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Kitchener's Last Volunteer: The Life of Henry Allingham, the Oldest Surviving Veteran of the Great War
By Dennis Goodwin, Henry Allingham. 2008
Henry Allingham is the last British serviceman alive to have volunteered for active duty in the First World War and…
is one of very few people who can directly recall the horror of that conflict. In Kitchener's Last Volunteer, he vividly recaptures how life was lived in the Edwardian era and how it was altered irrevocably by the slaughter of millions of men in the Great War, and by the subsequent coming of the modern age.Henry is unique in that he saw action on land, sea and in the air with the British Naval Air Service. He was present at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 with the British Grand Fleet and went on to serve on the Western Front. He befriended several of the young pilots who would lose their lives, and he himself suffered the privations of the front line under fire.In recent years, Henry was given the opportunity to tell his remarkable story to a wider audience through a BBC documentary, and he has since become a hero to many, meeting royalty and having many honours bestowed upon him.This is the touching story of an ordinary man's extraordinary life - one who has outlived six monarchs and twenty-one prime ministers, and who represents a last link to a vital point in our nation's history.The King's Own Scottish Borderers: A Concise History
By Trevor Royle. 2008
The King's Own Scottish Borderers is one of only two Scottish regiments never to have been amalgamated until it joined…
forces with The Royal Scots to form the 1st battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2006. It is also unusual in that it lost its Scottish status between 1782 and 1887 when it served as the 25th (Sussex) Regiment of Foot.Formed in Edinburgh in 1689, its first operational role was to defend the city during the period of turmoil following the accession of William and Mary of Orange. That same year the regiment fought at the Battle of Killiecrankie, where they withstood a ferocious charge by the Highlanders supporting James II. Since then, the regiment has fought in most of the major campaigns fought by the British Army.In 1887, the regiment became The King's Own Scottish Borderers. It served with distinction during the two World Wars and achieved nationwide fame in 1915 when Sergeant Piper Daniel Laidlaw won the Victoria Cross during the Battle of Loos. Despite coming under heavy fire he played his pipes in full view of the enemy, encouraging the Borderers with the sound of 'Blue Bonnets o'er the Border' and 'The Standard on the Braes o' Mar'.This concise account of the King's Own Scottish Borderers puts its story into the context of British military history and makes use of personal testimony to reveal the life of the regiment.Immediate Response: Original Edition
By Mark Hammond. 2009
2006 in Helmand saw British forces engaged in the most ferocious fighting since the Korean War. For much of the…
time they were hanging on by their fingertips, holed up in remote platoon houses, outnumbered, facing relentless assault and nearly overwhelmed. Only the Chinooks kept them in the game. But that meant their crews putting down in hot LZs, exposing their aircraft to withering attack from an enemy for whom downing one of the big helos would be the ultimate prize.They had been lucky. So far. Then they launched their biggest operation yet: a complicated, high-risk airborne assault that launched a fleet of heavily armed helicopters into the Afghan Heart of Darkness. And then a report came over the net that one of the Chinooks was down . . .In Immediate Response, Major Mark Hammond, a Royal Marine flying with the RAF, tells the gripping inside story of the Chinook squadrons' war for the first time. It's a visceral, unputdownable combination of hi-tech and old-fashioned grit; an action-packed story shot through with a mix of aviation fuel and cordite ...Immediate Action
By Andy McNab. 2015
Immediate Action is a no-holds-barred account of an extraordinary life, from the day Andy McNab was found in a carrier…
bag on the steps of Guy's Hospital to the day he went to fight in the Gulf War.As a delinquent youth he kicked against society. As a young soldier he waged war against the IRA in the streets and fields of South Armagh. As a member of 22 SAS Regiment he was at the centre of covert operations for nine years - on five continents.Recounting with grim humour and in riveting, often horrifying, detail his activities in the world's most highly trained and efficient Special Forces unit, McNab sweeps us into a world of surveillance and intelligence-gathering, counter-terrorism and hostage rescue.There are casualties: the best men are so often the first to be killed, because they are in front.By turns chilling, astonishing, violent, funny and moving, this blistering first-hand account of life at the forward edge of battle confirms Andy McNab's standing in the front rank of writers on modern war.Joint Force Harrier
By Adrian Orchard, James Barrington. 2009
Days after arriving in Kandahar, the Harriers of 800 Naval Air Squadron were in the thick of fierce fighting. Armed…
