarters to give its backing to a small band of 60 men christened L Detachment. It is the definitive account of the regiment’s glorious achievements during the years from 1941 to 1945 and a tribute to one of the best- trained and most effective Special Forces units in existence. 256 pages lavishly illustrated in b/w and sepia/w with never before published photos.


£20 NOW £10


74899 MILITARY MAYHEM by Terry Crowdy


Subtitled 2,500 Years of Soldierly Sleaze and Scandal, this is a humorously outrageous work. Here corruption, incompetence, lust and downright stupidity rule the world of politico-military policy. A variety of misdemeanours starts with the Battle of Thermopylae then marches through 2000 years of Western history, gawking all the way.


Smart bombs are still as dumb as their users, the Profumo Affair, mutiny, the Grand Old Duke of York, the Midway Leak and the Belknap Scandal are just some of the many cases. 320pp in paperback with pithy cartoons and line art. £6.99 NOW £3


74046 SPITFIRE PILOT: An Extraordinary True Story of Combat in the Battle of Britain by Roger Hall DFC


Many pilots have written striking accounts of war in the air, but this volume is unique in that the author has never sought to eulogise aerial warfare. Instead, he has had the courage to write the truth about the nagging fears and mental conflict that beset the vast majority of those who were flying then, who lived a life in which there was no tomorrow. Despite that, he was able to see that there was a peculiar beauty about some aspects of flying, and even in the grimness of battle itself. His descriptions of aerial combat are extremely vivid, as he recounts in harrowing detail his own experiences with Messerschmitt 109s and 110s, as well as those of other pilots. 182 pages with b/w archive photos and cartoons, glossary of names, and list of abbreviations. £20 NOW £7


74405 THE PACIFIC by Hugh Ambrose


Together with his father Stephen, Hugh Ambrose embarked on a research project into the war in the Pacific by weaving together hundreds of testimonies from World War Two veterans. They built up a massive archive of primary source material - oral histories, diaries, letter collections, memoirs, photos and military reports - documenting the


personal battles these young men fought, and the sweep of the larger conflict in the pacific. Here are men who were dispatched to the other side of the world to fight an enemy who preferred suicide to surrender, men who suffered hardship and humiliation in POW camps and men who witnessed casualties among soldiers and civilians alike and whose medals came at a shocking price. 32 pages of photos, maps and other illus. 508pp in paperback or 489pp in paperback as both editions have identical contents, (no choice available). £12.99 NOW £4


71264 GREAT GERMAN ESCAPE by Charles Whiting


Subtitled ‘Uprising of Hitler’s Nazis in Britain’s POW Camps’. In every city, in every race course of any note, in every football ground were German POWs. Nearly a quarter of a million of them in fact and a goodly number of them fanatical National Socialists. What if these desperate young men were given the promise of an airborne landing by German forces in Britain? 182pp in softback, photos and map. £12.99 NOW £2


73535 THE LIGHT DRAGOONS: A Regimental History, 1715-2009 by Eric Hunt


The Light Dragoons were first raised in 1715 as the 13th, 15th, 17th and 19th regiments of Light Dragoons. Subsequently redesignated as Hussars (and the 19th as Lancers) they fought their way across Europe during the Napoleonic Wars. All four regiments served in the trenches and the Iraqi desert during WWI, then in 1922 they were consolidated into two regiments - the 13th/ 18th and the 15th/19th. In 1992 the two regiments were amalgamated to become what they are today, The Light Dragoons. Colour, 80pp softback. £10.99 NOW £5


73605 BRITISH FIGHTER AIRCRAFT AND AIR BATTLES OF WW2: 6 DVDs by The War File


Disc one covers the story of the Spitfire through the skills of fighter aces like Johnnie Johnson, ‘Sailor’ Malan and Bobby Tuck. Disc two tells the story of the Hawker Hurricane which swooped to despatch over two thirds of all enemy aircraft destroyed in the Battle of Britain. Features colour footage of the last surviving aircraft alongside original combat film. The de Havilland Mosquito, fighter design, dramatic action of dogfights over Britain between British and German pilots, the Japanese Zeros vs the American Hellcats and Corsairs over the Pacific, bombing raids on the Sorpe and Eder Dams, against the V2 rocket launching site at Peenemünde and the fighter battle for the island of Malta are among the dramatic features on the disc numbered five. The final disc is a unique film depicting the outstanding and legendary aircraft of WWII including the Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster, Mosquito, Blenheim, Flying Fortress, Liberator, Mitchell, Mustang, Hellcat, Corsair and Avenger. Six DVDs running time 340 minutes.


