{"title":"Second World War Books","description":"\u003cspan\u003eLearn more about life in th\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ee\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Second World War\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewith\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003especially\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e curated selection of books by leading historians and authors. \u003c\/span\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"audacious-missions-of-wwii","title":"Audacious Missions of World War II: Daring Acts of Bravery Revealed Through Letters and Documents from the Time","description":"\u003cp\u003eWinning World War II was about more than military force. It required guile, and tremendous acts of bravery by Special Forces and intelligence operatives who had the odds stacked against them. Using hundreds of documents and images from The National Archives, including some that have never been seen in print before, this book reveals some of World War II's most audacious missions. These include Operation Anthropoid, the plot to assassinate SS General Reinhard Heydrich in Czechoslovakia in 1942, Operation Chariot, the attempt to damage the mighty German warship Tirpitz while she was in dock in St-Nazaire in France; and Operation Mincemeat, a complex plot whereby a corpse, replete with documentation designed to mislead the enemy, was dropped in southern Spain to spread misinformation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074193166467,"sku":"9781472829955","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9781472829955.jpg?v=1610104880"},{"product_id":"brit-army-cap-badges-wwii","title":"British Army Cap Badges of The Second World War","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn their companion volume to British Army Cap Badges of the First World War, authors Peter Doyle and Chris Foster present an overview of the main cap badges worn by the British Army during the Second World War, which continued the rich and varied tradition of British regimental insignia. This book describes and illustrates, for the first time in high quality full colour, the main types of cap badge worn. With many amalgamations, war-raised units and special forces, British military insignia from the period have a surprising range that differs substantially from that worn by the soldiers of the previous generation. As in the first book, this volume contains contemporary illustrations of the soldiers themselves wearing the badges. Employing the skills of an established writer (and collector) and artist, it provides a unique reference guide for anyone interested in the British Army of the period.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shire","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074206175363,"sku":"9780747810919","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9780747810919.jpg?v=1610108134"},{"product_id":"british-armoured-formations-bi","title":"British Armoured Formations 1939 - 1945, a Bibliography: Annotated and Illustrated, Incorporating Armoured Regiments, Brigades and Divisions in Service During World War Two","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe only single source reference bibliography for tank related histories and memoirs. Includes a complete listing of all tank and armoured car regiments. Notes sections are provided for each entry with comments and observations and appendices provide quick reference tables for the regiments, theatres of operations, those using \"Funnies\" and post-war regimental titles for the cavalry.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tank Factory","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074207453315,"sku":"9780993022807","price":36.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/files\/bafbibliography.jpg?v=1683898581"},{"product_id":"churchills-most-secret-airfie","title":"Churchill's Most Secret Airfield: RAF Tempsford","description":"\u003cp\u003eDesigned by illusionist Jasper Maskelyne, RAF Tempsford was constructed to give overflying enemy aircraft the impression it was disused. Nothing could be further from the truth - just after dusk on moonlit nights either side of the full moon, planes from the 138 and 161 Squadrons would take off on top secret missions to the heart of the war-torn Continent. They had to fly low and without lights in order to identify drop zones and deliver the supplies and secret agents that would help the resistance forces liberate Europe.But despite the attention of Churchill and George VI, the airfield's secrets have long remained an untold chapter in the story of the war. Based on over a decade's extensive research, Churchill's Most Secret Airfield: RAF Tempsford is filled with intrigue, suspense, heartbreak, and humour. It is a fascinating account of a deadly serious business.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Amberley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074218332291,"sku":"9781445606903","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9781445606903.jpg?v=1610108995"},{"product_id":"d-day-war-diaries-soe","title":"The D-Day War Diaries: French Resistance and the Special Operations Executive","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe SOE was the SIS (Secret Intelligence Service) based at St Ermin’s Hotel in London and then when Major-General Gubbins was appointed it moved to Baker Street in London. The SOE was split into various departments. F Section was responsible for France under Colonel Buckmaster. He recruited agents from the Women’s Nursing Auxiliary (FANY – First Aid Nursing Yeomanry), who knew France and could fit into the landscape. Training took place in Britain. The book documents all the SOE establishment, all the agents and operations conducted and the outcome of the agents and joint operations with the Maquis. The French Resistance was not organised until Jean Moulin who was originally in the French Government got to England and was then parachuted back into France to organise the eight separate organisations under the FFI (French Forces of the Interior) banner. Moulin was betrayed and arrested and then executed. A lot of the operations conducted are documented with photographs. Without all this activity the D-Day landings would not have been successful.