Books by War Office

This 1911 manual on transporting troops by rail was reprinted with amendments after the outbreak of war in 1914. War by rail timetable - when vast numbers of men were moved by rail - was a vital part of the opening weeks of the war. The manual covers the general duties of railway transport personnel; the entraining and detraining of troops; the movement of stock supplies and animals; ambulance trains; armoured trains; the capacity of rolling stock and co-operation with and supervision of civilian railway personnel. It provides a very detailed picture of the organisation of railway traffic in wartime.

Full title: 'Statistics of the Military Effort of the British Empire During the Great War 1914-1920'.

This pamphlet was issued at the end of the Second World War, particularly to RAOC ammunition technicians, to enable safe identification of all German ammunition for rifles, mortars and cannon.It contains not only a description of the various types of ammunition, but has a series of coloured plates which show in detail main types of shell, particularly anti-tank and anti-aircraft rounds.It includes shell for the famous 88mm Flak and Pak (the same gun but in the ground role as a much respected and feared anti-tank gun.Further plates show ammunition box/case wrappers, and there is a listing of powder components and gun makers.There is a wealth of detail on aircraft cannon shell plus details of all anti-aircraft ground cannon shell.Rifle ammunition is covered in detail, as is the pistol cartridge.This is a rare publication which includes all that was known about German ammunition in the immediate aftermath of the war, and is used as a source book by many later publications.

This official War Office manual shows soldiers how to operate in urban areas. Among the subjects covered are weaponry; planning attacks and defence; how to clear houses' site guns, climb walls and handle explosives.

War Office manual of ammunition and explosives 1915. Includes details of all shell and small arms ammunition.The volume includes 115 colour plates and black and white drawings.