with rockets and bombs, the pilots were flying crucial danger-close attack missions in defence of troops engaged in the most intense battles seen by British forces since the Korean War. While facing the constant threat of surface-to-air missiles, the British Top Guns knew that any mistake would have fatal consequences for the soldiers who depended on their skill and determination. Written by the Commanding Officer of the first Royal Navy squadron to deploy to Afghanistan, Joint Force Harrier is a compelling insight into the exciting world of modern air warfare.The IVF Diet: The plan to support IVF treatment and help couples conceive
By Zita West. 2016
The definitive week-by-week diet and lifestyle plan to support IVF treatment and help you become pregnant from the one of…
the UK's foremost experts on fertility and conception, Zita West.'The IVF process is so out of your control and this was a really helpful tool to bring me back in control and nurture my body' -- ***** Reader review'Excellent book, a great way to feel like you have some control over this crazy process!' -- ***** Reader review'Terrific and informative - worth every penny' -- ***** Reader review'Easy to read and easy to understand' -- ***** Reader review'Brilliant' -- ***** Reader review****************************************************************************************************More and more couples are turning to IVF each year to help them conceive, and yet there are still many questions to be answered. "What makes IVF successful?" and "what else can we do to support our treatment?" are two of the most important queries couples can have, and here, Zita West offers solutions.Nutrition and lifestyle advice, psychological and emotional support and a positive mindset all play an important part in helping couples conceive, and can even make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful outcome.This book not only advises how to prepare for IVF, but why it's so important to prepare, and with a step-by-step diet and lifestyle plan and over 60 recipes for meals designed for optimum fertility heath, this is a clear way to actively support your treatment.I Fought at Dunkirk: Seven Veterans Remember Their Fight For Salvation
By Mike Rossiter. 1999
SURVIVOR STORIES FROM DUNKIRK, NOW THE SUBJECT OF A MAJOR FILM FROM CHRISTOPHER NOLANWhen Britain declared war against Germany in…
September 1939, thousands of young men sailed across the English Channel to fight for their country. Among them were the seven soldiers who share their stories in this book. Some joined up out of patriotism, others for adventure or the prospect of a secure wage. They were fit, trained and proud to wear the armband of the British Expeditionary Forces. For many, the first months were strangely peaceful, but when the Germans invaded in May 1940 they advanced with shocking speed. The German armoured columns sliced through neutral Holland and Belgium. The French Army collapsed and within a week the soldiers of the BEF were forced to retreat. Fighting tough and bloody rearguard actions, they endured relentless shelling and fearsome dive-bomb attacks. Constantly on the move, and facing a German onslaught on three fronts, they were soon exhausted, hungry and low on ammunition. They headed finally to their one chance of salvation: the beaches of Dunkirk. Mike Rossiter tells the stories of seven veterans who went through a hellish baptism of fire in the first battles on the front line, and fought in the last-ditch defence of Dunkirk. They saw their comrades bombed and drowned off the beaches. Their accounts give us a fascinating and privileged insight into the reality of the war and what it was really like to face the German Blitzkrieg in 1940. They take us from the confident, idyllic days of the phoney war in the French countryside to the sudden shock of battle, from the fear and confusion of retreat to the wait for an uncertain rescue. These are the compelling stories of seven men who are proud to say I Fought at Dunkirk.In the Wars: An uplifting, life-enhancing autobiography, a poignant story of the power of resilience
By Dr Waheed Arian. 2022
AS HEARD ON DESERT ISLAND DISCSAS SEEN ON THE CHANGEMAKERS, a Paramount+ docuseries profiling activists fighting for changeA WATERSTONES PAPERBACK…
OF THE YEAR'A riveting story of loss, exile, and rebirth.' KHALED HOSSEINI, author of The Kite Runner'One of the most incredible life stories you will ever hear.' JAMES O'BRIEN'A remarkable story. I thought this book was brilliant.' NAGA MUNCHETTY__________Born in war-torn Afghanistan, Waheed Arian's first memories are of bombs. His first-hand experience of the power of medicine inspired him to dedicate his life to healing others. But how does a boy with nothing hope to become a doctor?Fleeing the conflict with his family, he spent much of his childhood in refugee camps in Pakistan, living sometimes ten to a room without basic sanitation or access to education. Waheed largely taught himself, from textbooks bought from street-sellers, and learned English from the BBC World Service.Smuggled to the UK at fifteen with just a hundred dollars in his pocket, he found a job in a shop. He was advised to set his sights on becoming a taxi driver. But the boy from Kabul had bigger ambitions.Working through PTSD and anxiety, he studied all hours to achieve his vocation. He was accepted to read medicine at Cambridge University, Imperial College and Harvard, and went on to become a doctor in the NHS, currently in A&E.But he wanted to do more. In 2015 he founded Arian Teleheal, a pioneering global charity that connects doctors in war zones and low-resource countries with their counterparts in the US, UK, Europe and Australia. Together, learning from each other, they save and change lives - the lives of millions of people just like Waheed.For readers of Educated and War Doctor, this is the extraordinary memoir of a boy who recognized the power of education and dreamed about helping others. It is a tale of courage, ambition and unwavering resilience in the face of all the challenges that life can throw in your way.__________WINNER OF:UNESCO's Global Hero AwardWho Cares Wins Best Doctor AwardThe Times's Man of the Year AwardThe Homebirth Handbook: How to have your baby calmly and safely at home