£34.99 NOW £12


74121 COMMANDO: Winning WW2 Behind Enemy Lines by James Owen


Relying as much on stealth as on raw courage, the Commandos brought the skills of the guerrilla to the battlefields. Trained by an unconventional band of experts, they made use of a range of talents. Film star David Niven was an early recruit as was David Stirling, founder of the SAS, and big-game hunter Roger Courtney, first commander of the SBS. Yet though they would win a heroic reputation for daring and endurance, the Commandos’ creation was controversial and their early missions disastrous. Overcoming defeat in Crete, they mounted devastating raids on St. Nazaire and Dieppe in 1942. By 1944 they were the spearhead of the Allied drive for victory from the D-Day beaches to the island fortress of Walcheren. With veterans’ own accounts. 413pp, photos. £20 NOW £6


72625 OPERATION HEARTBREAK & THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS by Duff


Cooper and Ewen Montagu One of the most decisive bluffs of all time, the success of “Operation Mincemeat” was decisive in accelerating the Allied advance through Europe. On 30 April 1943 the corpse of a man who had died some six month earlier in London and now dressed as a RM officer


was slipped into the sea a mile off the Spanish coast near Huelva by H.M.Submarine Seraph. Chained to his belt was a briefcase containing plans for an imminent Allied invasion of Greece. Meanwhile they went ahead with their real plan, the invasion of Sicily. Although officially a secret, the operation soon became legend, mainly because of Churchill’s post-war habit of telling the story at dinner! In 1950 Duff Cooper wrote a romanticised novel of what happened, Operation Heartbreak, which the government tried in vain to suppress. To counter it Ewen Montagu, the plan’s mastermind, wrote a factual account, The Man Who Never Was, in 1953. Both books are reproduced in their entirety here, along with a compelling introduction by John Julius Norwich, son of Duff Cooper. 207pp paperback compendium. Photos. £8.99 NOW £3


74270 AIR WAR OVER KURSK by Dmitriy Khazanov


The ‘Grand Battle of Stalingrad’ ended in early February 1943 with a total defeat of the German Army. The attention of their strategists was attracted to the area around Kursk. This large-scale offensive would be the cornerstone and the operation was codenamed Zitadelle (Citadel). In superb detail we have the Red Army Air Force units and German bombers, their commanders, aircraft, munitions, technicians, illustrated and described in detail in the superb text, plus two special 12 page colour sections with three aircraft viewed side-on depicted per page including the Focke Wulff, Messerschmitts, Junkers, Yakolevs and all other aircraft in the engagements with all their insignia and camouflage captioned beneath. Softback 21 x 29cm, 144pp. £19.99 NOW £6


73863 THE BLITZ: The


British Under Attack by Juliet Gardiner The Blitzkrieg, ‘lightning war’, started in 7th September 1940 and continued with little relief until 10th May 1941. 436 people were killed and 1,600 seriously injured. The nightmare continued for 57 consecutive nights as death and destruction rained down on Coventry, Liverpool, Glasgow,


Bristol, Southampton, Hull, Belfast and many other cities. Over 40,000 people in all would be killed, while the damage to property and the shattering effects on millions of lives would be incalculable. Here are first- hand accounts from fire-fighters, stretcher-bearers and childhood evacuees, Mass-Observation investigators and secret government documents. 431 pages, archive b/w photos, with notes. £25 NOW £8


72502 WILDEST PROVINCE: SOE in the Land


of the Eagle by Roderick Bailey In the summer of 1943 small teams of élite British soldiers from the Special Operations Executive began to parachute into Albania, their task being to encourage anti-Axis resistance groups and carry out sabotage missions. Plagued by illness, lice and frostbite, British support eventually went to Albania’s communist-led partisans. Here are men such as Antony Quayle, the actor, Julian Amery, future MP and minister and the remarkable, irrepressible Ed “Trotsky” Davies, among many others. Photos plus maps, 405pp. £25 NOW £4.50


73864 HORROR IN THE


EAST by Laurence Rees On the 60th anniversary of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour, this book examines the shocking events of the war in the Pacific, which culminated in the devastation caused by atomic bombs. It probes the Japanese belief in their own racial superiority. Apparently, under the reign of Emperor Hirohito, Japan came to reject Western values and


ideas. Japanese psyche reflected selfless devotion to the country and to the emperor. During World War II, Japanese soldiers were to indulge in mass murder, rape, suicide and even cannibalisation of the enemy. This book pulls no punches in examining how this dreadful turnaround came about. From the acclaimed BBC TV series. 160 pages, photos. £16.99 NOW £6.50


