The Lee-Enfield Rifle
Author: Martin Pegler.
Publisher: Osprey Publishing, 01865 727022 www.ospreypublishing.com
ISBN: 9781849087889.
Price: £12.99.

The Lee-Enfield Rifle is one of those iconic weapons which is instantly recognisable from both world wars and is associated with the British and Commonwealth armies of the period. The author, a shooter and respected historian on weaponry, takes the reader through the complete history of the rifle from its inception through to modern day where it is still encountered on the battlefield and the firing range. The text explains clearly and concisely the workings of the rifle and the various fittings which could be attached to the muzzle including bayonets, grenade dischargers and wire cutters. For its size the book has a wealth of information and the photographic illustrations are highly detailed, but some of the art work is lacking. Ammunition types are covered and the technical details about this and the rifle itself makes this a rewarding read.

*

With British Snipers to the Reich
Author: Captain C. Shore.
Publisher: Frontline Books, 01226 734555.  www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
ISBN: 9781848326507.
Price: £16.99.

This is a reprint of a work first published in 1948 when things were still fresh in the author’s mind and because of that we are most fortunate. The book takes the reader from Normandy, where the author landed on 7 June, all the way through to the last days of the war in 1945. He explains the techniques used to set up a shot, how to stalk and make the use of cover. His personal opinions of various weapon types is interesting, he did not rate the Italian Carcano rifle at all, and he expresses nothing but praise for American sniping rifles. Unfortunately the photographic images are grainy and rather blurred but the images taken from training manuals are much better. The term ‘sniping’ is used all too freely to describe sporadic firing and this book reminds us what it was about. Our interest in sniping is very strong and the fact this book has been reissued is a mark of that and although some of the text is old-fashioned we should remember it is over sixty years old and still fascinating.

*

All the King’s Men
Author: Saul David.
Publisher: Penguin-Viking, 020 7010 3000. www.penguin.co.uk
ISBN: 9780670916634.
Price: £25.
The sub-title of this work is ‘The British Soldier from the Restoration to Waterloo’ which covers a period of just over 150 years. However, into that relatively short time frame in terms of history, the author crams a huge amount of information into the book. Every generation needs a good military historian and Saul David is just the man to fill the position. He is now a familiar face on television having presented the fascinating series entitled ‘Bullets, Boots and Bandages’ and has an easy way of imparting information to the viewer. He does the same with this work and presents the reader with fresh material and even the familiar material is given a fresh touch. He covers each campaign in the time frame from Marlborough to Wellington and imparts his passion for military history to the reader who will not be disappointed. This is a very rewarding work and will become a valued work of reference on any book shelf.

*

The Road to Dunkirk
Narrator: David Riley
DVD Timereel, 0844 556 3501. www.timereel.co.uk
EAN: 5060175905239.
Running time: 60 minutes.
Price: £10.99.

Much has been written and broadcast about Dunkirk but the best any producer or historian can do is scratch the surface. After all, with 338,000 troops evacuated that is the number of stories from just the Allied side of things. This film is mainly black and white but there is some colour footage and the production team has included some unseen archive film. There are some of the famous images from the campaign but the use of first-hand accounts of witnesses who saw events unfold give this film a new and fresh feel. The main episodes are covered, such as the German decision to halt the tanks, and allow the Luftwaffe to finish off the Allies. The images of the Royal Navy ships of the time show how powerful the fleet was and how diverse the range of vessels was from aircraft carriers to destroyers and frigates.

*

London’s East End at War
Narrator: Don McCorkindale.
DVD:  Timereel, 0844 556 3501. www.timereel.co.uk
EAN: 5060175904102.
Running time: 65 minutes approximately.
Price: £10.99.

On the 7 September 1940 the German Luftwaffe suddenly changed tactics and embarked on a series of nightly raids against London which would last for over ten weeks. This was the London Blitz during which thousands of people were killed, homes destroyed and businesses wrecked. Despite the intensity the morale of the civilian population was never broken. The weight of the attacks fell on the East End of the city which was geographically located by the docks where vital supplies were unloaded. The bombing disrupted everyday life as water mains were destroyed along with gas and electricity but the city continued to function. This chapter of the war is told through original film archive material and first-hand eye-witness accounts of those who lived through the Blitz. A wealth of detail is told in this one disc and living history groups are able to use it as reference material for creating Home Front displays.
*

Small Arms 1914-1945.
Author: Michael E. Haskew.
Publisher: Amber Books Ltd, www.amberbooks.co.uk
Price: £19.99.

