The Hard Way by Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham
I didn’t know anything about the Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham until I was served a ‘you might be interested in this’ by Instagram and then, eventually, I purchased the book. …
Category: History
The Straits of Tsushima by Tim Chant
The Straits of Tsushima by Tim Chant is a historical fiction novel set during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) and follows British ex-naval officer Marcus Baxter and his desperate attempt …
The Making of Henry VIII by Marie Louise Bruce
A meticulously researched book into how the future king of England was brought up. I found this hard going at first because the detail is extremely rich as the …
Submariner Sinclair by John Wingate
Written in 1959 and republished in 2021, this is a fictional book about a British submarine commander in WWII. The old fashioned language and descriptions took a little getting …
Inside the Nazi Ring: A Naval Attache in Sweden, 1940-1945 by H. M. Denham
A fascinating account of working in Sweden during World War II as the (British) naval attache. During WWII, Sweden held a neutral stance and this required a constant give …
The Curse of Beckton Manor by Patricia Alying
I enjoyed this book from immensely even if it’s positioned as a young adult crossover. Set in two different periods – 1557 and 1957 – The Curse of Becton …
The Cape Raider by Justin Fox
The Cape Raider is an excellent WWII story about minesweepers off the coast of South Africa. Although I’ve read many fiction and non-fictional stories about about events during the …
The Road to Station X: From Debutante Ball to Fighter-Plane Factory to Bletchley Park, a Memoir of One Woman’s Journey Through World War Two (Memoirs from World War Two) by Sarah Baring
This is the first book I’ve read in two years where I’ve felt so strongly that it should be turned into a TV series. I’m surprised it hasn’t been …
617 Squadron: The Dambusters at War (Memoirs from World War Two) by Tom Bennett DFM
The Royal Air Force’s No. 617 Squadron used purpose-built bouncing bombs to breach two German dams during World War II. As a result, the flooding destroyed or damaged several …
Ghosts of Fallujah by Coley Tyler
I have never served in the armed forces but have an interest in military history from World War I onwards. Ghosts of Fallujah helped me understand a bit more …