John Sweetman Book order

A page-turning detective memoir - fascinating insider insight into prominent Irish crimes and the forensics that helped to solve them.

Based on interviews and correspondence with those closely associated with, and actually involved in, the Dambusters Raid.

In 1917, David Lloyd George declared that airmen were ‘the cavalry of the clouds ... the knighthood of this war’. But such a romantic image, lavishly embroidered post-war by writers of adventure stories and Hollywood film makers, was roundly condemned by British veteran Harold Balfour and German ace Manfred von Richthofen. Both were aware of the harsh and deadly reality of aerial warfare and the impact of mounting casualties on families at home. For the first time, bombing raids hit civilians in their own houses as well. In Cavalry of the Clouds John Sweetman traces the evolution of air power in North-West Europe, which culminated in the formation of a separate air force, the RAF. Extensively researched, Cavalry of the Clouds draws on a wide range of personal correspondence involving British, Australian, Canadian, South African, American and German airmen, as well as a wealth of more formal records and documents.

The full story of one of the UKs most influential aeronautical engineers, an individual who contributed to many Hawker aircraft designs, from the biplanes of the 1920s to jet fighters.

BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY: HISTORICAL, POLITICAL & MILITARY. All too many historians have dismissed FitzRoy James Henry Somerset, first Baron Raglan, as at best, an indifferent and, at worst, an incompetent on the basis of his association with the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade. Yet as this long overdue biography of a pivotal military figure of the 19th Century reveals Raglan's achievements over fifty years should not be judged on so narrow a basis. Commissioned in 1804 he served under Sir Arthur Paget and the Duke of Wellington, throughout the Peninsular War losing an arm at Waterloo. He held key posts, including Military Secretary for an astonishing 25 years and Master General of the Ordnance and his influence was far reaching. In this first full biography of Raglan, John Sweetman examines not just the man himself but the workings of an Army that was straggling to keep up with social and technological change

Focusing on land battles in Europe from the Great Peloponnesian War to World War II, this reference book provides detailed entries that cover terrain, weaponry, troop statistics, casualties, and commanders' tactics. Additionally, it offers essential political context for each battle, enhancing the reader's understanding of its significance and historical implications.

Exploring the interplay between Islamic artistic traditions and European perceptions of Islam, this book delves into how these influences shaped Western visual arts. It examines the cross-cultural exchanges and artistic dialogues that emerged, highlighting the ways in which Islamic aesthetics were integrated into European art. The work offers insights into the historical context and the evolving representations of Islamic culture, showcasing the rich tapestry of artistic collaboration and adaptation across cultures.

In 1914 Russia¿s doomed Tsar, Nicholas II, ordered his armies to invade German territory as soon as they had mobilized. They moved faster than the Germans gave them credit for and panic stories of Cossacks running amok in East Prussia led the German High Command to call back two army corps from the invasion of France. The two Russian armies involved in the attack were led by generals that hated each other more than the Germans; their lack of cooperation and signal staff¿s tendency to transmit radio messages without bothering to encode them helped the Germans plan and execute a massive ambush. The Russian 2nd Army was annihilated and the Tsarist forces never recovered the initiative until their defeat in 1917.

The bitter war between Russia and Turkey, aided by Britain and France, was the setting for legends. This book details the suicidal Charge of the Light Brigade, the reports made by the first real war correspondent, William Russell of the Times and the deeds of Florence Nightingale. schovat popis

This bitter war between Russia and Turkey, aided by Britain and France, was the setting for the stuff of legends. This book details the gallant yet suicidal Charge of the Light Brigade, now immortalised in film: in the words of Tennyson, 'Into the Valley of Death rode the Six Hundred'. It relates the reports made by the first real war correspondant, William Russell of the London Times - reports which served only to highlight the army's problems - and memorialises the heroic deeds of Florence Nightingale, who struggled to save young men from the most formidable enemy in the Crimean War: not the Russians, but cholera.