Encyclopaedias on small arms can be disappointing especially when covering a period such as the thirty-one years dealt with by the author in this single volume. Usually the weapons used in each world war is covered by a separate volume but because so many weapons used in WW I were used again in WW II the author, a respected historian on weapons vehicles, felt that it could be done in one hit. He was correct and into this small book he has managed to compact an enormous amount of detail along with a wealth of 250 illustrations. This is not the usual run of the mill weapons encyclopaedia with a brief history of each rifle or pistol, but a reference book of worth which details production runs, strength of armies equipped with rifles and machine guns. He lists how infantry units were armed, sections for the British army and squads for the US Army, with a breakdown on what was carried. The inter-war period with the Spanish Civil War and the Sino-Japanese War is covered and a whole page is illustrated with the type of weapons used by a Soviet Rifle Platoon in June 1941 at the time of the German invasion. One will be hard-pressed to find a weapon not listed and the facts and figures itemised will make this a leading reference book for re-enactors and weapon collectors alike.

*

Guderian’s Tanks
DVD: Pen & Sword Books, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS.
Telephone: 01226 734222. www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
EAN: 4260110581585. Running time: 105 minutes approximately.
Price: £17.59.

This two disc set contains much imagery which is informative and interesting, but unfortunately the same cannot be said of the narration which is dry, monotonous and lacking in enthusiasm. We know the narrator is reading from a script but even so he could have put some more into his delivery. However, if one disregards that aspect and concentrates on the film footage there is a lot of good material. The films show the newly formed German army in training and deployment to the Spanish Civil War which is unusual. However, the focus is on the development of the tanks from the first Panzer I through to the powerful Panther, Tiger and King Tiger vehicles. The bonus shows more vehicles and the gallery section shows anti-tank guns and other weaponry. For reference this contains some good material, if somewhat grainy due to the age, but one should really try to ignore the narration and the annoying and unnecessary sound effects of gunfire and concentrate on the images.

The Lee-Enfield Rifle
Author: Martin Pegler.
Publisher: Osprey Publishing, 01865 727022 www.ospreypublishing.com
ISBN: 9781849087889.
Price: £12.99.

The Lee-Enfield Rifle is one of those iconic weapons which is instantly recognisable from both world wars and is associated with the British and Commonwealth armies of the period. The author, a shooter and respected historian on weaponry, takes the reader through the complete history of the rifle from its inception through to modern day where it is still encountered on the battlefield and the firing range. The text explains clearly and concisely the workings of the rifle and the various fittings which could be attached to the muzzle including bayonets, grenade dischargers and wire cutters. For its size the book has a wealth of information and the photographic illustrations are highly detailed, but some of the art work is lacking. Ammunition types are covered and the technical details about this and the rifle itself makes this a rewarding read.

*

With British Snipers to the Reich
Author: Captain C. Shore.
Publisher: Frontline Books, 01226 734555.  www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
ISBN: 9781848326507.
Price: £16.99.

This is a reprint of a work first published in 1948 when things were still fresh in the author’s mind and because of that we are most fortunate. The book takes the reader from Normandy, where the author landed on 7 June, all the way through to the last days of the war in 1945. He explains the techniques used to set up a shot, how to stalk and make the use of cover. His personal opinions of various weapon types is interesting, he did not rate the Italian Carcano rifle at all, and he expresses nothing but praise for American sniping rifles. Unfortunately the photographic images are grainy and rather blurred but the images taken from training manuals are much better. The term ‘sniping’ is used all too freely to describe sporadic firing and this book reminds us what it was about. Our interest in sniping is very strong and the fact this book has been reissued is a mark of that and although some of the text is old-fashioned we should remember it is over sixty years old and still fascinating.

