by RNS | May 14, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
Terry C Treadwell, The Red Baron (Pen & Sword, 2021)
World War I was the first air war, but unlike the war on the ground, fighting in the skies was an individual endeavour where different, but no less deadly, rules applied. The pilot warriors that dueled each other over the trenches fought and died under their own code of conduct. Some became aces and heroes, a few became legends, but there was only one Red Baron: Manfred von Richthofen, the most feared pilot of the war. In this illuminating book, Terry Treadwell offers a photographic insight into Richthofen’s world.
BUY NOW
There are only two chapters in The Red Baron, which is a bit odd. Treadwell begins with the outbreak of WWI to set the scene for the early Manfred von Richthofen to grow into. He entered the war as a cavalry officer followed by a stint in the trenches with the infantry, but the newly introduced Air Service attracted him, and he was soon training as an observer then a pilot. In September 1916, Richthofen joined ace Oswald Boelcke’s fighter squadron and he soon had his first confirmed kill. Richthofen’s rise continued until he led his own squadron in January 1917. By then he was already Germany’s top living ace: German propaganda ensured he was also a household name. He became the Red Baron through painting his aircraft red for recognition, and he encouraged his pilots to individualize their planes too, thus Richthofen’s Flying Circus was born. Richthofen suffered a serious head wound in July 1917. He resumed flying and accumulating more kills, most famously in his red Fokker Triplane, but in April 1918, Richthofen broke his own rule about never flying low over enemy lines and was shot down and killed. Who killed him remains open to debate, but there is no doubt over the regard his enemies held him in when they buried him with full military honours, much to the chagrin of local civilians. Treadwell concludes with a post-mortem description of Richthofen’s death and a list of his victories.
Treadwell’s The Red Baron is one of those books that provides just enough information to taunt the reader into wanting to know more. The author’s text, as he admits, is there to guide the reader, however, through Richthofen’s illustrious career and to accompany the photographs. The book contains many pictures, tightly grouped around Richthofen himself, thereby offering an almost intimate portrait of the Red Baron in that you get the sense of the man as a warrior and leader. In the most poignant photograph, however, you do not see Richthofen, just him flying his triplane into the distance on his last mission. For those interested in the air war in WWI, this is an informative biopic of the greatest pilot to fly in it and an enjoyable evening’s reading.
by RNS | May 12, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
Rob Collins, Living on the Edge of Empire (Pen & Sword, 2020)
Hadrian’s Wall conjures up images of an imposing barrier cutting across the northern English landscape, populated by stern-faced Roman soldiers prepared for the next barbarian attack. That isn’t completely wrong, but it is not the whole picture: Hadrian’s Wall became a community hub almost from when the Romans laid the first stone. Rob Collins has put together a book full of fascinating photographs of artefacts, illustrating the many facets of military and civilian life along Rome’s most permanent frontier.
Collins divides his book into eight chapters, encompassing all aspects of life along Hadrian’s Wall, and each lavishly illustrated with colour photographs. He starts with communities and homes, from farmsteads to military tents and barracks. This incorporates a little studies on demographics and furniture and lighting. How the people dressed, and their appearance are next, though perishable materials come mostly from the earlier period of the Wall. Some of the jewellery exhibited here is exquisite, but even the mundane artefacts are extraordinary in their way given how they shine a light on people’s everyday lives. What they ate and how they stored food follows, revealing how even this far off frontier was connected to the whole Empire. We should not forget that Hadrian’s Wall was primarily a military installation, and with that in mind, Collins turns to security, both personal and military, including weapons and armour. But the Wall also acted as an economic centre, so implements for trade and administration are covered here, with a section on leisure items included. Religion played a major role in antiquity and for those living on the Wall. Collins covers the full panoply of the Gods and religious practice in this chapter. Then comes a chapter of unknowns; oddities that we are not quite sure as to their function. All good things come to an end, depending on whose side you were on, and Collins’ last chapter surveys artefacts from the last days of the Wall as it transformed into an Anglo-Saxon zone. Appendices on where all the artefacts were found and museums in which you can see them concludes Collin’s book.
Living on the Edge of Empire is more than a collection of photographs of finds from Hadrian’s Wall; it serves as a useful primer to the Wall as a focal point for community life in all its variety. Collins has assembled an impressive range of materials, which reveal that sometimes the most significant finds come from the most commonplace items. Vindolanda features heavily in the array of objects, which is appropriate given how much has been carried out there. That might skew the picture of the whole Wall, but I think there is enough from other sources to provide balance. Collins’ text matches the artefacts in its clarity, with the final result being a neatly organised and illuminating book. If you cannot visit Hadrian’s Wall, this book might be the next best thing.
BUY NOW
by RNS | May 10, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
Melissa Julian-Jones, Murder During the Hundred Years War (Pen & Sword, 2020)
Who killed William de Cantilupe in 1375, and why? We may never know, but that does not stop Melissa Julian-Jones from analysing the evidence and suspects. She also uses this murder to cast her gaze around the wider social, economic, and political contexts of an often turbulent England still at war with France.
