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Author: Mike Osborne Publisher: Fonthill Media ISBN: Category : History Languages : en Pages : 301
Book Description
Over the centuries, proximity to major routes\-\-\-the Great North Road, the Icknield Way, and Watling Street\-\-\-has made Bedfordshire strategically important. Iron Age hillforts occupied significant locations, and castles consolidated Norman control after 1066. In later medieval times, two major events occurred: in 1224, the siege of Bedford Castle marked Henry III’s attempt to reimpose royal authority after the chaos of John’s reign; and the Second Battle of St Albans in 1461 was a major defeat for the Yorkists. During the wars of the twentieth century, the county’s industrial base supported the armies fighting overseas. In the First World War, the county contributed significantly to the birth of the RAF as well as provided the base for the Home Defence armies. In the Second World War, its airfields despatched RAF and USAAF bombers over the continent, but the major activity was the secret war largely associated with the Bedford Triangle. After 1945, aeronautical research continued at RAF Thurleigh\/Twinwood Farm and electronic intelligence\-gathering was developed at Chicksands. \x27Defending Bedfordshire\x27 seeks to explain the significance of this dense concentration of military sites to be found in a relatively small county.
Author: Mike Osborne Publisher: Fonthill Media ISBN: Category : History Languages : en Pages : 301
Book Description
Over the centuries, proximity to major routes\-\-\-the Great North Road, the Icknield Way, and Watling Street\-\-\-has made Bedfordshire strategically important. Iron Age hillforts occupied significant locations, and castles consolidated Norman control after 1066. In later medieval times, two major events occurred: in 1224, the siege of Bedford Castle marked Henry III’s attempt to reimpose royal authority after the chaos of John’s reign; and the Second Battle of St Albans in 1461 was a major defeat for the Yorkists. During the wars of the twentieth century, the county’s industrial base supported the armies fighting overseas. In the First World War, the county contributed significantly to the birth of the RAF as well as provided the base for the Home Defence armies. In the Second World War, its airfields despatched RAF and USAAF bombers over the continent, but the major activity was the secret war largely associated with the Bedford Triangle. After 1945, aeronautical research continued at RAF Thurleigh\/Twinwood Farm and electronic intelligence\-gathering was developed at Chicksands. \x27Defending Bedfordshire\x27 seeks to explain the significance of this dense concentration of military sites to be found in a relatively small county.
Author: Peter E. Hodgkinson Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 131717190X Category : History Languages : en Pages : 312
Book Description
Recent studies of the British Army during the First World War have fundamentally overturned historical understandings of its strategy and tactics, yet the chain of command that linked the upper echelons of GHQ to the soldiers in the trenches remains poorly understood. In order to reconnect the lines of communication between the General Staff and the front line, this book examines the British army’s commanders at battalion level, via four key questions: (i) How and where resources were found from the small officer corps of 1914 to cope with the requirement for commanding officers (COs) in the expanding army; (ii) What was the quality of the men who rose to command; (iii) Beyond simple overall quality, exactly what qualities were perceived as making an effective CO; and (iv) To what extent a meritocracy developed in the British army by the Armistice. Based upon a prosopographical analysis of a database over 4,000 officers who commanded infantry battalions during the war, the book tackles one of the central historiographical issues pertaining to the war: the qualities of the senior British officer. In so doing it challenges lingering popular conceptions of callous incompetence, as well more scholarly criticism that has derided the senior British officer, but has done so without a data-driven perspective. Through his thorough statistical analysis Dr Peter Hodgkinson adds a valuable new perspective to the historical debate underway regarding the nature of British officers during the extraordinary expansion of the Army between 1914 and 1918, and the remarkable, yet often forgotten, British victories of The Hundred Days.
Author: Steven Fuller Publisher: Soldier Lads - First World War ISBN: 9780956269652 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 256
Book Description
In August 1914 the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment were amongst the small professional British Army who gathered and prepared for a war that would 'be over by Christmas'. With a long and proud history, dating back to 1688, the regiment's fighting men had already served through numerous wars and rebellions over and above long periods on garrison duties in the 'Fever Isles', the New World, and throughout the expanding British Empire. So when war was declared the 'Old Contemptibles' of the 1st Battalion would find themselves heavily engaged in more intense fighting during the first three months of the Great War, as it came to be known, than many of the newly raised 'Service' battalions would experience during their entire existence. Despite heavy casualties, atrocious conditions, and a steep learning curve, they remained professional and stoic through the early fire and movement battles and then the stagnant, arbitrary nature of trench warfare. They endured pitched battles, heavy shelling, snipers, gas attacks, fended off overwhelming numbers of enemy troops, and carried their bayonets across no man's land into the seething infernos of machine gun and artillery barrages. This is the first part of their story, from their first defiant defense amongst the slag heaps at Mons, through to the ferocious fighting during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. By integrating a wide variety of official and personal sources, supported by maps, and personalised with individual stories and photographs, Steven Fuller brings the fascinating and extraordinary history of this distinguished battalion and it's 'Soldier Lads' to life.
