Paul Kendall
Author
Language
English
Description
What really happened on the first day of the Somme?
Much controversy has surrounded the Somme offensive relating to its justification and its impact upon the course of the war. General Sir Douglas Haig's policies have been the subject of considerable debate about whether the heavy losses sustained were worth the small gains that were achieved which appeared to have little strategic value.
That was certainly the case on many sectors on 1 July 1916,...
Author
Language
English
Description
At 11.00 hours on 11 November 1918, the guns fell silent across the battlefields of Europe. After the deadliest conflict the world had ever seen, peace had finally arrived. Since the withdrawal from the Somme and the repulse at Verdun, the Germans knew they could not win the war and had sought a negotiated end to the fighting. This was rejected by the Allies and the fighting continued until, almost two years later, with its economy on the verge of...
Author
Language
English
Description
In the spring of 1917, the Arras offensive was, begun to break the stalemate of the Western Front by piercing the formidable German defenses of the Hindenburg Line. The village of Bullecourt lay at the southern end of the battlefront, and the fighting there over a period of six weeks from 11 April until late May 1917, epitomized the awful trench warfare of World War I. In Bullecourt 1917, Paul Kendall tells the stories of the fierce battles fought...
Author
Language
English
Description
Approximately a third of all Allied merchant vessels sunk during the First World War were by German boats and submarines based at Bruge-Zeebrugge on the coast of Belgium. By 1918 it was feared that Britain would be starved into surrender unless the enemy raiders could be stopped. A daring plan was therefore devised to sail directly into the heavily defended port of Zeebrugge and then to sink three obsolete cruisers in the harbour in the hope they...
Author
Language
English
Description
Henry VIII is one of history's most memorable monarchs. Popularly known for his six wives, and the unfortunate fate which befell Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, Henry initiated many reforms and changes which still affect our lives today.
In this engaging and hugely informative book, the author takes us on a journey across England, from Deal Castle on the south coast, to Tower Green where Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard lost their heads, and far...
Author
Language
English
Description
The forty-four-year reign of Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and the last Tudor monarch, was considered a golden age. It saw the emergence of the great playwrights such as William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe, while the exploits of Sir Francis Drake and other 'sea-dogs' helped establish England's position among the great maritime powers. This book looks at Elizabeth's life through some of the many artifacts, buildings, documents and institutions...
Author
Language
English
Description
Few writers have had a greater impact upon British society than Charles Dickens. His stories, and, in particular, his many memorable characters, highlighted the life of the forgotten poor and disadvantaged within society at a time when Britain was the leading economic and political power in the world. Dickens' portrayal of the poor, such as Oliver Twist daring to ask for more food in the parish workhouse, and Bob Cratchit struggling to provide for...
Author
Language
English
Description
Neuve Chapelle a lost battlefield is now opened up for the explorer to learn more about the actions that took place there.
In Early 1915, the British decided to take the offensive for the first time in the war against German positions in Northern France. The initial objective was a bulge, about one mile across, in their lines at Neuve.
Events which took place here early in 1915 are described in detail and show why this almost forgotten battle set...
Author
Language
English
Description
For almost 64 years, Queen Victoria reigned over Great Britain during a period which saw the country become the most powerful and prestigious in the world and one which experienced enormous social, political and industrial change. Those changes were embraced by Victoria, who became the first monarch to use the railway as a mode of transport, to use anaesthetic to alleviate pain, during childbirth, and to use a telephone. At the very start of her...
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death in 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at Bosworth Field, the last decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, marked the end of the Middle Ages in England. He is the subject of the fictional historical play Richard III by William Shakespeare. In 2012, an archaeological...