The Northern Ireland Troubles 1969-2007

Author: Aaron Edwards

Publisher: Osprey Publishing, Oxford

ISBN: 9781472857149

Price: £12.99

‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland is a highly contentious period of modern British history. This work is a timely and thought-provoking reminder of those times for a generation that has never heard of the riots, killings, and indiscriminate bombings that were an almost daily occurrence of the time. Thankfully, they will never experience the chaos but through books like this, they will learn and understand. Some schools touch on the subject briefly, and this work should be included in the required reading list to help explain a very complex chapter of British history. The cost in lives and the impact on society, both in Northern Ireland and across the rest of the UK, were terrible and the modern generation needs to be reminded of the fact and how it was resolved. This work may even help veterans who served in the province during those times to better understand what they were doing there

Italian Assault Craft 1940-1945

Author: Erminio Bagnasco

Publisher: Osprey, Oxford

ISBN: 9781399056083

Price: £35.00

Whatever opinion one holds concerning the Italian army in WWII, most will agree that the Marina Militare (Italian Navy), under Mussolini’s regime, was very capable, with some very brave men, especially those serving as ‘Human Torpedoes and other Special Attack Weapons’, the subtitle of this work, which is fascinating and intriguing. Operating in the Mediterranean, often against much larger ships, they were the bane of the Royal Navy ports of Malta and Gibraltar. Italy’s interest in assault craft dates back to WWI, and throughout the 1920s and 1930s, they experimented with remote-controlled boats filled with explosives; the ’Maiale’ (Pig) later becoming better known as the human torpedo. Bases were established where divers were trained using modern facilities and tactics in underwater weapons. When the Royal Navy captured examples of these craft, they developed their own version, proving that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. A truly interesting work, even for those who prefer land-based military history.

Valentine Infantry Tank versus Panzer III

Author: Bruce Oliver Newsome; PhD

Publisher: Osprey, Oxford

ISBN: 9781472857293

Price: £15.99

With a production run of 5,774 of all types, the Panzer III, or SdKfz 141, was the only German tank to remain in production and serve throughout the war, where it faced many opponents in all theatres, including the British Valentine, the subject of this work in the ‘Versus’ series of titles that examines the combat capabilities of each design. The author has chosen the North Africa theatre as the battleground for comparison. Conditions in terrain and extremes in climate tested each vehicle to its limits, but it was in battle the differences were decided. The main armament of each could be up-gunned and armour protection on the Valentine was between 8mm and 90mm. However, the Panzer III variants averaged between 14mm and 90mm, which on paper made it the best protected. Ultimately, it was how they were handled in battle that counted, as this book relates to many first-hand accounts.

The US 37-mm Gun in World War II

Author: Charles C. Roberts Jr

Publisher: Casemate, Oxford

ISBN: 9781636242521

Price: £34.95

During the 1920s and 1930s, several countries developed light guns using 37mm calibre ammunition. This excellent work concentrates on the weapon developed for the US Army – the M3 anti-tank gun – which would find its way into tanks, light PT boats of the US Navy, and even aircraft of the USAAF. It would also be supplied to Allied nations in WWII, such as Russia, China, and Brazil, and in all theatres of war from Europe to the Pacific, details of which are covered by the author, using many photographs from his own collection in this highly illustrated work. The author really gets into his stride when he turns out facts, figures, and technical details, which will satisfy weapon enthusiasts, collectors of ammunition, re-enactors, and any other military buff, who will welcome this as a definitive reference work. Very much worth the cover price and exactly how an illustrated book should be presented.