Julian-Jones opens with a brief overview of the crime and the major theories surrounding it. With that out of the way, she starts digging into the background of the victim and his family, which is mostly a sordid tale ending in a reconstruction of William’s murder. Then, as in all the best mysteries, Julian-Jones lines up her suspects for a more detailed background check, of which there were quite a few if you include aiders and abettors. After who might have done it comes why they might have done it with a search for motives. That amounts to money, sex, and the intriguing notion of ‘communal vengeance’ against a cruel lord. Julian-Jones turns to the mechanics of law enforcement particularly with regard to the Cantelupe murder. Then we are into the trial and its aftermath. Julian-Jones concedes that there are many questions we cannot answer about William Cantelupe’s murder. She winds her book up with some appendices from the contemporary records.
Historical murders act as useful conduits into the period when they were committed. Trials and other records provide instant histories; snapshots for historians to explore and analyse. Julian-Jones seizes that opportunity for William Cantelupe’s murder to present a fascinating social history, including the inner workings of the mediaeval social system centred on the manor house. As such, this is a very good read, though I perhaps might question the analytical structure for a public history audience. But, if you want to have a wander around 14th Century England, you will no doubt enjoy Julian-Jones’ book.
BUY NOW
by RNS | May 1, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
Jameson’s Folly
David Snape, The Rescue They Called a Raid (Helion, 2021)
On the face of it, the Jameson Raid of 1895-1896 seems a rather innocuous affair. Five-hundred men led by a headstrong Scottish surgeon marched into a neighbouring South African territory and were soundly beaten then expelled. But this apparent ripple in the British Imperial pond had great ramifications beyond its local impact. David Snape brings us the full story of the raid, its causes, and aftermath.
Snape begins with the characters involved in the Jameson raid: Cecil Rhodes, Leander Jameson, Paul Kruger, and Joseph Chamberlain. Their intertwining stories and competing ambitions against the backdrop of Victoria’s empire provide the basis of this study. The action centres on the Boer South African Republic (ZAR) under Kruger that became a sensation when gold was discovered and foreigners (Uitlanders), most of them British, poured in. They soon wanted political rights, but Kruger wasn’t having that. Rhodes and Jameson encouraged the Uitlanders to rise up (they didn’t), which would also satisfy their lust to expand the Empire and thwart Kruger’s new German friends in the ZAR. They soon gathered a force to invade the ZAR; all they needed was a match to light the fuse, which soon arrived with the Drift Crisis. Snape assesses the situation on both sides on the eve of the raid, then we are into the action.
Jameson organized his force of around 500 men and was determined to move forward despite Uitlander protestations. The column advanced on 30 December 1895, destination Johannesburg. But Kruger knew Jameson was coming and organised his defences with volunteers, while he hedged his political bets, which Snape goes into in some detail. Jameson, meanwhile, discovered that the British government would not support his attack, but decided it was too late to turn back. As his force approached Krugersdorp, they faced stiff resistance and lost 30 men in a foolhardy frontal attack. The Boers all but chased the Raiders, putting them under constant fire until they ran into a prepared Boer position. Jameson was trapped and forced to surrender. The Boers treated the Raiders well, returning them to face trial by the British.
Snape describes the international repercussions, which were seismic. Jameson and his officers stood trial in London: five received prison sentences, others not tried were forced to resign their commissions. The Reformers in Johannesburg that Jameson thought he was helping were tried too, the four ringleaders receiving lengthy prison sentences. In London and South Africa, the blame-game began, including a committee of inquiry and parliamentary debate. Snape goes into considerable detail on the aftermath and what became of all the major players.
The Rescue They Called a Raid is an absorbing read and another winner in the Helion stable. Snape holds the line effectively between the action and the context without getting too bogged down. He is helped by a cast of characters you couldn’t make up, and Snape sketches them with an eye for the telling detail. Snape also writes well, if a bit scholarly at times, and the story flows easily between combat, courtroom, and committee. The inclusion of contemporary illustrations and photographs adds to the atmosphere. Students of Victoria’s Empire will want to read this, as will anyone interested in 19th Century Imperial adventures.
BUY NOW
by RNS | Apr 28, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
Brendan O’Carroll, The Long Range Desert Group in Action 1940-1943 (Pen & Sword, 2020)
The SAS receive much of the plaudits for behind the lines action in the Desert War, but the Long Range Desert Group, created from volunteers from Britain and the Commonwealth, performed a valuable function for the Allied war effort in North Africa and the Mediterranean. Brendan O’Carroll’s photograph laden book takes us inside that force with a general reference to the vehicles, weapons, equipment, uniforms, and men of the LRDG with some background history on how and where they were used.
