Books published by Naval & Military Press Ltd

This second-line Territorial battalion was formed at Liverpool in early September 1914, allocated to 171st Bde, 57th Division and landed in France on 14 Feb 1917; it fought on the Western Front for the rest of the war. The author served with the battalion for much of the war though he does spell out the periods he was away from it when he gained his information from those present at the events he describes. The battalion took part in all the fighting of the division, in Third Ypres, Drocourt-Queant Switch in the Hindenburg Line, Cambrai (Oct 1918) and the occupation of Lille. Of particular value to the genealogist and medallist are the appendices. One gives the succession of COs, 2ICs, Adjutants and Quartermasters from the formation of the battalion and, after it arrived in France, the list of the company commanders and WOs. A second appendix lists all the officers showing the period served served with the battalion and the reason for leaving, the highest rank achieved, appointments held, honours and awards and casualty details (ten dead, twenty-nine wounded), while the third does the same for the other ranks of whom 234 died. The narrative is full of incident, plenty of names mentioned as there should be in a good regimental/battalion history. and the maps are clear, marking out trench systems with names and and pinpointing features on the battlefield. The photos are good, including portrait photos of officers and battlefield scenes. This is an excellent example of a battalion history.

This is the story of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade which consisted of three mounted rifles regiments, one each from Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington. There was a fourth, from Otago, but they did not take part in the Sinai and Palestine campaigns, they accompanied the newly formed NZ Division to France in April 1916. The Mounted Rifles Brigade had been fighting on Gallipoli as infantry, part of the New Zealand and Australian Division, and on 26th December 1915 they arrived back in Alexandria to resume their mounted role; their strength was 62 officers and 1329 other ranks. When reorganization was complete the Brigade numbered 2421 officers and men and 2,884 horses, part of the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division along with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigades.In March 1916 the Brigade took over part of the Suez Canal Defences but it was in August that the Sinai operations began with the Battle of Romani and the subsequent actions in all of which the Brigade took part. Advancing into Palestine they played a great part in that campaign earning high praise from Allenby. In the appendices there is a Brigade Diary showing the more important moves taken and actions fought during the two campaigns, and they make a most impressive list. As with the other volumes of this history of New Zealand's part in the Great War the narrative is easy to read and follow, gives a clear picture of the terrain (a virtual travelogue in parts) and the conditions of desert fighting, supported by good maps and plenty of contemporary photos. There is no Roll of Honour nor list of Honours and Awards nor index. Apart from the diary the appendices contain a glossary of terms occurring with place names and the brigade order of battle with succession of commanding officers in all units.

A lavishly illustrated appendix to the five-volume regimental history of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, illustrating the development of the Corps' uniforms, arms and equipment in colour and black and white. There are colour plates showing the redcoats of the American Wars in the 18th century, and the arrival of its famous green jackets in the 1790s. The book also pictures regimental colours, and there are detailed illustrations of buttons, badges and insignia, and a long essay by S.M. Milne on the regiment's red coats, green jackets, armaments, colours and decorations.

The 5th Australian Division began to form in February 1916 in Egypt with 8th, 14th and 15th Brigades. The 8th had been raised in Australia in June 1915 and arrived in Egypt in December, the 14th and 15th Brigades were made up half from personnel of the 1st and 2nd Brigades of the 1st Division (recently back from Gallipoli) and half from reinforcements already in Egypt. The four battalions of the 8th Brigade had already been numbered (in Australia) 29th-32nd, the eight battalions of the newly created 14th and 15th Brigades were numbered 53rd-60th. The divisional commander was the Hon J.W McCay, who arrived in March from Australia where he had been Inspector General. The division arrived in France at the end of June 1916 and within three weeks, on 19th July, it was in action in the attack on Fromelles, the same area that saw the disastrous assault on Aubers Ridge some fourteen months earlier. This attack was equally disastrous with 5,533 casualties, the highest casualty figure incurred in a day by any division other than that of 34th Division on 1st July 1916. Other major actions fought by the 5th Australian Division included Bullecourt, Polygon Wood, first and second battles of Passchendaele, Amiens, Avre, Villers Bretonneux, occupation of Peronne, and St Quentin Canal (capture of the Bellicourt Tunnel Defences). Seven VCs were won and from figures quoted from time to time, the final casualty figure must have numbered more than 25,000 (remembering the divison's first action was nearly two years after the war had been in progress.This is a very good history with much detailed descriptive writing - some of it very vivid: The fields became mere areas of dishevelled rubbish, the shell-holes filled with putrid water in which rotted the corpses of men and animals. Appendices list all honours and awards with full citation for the VC awards, and the complete Roll of Honour listed, as in the case of the honours and awards, alphabetically by units. The two colour plates depict colour patches worn by units of the division. Unfortunately there is no index

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.

William Cope was comissioned into The Rifle Brigade in 1830 and retired in 1839.This really excellent volume covers the history of The Rifle Brigade from formation to 1874 (1st Ashanti War). Indispensable with a first rate index.

George Tancred's work originally published in 1891, is now reprinted complete with all the superb illustratons.Tancred had catalogued Colonel Murray's collection, this was a most fortunate liaison as Tancred was able to gain access to a host of numismatic rarities for the illustrations in his book.The Murray collection listed at the end of this work, included 188 MGS and 128 NGS medals, and the largest Regimental Medal collection ever assembled, from these and examples from other collections, Tancred has executed a superb and comprehensive illustrated text on the subject which appears in these pages.Tancred has set out in chronological order the awards bestowed under every monarch, from the Jewel and Star presented to Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I, right through to those orders and decorations instituted by Queen Victoria. The NGS and MGS medal sections describes every bar action, naval and military, and opens with an extract from the July 1845 debate by the Duke of Richmond in the House of Lords, concerning the giving of decorations to all veterans of the Peninsular War, the Duke of Wellington's negative comments make fascinating reading.The early wars in India and Afghanistan are fully detailed, some interesting official communications are reprinted including a directive to dispose of surplus medals and what eventually did happen to them.Other campaigns and their related medals are described in detail.With the Sutlej campaign a chart giving regimental strength, battle bar entitlement and number of unit casualties is set out. Among the many illustrations are included some scarce and seldom encountered awards such as: The Monghyr Mutiny medal 1766, First Burma War Medal 1826, Gold Star for Maharajpoor 1843, the Edwardes Gold Medal, for Special Services in the Punjab 1848. Gold Medal for Special Services during the Burmese War 1824-26. The Regimental, Special and Private medals section, a mammoth gathering of 118 individual illustrations with corresponding text, gives a most impressive visual and informative insight into this important area of rewards for exemplary service and skill at arms.Following the same theme a medal roll of recipients of the Army Best Shot Medal is included.The New Zealand Cross section tells the story of the troubled start to this attractive decoration and sets out the correspondence between Government House, Wellington and the ruffled Earl Granville in London.Included are the award statutes together with citations for 20 of the 23 crosses awarded.