Military History Matters 151
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Charlemagne: King, conqueror, emperor
In the first part of our special feature for this issue, Stephen Roberts traces the life of this extraordinary individual; while in the second part, he looks in more detail at Charlemagne’s victory at Pavia, which helped him establish the foundations of the Holy Roman Empire.
The Siege of Pavia: Defeating the Lombards, 773-774
In the second part of our special, Stephen Roberts reveals how a key victory helped Charlemagne establish the foundations for the Holy Roman Empire.
The Mosquito Men: the unsung heroes of 627 Squadron
The elite Pathfinders of 627 Squadron may not have achieved the renown of their Dambusting comrades in 617 Squadron but, as David Price explains in a new book, their Second World War acts of valour were equally remarkable.
War on Film – All Quiet on the Western Front
The new All Quiet on the Western Front will, I’m sure, be popular and, like the British feature film 1917 (directed by Sam Mendes), will bring the horror and futility of the war to a new generation.
Historic bridge across Rhine to be reconstructed
The bridge will be reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as serving as a monument to victims of the war.
Colditz: prisoners of the castle
REVIEW BY TAYLOR DOWNING Ben Macintyre is well known for his books on spies and espionage, like Agent Zigzag, Double Cross, and Philby. Earlier this year, one of his other works, Operation
The fight for Sweden: the battle of Brunkeberg, 10 October 1471
As part of Sweden’s long struggle for independence, its army of peasant militia won a crucial battle against a Danish invasion force camped outside Stockholm. William E Welsh describes the action.
Devil Dogs: First In, Last Out – King Company from Guadalcanal to the shores of Japan
REVIEW BY TOBY CLARK Anyone who enjoyed the HBO television series The Pacific or Eugene Sledge’s memoir With the Old Breed will want to read Saul David’s new book, Devil Dogs: first
Alexander the Great: the making of a myth
Alexander the Great: the making of a myth is at the British Library in London until 19 February 2023.
Review: Scapa Flow Museum
Scapa Flow is a vast natural harbour in the Orkneys, to the north of mainland Scotland. In the First World War, it was where the Grand Fleet was based. And in the Second it was the anchorage for the Home Fleet, therefore playing a central role in the naval history of two wars.
Wreck of WWI-era German submarine identified in US waters
A team of specialist divers secretly traced the final resting place of U-111.
War Classic: Zola’s ‘The Debacle’
La Débâcle prefigures both the changing nature of warfare, and the ongoing struggle of France’s national identity. Within 22 years, another generation would be sacrificed defending their homeland.
Born in blood: the Irish Free State
After years of unrest and escalating violence, the Irish Free State came into being on 6 December 1922. To mark its centenary, Patrick Mercer looks at the grisly events that led to its creation.
Equestrian armour at the Wallace Collection
This magnificent equestrian armour from the 16th century is unique in that it has survived completely preserved to this day. The armour was acquired by the Wallace Collection in 1867 from the
Conquer We Must: a military history of Britain 1914-1945
REVIEW BY ANDREW MULHOLLAND Strategic history may seem dry or even daunting to some, but Robin Prior has broken new ground here. Not only has he tackled a huge subject in a
Memorial to significant Anglo-Scots battle unveiled
Fought at Sutton Bank in North Yorkshire, near Harrogate, on 14 October 1322, Byland saw Scottish forces led by King Robert the Bruce inflict on the English a defeat as serious as that of Bannockburn eight years previously.
War of Words – ‘Britannia’
Ancient Britain was known to the Mediterranean world. The Greeks called the island Pretannia, but the Romans named it Britannia, and made it part of their empire. The term ‘Britannia’ therefore figures
Reopening of museum ship HMS Caroline postponed until 2023
In 1916, she was involved in the Battle of Jutland, the most significant naval battle of the First World War, and the only main fleet action between the German and British navies.
Collection of Nelson’s unseen letters goes on display for first time
The collection forms part of a new exhibition, Nelson in His Own Words, which opened recently at the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) in Portsmouth.
Rorke’s Drift: why did the Zulus lose?
Chris Peers, author of a new minute-by-minute study of the fighting on 22 January 1879, analyses the extraordinary endurance of the mission-station garrison.
Military History Matters 130
Hell and high water: submarine culture
In an extract from a new book, John Medhurst traces the history of the submarine in warfare, from the earliest experiments to the First World War.