Arise to Conquer

Arise to Conquer The ‘Real’ Hurricane Pilot written by I. R. Gleed and published by

Air World Books - £25.00 - Hardback - Pages 272

Born in 1916, after learning to fly as a civilian, Ian Richard Gleed was granted a RAF

commission in 1936. He completed training on Christmas Day that year, being posted to

46 Squadron which was equipped with the Gloster Gauntlet.

Through much of his RAF service, the diminutive Gleed was known as ‘Widge’, short for ‘Wizard Midget’ on account of his excessive use of the word ‘wizard’ to describe something ‘topper’, and his short stature. Rising from Flight to Squadron Commander in short order, and later taking over the Ibsley Spitfire Wing in 1941, Gleed was enormously popular with his peers. Indeed, Wing Commander ‘Bunny’ Currant once described Gleed as a ‘pocket-sized man with care for others and courage beyond compare’.

Having been decorated with the coveted ‘double’ of both DSO and DFC, Wing Commander Gleed went out to lead a wing in Tunisia. It was there that he was shot down and killed on 16 April 1943. By this time, he had achieved the status of being a fighter Ace, having been credited with the destruction of thirteen enemy aircraft.

The previous year, Gleed’s wartime memoir, Arise to Conquer, was published by Victor Gollancz. Eloquently written and detailed, this book is a superb first-hand account of one man’s life and times as a fighter pilot – mainly flying the Hawker Hurricane – during the Fall of France, the Battle of Britain and beyond into the night Blitz.

Reprinted here in its entirety, and extensively introduced by the renowned aviation historian Dilip Sarkar MBE, FRHistS, this edition of Arise to Conquer is supported by a remarkable set of wartime images. Among Gleed’s Hurricane pilots on 87 Squadron during the Battle of Britain and beyond was Sergeant Laurence ‘Rubber’ Thorogood, a keen photographer who is often mentioned in this book. Along with his Commanding Officer’s words, Rubber’s unique personal photograph album, containing as it does a number of images of Gleed, provides a rare glimpse of a fighter squadron at war during our Darkest – yet Finest – Hour.

This was a really good book to read, a book about a group of Hurricane pilots during WW2, their lives, training, flying and everyday life from a first-hand account, by Wing Commander I. R. Gleed DSO, DFC. In a way this a great history book because it tells the stories and daily experiences of the ‘man’ on the ground doing the job. It hasn’t been glossed over or fabricated to look good, it’s just a ‘warts and all’ type story of young pilots qualifying and fighting with Hurricanes. The person who the stories revolve around Wing Commander Gleed, who actually does seem down to earth and a nice man to get on with through work and play. A man everyone wants on their side during those harsh times of fighting. It was good to have the personal photos grouped together at the back as they really did add life to the story, and in fact, the photos told the story of this fine man almost from beginning to end. A book I would happily recommend to others.

Naval Battles of the Second World War II

Naval Battles of the Second World War written by Leo Marriott and published by

Pen & Sword Books - £20.00 - Hardback - Pages 240

The Second World War was a truly global conflict and maritime power played a major role in every theatre of operations. Land campaigns depended on supplies transported by sea, and victory or defeat depended on the outcome of naval battles. So Leo Marriott’s highly illustrated two-volume account of the struggle sets naval actions in the wider strategic context as well as giving graphic accounts of what happened in each engagement.

This second volume concentrates on the epic struggle between the Americans and the Japanese in the vast expanses of the Pacific where for almost four years a great maritime campaign ebbed and flowed and some of the most famous naval battles of the conflict took place. The first part of the book covers the period from Pearl Harbor to Midway while the second covers the long and bloody campaign in the south-west Pacific where the US Navy honed its skills and turned a bloody defeat into a hard-won victory. The final section focuses on naval operations during the American advance across the central Pacific up to the Battle of Leyte Gulf – the greatest naval battle ever fought. Included are other actions involving the Royal Navy which, after early setbacks, would go on to play a major supporting role alongside the US Navy in the Pacific

This concise but wide-ranging introduction to the naval war emphasizes the sheer scale of the conflict in every sea and shows the direct impact of each naval battle on the course of the war.

This book is the second book of two called, Naval Battles of the Second World War in the second of two books looking at the Pacific & Far East of World War II the book gives you a view of the strategic naval process and battles including the role of the American Navy and the Japanese Navy. The book highlights a number of key naval battles throughout the war including Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Midway and the battle in the Leyte Gulf, I personally found this a fascinating book as I am trying to improve my knowledge of naval warfare. Both in the west and the Far East I found the book very informative and detailed but then I am probably counted as a beginner in this subject so whilst I found the book very helpful and informative others might prefer to read a more detailed assessment as they are classed as more knowledgeable. With the author Leo Marriott a specialist in this subject, his highly detailed knowledge is evident in this book and makes for a very good read. I enjoyed all the facts and details along with many good photographs and I especially enjoyed the appendix at the back of the book listing all the warships involved I would recommend this book and enjoyed it slightly more than the first but only because I knew less about the Pacific war.