O’Carroll begins with the formation of the Long Range Patrol Unit (LRP) in the Summer of 1940. New Zealanders mostly made up the first crop of volunteers, and they were so successful that Rhodesian and British troops became involved in the newly named LRDG in December. They were a hardy bunch, driving specially adapted vehicles. Their job was to report from behind enemy lines in the desert, set ambushes, destroy supplies, and in short create mayhem. They also made use of an obsolete Vickers Valentia bomber for recon in the early days.
The LRDG began operations in the Fezzan in Libya in 1941, fighting against the Italians. O’Carroll next surveys the CMP Ford F30 vehicle that came in after nine months to replace the Chevrolets worn out from earlier actions. The Ford was not as popular but still carried the LRDG into further actions alongside the SAS. New Chevrolets replaced the Fords in 1942 and Jeeps were used as command vehicles. By then, the unit had moved to Siwa and began aggressive patrolling, mostly at night, causing chaos behind enemy lines. But recon and intelligence gathering still played a major role for the LRDG. O’Carroll adds a chapter on the LRDG Air Section, which consisted of two sturdy Waco Cabin biplanes. These conducted recon, supply delivery, and casualty evacuation, though one was damaged beyond repair.
One particular LRDG action deserves a chapter from O’Carroll: the Barce Raid in September 1942. This was an assault on a town and airfield in northern Libya that proved successful to the war effort, though the LRDG lost considerable material but few men. By 1943, the British were advancing across North Africa with the LRDG helping to prepare critical outflanking manoeuvres. But, when the Axis forces surrendered in May 1943, there was no operational use for the LRDG, which retired to rest and reorganize in Egypt. Their work was not done, however, and the LRDG took part in the Dodecanese Operations in the Aegean in 1943. They did this mostly on foot, however, operating behind enemy lines as small units, but sometimes grouped together for bigger actions. They had their failures in this theatre but there is no denying their courage. They also fought in Italy and Yugoslavia until the end of the war.
Despite the text being of secondary importance in this book, there is enough action in O’Carroll’s narrative to excite the imagination and admiration for these soldiers. But it is the photographs that the Images of War series is known for and this edition does not disappoint. O’Carroll’s selection covers all aspects of the LRDG’s work and the vehicles and weapons they used in their devastating raids. The final section on their efforts in the Mediterranean illuminates a less familiar area of their deployment. Modellers will find everything they need in this book for their art, and wargamers will find much to chew on to recreate LRDG scenarios. General readers of the Desert War will also find the book informative and entertaining.
BUY NOW
by RNS | Apr 27, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
Gabriele Esposito, Armies of Ancient Italy 753-218 BC (Pen & Sword, 2020)
It’s sometimes easy to forget that Rome was once a small city state on the fringes of the Greek world. But in the 8th Century BCE, Romans were just bit players on the big stage. Five hundred years later, they stood on the precipice of greatness. To get there involved a lot of hard fighting, especially against the unruly neighbours, but also against interlopers from the north and across the sea. Esposito surveys the various wars Rome fought on the road to Empire with an emphasis on their armies and enemies.
Esposito begins with Rome as a kingdom finding its feet along the Tiber river. They defeated the Sabines and organised themselves as a military society, albeit a small one. Rome, like most city states on the make, and under the influence of the Etruscans whom they would soon fight, adopted the Greek hoplite military system around 570 BCE. More wars followed, which proved dangerous to Rome, particularly when the Romans formed a Republic. By 493, after a series of conquests, they were ascendant. With the Republic came more army changes and campaigns against the Volsci against a backdrop of internal social unrest. But by 446, Rome was ready to take on the Etruscans. Esposito takes us through the sack of Rome in 390 by the Gauls and the subsequent defeat of the Etruscans. As Rome expanded, that brought it into conflict with the warlike Samnites in South Italy. To beat them, the Romans reorganized their military again, some of it along Samnite lines, into the recognizable Manipular Legion system. They lost a major battle at the Caudine Forks in 321, but being Romans, they were quickly back into the fray and winning. It took a while, but they got there. With the Samnites defeated by 290, the growing Roman Empire lapped onto the shores of the Greek world, and a war against a major threat in the Pyrrhic War. Rome now had to fight the Macedonian phalanx system, which proved attritional, but they adapted and again won through. Most of Italy was now in their hands. Sicily was next up on the hit list, which brought Rome into the Punic Wars against Carthage, the major power in the west Mediterranean. Rome’s victory after a second round of warfare replaced that power. The following chapters describe the various peoples that Rome had to fight for supremacy: the Etruscans, Latins, Gauls, Samnites, and Greeks.
Esposito’s Armies of Ancient Italy is a useful introduction to a turbulent period of ancient history. He tells a clean story, untangling a complex web of warfare and diplomacy. He is supported by photographs of reenactors in various uniforms, which is helpful for miniature painters, though not essential to the book. They also highlight the book’s weakness, which is a lack of primary sources and archaeological evidence. Those, for me, are where the energy lies in studying ancient history. For the uninitiated though, this might work as a gateway into the period. If so, job done.
BUY NOW
