The Allied invasion of Europe during summer 1944 was widely expected and it fell to the Axis intelligence services to provide High Command with advance warning of the precise date and place of the lan
The iconic figure of Robert the Bruce has gone down through the centuries as one of the most remarkable leaders of all time. With equal parts tenacity and ruthlessness, he had himself crowned King of
What are the items that symbolize the journey of women from second-class citizens with no legal rights, no vote and no official status to the powerful people they are today? And what are the objects t
Roman Holiday is the heady tale of Rome during the 1950s and 1960s, when the cafes and nightclubs were filled with movie stars and film directors as Hollywood productions flocked to the city to film a
April 2018 sees the RAF celebrate 100 years of aviation history. The History Press in association with Mirropix has carefully collated a fascinating and evocative collection of photographs from the M
Donald Campbell was born into the world of record breaking, the only son of the legendary Sir Malcolm Campbell, famous in the inter-war years as the ultimate record breaker with nine land- and four wa
As the ultimate dog-loving nation, the UK's history is inextricably entwined with that of their dogs. Through history they have sniffed, rolled, shaken, and pawed their way to the nation's hearts, and
Gurkhas have served with the British for almost 200 years, first with the army of the East India Company, then with the Indian Army of the Raj, and then in 1947 becoming an integral part of the Britis
The best of England's castles, including Windsor, Warwick, and Alnwick, with such colorful stories as the two princes in the towerTo use a phrase from Shakespeare, castles are "stories in stones.
The Terrific Register thrilled its readers with tales of Turkish princes and wicked thieves, black-hearted murderers, wicked massacres, and the boldest criminals ever to menace the traveler by land or
Conventional histories of the battles of Mons and Le Cateau describe how the massively outnumbered British mowed down rows of German troops with precise and rapid rifle fire. The staggering casualtie
Long before Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, and Black Bart terrorized the Caribbean, the seas around the British Isles swarmed with pirates. Thousands of men turned to piracy at sea, often as a makeshift st
The 20th century saw two world wars and many other conflicts characterized by technological change and severity of casualties. Medicine has adapted quickly to deal with such challenges and new medical
Filled with fascinating factoids, this distinctive reference uncovers the hidden stories, curious histories, and comic coincidences behinds dozens of locations around the city of London. The sites ad
"War," wrote Cardinal Richelieu, "is one of the scourges with which it has pleased God to afflict men." Yet the prelate’s mournful observation scarcely begins to encapsulate
To tie in with the release of his first James Bond film, Live and Let Die, Roger Moore agreed to keep a day-by-day diary throughout the film’s production which was published just ahead of the pr
Following Nelson’s triumph at the Battle of the Nile, he was presented with an extraordinary diamond jewel by the Sultan of Turkey. The chelengk was the Ottomans’ highest reward for gallan
In this new biography, published to coincide with the 100th anniversary of her execution, Mata Hari is revealed in all of her flawed eccentricity; a woman whose adult life was a fantastical web of lie
Hampton Court, 1522. Two young men, both heirs to an earldom, both rivals, both already inflamed with jealousy. In the hothouse atmosphere of Cardinal Wolsey’s luxurious palace their hatred grows and
Of the 2.3 million National Servicemen conscripted during the Cold War, 5,000 attended the secret Joint Services School for Linguists, tasked with supplying much-needed Russian speakers to the three s
The Falklands War is a story of occupation, fierce air battles, heavy naval losses and bitter encounters between ground forces amidst an inhospitable terrain and unforgiving climate. With complex poli
With riveting facts, figures, quotes, and statistics from the high-flying world of aviation, From Airbus to Zeppelin has it all. D is for Desert Island Discs: just what would Dambuster Guy Gibson have
The largest, most luxurious ship in the world, wrecked on her maiden voyage after colliding with an iceberg in mid-Atlantic, has become the stuff of legends. While everyone knows the new White Star li
Mary Lindell, the Comtesse de Milleville, was British-born but a largely forgotten agent. She combined a passion for adventure with blunt speech and persistently displayed the greatest personal braver
Jack the Ripper is the quintessential Victorian serial killer, and the debate continues with regard to the number of his victims: were there just four or five, or more than nine of them? But there is
The history of the London square begins in 1631 with the great name of Inigo Jones, whose houses and church in Covent Garden were both started in that year. Lincolns Inn Fields followed from 1638, tho
Now in his 60s, a former international executive with Microsoft Corporation and GlaxoSmithKline, Graham Satchwell, looks back on his time as a Transport Policeman across an impressive career. The book
In September, 1940, Britain is rife with rumors of dead Nazis washed up on the beaches of the southeast coast—their bodies charred as though burnt alive. James Hayward explores the truth behind the &q
The apostrophe causes more problems in the English language than any other aspect of grammar. Grown adults with a university education don’t know how to use it properly, and our public signage is fill
A century ago, when Henry Taunt, Oxford's celebrated photographer, walked the city with his camera, Oxford was a city with a third of the population it boasts today. Consequently much has changed, alt
In 1946, An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCA) was established, providing the Irish Defence Forces with a volunteer reserve force which numbered over 100,000. The FCA participated in training
Fascinating! This hit herto untold story of my great great great-grandmother gives me immense pleasure and pride. With considerable insight the author brings out not only her more formal achievements
First flown in 1981, the shuttle is the most complicated flying machine ever devised. It has been the stalwart of NASA's continued manned space-flight program for almost 30?years with?more than?100 su
C-130 Hercules first flew in 1954, an easily maintained aircraft which entered service with the USAF Tactical Air Command. Ten years later the Charlie 130 was providing the essential logistical suppor
In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte arrived on the island of St. Helena to begin his imprisonment following Waterloo. By 1821 he was dead. During his brief stay, he crossed paths with six medical men, all of
Until very recently, the horsehas been the decisive factor in determining military success. Showingthat the art of warfare from horseback with its culture of mobility has always been at c
The Range Rover was introduced in 1970 and immediately turned the world of luxury cars on its head. Big, powerful and stylish, it was the first four-wheel drive car that was as happy cruising on tarma
All civilizations have faced the challenges and dangers of trading by sea: storms, bad weather, and the hazards of cliffs, headlands, reefs and sandbanks, threatening their safe passage into ports and
Over the years, Katherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife, has been slandered as a "juvenile delinquent," "empty-headed wanton," and "natural-born tart" who engaged
D-Day: 6 June 1944, the Normandy landings, and an incredible turning point in the war. Operation Overlord saw Allied forces land on the beaches of northern France, a staggering achievement and the res