Naval Battles of the Second World War

Naval Battles of the Second World War written by Leo Marriott and published by

Pen & Sword Books - £20.00 - Hardback - Pages 160

The Second World War was a truly global conflict and maritime power played a major

role in every theatre of operations. Land campaigns depended on supplies transported

by sea, and victory or defeat depended on the outcome of naval battles. So Leo Marriott’s

highly illustrated two-volume account of the struggle sets naval actions in the wider

strategic context as well as giving graphic accounts of what happened in each engagement.

This first volume concentrates on the Royal Navy’s confrontation with the ships and submarines of the German Kriegsmarine during the Battle of the Atlantic, the Arctic convoys and the struggle across the Mediterranean against the Italian navy to supply the opposing armies in North Africa. The Battle of the River Plate, the pursuit of the Bismarck, the PQ17 convoy to the Soviet Union and Operation Pedestal, the most famous convoy sent to relieve Malta, are among the episodes described in vivid detail and illustrated with a selection of striking photographs.

This concise but wide-ranging introduction to the naval war emphasizes the sheer scale of the conflict in every sea and shows the direct impact of each naval battle on the course of the war.

This book is the first book of two called, Naval Battles of the Second World War in the first of two books looking at the Atlantic side of World War II the book gives you a view of the strategic naval process and battles including the role of the German Navy (the Kriegsmarine) and the Royal Navy. The book highlights a number of key naval battles throughout the war including the Battle of the Atlantic, the Arctic convoys and the battle in the Mediterranean, I personally found this a fascinating book as I am trying to improve my knowledge of naval warfare. Both in the west and the Far East I found the book very informative and detailed but then I am probably counted as a beginner in this subject so whilst I found the book very helpful and informative others might prefer to read a more detailed assessment as they are classed as more knowledgeable. With the author Leo Marriott a specialist in this subject, his highly detailed knowledge is evident in this book and makes for a very good read. I enjoyed all the facts and details along with many good photographs and I especially enjoyed the appendix at the back of the book listing all the warships involved I would recommend this book but if you already have a sound knowledge of naval battles it might not be for you.

The Battles of King Arthur

The Battles of King Arthur written by Tony Sullivan and published by Pen & Sword

Books - £25.00 - Hardback - Pages 288

The ninth-century Historia Brittonum is the first source that mentions Arthur and lists

twelve battles, including the famous Badon Hill. Much ink has been spilt debating the

identity and location of Arthur. This book will demonstrate that some of the battles can

indeed be located with some confidence. Rather than fit a specific theory as to his

identity the battles are placed in the fragmenting provincial, political and military context

of the late fifth and early sixth century Britain. At a time of rapid changes in cultural

identity and a significant increase in Germanic material culture and migration.

These battles might be expected to be found along borders and in zones of potential conflict. Yet this is not what is discovered. In addition, the simplistic idea of Romano-Britons holding back invading Anglo-Saxons is found wanting. Instead, we discover a far more nuanced political and cultural situation. One with increasing evidence of a continuation of land use and the indigenous population. The most Romanised and urbanised regions of the south and east are the very areas that experienced the arrival of Germanic settlement. The conclusion gives the reader a new insight into what sort of man Arthur was and the nature of the battles he fought.

This has been a thoroughly good book to read very informative, detailed and in some places surprising. On a subject that is often full of debate and discussion, the author Tony Sullivan separates the fact from the fiction and bases match of his arguments on evidence and detail and in the vast majority of cases backs it up with very good detailed evidence and source information. I think I reviewed  Tony Sullivan's previous book on King Arthur and thoroughly enjoyed that too, I really enjoy his straight-to-the-point writing and detail which comes across very clear and factually. As a bit of a sceptic about King Arthur in the past I have found after reading these books that I am becoming more and more of a believer in King Arthur and the Legend. I have noticed that I am due to review Sullivan's book on Gladiators, which having read this King Arthur book I am really looking forward to reading the book about Gladiators I would most certainly recommend this book not only to historians but also the fans of legends and myths.

More Lives Than a Ship's Cat

More Lives Than A Ship’s Cat By Jeremy Stoke and published by

Pen & Sword Books - £20.00 - Hardback - Pages 288

By any standards Mick Stoke’s experiences in the Royal Navy during the Second World War were remarkable. Aged nineteen, he was ‘Mentioned in Despatches’ and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his courage during incessant bombing during the Siege of Tobruk.

He survived multiple torpedo attacks, firstly serving on the cruiser Glasgow, which was hit twice; on the battleship Queen Elizabeth at sea and blown up by human torpedoes at Alexandria; and on HMS Hardy, struck in January 1944, while escorting Russian Arctic Convoy JW56B.

In 1942, he was serving on HMS Carlisle during the fiercely fought Malta convoys and took part in the Battle of Sirte. Later that year he was awarded the MBE ‘for outstanding bravery, resource and devotion to duty during very heavy bombing’ at the port of Bone during Operation TORCH. He went on to serve at D-Day and later in the Pacific on HMS Rajah.

It is a privilege to read Mick Stoke’s graphic and modest account of his naval service in the Second World War. Readers will appreciate and understand how he became ‘The Most Highly Decorated Midshipman in the Royal Navy’.