*

All the King’s Men
Author: Saul David.
Publisher: Penguin-Viking, 020 7010 3000. www.penguin.co.uk
ISBN: 9780670916634.
Price: £25.
The sub-title of this work is ‘The British Soldier from the Restoration to Waterloo’ which covers a period of just over 150 years. However, into that relatively short time frame in terms of history, the author crams a huge amount of information into the book. Every generation needs a good military historian and Saul David is just the man to fill the position. He is now a familiar face on television having presented the fascinating series entitled ‘Bullets, Boots and Bandages’ and has an easy way of imparting information to the viewer. He does the same with this work and presents the reader with fresh material and even the familiar material is given a fresh touch. He covers each campaign in the time frame from Marlborough to Wellington and imparts his passion for military history to the reader who will not be disappointed. This is a very rewarding work and will become a valued work of reference on any book shelf.

*

The Road to Dunkirk
Narrator: David Riley
DVD Timereel, 0844 556 3501. www.timereel.co.uk
EAN: 5060175905239.
Running time: 60 minutes.
Price: £10.99.

Much has been written and broadcast about Dunkirk but the best any producer or historian can do is scratch the surface. After all, with 338,000 troops evacuated that is the number of stories from just the Allied side of things. This film is mainly black and white but there is some colour footage and the production team has included some unseen archive film. There are some of the famous images from the campaign but the use of first-hand accounts of witnesses who saw events unfold give this film a new and fresh feel. The main episodes are covered, such as the German decision to halt the tanks, and allow the Luftwaffe to finish off the Allies. The images of the Royal Navy ships of the time show how powerful the fleet was and how diverse the range of vessels was from aircraft carriers to destroyers and frigates.

*

London’s East End at War
Narrator: Don McCorkindale.
DVD:  Timereel, 0844 556 3501. www.timereel.co.uk
EAN: 5060175904102.
Running time: 65 minutes approximately.
Price: £10.99.

On the 7 September 1940 the German Luftwaffe suddenly changed tactics and embarked on a series of nightly raids against London which would last for over ten weeks. This was the London Blitz during which thousands of people were killed, homes destroyed and businesses wrecked. Despite the intensity the morale of the civilian population was never broken. The weight of the attacks fell on the East End of the city which was geographically located by the docks where vital supplies were unloaded. The bombing disrupted everyday life as water mains were destroyed along with gas and electricity but the city continued to function. This chapter of the war is told through original film archive material and first-hand eye-witness accounts of those who lived through the Blitz. A wealth of detail is told in this one disc and living history groups are able to use it as reference material for creating Home Front displays.
*

Small Arms 1914-1945.
Author: Michael E. Haskew.
Publisher: Amber Books Ltd, www.amberbooks.co.uk
Price: £19.99.

Encyclopaedias on small arms can be disappointing especially when covering a period such as the thirty-one years dealt with by the author in this single volume. Usually the weapons used in each world war is covered by a separate volume but because so many weapons used in WW I were used again in WW II the author, a respected historian on weapons vehicles, felt that it could be done in one hit. He was correct and into this small book he has managed to compact an enormous amount of detail along with a wealth of 250 illustrations. This is not the usual run of the mill weapons encyclopaedia with a brief history of each rifle or pistol, but a reference book of worth which details production runs, strength of armies equipped with rifles and machine guns. He lists how infantry units were armed, sections for the British army and squads for the US Army, with a breakdown on what was carried. The inter-war period with the Spanish Civil War and the Sino-Japanese War is covered and a whole page is illustrated with the type of weapons used by a Soviet Rifle Platoon in June 1941 at the time of the German invasion. One will be hard-pressed to find a weapon not listed and the facts and figures itemised will make this a leading reference book for re-enactors and weapon collectors alike.

*

Guderian’s Tanks
DVD: Pen & Sword Books, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS.
Telephone: 01226 734222. www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
EAN: 4260110581585. Running time: 105 minutes approximately.
Price: £17.59.

This two disc set contains much imagery which is informative and interesting, but unfortunately the same cannot be said of the narration which is dry, monotonous and lacking in enthusiasm. We know the narrator is reading from a script but even so he could have put some more into his delivery. However, if one disregards that aspect and concentrates on the film footage there is a lot of good material. The films show the newly formed German army in training and deployment to the Spanish Civil War which is unusual. However, the focus is on the development of the tanks from the first Panzer I through to the powerful Panther, Tiger and King Tiger vehicles. The bonus shows more vehicles and the gallery section shows anti-tank guns and other weaponry. For reference this contains some good material, if somewhat grainy due to the age, but one should really try to ignore the narration and the annoying and unnecessary sound effects of gunfire and concentrate on the images.