By Annie Francis. 2016
The majority of babies throughout the world are born at home and it is mainly in developed countries (and mostly…
in the past few decades) that going to hospital to have your baby has become the norm.This is all set to change as more and more evidence comes to light about the positive outcomes of homebirths. With inspirational stories from women who have had successful homebirth experiences, you'll find out: -Why women are perfectly designed to give birth-What the evidence says about the best place to give birth-The myths surrounding childbirth at home-How to plan for a homebirth and what you need on the day-What your choices of pain relief are-What the possible risks and complications might bePractical and reassuring, The Homebirth Handbook provides all the information you need to feel completely prepared and excited to welcome your baby in the comfort and safety of your own home.Home From War: How Love Conquered the Horrors of a Soldier's Afghan Nightmare
By Marnie Summerfield Smith, Martyn Compton, Michelle Compton. 2011
Lance Corporal Martyn Compton's life was changed beyond recognition when he was blown up in a Taliban ambush that killed…
three of his colleagues. His survival was described as a 'miracle', as he suffered third-degree burns to 75 per cent of his body. He endured 15 operations and doctors used shark cartilage as a base for new skin on his face.But he did not have to face this gruelling ordeal alone. From the moment she heard of his near-fatal wounds, Martyn's fiancée Michelle Clifford found an inner strength to help them both face the future. During Martyn's treatment, Michelle kept a diary in which she revealed the innermost thoughts and emotions she wished she could relay to her wounded partner.Home From War gives a rare insight into the story behind the headlines when soldiers die or are injured. It is also the account of Martyn's battle for adequate compensation. This exploration of how one courageous man came to terms with losing his handsome young face cannot fail to inspire.Island Fortress: The Defence of Great Britian 1606-1945
By Norman Longmate. 1991
The British Isles, it is often believed, have not been invaded for nearly a thousand years. In fact, as Norman…
Longmate reveals in this highly entertaining book (the successor to his acclaimed Defending the Island), foreign soldiers have landed on British soil on many occasions.In this definitive study of a long-neglected subject Norman Longmate make constant use of original sources, including contemporary eyewitness accounts. These are woven into an enthralling narrative, packed with fact - about weapons, ships, armies and fortresses - spiced with anecdote, and ranging over international and political as well as military and naval history. The result is above all an exciting story, which shows how, against all the odds, the British people managed to retain their freedom from the days of James I to those of George VI.A History of My Times
By Xenophon. 1966
Xenophon's History recounts nearly fifty turbulent years of warfare in Greece between 411 and 362 BC. Continuing the story of…
the Peloponnesian War at the point where Thucydides finished his magisterial history, this is a fascinating chronicle of the conflicts that ultimately led to the decline of Greece, and the wars with both Thebes and the might of Persia. An Athenian by birth, Xenophon became a firm supporter of the Spartan cause, and fought against the Athenians in the battle of Coronea. Combining history and memoir, this is a brilliant account of the triumphs and failures of city-states, and a portrait of Greece at a time of crisis.The Hurricane Girls: The inspirational true story of the women who dared to fly
By Jo Wheeler. 2018
Celebrating the lives of the magnificent women, the ATA girls, who courageously flew Spitfires, Tiger Moths, Lancaster Bombers and many…
other aircraft during World War Two.These extraordinary women, Mary Ellis, Jackie Moggridge and Pauline Gower are just a few of the remarkable stories inside . . . Since the invention of aeroplanes, women have taken to the skies. They have broken records, performed daredevil stunts and faced such sexism and prejudice that they were effectively barred from working as pilots.That changed in the Second World War. Led by firebrand Pauline Gower, an elite group of British women were selected as ferry pilots to fly for the Air Transport Auxiliary. They risked their lives flying munitions and equipment for the boys on the front line.Flying day and night without radio; dodging storms, barrage balloons and anti-aircraft fire; and with only a map, compass and their eyesight to guide them, they navigated the treacherous wartime skies.____________The Hurricane Girls is the thrilling, moving and inspirational story of the female air force who once ruled our skies.Discover the enthralling story of the HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy's largest ever aircraft carrier and SUBJECT OF THE…
