pen and sword books ltd (Over 33,000 results)

Soft cover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. Fine un-creased soft cover.1999,1st edition.

Hardcover. Condition: Good. Cover/edges have minor shelf wear.

Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.6.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. John Eddleston's latest selection of notorious criminal cases takes the reader through a sequence of sensational episodes that have marred the history of Reading. His book is based on original research, and it recalls many grisly events and sad or unsavoury individuals whose fate has hitherto been forgotten. Among the shocking crimes he reconstructs are those of the baby-farmer Amelia Dyer, the unsolved murder of Alfred Oliver, the suffocation of Beatrice Cox, the red Mini murder of June Cook, and the attempted murder of a family of five. This chronicle of the dark side of Reading's long history will be fascinating reading for anyone who is interested in the town's rich - sometimes gruesome - past. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Drawing on the archives of Mary Evans Picture Library, Images of the Past The British Seaside is a nostalgic promenade through the history of Britain s seaside resorts from their early genesis as health destinations to their glorious, mid-20th century heyday, subsequent decline and recent regeneration. British coastal resorts developed during a period of vast expansion and social change. Within a century, the bathing phenomenon changed from a cautiously modest immersion in the sea to a pastime that prompted the building of vast art deco temples dedicated to the cult of swimming. Once quiet fishing villages mushroomed into bustling seafronts with every conceivable amusement and facility to entice visitors and secure their loyalty for future visits. Where transport to the coast may have once been via coach and horses or boat, soon thousands of working class day-trippers flooded seaside towns, arriving by the rail network that had so quickly transformed the British landscape.This fascinating book follows these shifts and changes from bathing machines to Butlin s holiday camps, told through a compelling mix of photographs, cartoons, illustrations and ephemera with many images previously unpublished. Covering every aspect of the seaside experience whether swimming and sunbathing or sand castles and slot machines The British Seaside reveals the seaside s traditions, rich heritage and unique character in all its sandy, sunny, fun-packed glory. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Don Booker has been a journalist in Barnsley for over fifty years, during which he has regularly been at the centre of events. 'Barnsley Lad' is a colourful record of his life from growing up in Dodworth, to his retirement from the post of Editor of the Barnsley Chronicle in 1994.Typically, Don became involved in the successful drive to save Barnsley F.C., during the dark days that following the pit strike in 1984, an interest he has maintained to the present. He gives an entertaining account of how latest scores were relayed to him all over the world, when he was travelling widely as the motoring correspondent for the Chronicle. His interest in motorised transport began with an old, even when he bought it, BSA motorcycle, on which he took himself and Mike Parkinson, also a junior reporter at the time, to numerous events and incidents around Barnsley. There are several accounts of his many adventures as motoring correspondent for the Chronicle, where he still presents regular reviews of new vehicles.The core of Don's book is his accounts of the people and places around Barnsley, which have left a a lasting impression on him and will in many cases, jog the memories of his readers.We meet errant journalists, councillors and travelling folk, dedicated public servants, public nuisances and the mass of people from all stamps who have crossed Don's path. 'Barnsley Lad', is a delightful ramble through a colourful life and will bring back a host of memories to all, but especially those who share Don's affection for the town of his birth, Barnsley. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. This fascinating collection of letters traces the exchanges between a young subaltern on the front, Gerard 'Ged' Garvin, and his mother and father at home. Correspondence was eagerly awaited by all. Ged savoured letters home like 'Jim Hawkins trickling the doubloons through his fingers'. Equally, his mother and father at home were always fearful that each letter they received would be the last. In a letter J. L. Garvin sent to his son 21 July 1916 he wrote: 'Of course there's no fresh letter from you and we didn't expect it. But we hope, all the same, to get word tomorrow .' Ged was killed the very next day. He was just twenty years old.Few editions of First World War letters include those from home as well as from the front. That Ged's father was J. L. Garvin (1868-1947) - editor of The Observer and an important figure in pre-war politics and society - adds a further dimension to this fascinating collection. During the war J. L. Garvin was in almost daily contact with those at the head of political and military affairs, and his letters gave Ged the view of the nerve centre. They are remarkable for their reflections on the war and its management - or in Garvin's view its mismanagement - and for the character sketches of major figures of the day, such as Churchill, Lloyd George, and Admiral 'Jacky' Fisher. His mother, Christine, meanwhile wrote of family and domestic affairs showing the impact of war on every day life.The three-cornered correspondence therefore combines three distinct narratives: the view of the subaltern at the front; the view from the editor's office at The Observer; and the view from the head of a substantial household. Taken together they vividly capture the experience of a family during the First World War. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Veterans is based upon the memories of World War 1 veterans and is highly illustrated with photographs, many of which have never been published before. It is characterised by a stark honesty about things that happened over 80 years ago.'. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. By any standards, Admiral Sir John Treacher is an exceptional man who has had the fullest of lives. Old enough to have served and be sunk in the War, he went to be a naval aviator flying in the Korean War. His career took ff too and he rose rapidly to be the captain of the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle and soon after Commander in Chief Channel. To everyone's surprised he left the Navy when all the indications were that he was about to become First Sea Lord. For many this would have meant a quiet retirement. Not so here! A number of influential appointments quickly followed including controversially Chairmanship of Playboy Club UK at a critical time for their vital gaming interests. He was deeply embroiled in the highly political Westland drama which resulted in the resignation of Cabinet ministers. Today as he approaches 80 he is still an active and influential figure in the aeronautical industry. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The landscape and people are the two most distinctive qualities of the Yorkshire Dales, and this book employs new sources and methods to help the reader see both in a different light. In earlier centuries, religious and social factors influenced the first names that were given to children. Distinctive surnames were inherited, and their expansion or decline can throw light on local communities, on migration and population growth. Place-names emerged from regional and customary practices that illuminate topography, husbandry, mining, communications and much more. Thebook also uses material from Quarter Sessions, title deeds, wills and other documents to investigate a wide range of topics that touch on the lives of individuals and families, from religious dissent to sheep-stealing and vagrancy. There is emphasis too on the poor, showing the impact on families and communities of bastardy, fire, flood, violence and other disasters. A book written for anyone interested in the local and family history of the Yorkshire Dales.Dr George Redmonds is a local historian with a life-long interest in name studies. In 1973 he wrote Yorkshire: West Riding, the first volume in the English Surnames Series, and in 2001 he presented the BBC Radio 4 series 'Surnames, Genes and Geneaology'. Recent publications include Surnames and Geneaology (1997), Christian Names in Local and Family History (2003), Names and History: People, Places & Things (2003) and The Place-Names of Huddersfield (2008). The Making of Huddersfield (2003) has recently been reprinted by Wharncliffe Books. George is a well-known lecturer at international conferences. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The strangely named First Aid Nursing Yeomanry traces its origins to the Great War. As a mark of their outstanding service they remained in being between the wars. However, it is for their service during the Second World War that they are best known. They worked in a wide variety of roles both at home and overseas, both overt and covert and today are still making a vital contribution. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The internet is revolutionizing family history research. Every day new records and resources are placed online and new methods of sharing research and communicating across cyberspace become available. Never before has it been so easy to research family history and to gain a better understanding of who we are and where we came from. But, as Chris Paton demonstrates in this straightforward practical guide, while the internet is an enormous asset, it is also something to be wary of. Researchers need to take a cautious approach to the internet information they acquire. They need to ask, where did the original material come from and has it been accurately reproduced, why was it put online, what has been left out and what is still to come? As he leads the researcher through the multitude of resources that are now accessible online, Chris Paton helps to answer these questions. He shows what the internet can and cannot do, and he warns against the various traps researchers can fall into along the way. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Talk of railways in the North York Moors, brings to mind images of preserved steam trains travelling through beautiful countryside. The well informed will know that there was once a connection to Whitby on the East coast, while the even better informed will be aware that from the mid nineteenth century, a line following almost the entire length of the longest salmon river on the Eastern side of England - This is the Esk Valley Line. Now a regular commercial service between Whitby and Middlesbrough, the line is a feast for the eyes of the traveller, with breathtaking and varied scenery augmented by the wealth of history in the picturesque towns and villages through which it passes. This delightful combination prompted the author to write a guide for the use of both regular travellers and visitors alike, with the aim of providing a comprehensive guide to what may be viewed from the carriage window. In addition he includes the historic story of how and why the line came into being. Well researched and written with attention to detail, by an enthusiast who still lives close to the line at Whitby. This book is as much a must for the lovers of railways, folklore and local history, as for the day visitor seeking a memento of a delightful and memorable journey. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The publication of this, the third volume in the Aspects of Rotherham series, marks an important development in the ever growing Aspects Series. From its beginnings in 1993 with Aspects of Barnsley 1, the series now has some twenty titles either in print or programmed for early publication. The present volume continues the tradition of bringing a wide variety of well researched material to the attention of the general reader. Furthermore, the text is augmented with numerous photographs, drawings, diagrams and maps, the vast majority of which have never before been published. Continuing the tradition of the Aspects Series, the volume contains contributions from well known local historians and newcomers being published for the first time. Aspects of Rotherham 3 will appeal equally to the reader with a general interest in the town and the serious student of the history of Rotherham and its people. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. 'August Schaumann was a natural born storyteller. He describes his Peninsula adventures so vividly that you get the feeling that you are there, riding next to him dodging French cavalry patrols and conquering the hearts and bodies of Spanish and Portuguese ladies.' - Fons Libert, The Napoleonic Series This remarkable memoir captures the life and adventures of a junior officer as he endures the drama and agonies of the fierce struggle in Spain, Portugal, and southern France between 1808 and 1814. As a commissary, he was entrusted with gathering supplies and was caught up in a host of brawls and skirmishes. He laments the lot of commissaries exposing themselves to the enemy on their foraging raids, risking assassination by enraged natives, and being treated shabbily by the generals. This edition is introduced by Bernard Cornwell, author of the Sharpe series of novels and TV films. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Colbeck recalls his every advance and battle in careful detail.' **Publishers Weekly** This book should be read by any soldier who wants to understand how to make training not a mere substitute for war, but a demanding and constructive preparation for it. **Sir Huw Pike** On Friday, April 9, 1982, a British task force set sail for the Falkland Islands. Three months later, after a short but brutal campaign, it had successfully completed its mission of ejecting the Argentinean occupying forces from the islands. _With 3 Para to the Falklands_ is the full story of that dramatic struggle from the point of view of a sergeant in the Third Battalion, Parachute Regiment (3 Para). This elite battle group played a significant part in the campaign, marching from Port San Carlos to Port Stanley and fighting in one of its most crucial, yet often-neglected battles the night assault on Mount Longdon. Graham Colbeck was there every step of the way and his vivid account reveals the stark realities of fighting in this stubbornly contested conflict. His narrative brings to the fore the chilling nature of the combat, the challenge of the harsh conditions met on the Falklands, the training and techniques of an elite force, and the comradeship of troops in battle. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. It was not just the upheaval caused by evacuation and the blitzes that changed a generations childhood, it was how war pervaded every aspect of life. From dodging bombs by bicycle and patrolling the parish with the vicars WW1 pistol, to post air raid naps in school and being carried out of the rubble as the family's sole survivor, children experienced life in the war zone that was Britain. This reality, the reality of a life spent growing up during the Second World War, is best told through the eyes of the children who experienced it first-hand. Children In the Second World War unites the memories of over two hundred child veterans to tell the tragic and the remarkable stories of life, and of youth, during the war. Each veteran gives a unique insight into a childhood which was unlike any that came before or after. This book poignantly illustrates the presence of death and perseverance in the lives of children through this tumultuous period, each account enlightens and touches the reader; shedding light on what it was really like on the Home front during the Second World War. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. There are thousands of websites devoted to all aspects of military history from ancient Greece to the modern Gulf. This unique book helps you find the ones that will help with your research whether you are checking out a soldier ancestor or an airman or researching a naval campaign. It also features sites that are entertaining or controversial. Sections cover the British armed services and their long military history, but the author also describes in detail websites that focus on American and Canadian forces. A Guide to Military History on the Internet is a companion volume to Pen and Sword's best-selling Tracing Your Army Ancestors by the same author. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Birds, bees, and a whole host of other flora and fauna that share Villager Jim s garden in the tiny Peak District village of Foolow, are featured in this stunning book of photographs. Bobbin Robin is just one of the regular visitors to the garden; she and her friends have a huge social media audience, with tens of thousands of viewers. Open up the book to see the daily goings on of these wildlife friends in some of Jim s very best pictures taken in this beautiful setting. They illustrate the close relationship Jim has formed with some of the regular wildlife visitors to his garden. His quirky captions capture the mood and spontaneous character of each individual shot and are an essential element of what makes Villager Jim s pictures so special. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. A deeply moving story of the beauty and brutality of life, and death, on the world's most unpredictable and perilous mountain. Sitting just lower than Everest at 8,611 metres above sea level on the China-Pakistan border, the Savage Mountain claims the lives of even the most experienced climbers. Alongside severe altitude, the weather is notoriously volatile and the climb relentlessly steep. A staggering one in four attempts result in death on the mountain. In _One Man's Climb_, Adrian Hayes details an intensely personal account of his attempts to climb K2 - first in 2013 and again in 2014 . Absorbing and self-reflective, his journey is as much a story of climbing a mountain as it is a testament to the human spirit's ability to endure. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Talbot House Poperinghe was opened in November 1915 as a 'Soldiers Club' - a haven from hell - by two Chaplains of the 6th Division, Philip 'Tubby' Clayton and Neville Talbot. The house was dedicated to the memory of Gilbert Talbot, Neville's brother, who had been killed in in the afternoon counter-attack (set up to re-take the positions lost in the early morning Liquid Fire attack of the same day) at Hooge on 30 July 1915. For the following three years, except for a short period in 1918, the doors of Talbot House never closed and it became a 'home-from-home' for the officers and men of the British and Imperial armies of the time. Today Talbot House is a living museum offering a friendly greeting and a cup of tea to visitors on their arrival - a house rule established by 'Tubby' Clayton in 1915. Bringing to the reader the history of the house and its contents, the book brings to life the multitude of events that took place in and around it as well as telling the little-known stories of Clayton's frequent trips to the front line to minister to the men in the trenches around Ypres. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Death Before Glory! is a highly readable, thoroughly researched and comprehensive study of the British army's campaigns in the West Indies during the Napoleonic period and of the extraordinary experiences of the soldiers who served there. Rich in sugar, cotton, coffee and slaves, the region was a key to British prosperity and it was perhaps even more important to her greatest enemy - France. Yet, until now, the history of this vital theatre of the Napoleonic Wars has been seriously neglected. Not only does Martin Howard describe, in graphic detail, the entirety of the British campaigns in the region between 1793 and 1815, he also focuses on the human experience of the men - the climate and living conditions, the rations and diet, military discipline and training, the treatment of the wounded and the impact of disease. Martin Howard's thoroughgoing and original work is the essential account of this fascinating but often overlooked aspect of the history of the British army and the Napoleonic Wars. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The Spitfire is probably Britain's best loved and admired aeroplane. It is also revered around the world. This book looks at the later marques that were modified for various special tasks and differed to a large degree from Supermarine's first early versions that saw action in the early days of World War II. New and more powerful Rolls-Royce engines replaced the well-tried Merlin, but increased the aircrafts performance in terms of speed and operational altitude. Subtle changes to wing design also increased the manoeuvrability and capability of these spectacular models that survived in the operational role until superseded by the introduction of jet-powered flight. The content explains the design details, development and flight testing of twelve models and also contains their operational roles and history. Lengthy appendices will include Griffon-powered Spitfire aces, V1 rocket destruction aces, Griffon-powered Spitfire losses and where the survivors can be found. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Indisputably the most effective general of the Wars of the Roses, Edward IV died in his bed, undefeated in battle. Yet Edward has not achieved the martial reputation of other warrior kings such as Henry V - perhaps because he fought his battles against his own people. It has also been suggested that he lacked the personal discipline expected of a truly greatcommander. But as David Santiuste shows in this perceptive and highly readable new study, Edward was a formidable military leader whose strengths and subtlety have not been fully recognized.On the battlefield he was an audacious soldier, fighting like a lion to defend his rights, although he also possessed a cool head that allowed him to withdraw when the odds were against him. His court was a centre of chivalry, but he did not seek military glory for its own sake. For Edward, warfare was always a means to an end - indeed he often preferred to forgive his enemies rather than destroy them. And yet, in 1461 and 1471, he waged two brutal and relentless campaigns, crushing all the opposition in his path.David Santiuste's reassessment of Edward's military role, and of the Wars of the Roses in which he played such a vital part, gives a fascinating insight into Edward the man and into the politics and the fighting. Based on contemporary sources and the latest scholarly research, Edward IV and the Wars of the Roses brings to life an extraordinary period of English history. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The Conjuror on the Kwai is the incredibly moving story of Gus Anckorn, a British soldier who was captured by the Japanese and held for over three and a half years. Before the war, Gus was a magician and throughout the war, entertained both fellow soldiers and Japanese guards with his tricks. Gus has a brilliant sense of humour and a 'tell it as it is' attitude which got him into a number of scrapes with both the Japanese and his own side. He has a remarkable humility to his character and is extremely endearing, both in the book and face to face guaranteeing massive media attention. Gus experienced terrible ordeals that no one should have to face. He should have been killed on four or five occasions, but remarkably survived due to quick thinking and good luck. Gus also reveals the heartache of leaving his fiancee behind and not knowing if he would ever see her again. This is an incredibly moving book and will surely be considered as one of the classic Far East POW stories. Gus is still alive and active today, very publicity focused and well connected. He still holds the unique claim of being the youngest ever member of the Magic Circle and is now currently their oldest ever member.He is also a member of the Masons. Gus has appeared on BBC TV when they arranged for him to meet a Japanese POW camp guard on the bridge at Kwai. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Following the highly successful Aspects of Barnsley and Rotherham series, Aspects of Sheffield is the first published collection of independently penned studies of Sheffield and its surrounding district.This collection of studies and features on Sheffield and district history, offers the reader a wide variety of topics ranging from Buttonmaking in Sheffield to the Guites of Samehill Farm. The Aspects series continues to provide opportunities for writers and local historians to see their work assembled and presented in an accessible format. Anyone with family or personal interest in the town and surrounding communities will find something worthy of attention; whilst, for educational and academic reference, Aspects of Sheffield provides new resource material for use in both classroom and study. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The Second World War saw the formation and employment of a large number of specialist units in all the many theatres. The most celebrated Special Forces were the units such as the SAS, Long Range Desert Group and the American OSS but this book looks at the much wider spectrum. It embraces special-to-purpose formations such as the Chindits (in Burma), parachute forces (of Germany and the Allies), specially formed air force units such as the Dambusters, Hans-Ulrich Rudel's Tank Busting Stuka Squadrons, the US Flying Tigers and the Doolittle Raiders and Memphis Belle Bomber team. At sea the activities of the midget submarine crews, torpedo craft operators and the mighty German battleships are examined.All this and much more besides make Elite Forces of the Second World War a thrilling, highly informative and most attractive book. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 6.75.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. Fine hardback,no inscriptions,in fine un-clipped d/j.2003,1st edition.Overall over 55,politicians ,featured.