74350 VENLO INCIDENT by Captain S. Payne Best


Sigismund Payne Best was a British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS, more commonly known as MI6) agent during the First and Second World Wars. The narrative recalls the drama of the trap set by the Nazis at Venlo and the cruelty and torture suffered at the hands of the Gestapo. Best records his experiences as a prisoner for more than five years in a concentration camp where he would meet noted figures in the Nazi resistance movement like Georg Esler and suspects linked to the July 20 Plot to kill Hitler. Venlo proved to be a turning point early in the war, a catastrophe for Allied intelligence and for the people of Holland who suffered invasion and occupation as a direct result. 260pp in facsimile reprint, illus and maps. Paperback. £13.99 NOW £5


68595 WAR OF THE RUNNING DOGS by Noel Barber


The British Government referred to this bloody and costly struggle as the ‘Malayan Emergency’. Only three years after the end of the Japanese occupation, war came again to Malaya. The Chinese-backed guerrillas called it the War of the Running Dogs - their contemptuous term for those in Malaya who remained loyal to the British. It was a costly war that lasted 12 years and cost thousands of lives, but by the time it was over, Malaya had obtained its independence - on British, not on Chinese or Communist terms. Here is the story of the first all-out struggle in Asia between Communism and the West. 329pp, paperback. Photos. £8.99 NOW £4.50


73264 RIGHT OF THE LINE: The Role of the RAF in World


War Two by John Terraine ‘the right of the line’ has come to mean in battle, the place of greatest danger, and in ceremony the place of honour. During World War II the Royal Air Force found itself, without option, shouldering the burden of the war when the Army was in eclipse and the Royal Navy strained to its limits - especially during the


crisis of the U-boat war in 1942-43. Bomber Command played a vital role. 1939-45 was the time of the vast air fleets, the big aircraft with large specialized crews and a host of people on the ground required to direct and service them, including members of the Air Council and the Air Staff, Group Commanders, back-room boys, and ground crew. Of these, a vast 70,253 men and women were lost in action. To set the record straight, this huge and detailed book chronicles the glorious history of the RAF from its beginnings, through its sorties over the North Sea and Norway, the Battle of Britain, the Battle of the Atlantic, the Strategic Air Offensive, the Mediterranean, Combined Operations, Normandy and the final triumph of air power. 841 paperback pages. Photos with map. £30 NOW £8


71187 FIGHTING MEN OF WWII: Allied Forces’ Uniforms, Equipment and Weapons by David Miller


Comprehensive in coverage, this 384 page heavyweight sets out to examine in detail the weapons, clothing and equipment of the armies of Great Britain, its Dominions and the Commonwealth (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa), the USA, the Soviet Union, France, Poland, China, the Netherlands, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Greece, Norway and Yugoslavia during the period of WWII, collectively referred to here as the Allied Forces. Here are minutely detailed descriptions and specifications of all rifles, pistols, revolvers, bayonets, knives, grenades, flamethrowers, mortars and anti-tank missiles that were employed, as well as all clothing from boots to headgear and everything in between for all climates and regiments, battle and ceremonial, and also rank badges and other insignia, goggles, water bottles, medical kits, radios, mess tins. Nearly all the 1000 plus items featured have never been featured in book form before. Hundreds of colour photos of items and b/w archive photos, 9½”×12¼”. £41.99 NOW £11


73261 BAYONETS FOR HIRE: Mercenaries at War 1550-1789 by William Urban


Urban demonstrates that military professionals have contributed much to European politics, commerce and scientific thought, not just military matters. In the 16th century mercenaries were not just restricted to individual soldiers and officers - entire armies of well-trained and well-equipped men were available at the right price. By the late 17th century the infantry had muskets with bayonets, engineers came up with new ways of building and assaulting fortresses and generals were learning new tactics from successful field marshals, but the man everyone paid attention to was the treasury officer, because with more money it was always possible to improve your chances in war. Handy quick reference timeline from 1500-1795, political and battle maps of Europe (1550-1789) and 16 pages of plates. 304pp. £25 NOW £6


War and Militaria


71388 ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF FIREARMS by Jim Supica,