MAJOR NEW BBC DOCUMENTARY SERIES THE WARSHIP'Fascinating, often funny and sometimes moving . . . Terrill takes us deep into the bowels of Britain's biggest warship . . . Exhilarating' THE TIMES________65,000 tons. 280 metres long. A flight deck the size of sixty tennis courts. A giant piece of Sovereign British territory that's home to up to 50 Aircraft. HMS Queen Elizabeth is the biggest ship in the Royal Navy's history and one of the most ambitious and exacting engineering projects ever undertaken in the UK.But it's her ship's company of 700, alongside an air group of 900 air and ground crew that are Big Lizzie's beating heart. And How to Build an Aircraft Carrier tells their story.From before the first steel of her hull was cut, Chris Terrill has enjoyed unprecedented access to Queen Elizabeth and the men and women who have brought her to life. From Jerry Kyd, the ship's inspirational Captain to Lt Cdr Nathan Grey, the first pilot to land Britain's new stealth jet fighter on her deck, Terrill has won the trust and confidence of the ship's people.How to Build an Aircraft Carrier tells the story of Britain at its best: innovative, confident, outward-looking and world beating.________'A detailed account of the challenges, trials and triumphs on the ship's progression . . . and a portrait of the men and women who made it happen. [Terrill] writes with affection, humour and understanding' TELEGRAPHHow to Survive a Crisis: Lessons in Resilience and Avoiding Disaster
By David Omand. 2023
From the former Director of GCHQ comes an invaluable guide to surviving crises - how to spot them early and…
lessen their devastating consequences - using the latest intelligence strategies'David Omand is exactly the man you need in a crisis' RORY STEWARTWe never know when a crisis might explode. Some 'sudden impact' events, such as terrorist attacks or natural disasters, blow up out of a clear blue sky. Other 'slow burn' crises smoulder away for years, often with warning signs ignored along the way until, as if from nowhere, the troops storm the palace.In How to Survive a Crisis, Professor Sir David Omand draws on his experience in defence, security and intelligence, including as Director of GCHQ and UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, to show how you can detect a looming crisis and extinguish it (or at least survive it with minimum loss).Using gripping real-world examples from Omand's storied career, and drawing lessons from historic catastrophes such as Chernobyl, 9/11, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the WannaCry ransomware cyberattack, this empowering book is filled with practical advice on how to survive the multiplying crises of the future. Not every crisis need tip into disaster - if we have invested in personal, business and national resilience.This is an essential toolkit for our turbulent twenty-first century, as well as an exhilarating read for anyone interested in the state of our world - and how we might improve it.'This book is the instruction manual we all need' SIR ALEX YOUNGER, CHIEF OF MI6How the French Won Waterloo - or Think They Did
By Stephen Clarke. 2015
Published in the 200th Anniversary year of the Battle of Waterloo a witty look at how the French still think…
they won, by Stephen Clarke, author of 1000 Years of Annoying the French and A Year in the Merde.Two centuries after the Battle of Waterloo, the French are still in denial.If Napoleon lost on 18 June 1815 (and that's a big 'if'), then whoever rules the universe got it wrong. As soon as the cannons stopped firing, French historians began re-writing history. The Duke of Wellington was beaten, they say, and then the Prussians jumped into the boxing ring, breaking all the rules of battle. In essence, the French cannot bear the idea that Napoleon, their greatest-ever national hero, was in any way a loser. Especially not against the traditional enemy – les Anglais.Stephen Clarke has studied the French version of Waterloo, as told by battle veterans, novelists, historians – right up to today's politicians, and he has uncovered a story of pain, patriotism and sheer perversion ...The His and Hers Guide to Pregnancy and Birth
By Dean Beaumont, Steph Beaumont. 2016
Mums- and dads-to-be both want the best for their baby, but often their experiences of the journey to parenthood can…
be quite different. In this book, leading antenatal teachers Dean and Steph Beaumont offer a new way to prepare for your new arrival. Covering everything from first finding out you are pregnant to the early weeks with your baby, you'll find practical advice, reassurance and guidance on how you can support each other as well as your growing baby.Divided into sections with targeted information for mum and dad, addressing their concerns and questions, The His and Hers Guide to Pregnancy and Birth will support you as individuals, giving you the confidence and knowledge you need. Each chapter also includes a 'Get Together' section, which provides ideas for bonding, advice on what dad can do to help and ways to connect with and understand each other.Harrier: How To Be a Fighter Pilot