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"James Robertshaw","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074227671171,"sku":"9781916184107","price":12.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/files\/Book-8-Cover-W.jpg?v=1716307685"},{"product_id":"d-day-war-diaries-us-beaches","title":"The D-Day War Diaries: United States Beaches","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis book combines the three earlier books by the same author. It is a consolidated book, with more information on the landings. The book tells the story of how the landings were organised, intelligence gathered, and the deception plans. It also defines where the US troops trained in England prior to the D-Day Landings, and the location of camps by county (mainly in the South West of England and Wales). The book lists the ships that were used in the Battle of Normandy (Operation Overlord) and includes the US Airborne Air Plans and drop zones. It mentions the German units occupying the Contentin peninsula and Normandy beaches with photographs of some of the German fortifications and units manning the beaches. It is a useful reference of the operations conducted by the USAF and Naval Units and the first actions on D-Day up to D-Day + 8. The citations and awards given as reward for actions are listed as well. This book complements the other books in the series. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"James Robertshaw","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074227703939,"sku":"9781916184121","price":16.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/files\/US_Beaches-Cover7.jpg?v=1716307828"},{"product_id":"desparate-victories","title":"Desperate Victories: Military Despatches from Dunkirk to the Battle of Britain","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn Desperate Victories, professional historian Harry Bennett provides first-hand accounts and commentary on the British reaction to one of the greatest shocks in military history : the German blitzkrieg in the west. Selecting the official accounts, known as despatches, written by key senior commanders in 1940, the author portrays in the most direct way possible the plans and challenges as the Allies struggled to cope with the German onslaught and to adjust to a whole new style of warfare. Harry Bennett provides a concise and revealing background to the German offensive in the west before providing commentary to each of the carefully chosen despatches, which describe first-hand the plans that would mean either defeat or survival for Britain as the European continent collapsed under the Nazi storm. These documents cover the extraordinary events where British forces somehow escaped annihilation at Dunkirk, the withdrawal from Western France, the retreat from Norway and the desperate fight of 'the few' in the Battle of Britain against overwhelming odds. Although much has been written about all these events, there is no way of getting closer to real history that the first-hand accounts of those who had to make the do-or-die decisions at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Amberley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074231439491,"sku":"9781445668161","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9781445668161.jpg?v=1610109708"},{"product_id":"dogs-of-courage","title":"Dogs of Courage: When Britain's Pets Went to War 1939-45","description":"\u003cspan\u003eThe incredible journey of the dogs conscripted to fight for their country, with some even returning with medals for their bravery. During the most dangerous days of the Second World War, the British government set out to recruit an army of canines - a 'Guard Dog Unit'.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis experimental team of brave hounds would later use their incredible sense of smell to sniff out the anti-personnel mines that barred the way to reclaiming Europe. Dog owners countrywide shed tears as they bid farewell to their beloved 'Brian', 'Rex', or 'Molly' and packed them off to the War Dogs Training School to learn the skills they'd need to 'do their bit for Britain' on the very frontiers of the Third Reich. The soldiers waiting out in the field to greet their canine counterparts were under strict instructions: do not get too attached to your new four-legged companion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThat bit proved disastrously impossible. Based on original documents, first-hand accounts and interviews, Dogs of Courage tells a story of human determination, heartbreak and uncompromising canine courage that has never been told before.