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Heroic Option - The Irish in the British Army

Desmond & Jean Bowen First edition 2005 by Pen & Sword Hardback with dust wrapper 331 pages (16 pages b/white photos) ISBN 1-84415-152-2

A superbly written and researched record of the extraordinary contribution Irishmen have brought to the British Army. Bringing humour and resilience in the face of hardship, their courage, fighting qualities, and their sense of duty and pride have long been recognised by friend and foe alike. This has never been better demonstrated than when, as a result of the Irish regiments' superb service in the Boer War, Queen Victoria ordered the formation of the Irish Guards in 1900 as a mark of the Nation's gratitude. Easy to read.

Virtually as new. Dust wrapper not price clipped. H:24 x W:16.2 x D:3.2cm £10.00 + £3.10 P&P UK

The Tank War - The British 'band of brothers' - one tank regiment's World War II

Mark Urban Published 2013 by Abacus Paperback 415 pages (16 pages b/white photos) ISBN 978-0-349-00014-5

From the evacuation of France in 1940 to the final dash to Hamburg in 1945, the 5th Royal Tank Regiment were on the front line throughout WWII, serving in Africa as part of the Desert Rats, before returning to Europe for the Normandy landings. Wherever they went, the notoriety of the "Filthy Fifth" grew - they revelled in their reputation for fighting by their own rules. Drawing on a wealth of new sources, interviews with surviving soldiers, and rarely seen archive material, this captures the rawness of warfare from the unique perspective of one regiment.

Virtually as new. H:19.7 x W:12.5 x D:2.8cm £5.00 + £3.10 P&P UK

Roll of Honour - The Great War 1914-1918 - The East Lancashire Regiment (covers the period 1914 - 1921).

Dedication page contains a sticker signed in ink by John Kenneally VC, remembered in Winston Churchill's broadcast speech "Five Years of War".

R. Raymond Walsh and Jean M. Walsh
Limited Edition - 21st May 1999
Hardback with dust wrapper - 164 pages Published by T.H.C.L. Books, Blackburn, Lancashire

Raymond Walsh, born in Blackburn in 1925, was a former East Lancashire Regiment soldier who wrote and published over 95 military titles including the official WWII record for Stonyhurst College, the seven Victoria Cross recipients of Stonyhurst and the four VCs of Blackburn. He died in May 2018 age 92. These books are from his estate.

3 available - condition new.

H:30 x W:21.5 x D:1.5cm £22.00 + £4.10 P&P UK

Providence Their Guide - The Long Range Desert Group 1940-45

David Lloyd Owen First edition 1980 by Harrap Hard back with dust wrapper 238 pages (12 pages b/white photos) ISBN 0-245-53603-5

Formed in 1940 at the opening of the Western Desert campaign, the Long Range Desert Group was later claimed by Rommel to have inflicted more damage on his Africa Korps than had any other unit of comparable strength. After victory in North Africa in 1943, the LRDG continued to operate behind enemy lines in the Aegean, Italy and the Balkans. David Lloyd Owen (who joined the LRDG in mid-1941 and commanded the group from 1943 until its disbandment in 1945) gives the complete and authoritative yet personal account of perhaps the most renowned and least publicised of the Second World War's special forces.

Very good used condition. Insignificant rubbing to edge of dust wrapper (not price clipped) and small stain on penultimate page. No other issues.

H:24 x W:16.5 x D:2.8cm £8.00 + £3.78 P&P UK

Bugles and a Tiger - My Life in the Gurkhas

John Masters Published 2004 by Cassell Military Paperbacks Paperback - 319 pages ISBN 0-304-36156-9

John Masters went to Sandhurst in 1933 at the age of eighteen and was commissioned into the 4th Gurkha Rifles in time to take part in some of the last campaigns on India’s turbulent North-West frontier. The British Army was still very much as depicted by Kipling, and this is a fascinating insight into the twilight days of the Indian Empire, punctuated with sketches by Lieutenant-Colonel C.G. Borrowman.

Nearly as new. H:20 x W:13 x D:2cm £5.00 + £2.48 P&P UK

Regiments and Corps of the British Army

Ian S. Hallows Published 1994 by New Orchard Editions Hardback with dust wrapper 320 pages (illustrated badges) ISBN 1-85891-237-7

An excellent single-source reference to British Army regiments and their history, with details of battles, campaigns, regimental anniversaries and battle honours plus historical background and anecdotes. Interesting and helpful when researching.

Very good used condition. A hint of page yellowing but all clean and crisp. Dust wrapper edges just slightly ruffled. Not price clipped.

H:22.5 x W:14.5 x D:3cm £9.00 + £3.10 P&P UK

Manchester City Battalions of the 90th and 91st Infantry Brigades Book of Honour

Edited by Brigadier-General F. Kempster DSO & Brigadier-General H. C. E Westropp Published 1916 by Sherrat and Hughes Hard back - 784 pages including b/white platoon photographs plus 54 Page Appendix.

