Vaggeryds bibliotek

Following the conquest of his native Latvia by the Nazis, the author was given the stark choice: service in the SS or forced labor in a slave camp. So he 'volunteered' to fight fo ...

Lieutenants, or "subalterns" as they were called, were very young in the British Army of the Napoleonic Wars, so George Gleig was not unique when he joined the 85th Light Infantry ...

It is generally recognized that the war in Burma against the Japanese was as fierce as any. The Battle of Kohima was the turning point of this extraordinary campaign and personal a ...

'Butcher' Cumberland is portrayed as one of the arch villains of British history. His leading role in the bloody defeat of the Jacobite rebellion in 1745 and his ruthless pursuit o ...

Although over 330,000 British and French soldiers were evacuated from the Dunkirk beaches between 26 May and 4 June, many thousands remained in France, most under French command. C ...

Flight testing experimental and new aircraft is one of the world’s most hazardous occupations. A test pilot requires the skills of a flying ace whilst maintaining the self-control ...

John Howe started his flying career in the postwar South African Air Force, learning to fly on Tiger Moths, Harvards and Spitfires. He was posted to No 2 Squadron SAAF and sent to ...

A military history of the campaigns of Belisarius, the greatest general of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Emperor Justinian. He twice defeated the Persians and reconquered North Afr ...

This is the story of Thomas Lancashire who joined the RAF in 1936 and became one of the famous 'Trenchard Brats' at RAF Halton to be educated and learn the trade of fitter. He was ...

Stanley Spencer enlisted with the Royal Fusiliers as a private in 1915 and was commissioned in 1917 and thereafter served with the West Yorkshire Regiment until demobilised in 1919 ...

Major General Julian Thompson first wrote No Picnic when the momentous events of April - June 1982 were fresh in his mind. As Commander of 3 Commando Brigade, he was at the heart o ...

In a quiet churchyard in Amersham is the grave of an airman who lost his life fighting in the skies over southern England in October 1940. The author happened to come across this g ...

Manfred von Richthofen - the Red Baron - was the most celebrated fighter pilot of the First World War, and was holder of the Blue Max, Pour le Mérite, Germany's highest military de ...

There have been several books published about the wartime experiences of individual air gunners but there is no general history of Air Gunners, their equipment, training or service ...

Alex, as he was known whether by Prime Ministers or the rank-and-file, was a legendary figure. A hero from the Great War he saw active service in Russia in 1919 – 20 and against t ...

This edited diary is Colonel Bill Spackman’s extraordinary personal record of his experiences as the Medical Officer of an Indian Infantry battalion during the Mesopotamian Campaig ...

One of only two survivors of the famous Cockleshell Hero raid, Bill Sparks' war and postwar career has never before been told in full. In this gripping book, he describes not only ...

They’re crafty and cunning ­ every one of them a conman who would relieve you of your hard-earned cash without a qualm. And yet what sets apart the crooks who fill the pages of thi ...

Bernard Paget enjoyed a hugely successful military career which culminated in his top level appointments in WW2. As C-in-C Home Forces and the C-in-C 21st Army Group he was respon ...

On September 25, 1939 Melvin Young reported to No. 1 Initial Training Unit. He was selected as a bomber pilot and promoted to Flying Officer. Having undertaken a Lancaster conver ...

In Part 1 of his book the author describes his life as a young officer in the Somaliland Scouts in the (then) British Protectorate of Somaliland. At that time tribal quarrels, gen ...

This is a first-hand account of the author’s grandfather, Guy Mainwaring Knocker and his experiences as a pilot in the R.F.C. in the First World War written as a series of letters ...

Douglas Bader was a legend in his lifetime and remains one today 100 years after his birth. A charismatic leader and fearless pilot, he refused to let his severe disability (loss o ...

Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh – later Lord – Dowding was one of the greatest Englishmen of the 20th century. He created Fighter Command with its unique early warning system (radar) f ...

Air-dropped supplies were a vital part of the Allied campaign in Burma during World War II. The transportation of munitions, food and medical supplies was undertaken in the most d ...