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Corsair","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074233536643,"sku":"9781472115676","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9781472115676.jpg?v=1611062631"},{"product_id":"fashion-on-the-ration","title":"Fashion on the Ration: Style in The Second World War","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn September 1939, just three weeks after the outbreak of war, Gladys Mason wrote briefly in her diary about events in Europe: 'Hitler watched German siege of Warsaw. City in flames.' And, she continued, 'Had my wedding dress fitted. Lovely.'For Gladys Mason, and for thousands of women throughout the long years of the war, fashion was not simply a distraction, but a necessity - and one they weren't going to give up easily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the face of bombings, conscription, rationing and ludicrous bureaucracy, they maintained a sense of elegance and style with determination and often astonishing ingenuity. From the young woman who avoided the dreaded 'forces bloomers' by making knickers from military-issue silk maps, to Vogue's indomitable editor Audrey Withers, who balanced lobbying government on behalf of her readers with driving lorries for the war effort, Julie Summers weaves together stories from ordinary lives and high society to provide a unique picture of life during the Second World War. As a nation went into uniform and women took on traditional male roles, clothing and beauty began to reflect changing social attitudes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor the first time, fashion was influenced not only by Hollywood and high society but by the demands of industrial production and the pressing need to 'make-do-and-mend'. Beautifully illustrated and full of gorgeous detail, Fashion on the Ration lifts the veil on a fascinating era in British fashion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Profile Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074245857411,"sku":"9781781253274","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9781781253274.jpg?v=1610110713"},{"product_id":"german-invasion-plans-1940","title":"German Invasion Plans for the British Isles, 1940","description":"\u003cp\u003eImmediately after the fall of France in June 1940, Hitler ordered his generals to organize the invasion of Britain under a plan codenamed Operation Sealion. The objective was to land 160,000 German soldiers along a forty-mile coastal stretch of south-east England.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrior to the invasion, a complex set of documents had been drawn up, consisting of maps, aerial photographs, a physical description of the British Isles - region by region, statistics about roads, lists of strategic targets, and a short phrase book for the invading forces when it became necessary to fraternize with the local populace. This book brings together a selection of these documents and reproduces them in a handy-sized format. It includes aerial photographs of strategic sites, maps of the main urban centres (with identified targets), a detailed listing of British roads, advice for officers about how to mount an attack on each county, a brief description of the social composition of Britain, and a dictionary and phrase book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt also includes an introduction setting the material in its historical and military context. These invasion plans survive in very few numbers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bodleian Library","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074254835843,"sku":"9781851243563","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9781851243563.jpg?v=1610111837"},{"product_id":"heath-robinsons-home-front","title":"Heath Robinson's Home Front: How to Make Do and Mend in Style","description":"\u003cp\u003eHow does one play bridge in a gas mask? Or enjoy motoring without consuming petrol? Or deal with a nationwide shortage of pea-sticks? For this compact little book Heath Robinson joined forces with writer Cecil Hunt to show civilians `how to make the best of things' during the air raids, rationing, allotment tending and blackouts of the Second World War. 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Knight became a legendary spymaster despite an almost total lack of qualifications. What set him apart from his peers was a mercurial ability to transform almost anyone into a fearless secret agent. He was the first in MI5 to grasp the potential of training female agents. M is about more than just one man however. In its pages, Hemming reveals for the first time in print the names and stories of seven men and women recruited by Knight, on behalf of MI5, and then asked to infiltrate the most dangerous political organizations in Britain at that time. Until now, their identities have been kept secret outside MI5.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arrow","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074296811651,"sku":"9781784752040","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9781784752040.jpg?v=1610357028"},{"product_id":"operation-fortitude","title":"Operation Fortitude: The Greatest Hoax of the Second World War","description":"\u003cp\u003eOperation Fortitude was the ingenious web of deception spun by the Allies to mislead the Nazis as to how and where the D-Day landings were to be mounted. The story of how this web was woven is one of intrigue, personal drama, ground-breaking techniques, internal resistance, and good fortune. It is a tale of double agents, black radio broadcasts, phantom armies, 'Ultra' decrypts, and dummy parachute drops.These diverse tactics were intended to come together to create a single narrative so compelling that it would convince Adolf Hitler of its authenticity. Operation Fortitude was intended to create the false impression that the Normandy landings were merely a feint to disguise a massive forthcoming invasion by this American force in the Pas de Calais. In other words, the success of D-Day -- the beginning of the end of the Second World War -- was made possible by the efforts of men and women who were not present on the Normandy beaches.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Collins","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074322534531,"sku":"9780007395873","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9780007395873.jpg?v=1610364257"},{"product_id":"royal-navy-officiers-pocket-b","title":"The Royal Navy Officer's Pocket Book 1944","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Officer's Handbook gathers together useful advice and instruction for those naval officers fighting the Second World War on all aspects of their job, expressed in the benevolent language of the day, when authority was respected. The Handbook has been compiled and edited by Brian Lavery, who provides commentary and an introduction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSections include: the Officer's Aid Memoire containing notes of the training course at one of the officer training schools; Notes for medical officers and treatment of battle casualties afloat; Notes for captains on taking command of their first ship; Notes for commanding officers; Notes on the handling and safety of ships and notes on dealing with disobedience and mutiny.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile suffused with nostalgia and charm, the various contents of this book are an authentic presentation of matters of training, authority and deportment in the wartime navy.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Osprey Military","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074358251651,"sku":"9781472834089","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9781472834089.jpg?v=1610375616"},{"product_id":"second-wolrd-war-lives","title":"Second World War Lives: A Guide for Family Historians","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Second World War was a momentous event in twentieth-century history and it is a fascinating period for family historians to explore. Numerous records are available to researchers whose relatives served in the war, and James Goulty’s book is an accessible guide on how to locate and understand these sources - and get the most out of them.Using evidence gleaned from a range of sources archives, official records, books, libraries, oral history and the internet he reconstructs the wartime records of a revealing and representative group of ordinary men and women: a signaller, an infantryman, a doctor, an artillery officer, a woman serving with anti-aircraft units, a commando, a Royal Navy bomb disposal officer, RAF fighter and bomber pilots, and others.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pen \u0026 Sword","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074364280963,"sku":"9781848845022","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9781848845022.jpg?v=1610368311"},{"product_id":"secret-agent-pocket-manual","title":"The Secret Agent's Pocket Manual: 1939 - 1945","description":"\u003cp\u003eMost wars have had some element of espionage and subterfuge, but few have included as much as the Second World War, where the all-embracing nature of the conflict, new technology, and the battle of ideologies conspired to make almost everywhere a war zone. The occupation of much of Europe in particular left huge areas that could be exploited. Partisans, spies and saboteurs risked everything in a limbo where the normal rules of war were usually suspended. Concealment of oneself, one's weapons and equipment, was vital, and so were the new methods and hardware which were constantly evolving in a bid to stay ahead of the Gestapo and security services. Silent killing, disguise, covert communications and the arts of guerrilla warfare were all advanced as the war progressed. With the embodiment and expansion of organisations such as the British SOE and the American OSS, and the supply of special forces units which operated behind enemy lines, clandestine warfare became a permanent part of the modern military and political scene. Perhaps surprisingly many of these hitherto secret techniques and pieces of equipment were put into print at the time and many examples are now becoming available. This manual brings together a selection of these dark arts and extraordinary objects and techniques in their original form, under one cover to build up an authentic picture of the Allied spy.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Osprey Military","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":34074364772483,"sku":"9781472833280","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0364\/6285\/4275\/products\/9781472833280.jpg?v=1610375714"},{"product_id":"secret-life-of-bletchley-park","title":"The Secret Life of Bletchley Park: The History of the Wartime Codebreaking Centre by the Men and Women Who Worked There","description":"\u003cp\u003eBletchley Park was where one of the war's most famous - and crucial - achievements was made: the cracking of Germany's \"Enigma\" code in which its most important military communications were couched. 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During the Second World War, British undercover agents were the heroes behind the scenes, playing a dangerous and sometimes deadly game - risking all to gather intelligence about their enemies. What did these agents have in their toolkits? What ingenious spy gadgets did they have up their sleeves? What devious tricks did they deploy to avoid detection? 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Under the leadership of the Polish Ambassador, Aleksander Lados, they undertook a systematic programme of forging identity documents for Latin American countries, which were then smuggled into German-occupied Europe to save the lives of thousands of Jews facing extermination in the Holocaust. The Lados operation was one of the largest rescue missions of the entire war, and The Forgers tells this extraordinary story for the first time.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe follow the desperate bids of Jews to obtain these life-saving documents, and their painful uncertainty over whether they will be granted protection from the Nazis' murderous fury. 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