The definitive reference book for those with a special interest in the Manchester Regiment, especially medal collectors, and a good addition to any WWI researcher's bookcase. Includes a short history of the Regiment and lists the officers and names, rank and roll number of every man in each battalion / company / platoon, and with a platoon group photograph in every case. The remainder of the book comprises the Rolls of Honour of Firms and Institutions in Manchester and includes three photographic plates. The Appendix lists names of men who have attested under the Group System.

For those who are familiar with Manchester, the Rolls of Honour of the businesses in and around the city centre are especially interesting, even more so as the very pages themselves are from that period in time. These are printed on a cartridge paper which has a softer feel than that which has been used for the lists of battalions.

A large, heavy book, the outer boards and spine are grubby and distressed but remain attached. Page ends are grubby, with some foxing and yellowing throughout but binding generally remains firm.

H:25.5 x W:19 x D:7cm £60.00 + £9.99 P&P UK

The Man Who Broke Napoleon's Codes - The story of George Scovell

Mark Urban Published 2001 by Faber and Faber Paperback 333 pages (8 pages b/w & colour images) ISBN 978-0-571-20538-7

Wellington knew that to defeat the French, good intelligence was paramount - but the French were using a code of unrivalled complexity - the 'Great Paris Cipher'. It was an unprecedented challenge, and Wellington looked to one man to break the code: Major George Scovell. Using a network of Spanish guerrillas, Scovell amassed coded French messages, and set about decrypting them. Scovell did extraordinary work and his hitherto almost unknown story is every bit as significant and dramatic as that surrounding the German Enigma machine during WWII. A fascinating account, and at last George Scovell has been rescued from obscurity and given the recognition he deserves, not only as a brilliant decrypter, but also as a courageous soldier and staff officer.

Good used condition. Small crease top right front cover. Slight page yellowing. No other issues.

H:19.7 x W:12.5 x D:12.6cm £4.00 + £3.10 P&P UK

The 42nd (East Lancashire) Division 1914-1918

Frederick P. Gibbon First edition 1920 by Country Life & George Newnes, London, Hardback without dustwrapper as issued - 246 pages (51 pages of b/white photos, 4 pull-out maps and 2 pages unit flashes in colour)

Bottom edge of text pages are rough edged (untrimmed).

An informative account of the first territorial division to travel overseas, this is the scarce first impression of the first edition, with light brown coloured boards, black borders, black titles to spine and the divisional red and white flash to the front. The 42nd served in Egypt, Gallipoli, the Suez Canal and Sinai and transferred to the Western Front in 1917 where it fought at Ypres, Nieuport and La Bassee. It was part of the thrust through the Hindenburg Line, crossed the Selle and ended at Foret de Mormal and Hautmont. Includes Roll of Honour, honours and awards, HQ staff and commanding officers.

One of the most detailed territorial divisional histories, this book is in 'well used' condition and has no doubt been a constant source of reference. It has been covered in fabric which is faded, stained and worn thin on the bottom edges. The spine has been pulled back at the top edge. One page has become detached as shown. All pages are grubby on the ends and have varying degrees of foxing and minor stains throughout. However, with the one exception, all pages remain tightly bound with no rips or tears and are easy to read, all photo plates remaining bright.

H:23.4 x W:16 x D:3.7cm £25.00 + £4.20 P&P UK

Death of a Hero - Captain Robert Nairac, GC and the undercover war in Northern Ireland

John Parker First edition 1999 by Metro Books Hardback with dust wrapper 272 pages (8 pages b/white photos ISBN 1-900512-52-1

Mystery shrouds the death of brilliantly successful undercover operative Grenadier Guards Captain Robert Nairac, GC who was murdered by the IRA in May 1977. Seconded to the SAS with the task of intelligence liaison, and with his black Labrador for company, his fourth tour of duty took him to the most dangerous area of operations, the 'bandit country' of South Armagh where he lived in a world of dirty tricks, and rivalry between MI5 and MI6. Nairac was abducted from a South Armagh pub where he had arranged to meet a contact, was driven across the border into the Irish Republic, interrogated and shot. Several men have been imprisoned for his death, but his body has never been found. He was posthumously awarded the George Cross, and even his captors admitted he died like a hero. For years there have been many unanswered questions surrounding Nairac's activities in Northern Ireland, some have sinister undertones. It was alleged that he colluded with loyalist paramilitaries in the murder of the Miami Showband, and had involvement with other killings. John Parker finally provides the answers in this disturbing book, having had unprecedented access to senior Army and SAS colleagues and interviews with friends from earlier days.

Very good condition. Dust wrapper not price clipped.

H:24 x W:16 x D:2.7cm £7.00 + £3.10 P&P UK