War (other)

Bannockburn, the decisive victory for Robert the Bruce in the Scottish Wars of Independence against the English, is reassessed here through an in-depth investigation of the contemporary narrative sources and a new look at the battlefield terrain.

Historical relics have a rare power to bring the past to life, providing a tangible link to distant events and people. This book presents a collection of items associated with the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, from a gown worn at the Brussels ball the night before to uniforms, muskets, cannonballs, orders, maps and amputation equipment. Each item contributes to the telling of the story and helps us to imagine, with a little extra verisimilitude, how the battle unfolded.

Some embarrassing cowardice displayed by the captains of several British ships at the Battle of Dungeness in 1652 led to the formulation of the 'Articles of War', establishing a strict code of conduct for the Navy and empowering officers to apply it. This collection of significant legal cases in the history of the Royal Navy ranges from a mutiny at the Battle of Cadiz in 1587 to a captain's decision to scuttle HMS Manchester in the Mediterranean in 1942.

Drawing on first-hand accounts by men of all ranks and from practically every British regiment and corps present, this detailed analysis of Waterloo examines the wider strategic picture before focusing on the tactical roles of individual British units.

From the First Afghan War of 1839–1842 to the Boer War of 1899–1902, dozens of colonial wars were fought during the reign of Queen Victoria. Although commanders Gordon, Cardigan and Kitchener are remembered today, many of the great military names of the period are largely forgotten. From military geniuses to egoists, despots and fools, this book profiles 170 of the men who made their name advancing, maintaining or sometimes endangering the British Empire on the battlefield.

Simon James takes an archaeologist’s approach to the study of Rome’s military history, telling the story of the sword – ‘the literal cutting edge of Roman power’ – from early times to the fall of the western empire. To supplement the battle narratives of ancient historical writers, he explains developments in sword-smithing techniques and military ideology, considers cultural reasons for changes in hardware and tactics and helps the reader to visualize the direct human experience of the ‘myriad individual acts of mayhem’ in battle.

Slightly off-mint.