Author: Brigadier E. A. James Publisher: Andrews UK Limited ISBN: 178150153X Category : History Languages : en Pages : 137
Book Description
One of the most used and most useful works of reference on the Great War ever published. In this marvellous volume is listed every cavalry and Yeomanry regiment, every battalion of every infantry regiment, Regular, Territorial or other - that existed during the Great War. In every case the location of the unit on 4 August 1914 is given, or the date and place of its formation if raised after the outbreak of war. Its initial disposition, subsequent moves, changes in subordination and final disposal or location on 11 November 1918 are all recorded. Thus, in a masterly and concise form, we have the war service record of 31 regular and 17 reserve cavalry regiments, 57 Yeomanry regiments and their second and third line counterparts and nearly 1,750 infantry battalions. Several appendices contain a mine of information; a table of the infantry regiments showing the number of the different types of battalions each had, regular, reserve, extra reserve, territorial, New Army, garrison etc.; how the New Army battalions were raised; the Training Reserve; list of infantry divisions; summary of battle honours, casualties and VCs of each infantry regiment. Finally, there is a good index.
Author: Paul Oldfield Publisher: Pen and Sword Military ISBN: 1526788101 Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 306
Book Description
In the past, while visiting the First World War battlefields, the author often wondered where the various Victoria Cross actions took place. He resolved to find out. In 1988, in the midst of his army career, research for this book commenced and over the years numerous sources have been consulted. Victoria Crosses on the Western Front: Battles of the Hindenburg Line - Havrincourt and Epehy is designed for the battlefield visitor as much as the armchair reader. A thorough account of each VC action is set within the wider strategic and tactical context. Detailed sketch maps show the area today, together with the battle-lines and movements of the combatants. It will allow visitors to stand upon the spot, or very close to, where each VC was won. Photographs of the battle sites richly illustrate the accounts. There is also a comprehensive biography for each recipient, covering every aspect of their lives warts and all: parents and siblings, education, civilian employment, military career, wife and children, death and burial/commemoration. A host of other information, much of it published for the first time, reveals some fascinating characters, with numerous links to many famous people and events.
Author: Carolyn Fenwick Publisher: OUP Oxford ISBN: 9780197261866 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 698
Book Description
Provides an intriguing and detailed picture of late fourteenth century EnglandPresents complex material in a clear formatThe English poll taxes of 1377, 1379, and 1381 taxed householders, wives, dependants, and servants individually. The tax records therefore provide information about people who are rarely, if ever, mentioned in other documents - frequently including details of occupations and relationships. The widely varying documents associated with the taxes are being published in three volumes, to make this massive resource accessible to social and economic historians, demographers, and genealogists. This first volume, which covers all three taxes for Bedfordshire to Leicestershire, includes extensive editorial descriptions of the documents, explanations of the collection and recording processes, and a discussion of the relevance and value of this exciting material. Full indexes of original and contemporary place names and a glossary of occupations will appear in the third volume.Readership: Scholars and students of medieval history, economic and social historians, local historians, genealogists.
Author: Paul Chapman Publisher: Pen and Sword ISBN: 1473850916 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 433
Book Description
This is a comprehensive and highly emotive volume, borne of years of intensive research and many trips to the battlefields of the Great War. It seeks to humanize the Menin Gate Memorial (North), to offer the reader a chance to engage with the personal stories of the soldiers whose names have been chiseled there in stone. Poignant stories of camaraderie, tragic twists of fate and noble sacrifice have been collated in an attempt to bring home the reality of war and the true extent of its tragic cost. It is hoped that visitors to the battlefields, whether their relatives are listed within or not, will find their experience enriched by having access to this treasure trove of stories.
Author: Mike Osborne
Author: Mike Osborne
Author: Peter E. Hodgkinson
Author: Steven Fuller
Author: Shire Horse Society
Author: Brigadier E. A. James
Author: Paul Oldfield
Author: Carolyn Fenwick
Author: Great Britain. Army
Author: Paul Chapman
Author: