Search Results: HISTORY / Military / World War II from William Robertson

London: Patrick Stephens, 1988. Hardcover. Fair/good. Details of Britain's SOE and America's OSS organisations which operated at a number of secret locations within a short radius of the county town of Bedford. The movement of secret agents to, from, and within occupied Europe; the supply of arms and equipment to resistance groups; the breaking of enemy codes and other means of electronic warfare - these were all conducted by these shadowy and secretive units, whose records were classified secret for many years after the war (and remain so, in part, to this day). The author gives us a detailed glimpse behind the scenes of this secret war including some highly controversial thoughts on the disappearance of wartime band-leader, Glenn Miller. Contains 192 pages, 24 x 15cm, with 48 pages of b&w photos. Ex-library, remains of label on front endpaper, some library markings. Black cloth boards in Good illustrated dust jacket. Internally, Fair: pages yellowing, but generally clean in sound bindings.

Staplehurst: Spellmount, 2002. First UK edition. Hardcover. Fine/near fine. Used. Fine/Near Fine Jacket. A teenager's vivid and moving account of his experiences as a conscript during the final six weeks of the Third Reich's existence, supplemented with notes and photographs to show how his experiences fitted into the overall picture. The author received rudimentary basic training on the Eastern Front then took part in the desperate defence of Berlin, where he fought in the western suburb of Spandau, becoming one of only two survivors of his company of teenagers. After an abortive attempt to desert, he participates in the battle for the Olympic Stadium in the U-Bahn tunnels toward the city centre. Returning to barracks, he then takes part in the break-out to the west that turns into a bloodbath for soldiers and civilians alike, only to be wounded and finally captured. A remarkable story of the last days of World War II from the German perspective. Contains 248 pages, 24 x 16cm, with 32 b&w… Read More

London: Jonathan Cape, 1979. Reprint. Hardcover. Good/Good. A detailed re-examination of Hitler's blitz-kreig, or 'lightning war', which in a few short months saw the Nazis victorious on most of mainland Europe. Deighton begins by tracing the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party, showing how this was inevitable, despite (or because of) the back-stabbing and scheming within the highest ranks. He then explodes many of the myths that still surround the German military campaigns of 1940, especially the attitude of German Generals to Hitler's plans; how the French were defeated despite their often superior forces; why Hitler stopped short of Dunkirk, and many other facets. Inlcudes a detailed review of the major weapons and other equipment used by all sides. Ranks with the author's earlier study of the Battle of Britain as a revealing, sometimes shocking, examination of the true facts. Contains 319 pages, 21.5 x 14cm, 59 b&w photos, 20 maps, 23 figures and 2 tables. Ex-library, some library markings, front… Read More

London: Marshall Cavendish, 1980. Hardcover. Good/Good. A day by day chronology of World War II, from the German invasion of Poland in 1939 to the capitulation of Japan in 1945 - six bitter years of struggle and sacrifice. Fully illustrated with photos and newspaper headlines of the day. Major events are highlighted in bold print for easy cross-reference, and includes a full glossary and index. From land, sea and air campaigns to civilian life, each front is given a seperate entry, so the reader can follow the simultaneous unfolding of far-flung events, or focus on areas of particular interest. Tables of facts and figures chart the course and cost of the war while twenty detailed maps locate the action. Concise biographies of the leading personalities are featured, alongside provocative analyses of the key turning points in the Axis bid for world domination. A wealth of fascinating detail for the military historian or general reader. Contains 200 pages, 29 x 22cms, illustrated throughout with b&w… Read More

Edinburgh: Mainstream, 1994. Hardcover. Fair/good. An expose of appalling war crimes commited during the early days of the Nazi occupation of the western Soviet Union. Reveals how the Allies allowed the perpetrators of these crimes to live quietly in the West in order to prosecute the Cold War against the Soviets. Above all, it is the human story of history's greatest crimes against humanity and the men who strove to expose the criminals, against the wishes of the cynics and some of the most powerful sections of The Establishment. A powerful, shocking and very moving volume. Size, 24 x 16cm, 222 pages, 8 pages of b&w photos. Ex-library, front endpaper removed, some library markings. Black cloth boards in good pictorial dust jacket. Internally, fair: ocassional light stains but generally clean and unmarked in sound bindings.

