Books published by Naval & Military Press

This third volume in the series of five in the 18-volume official British History of the Second World War which recount the war against Japan covers the period from late 1943 and the Allied High Command in the theatre under Lord Louis Mountbatten.

This third volume in the series of five in the 18-volume official British History of the Second World War which recount the war against Japan covers the period from late 1943 and the Allied High Command in the theatre under Lord Louis Mountbatten.

The British Army''s Home Service Helmet was introduced in 1878. It was of a German influence and would replace a long line of shakos going back to the days of the Peninsular War and Waterloo. With the new headdress came the helmet plate, those highly desirable items of militaria much sought after today by collectors. Concentrating mainly on the Regular Army, this ''Guide'' will describe and illustrate many of those plates. It will, by using contemporary photographs and artwork by leading military artists, also show them being worn. Besides the Regulars, the many hundreds of Victorian and Edwardian Militia, Volunteer and later Territorial Force regiments, would also take into use the home service helmet. But here, as ever, we now tread on a vast and, in most cases, un-charted area of militaria collecting. By including this important aspect of British military history in this book, I will certainly not be in any position to claim completeness. But include it I must, albeit that just the tip of the proverbial iceberg will most likely be reached. Fortunately, and returning to the subject of the Regular Army now, details of the helmet plates worn by officers appear in the several editions of ''Dress Regulations''. I have consulted those for 1883, 1891, 1894, 1900, 1904 and 1911 and from these essential reference works have quoted verbatim. For the helmet plates worn by other ranks, I have turned to old friends, Arthur L Kipling and Hugh King and Volume One of their comprehensive reference work, Head-dress Badges of the British Army, referred to in the ''Guide'' as ''Kipling and King''.

Actual incidents provided the basis for this instruction manual on life-or-death close-quarters shootouts with the pistol. The emphasis is on training to fight with no notice, at very close ranges, in poor lighting and in unexpected environments.

A fascinating study of the British Navy, that is copiously illustrated throughout, and complete in three volumes.

The Doughboys were the American soldiers who entered the Great War in the last year of the conflict; and of their number the Marine Corps were the absolute elite. The author of this episodic but vivid series of sketches, John W. Thomason, was a Captain in the Corps, descended from a distinguished Southern military family. A natural writer, his colloquial account follows the Marines through France, giving an account of their most famous- and bloodiest - actions, including the Argonne Forest, Belleau Wood, Chateau Thierry, Mont Blanc and St Mihiel. As well as the fighting itself, Thomason is good on off-duty anecdotes. First-hand American accounts of the Great War are rare. This is one of the best. It is profusely illustrated by the author's own excellent drawings

A fascinating study of the British Navy, that is copiously illustrated throughout, and complete in three volumes.

This 'Cannon' covers, in its usual consistent format, a regiment that saw distinguished and arduous service in Egypt 1801, on Martinique 1809, and in the First Anglo-Afghan War, where, in October 1841, an uprising broke out.

This 'Cannon' covers a regiment that saw active service in Cuba at the capture of Havana in the Seven Years' War and was later part of the garrison during the Great Siege of Gibraltar in the American Revolutionary War.

An important Great War guidebook, written by a man who played a critical role in the Ypres we see today.

This 'Cannon' covers, in its usual consistent format, a regiment that was awarded battle honours for Dettingen, Salamanca, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse and Peninsula.

This work gives details of all operations by the Royal Engineers during D-Day and up to the Seine crossing at Vernon.

This History deals with the 10th Indian Division's exploits in Iraq (under Maj Gen 'Bill' Slim), its role in the Libyan battles leading up to El Alamein, and its fighting services in the Italian campaign (from Ortona onwards).

The Fifth Battalion lasted from 1797-1818 and served with distinction through the whole of the Peninsular War. Its troops were so effective that Sir Arthur Wellesley described them as the "most useful, active and brave troops in the field".

The first in the officially sponsored TIGER trilogy, it is a detailed and readable account of the 4th and 5th Indian Divisions and the fighting in Somaliland, Eritrea, and the Western Desert. The period covered is September 1940 to June 1941.

Steam Trains were cutting-edge weapons of war in the 19th century - and all the major powers were figuring out how to deploy them.

British light dragoons were first raised in the 18th century. Initially they formed part of a cavalry regiment performing scouting, reconnaissance and the like, but due to their successes in this role (and also in charging and harassing the enemy), they soon acquired a reputation for courage and skill. Whole regiments dedicated to this role were soon raised; the 15th Light Dragoons were the first, followed by the 18th Light Dragoons and the 19th Light Dragoons.The 13th Light Dragoons were initially heavy dragoons known as Richard Munden's Regiment of Dragoons. By 1751 the regiment title was simplified to the 13th Regiment of Dragoons and by 1783 they had been converted to the light role. In 1861 the regiment changed its name to the 13th Hussars.The 13th light Dragoons served around the world including in the Peninsular War, at Waterloo, in India and in the Crimean War.The Peninsular WarAt Campo Mayor on the Spanish-Portuguese border (25 March 1811) a clash occurred between British and Portuguese cavalry, under Robert Ballard Long, and a force of French infantry and cavalry under General Latour-Maubourg. This was to be one of the 13th Light Dragoons most famous and infamous actions. The 13th, two and a half squadrons strong, led by Colonel Michael Head, charged and routed a superior French cavalry force of no less than six squadrons. The 13th, with two Portuguese squadrons, then went on to pursue the French for seven miles to the outskirts of Badajoz. The report reaching Lord Wellington seems to have glossed over the epic quality of the charge and emphasised the overlong pursuit. After receiving Marshal Beresford's report, Wellington issued a particularly harsh reprimand to the 13th LD calling them "a rabble" and threatening to remove their horses from them and send the regiment to do duty at Lisbon. The officers of the regiment then wrote a collective letter to Wellington detailing the particulars of the action. Wellington is reported as saying that had he known the full facts he would never have issued the reprimand.[1] The historian Sir John Fortescue wrote, "Of the performance of Thirteenth, who did not exceed two hundred men, in defeating twice or thrice their numbers single-handed, it is difficult to speak too highly."[2]On the 16 May 1811, the 13th Light Dragoons formed part of Beresford's Allied-Spanish Army at Albuera during the Peninsular War. The French army, commanded by Marshal Jean-de-Dieu Soult, Duc de Dalmatie, was attempting to relieve the French garrison of the border fortress of Badajoz. Only after bloody and fierce fighting, and the steadfastness of the British infantry, did the allies carry the day. The 13th Light Dragoons, who were unbrigaded, along with the 3rd Dragoon Guards and the 4th Dragoons under Brigadier George Grey, plus a brigade of Portuguese dragoons, formed the cavalry force commanded by, initially, Brigadier Robert Ballard Long, and later in the battle by Major General Sir William Lumley. The 13th numbered 403 in four squadrons equipped with Paget light cavalry carbine and 1796 pattern sabre.On the 21 June 1813, the regiment saw action at the Battle of Vittoria; the last major battle against Napoleon's forces in Spain opening the way for the British forces to invade France. The Allied army under the command of Lieutenant General Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington decisively defeated the French army under Joseph Bonaparte, King of Spain and brother of the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Along with the 10th Light Dragoons and 15th Light Dragoons, the 13th Light Dragoons formed the 2nd Brigade (part of the right centre column), commanded by Colonel Colquohon Grant.Light dragoons before 1812 wore a dark blue, braided, dolman jacket and a leather Tarleton helmet with a bearskin crest. After the uniform changes of 1812, often not fully implemented until 1813, light dragoons wore dark blue jackets with short tails and a bell-topped shako. Wellington criticised the new uniform as being too sim