From their inception in June 1940 British Commando units conducted a succession of daring hit-&-run raids from the sea into North-West Europe Scandinavia Italy & the Middle East. Among the highly publicised Commando operations were the raids on Vaagso Dieppe & St Nazaire. The Commandos also spawned a range of other Special Forces including the Special Air Service Special Boat Service & the Parachute Regiment. This book provides a detailed examination of the Army (and later Royal Marine) Commandos raised in the United Kingdom from 1940 through to 1946 when the Army Commandos were disbanded & the role was assigned exclusively to the Royal Marines. ...

Gradually evolving from the masted steam frigates of the mid-nineteenth century the first modern cruiser is not easy to define but for the sake of this book the starting point is taken to be Iris & Mercury of 1875. They were the RN's first steel-built warships; were designed primarily to be steamed rather than sailed; & formed the basis of a line of succeeding cruiser classes. The story ends with the last armoured cruisers which were succeeded by the first battlecruisers (originally called armoured cruisers) & with the last Third Class Cruisers (Topaze class) all conceived before 1906. Coverage therefore dovetails precisely with Friedman's previous book on British cruisers although this one also

Includes:: the wartime experience of the earlier ships.rn The two central themes are cruisers for the fleet & cruisers for overseas operations including (but not limited to) trade protection. The distant-waters aspect covers the belted cruisers which were nearly capital ships intended to deal with foreign second-class battleships in the Far East. The main enemies contemplated during this period were France & Russia & the book

Includes:: British assessments of their strength & intentions with judgements as to how accurate those assessments were.rn As would be expected of Friedman the book is deeply researched original in its analysis & full of striking insights
- another major contribution to the history of British warships.




...

For most of the twentieth century Britain possessed both the world's largest merchant fleet & its most extensive overseas territories. It is not surprising therefore that the Royal Navy always showed a particular interest in the cruiser
- a multi-purpose warship needed in large numbers to defend trade routes & police the empire. Above all other types the cruiser's competing demands of quality & quantity placed a heavy burden on designers & for most of the inter-war years Britain sought to square this circle through international treaties restricting both size & numbers. In the process she virtually invented the heavy cruiser & inspired the large 6in-armed cruiser neither of which ironically served her best interests. For the first time this book seeks to comprehend the full policy background from which a different & entirely original picture emerges of British cruiser development. After the war the cruiser's role was reconsidered & the final chapters of the book cover modernisations the plans for missile-armed ships & the convoluted process that turned the 'through-deck cruiser' into the Invincible class light carriers. With detailed appendices of ship data & illustrated in depth with photos & A D Baker's specially commissioned plans British Cruisers truly matches the lofty standards set by Friedman's previous books on British destroyers.
...

This landmark book celebrates the best of British design documenting the transformation & impact of designers work over the years between the post-war Austerity Games of 1948 & the 2012 Olympics. As well as essays by leading curators & commentators British Design incorporates pieces by key practitioners (including Peter Saville Barbara Hulanicki Paul Smith & Tom Dixon) to build a comprehensive survey of over 350 of the finest examples of fashion & textiles furniture ceramics & glass theatre design graphics photography architecture fine art & sculpture from this period. In addition to discussing works commissioned for official purposes including the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II & the Festival of Britain the book highlights the globally influential & very British counter-culture from the sixties boutiques of Mary Quant & Ossie Clark through to the club cultures of Punk the New Romantics & Rave. ...

Since the Second World War the old categories of destroyer & frigate have tended to merge a process that this book traces back to the radically different Tribal class destroyers of 1936. It deals with the development of all the modern destroyer classes that fought the war looks at the emergency programmes that produced vast numbers of trade protection vessels
- sloops corvettes & frigates
- then analyses the pressures that shaped the post-war fleet & continued to dominate design down to recent years. Written by Americas leading authority it is an objective but sympathetic view of the difficult economic & political environment in which British designers had to work & benefits from the authors ability to compare & contrast the US Navys experience. Norman Friedman is renowned for his ability to explain the policy & strategy changes that drive design decisions & his latest book uses previously unpublished material to draw a new & convincing picture of British naval policy over the previous seventy years & more. Hugely successful with enthusiasts & professionals alike from its first publication in 2006 this is the books third edition.

...

William Gordon Perrin (1874-1931) was an RAF & Navy officer who also held the position of Admiralty Librarian from 1908 to 1931. Originally published in 1922 British Flags provides a detailed analysis of the uses & development of flags. It is regularly regarded as one of the foremost volumes on flags setting a benchmark for the studies which followed. The text contains numerous illustrative figures together with detailed notes & an exhaustive index. This is a highly informative book that will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of flags British history & naval history. ...

The fossil-bearing rocks of the British Isles represent life from the last 2 900 million years & the UK is seen by many as the cradle of modern geology. Using the geological map of Britain expert palaeontologist Peter Doyle offers a comprehensive guide to fossils in the UK plotting the main fossil groups around the country & relating them to the different ages of the rock in which they are found. With photographs of the fossils that can be discovered & tips on how to find them yourself British Fossils" is the perfect companion for the novice fossil hunter or enthusiast." ...

In the Age of Fighting Sail" (1650-1820) ambitious officers of the navies of many nations sought command of a frigate. Speedy nimble & formidably armed frigates often operated independently unlike the larger ships of the line. Legendary sailors such as Edward Pellew & Charles-Alexandre Leon Durand Comte de Linoise found that commanding such a ship offered numerous opportunities for wealth. In this book four representative frigate duels are examined: first a battle fought between two closely matched ships (HMS Nymphe (36) vs La Cleopatre (32); second a victory won by an inferior British frigate over a superior French frigate (HMS Pallas (32) vs Minerve (40); third a victory
- the only one
- by an inferior French frigate over a superior British frigate (HMS Ambuscade (32) vs Baionnaise (24) & fourth victory of a superior British frigate over an inferior French frigate (HMS Indefatigable (44) of Hornblower fame vs La Virginie (40). Featuring specially commissioned artwork & offering expert analysis this study provides a vivid account of the bloody combats fought by the most romantic warship of the Revolutionary & Napoleonic era
- the frigate."


...

Instant Guides are packed with essential information & useful facts covering a wide variety of subjects from survival skills to stargazing. Portable easy to use & durable they contain all the basics whether youre studying the subject or just interested. For practical topics such as Bicycle maintenance they offer expert advice to-the-point instructions & tips from insiders. Booklets on more educational topics such as The Human Body provide colourful diagrams & straightforward information. ...

The British General Election of 2010 is a must-read for anyone wanting to know how the action unfolded in the most dramatic election for a generation. Drawing on hundreds of confidential interviews with all the key players it offers a compelling insiders guide to the elections background campaign & results including a detailed account of what really happened in the formation of the UKs first coalition government since the second world war. Designed to appeal to everyone from Westminster insiders to politics students & to the wider general public this is the authoritative account of the 2010 election. Continuing a proud Palgrave Macmillan tradition The British General Election of 2010 is the eighteenth in the prestigious series of books dating back to 1945. ...