Doug Wicklund and Philip Schreier By around 1350 ‘hand gonnes’ had been developed. From then on, firearms have steadily improved. By the early 1400s matchlocks were introduced. In the 1500s the wheel-lock was invented. Flintlocks came in in the late 16th century, then rifling, the percussion cap, repeaters, smokeless powders, auto-loaders and automatic firearms. New materials have seen the use of lightweight ‘plastic guns’ like the Glock. Electronic red dot sights, glow-in-the-dark night sights, ultra-compact laser aiming systems and night vision scopes are not only used by the military and the police but have been incorporated in weapons available to the public. While hunting, self-defence and military use still predominate, the sporting and recreational use of firearms is steadily increasing. 304 pages 29.5cm x 24cm, 1,500 colour and archive photos. ONLY £7


73259 WANDSWORTH AND BATTERSEA BATTALIONS IN THE GREAT WAR 1915-


1918 by Paul McCue In 1915, Lord Kitchener extended his famous ‘Your Country Needs You’ recruitment campaign by calling for each mayor of the London Metropolitan Boroughs to raise a unit of local men for active service overseas. In Wandsworth


Mayor Dawnay personally took up the challenge and recruited, for the 13th East Surrey Regiment, double the number of men needed for an infantry battalion. Mayor Simmons pledged a full infantry battalion from Battersea to the 10th Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment. Both battalions served with honour and distinction. In Villiers- Plouich, the French have named the square outside their town hall ‘Place de Wandsworth’ and the sign bears the coats of arms of both communities. 288 pages, historic b/w illus.


£25 NOW £7.50


71865 NAPOLEONIC WARGAMING by Neil Thomas


The magnificent uniforms of the Napoleonic period are irresistible to wargamers, and there is also the appeal of pitting highly colourful historical figures against each other. The author gives a detailed historical analysis of the factors leading to the French revolution and the Rise of Napoleon, including ideologies such as the cult of sensibility. Strategies and manoeuvres of the war itself are considered in the second section, including Napoleonic tactics and formations such as the Assault Column, with Marshal Saxe’s classic assaults analysed in diagrammatic form. Units and Formations, Retreats, Small Arms and Artillery fire are among the numerous topics covered. Diagrams, colour photos, 160pp, softback. £16.99 NOW £3.50


72480 SOVIET GENERAL AND FIELD RANK


OFFICER UNIFORMS: 1955 to 1991 by Adrian Streather


This comprehensive and staggeringly detailed guide covers all uniforms worn by the Marshal of the Soviet Union, Marshals, Generals and all field rank officers from 1955 to 1991 on land, sea and air, plus border and intelligence services. With colour (mainly) and b/w photos throughout, it features a well-researched history of each type of uniform, the period it saw service and how it was made, from the boots to the epaulettes. Many anecdotes from purchasing experiences. 128pp softback. £14.99 NOW £2.50


72519 DILLY: The Man Who Broke Enigmas by Mavis Batey


The highly eccentric Alfred Dillwyn Knox, simply known as ‘Dilly’, was one of the leading figures in the British code breaking successes of the two World Wars. During the First he was the chief codebreaker in the Admiralty, breaking the German Navy’s main flag code before going on to crack the German Enigma Ciphers during World War Two at Bletchley Park. He enjoyed the triumphant culmination of his life’s work - a reconstruction of the Enigma machine used by the Abwehr, the German Secret Service. Dilly’s codebreaking skills paid a vital part in the success of the D-Day landings. 244pp in paperback, diagrams and photos.


£9.99 NOW £5


72602 DOGFIGHT: True Stories of Dramatic Air Actions by Alfred Price


From operations over the fields of France during the First World War, through accounts of the indomitable spirit of the RAF during the Battle of Britain, to the horrifying loss of life inflicted by Hitler’s Blitzkrieg offensive over the Soviet Union - when more than 300 aircraft fell in air-to- air combat during one single day - no detail is spared. The jet age is vividly brought to life, together with the air force’s role in the Vietnam War and the Falklands. 350 paperback pages, photos, diagrams and map. £9.99 NOW £3


73253 BLOODLINE by Iain Gordon Using easy-to-follow, family-tree type tables, this volume shows the origins and development of every regular formation in the British Army, including the latest changes and amalgamations, together with a wealth of historical reference material gathered from a variety of sources over many years. The Battle Honours of each post-Cardwell constituent are recorded separately, so that the progress of each of the original regiments, and the theatres of war in which it was involved, may be examined individually. The pedigrees and Honours of disbanded units are also recorded, so that their contribution will not be lost to posterity. With a chronological summary of Battle Honours. 167 pages. £19.99 NOW £7


73283 HITLER AND THE NAZI CULT OF CELEBRITY by Michael Munn


!


Having tried unsuccessfully to be in turn an artist, a playwright and a composer of opera, Hitler discovered that his only talent was oratory. The cult of selective celebrity was nurtured and driven by the Fuehrer and


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