By Paul Tremelling. 2022
Discover the exhilarating first-hand account of one man's white-knuckle life as a fighter pilot with the Royal Navy Sea Harriers'Searingly…
honest, keenly observed, well written and extremely funny' RAF NEWS'Puts you in the cockpit for carrier landings, missile firings and some of the most intense close air support stories imaginable' MIKE SUTTON____________Few have what it takes to be a fighter pilot. From the cockpit to the crew room, the pressure is relentless. One mistake is the difference between life and death. But in the air, you'll never feel more alive . . .Paul Tremelling knows this better than anyone. With nearly 20 years of experience, he puts you in the pilot's seat in this thrilling first-hand account of a life in combat.From saving the lives of heroes under fire in Afghanistan, to performing a night trap on a pitching aircraft carrier deck, this is life as you've never experienced it before.Strap in, it's time for take-off . . .____________'An outstanding first-hand account from inside the cockpit, told with flair and humour' JOHNNY MERCER MP, author of We Were Warriors'The storytelling wouldn't be out of place in a thriller. If you are going to take one book on holiday it has to be Harrier . . . it's a superb read. You won't be able to put it down' Aerospace'Mad, bad and dangerous to know . . . Tremelling lights the burners in an extraordinary memoir that leaves most military memoirs sitting behind in the hangar' JAMES BRABAZON, author of My Friend the Mercenary'This isn't a book for the faint-hearted. It is a book for anyone who appreciates insight into how a fighter pilot trains, trains more, thinks (fast), handles the aircraft and onboard tech . . . then fights' FLYER'Tremmers puts you in the cockpit for carrier landings, missile firings and some of the most intense close air support sorties imaginable. Insightful, laced with humour, and highly recommended' MIKE SUTTON, author of Typhoon'An inspiring, enlightening and thrilling insight into how modern aviators earn their pay. The stories from Afghanistan alone are justification enough to read this brilliant book. A masterpiece' PAUL BEAVER, author of Spitfire People 'A memoir that reads like a fast-paced thriller. Harrier launches straight onto the classics shelf of aviation literature' JOHN TEMPLETON SMITH, author of White LieA Higher Form of Killing
By Jeremy Paxman, Robert Harris. 2002
The secret story of chemical and biological warfare.A Higher Form of Killing was first published to great acclaim in 1982.…
The authors have written a new Introduction and a new Epilogue to take account of the events that have happened since the early 1980s - including the break-up of the former Soviet Union and the black market that appeared in chemical and biological weapons, the acquisition of these weapons by various Third World states, the attempts of various countries like Iraq to build up arsenals of these weapons and, most recently, the use of these weapons in terrorist attacks. As the authors point out, the two generations since the Second World War lived with the threat of nuclear annihilation. Now a new generation must learn to live with weapons that are more insidious and potentially more devastating.Hidden History: a compelling and captivating study of the causes of WW1 that turns everything you think you know on its head
By Gerry Docherty, James MacGregor. 2013
Think you know about British history and the causes of the First World War? Think again. This fascinating and gripping…
study of events at the turn of the Twentieth Century is a remarkable insight into how political and social factors that we widely accept to be the causes of The Great War, were really just a construct put together by a very small, but powerful, political elite...'Thought-provoking . . . Docherty and Macgregor do not mince their words . . . their arguments are powerful' -- Britain at War'Simply astonishing' -- ***** Reader review'Very illuminating' -- ***** Reader review'You simply MUST read this book' -- ***** Reader review'This is a page-turner' -- ***** Reader review***********************************************************************************Hidden History uniquely exposes those responsible for the First World War. It reveals how accounts of the war's origins have been deliberately falsified to conceal the guilt of the secret cabal of very rich and powerful men in London responsible for the most heinous crime perpetrated on humanity. For ten years, they plotted the destruction of Germany as the first stage of their plan to take control of the world. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was no chance happening. It lit a fuse that had been carefully set through a chain of command stretching from Sarajevo through Belgrade and St Petersburg to that cabal in London.Our understanding of these events has been firmly trapped in a web of falsehood and duplicity carefully constructed by the victors at Versailles in 1919 and maintained by compliant historians ever since. The official version is fatally flawed, warped by the volume of evidence they destroyed or concealed from public view.Hidden History poses a tantalising challenge. The authors ask only that you examine the evidence they lay before you . . .