This book shows Britain's youngsters adapting to the conditions of the Second World War, with many of their schools fulfilling military roles. They endured physical danger from bombing and disease; worked in industry and agriculture; served in the Home Guard and ARP; volunteered in health and welfare; and prepared for military service as cadets.
Mike Osborne Book order






- 2023
- 2021
This book tells the largely untold story of WWI's Volunteer Training Corps, the forgotten equivalent of World War II's Home Guard. Self-financing and training in their spare time they developed as an effective anti-invasion force. Alongside VTC were the many medical, transport, police and youth organisations which also kept the home fires burning.
- 2021
Bedfordshire has always been strategically important. From Iron Age hillforts to medieval sieges and battles it has seen significant military action. In WWI the county contributed to the birth of the RAF. In WWII its bases despatched RAF and USAAF bombers over Germany, but the major activity was the secret war associated with the Bedford Triangle.
- 2020
Northamptonshire's central position astride some of England's major routes made it the scene of decisive battles, skirmishes and sieges whose evidence is reflected in the landscape. Visible defensive sites, ranging from castles to missile bases, are described in this book and placed in their social, political, historical and military contexts.
- 2017
If the Kaiser Comes
Defence Against a German Invasion of Britain in the First World War
- 224 pages
- 8 hours of reading
The book explores the British military's evolving strategies in response to the looming threat of war with Germany before 1914. It details the skepticism surrounding reliance on the Royal Navy and highlights the formation of a substantial Home Army alongside the enhancement of fixed defenses to protect the British Home Front from potential invasion. Through this examination, it sheds light on the societal and military preparations that shaped Britain's defensive posture during a time of escalating tensions.
- 2017
Leicestershire and Rutland's position astride some of England's major routes made them the scene of decisive battles, skirmishes and sieges, all of which have left their marks on the landscape. This book covers defensive sites, ranging from castles to missile bases, and places them in their social, political, historical, and military contexts.
- 2014
Throughout history, Cambridgeshire (including Huntingdon and Peterborough) has figured in many of the conflicts which have shaped our nation. Doomed Roman legionaries marched from Longthorpe to defeat by Boudicca's Iceni; Saxons and Danes fought over the edges of the Danelaw; the Normans came this way to crush Hereward's Fenland resistance; in the Civil War it provided the defended frontier between Parliamentarian and Royalist; in Napoleonic times French prisoners of war were incarcerated here; and in the twentieth century its flat expanses were home to numerous airfields and missile bases.This book describes the function and purpose of these defensive structures and reveals the evidence which many of these major events left on the ground: the earthworks of hill forts, medieval castles and moats; the masonry of later forts and strong-houses; drill halls and militia barracks; and the lines of anti-invasion defences from 1940.
- 2013
Defending Essex
- 224 pages
- 8 hours of reading
For 2,000 years Essex, the county with the longest coast-line in England and dominating the eastern approaches to London, has been in the front-line against foreign invasion, from the Romans to the Spanish Armada to the two World Wars.
- 2011
Defending Hampshire: The Military Landscape from Prehistory to the Present
- 256 pages
- 9 hours of reading
The book explores the defensive structures established in Hampshire to protect its residents from various threats, including both domestic and foreign adversaries. It delves into the historical context and significance of these fortifications, highlighting their role in safeguarding the community throughout different periods. Through detailed descriptions, the narrative reveals the strategic importance of these defenses in shaping Hampshire's history and security.
- 2010
Filbert the Flea
Joins the Circus
Emphasizing the significance of believing in one's dreams, this story captivates young readers with its engaging rhyming text and imaginative illustrations. It encourages children to pursue their aspirations in a fun and relatable way, making the message both enjoyable and memorable.