London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1992. Hardcover. Fair/good. The full story of Operation Torch, which on 8 November 1942 landed more than 100,000 troops on the shores of North Africa in the Allies first major offensive operation of WWII. This was the largest amphibious invasion ever attempted at that stage of the war, involving more than 500 American and British warships, supply vessels and troop transports. The ultimate aim of Torch was to initiate the process that would eventually lead to the destruction of Hitler's Third Reich - as such, its success was crucial to everything that came after, including the D-Day landings in Normandy two years later. Size, 24 x 16cm, 366 pages, 16 pages of b&w photos and documents, 2 maps. Ex-library, front endpaper removed, some library markings. Red cloth boards in good pictorial dust jacket. Internally, fair: ocassional stains, otherwise a fair reading copy. -Free UK Shipping

Berchtesgaden: Druckerei Und Verlag Plenk KG, 1985. First Edition. Paperback. Fine. Fine/-. Pictorial card covers in Fine condition. Internally, Fine: clean, bright and unmarked in excellent bindings. Contains 80-pages, 29.5 x 21cm, illustrated throughout with colour and b&w photos, plus special artwork and maps. Comprehensive and detailed history of the so-called 'Eagle's Nest' - the mountain lodge overlooking Berchtesgaden, constructed as a 50th birthday present by Martin Bormann for Adolph Hitler. Covers the design and construction of the house itself, as well as the breathtaking mountain road built to reach it. Sections also cover such details as, the anti-aircraft defences around Berchtesgaden; the RAF air raid of April, 1945; the American occupation of the area in May, 1945; post-war reconstruction, and 'The Eagle's Nes' today. There is even a page devoted to Hitler's Mercedes-Benz limousine. The book's photographs are remarkable, some never before published, showing Hitler, Eva Braun, and other… Read More

Stroud: Alan Sutton , 1990. First edition thus. Hardcover. Fair/good. 1200g. Official and comprehensive history of the German occupation of the Channel Islands: the only British territory to be occupied by the Nazis in WWII. Size, 25 x 17cm, 310 pages, illustrated throughout with b&w photos. Ex-library, front endpapers removed, some library markings. Black cloth boards in good pictorial dust jacket. Internally, fair+: shows ocassional stain, but mostly clean in sound bindings.

London: Leo Cooper, 1992. Hardcover. Good/Good. Goes beyond the stereotyped images to examine the true nature of the military commanders of Hitler's Third Reich. Here you will meet Theodor Eicke, who went directly from being an inmate of a mental institution to commandant of the concentration camp at Dachau; Ernst Udet, a drug-abuser and womanizer whose ineptitude ruined the German bomber forces; Fedor von Bock, the humourless embodiment of ruthless ambition; Walter Wever, the stategic genius; Michael Wittmann, the quiet farm worker who became the greatest tank destroyer of all time; Hans-Joachim Marseille, playboy and perhaps the greatest lady-killer in Europe; Helmut Becker, commander of the Death's Head SS Panzer Division and a killer of an entirely different order; Rudolph Stegmann, a hero whose insobordination saved his command, although he could not save himself; and Erhard Milch, the son of a Jewish pharmacist who became the number two man in the Luftwaffe. They are all here, as well as dozens… Read More

London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1995. Reprint. Paperback. Good. Detailed review of this unique theatre of World War II, on land, at sea and in the air, with its vast expanses proving every bit as formidable as the enemy. Here you will read about the armoured & infantry clashes between the two great opposing armies: Britain's 8th Army, notably under Montgomery, and the German Afrika Korps, led by Rommel Using extracts from memoirs, diaries, letters and taped interviews, we hear the authentic voice of men at war, from Britain and her Commonwealth allies. Contains 208 pages, 24 x 19cm, with over 100 photos, drawings, paintings and maps. Ex-library, front endpapers removed, some library markings. Pictorial card covers in Good conditon. Internally, Good: generally clean and unmarked in sound bindings.

London: BCA , 1980. Hardcover. Good/good. Fascinating and accurate speculation on what might have occurred had the Nazis invaded Britain in July of 1940. Makes chilling reading when considering how near it came to happening in reality. Size 24 x 16cm, 223 pages, 32 pages of b&w photos, 12 maps. Blue cloth boards in Good illustrated dust jacket, internally Good: clean, bright and unmarked in excellent bindings.

London: Bison , 1976. Hardcover. Very Good/very good. Very Good/Very Good Jacket. Exhaustive coverage of the Imperial Japanese Forces during WWII. Covers every detail of land, air and sea forces, from history and organizaton, down to individual weapons. As well as many period photographs, the informative text is accompanied by stunning colour illustrations of guns, tanks, ships and aircraft, plus uniforms, insignia, and campaign maps. Contains 255 pages, 30.5 x 21.5cm, and illustrated throughout in colour and b&w. Red cloth boards in very good pictorial dust jacket. Internally, very good: clean, bright and unmarked in excellent bindings.

Marlborough: Crowood Press, 1989. First UK edition. Hardcover. Fair/Good. The author was serving as a marine aboard the USS Houston when it was sunk by the Japanese in May, 1942. Taken prisoner, he was held for the next forty-three months in slave labour camps in Burma, Thailand and Saigon. This is the vivid account of his ordeal - and that of thousands of other Alllied POWs - under barbaric conditions. Above all, it is the story of an unsung hero, Dr Henri Hekking, a medic with the Dutch Colonial Army, who at great personal risk, saved the lives of hundreds of prisoners (including that of the author) through his knowledge of wild jungle herbs and their medical applications. Originally published in the US in 1988, this is the First UK Edition. Contains 209 pages, 23 x 15cm, 18 pages of b&w photos and 1 map. Ex-library, front endpaper removed, some library markings. Internally, fair-to-good: slight age-related yellowing, but mostly clean and unmarked in sound bindings.

London: Brown Books , 1995. Hardcover. Fair/good. A unique collection of the thoughts and deeds of Hitler's elite fighting force, the Waffen-SS. Veterans of all ranks and nationalities recall their training, indoctrination, political and military leaders and much more. They talk openly and candidly about the atrocities commited by their units, both on and off the battlefield. Feared, hated and respected in almost equal measure on all battle fronts, this is a fascinating insight into this most infamous Nazi fighting unit. Size, 24.5 x 19cm, 192 pages, illustrated throughout with b&w photos, some never before published. Ex-library, front endpaper removed, some library markings. Black cloth boards in good pictorial dust jacket. Internally, fair: generally clean and unmarked in sound bindings.

London: Hamish Hamilton , 1988. Hardcover. Good/very good. A re-examination of the events surrounding the Munich Agreement of 1938. Many historians have seen this as a shameful betrayal of Czechoslovakia, while others argue that by 'sacrificing' the Czechs, Chamberlain bought valuable time for Britain to re-arm. In this volume, the author threads his way through the preceding history of Germany, Czechoslovakia and above all the strained relations between Britain and France in the 1930s. As a result, he finds a disturbing inevitability in the final tragic events. Size, 24 x 15.5cm, 242 pages, 12 pages of b&w photos. Ex-library, front endpaper removed, some library markings. Brown cloth boards in very good pictorial dust jacket. Internally, good: shows some yellowing of page extremities, but otherwise clean and unmarked in excellent bindings.

Stevenage: Spa, 1990. Hardcover. Fair/Good. The author was one of only a very few Jewish soldiers to reach the rank of warrant officer class 1 in the British Army. Here, he describes what it was like to be an armament sergeant-major with REME in the Second World War. Starting with his pre-war days as a TA soldier, we follow him into the regular army on the outbreak of war, and thence through the campaigns in North Africa, Italy and Northern Europe. This is a warm, affectionate memoir of one man's war set in the context of a happy upbringing and background to which, his duty done, he was able to return safely. Contains 279 pages with 16 pages of b&w photos and some maps. Ex-library, front endpaper removed, some library markings. Grey boards in good pictorial dust jacket. Internally, Fair: mostly clean in sound bindings.

London: Blandford, 1992. First Edition. Hardcover. Fair/Good. London: Blandford, 1992. First Edition. Hardcover. Fair/Good. Hardback. 1st Edition. Fair/Good. The author was a leading member of a group of RAF servicemen taken prisoner by German paratroops on Crete in 1941. His vivid account tells how he and the others were wrongfully accused of killing wounded German soldiers, and how they escaped execution themselves. There follows a tale of grim survival in the gruelling months after the island's capture. Contains 272 pages, 24 x 15.5cm, and 1 map. Ex-library, front endpaper removed, some library markings. Blue cloth boards in good illustrated dust jacket. Internally, fair: shows the occasional light stain, but generally clean, bright and unmarked in sound bindings.

London: Arms & Armour Press , 1995. Paperback. Good. London: Arms & Armour Press , 1995. Paperback. Good. Softcover. 1st edition. Good/-. The full story of Soviet spy networks which operated very successfully in Germany, France, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland during World War II. Size, 23 x 15.5cm, 224 pages, 4 maps. Ex-library, front endpaper removed, some library markings. Illustrated laminated card covers in good condition. Internally, good: clean, bright and unmarked in excellent bindings.

Durham: Pentland Press, 1995. Hardcover. Good/Good. Durham: Pentland Press, 1995. Hardcover. Good/Good. Hardback. 1st Edition. Good/Good. A collection of stories, written in the main in the words of ex-WAAFs of the Second World War. It tells of their joys, their tears, and their times of great trauma, but, through it all, there shines good humour, pride, a sense of belonging and a very real love and compassion for those with whom they served. Contains 240 pages, 24 x 17cm, with 17 b&w photos. Ex-library, front endpaper removed, some library markings. Blue cloth boards in Good pictorial dust jacket. Internally Good: some reinforcement of hinges with invisible tape, otherwise generally clean and unmarked in sound bindings.

London: London Guild 1988, 1988. Reprint. Hardcover. Near Fine/very good. In depth and authorative account of the German airborne forces (the Fallschirmjaeger) in WWII. Covers their history and development; training; weapons; organization; operations, etc. Heavilly illustrated with contemporary photographs, some never before published. Contains 191 pages, 25 x 19cm, and illustrated throughout with b&w photos. Black cloth boards in Very Good illustrated dust jacket. Internally, Near Fine: clean, bright and unmarked in excellent bindings.