I have to say from the start out that this is a brilliant title for a book, in this one title it really does encompass the whole book. This book follows the adventures and very near scrapes of Mick Stoke, the most decorated Mid Shipman in World War Two. This man spent the war serving on the Glasgow, Queen Elizabeth, Hardy, Carlisle, Operation Torch, took part in the D-Day Landings and was on the Rajah out in the Pacific. One could see him as a brave man awarded for his gallantry and bravery, or you could say he was unlucky too.

This was a well-written book by his son, it reads very easily and reads just

like an adventure story. In fact, I enjoyed it so much it only took me a couple of

nights as it was hard to put down, I was kind of thinking surely he can’t survive the

next attack. The reports from his Naval Records near the back of the book were a

nice touch and showed how much he was held in high regard. I highly recommend

this book about one of life’s good guys.

The Pirate Queens - The Lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read

The Pirate Queens - The lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read written by Rebecca Alexandra

Simon and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20.00 - Hardback - Pages 208

Between August and October 1720, two female pirates named Anne Bonny and Mary Read terrorized the Caribbean in and around Jamaica. Despite their short career, they became two of the most notorious pirates during the height of the eighteenth-century Golden Age of Piracy. In a world dominated by men, they became infamous for their bravery, cruelty and unwavering determination to escape the social constraints placed on women during that time. Despite their infamy, mystery shrouds their lives before they became pirates. Their biographies were recorded in Captain Charles Johnson’s 1724 book, A General History of the Pyrates, depicting the two women as illegitimate women raised by men who, against insurmountable odds, crossed paths in Nassau and became pirates together. But how much is fact versus fiction?

This first full-length biography about Anne Bonny and Mary Read explores their intriguing backgrounds while examining the social context of women in their lifetime and their legacy in popular culture that exists to the present day. Using A General History of the Pyrates, early modern legal documents relating to women, their recorded public trial in The Tryal of Jack Rackham and Other Pyrates, newspapers and new, uncovered research, this book unravels the mysteries and legends surrounding their lives.

When pirates come up it always pricks my interest mainly because I live in the area where another pirate is said to have come from, Barti Duu (or in English, Black Bart) and my only problem really with pirates is the lack of knowledge, records or understanding we have about them. But as the author has a highly recommended knowledge and background in pirates and their lives, I found it safe to say that although a 100% knowledge of these two might not be available, the author has a solid background in the subject.

This book looks at the lives and ventures of these two female pirates, and it was a really good read and very informative throughout. I think the author Simon has done a good job based on the information available, it was quite entertaining and I would actually like to learn more about other pirates now too. I would recommend this book, the author has done a great job.

A Spitfire Named Connie

A Spitfire Named Connie written by Air Marshall ‘Black’ Robertson and published

by Air World Books - £25.00 - Hardback - Pages 304

A Spitfire Named Connie is an exciting, rollercoaster of a story. A prequel to Fighters in the Blood, it tells how ‘Robbie’ Robertson begins his RAF training during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz. As he learns his trade, he is soon rubbing shoulders with Fighter Command heroes, amongst them Brian Kingcome, ‘Ginger’ Lacey and Bob Stanford Tuck.

Moving from 111 to 72 Squadron, he opens his account against the Luftwaffe in the spring of 1942. Six months later, as he adds further to his score, the action moves to the skies over North Africa. It is there that tragedy strikes. Wounded and shot down by one of the Luftwaffe’s most celebrated Experten, his Spitfire crashes to the ground.

Found lying near the wreckage by an army patrol, Robbie is moved from casualty clearing stations to hospitals across Tunisia and Algeria as doctors try desperately to save his sight. Finally, unable to stand the pain any longer, he reluctantly agrees to the removal of his right eye. A slow recovery and eventual return to the UK is no compensation for the end of his flying career.

Desk-bound for the remainder of the war, the second and more poignant period of his RAF life begins. The young schoolgirl, Connie Freeman, with whom he has been in regular correspondence since her evacuation, becomes his wife.

It is literally hundreds of Robbie’s letters that form the basis of this powerful, moving and emotional story. Together with his own and Connie’s diaries, correspondence from RAF colleagues and his flying logbook, they bring a unique authenticity to this highly-charged tale.

A Spitfire Named Connie reads like a novel, filled with excitement, pathos and compassion. Yet, incredible as it may seem, almost every word is true.

This book is a long series of letters around the life of Robbie Robertson a young pilot who has just qualified to fly in the RAF, as told by his son Air Marshall ‘Black’ Robertson. Through these letters, we learn about the life and happy life of Robbie Robertson as a young spitfire pilot that earned him a promotion to the North Africa theatre of war in the Second World War. This happiness was until he was shot down by the Luftwaffe, thrown from his plane he is found but found seriously wounded and ended up having to lose his right eye. To which he then has to return to England and take up office work, but meets his wife, a young woman he had corresponded with and they then strike up a close relationship and then marriage.

I’m sure I reviewed the author’s previous book, as the writing style reminded me of a

book I read last year. The book is very good and I enjoyed the book as it is very much

written as a story. An excellent book based upon the letters of a pilot in the RAF, and the

book helps that it receives the input of the author son too which adds to the narrative.