THE SINKING OF THE PRINCE OF WALES
AND THE REPULSE
by Martin Middlebrook & Patrick Mahoney
On 10th December, 1941, the Royal Navy
Battleship HMS Prince of Wales, and the Battlecruiser HMS Repulse,
were sunk by land-based bombers and torpedo bombers of the
Imperial Japanese Navy. The objective of Force Z, which consisted
of one battleship, one battlecruiser and four destroyers, was to
intercept the Japanese invasion fleet north of Malaya, However,
the fleet was without any air support, which had been declined by
the commander of the Force, Admiral Sir Tom Phillips. 840 men died
in the sinking of the two ships. The authors dispose of several
myths and address the controversy surrounding the disastrous
sinkings.
On 25th December 1941, the day of Hong Kong's surrender to the
Japanese, Admiral Chan Chak, the Chinese government's chief agent
in Hong Kong, and more than 60 Chinese and British intelligence,
naval and marine personnel made a dramatic escape from the
invading army. They travelled on five small motor torpedo boats
across Mirs Bay. Then, guided by guerrillas and villagers, they
walked for four days through enemy lines to Huizhou, before flying
to Chongqing or travelling by land to Burma. The breakout laid the
foundations of an escape trail jointly used by the British Army
Aid Group and the East River Column for the rest of the war.
New in d/w - 320pp, illustrations
Hong Kong University Press, 2011
ISBN 9789888083763
The author, a young conscript, fought with The Glorious Glosters
at the legendary Imjin River battle in Korea. Heavily outnumbered
by the Chinese and subjected to 'human wave' infantry attacks, he
and his colleagues suffered the trauma of being over-run. Dave and
those who were not killed became POWs, having to endure appalling
conditions for over two years. This fighting soldier's memoir
brings home some most unpalatable truths.
The Remarkable Career of Petellius Cerialis, one of the few
Imperial Roman officers, below the level of Emperor, whose career
it is possible to follow in sufficient detail to write a coherent
biography. Cerealis was in Britain when Boudicca's revolt erupted
(60 or 61 AD) and marched to confront her. He lost most of his
force but narrowly escaped with his own skin intact. In 69 AD, the
infamously tumultuous 'year of the four emperors', he was in Rome,
the seat of conspiracy. When his uncle, Vespasian, decided to make
his own bid for the imperial purple Cerealis' life was at risk and
he was forced to escape from the city to join his uncle.
ZERSTÖRER: THE MESSERSCHMITT 110 AND ITS
UNITS IN 1940
by John J. Vasco & Peter D. Cornwell
An in depth study on the Messerschmitt 110 and its units in 1940.
The narrative is taken from unit records, war diaries, and first
hand accounts of the aircrew who went to war in this amazing
aircraft. With various appendices including Bf 110 types used in
1940, Bf 110 specifications and tables of lossesfrom May to December
1940. The book is packed with black and white photos of aircraft and
crews in action and there is an 8 page section of colour profiles.
As new in
illustrated boards - Large format, 260pp, c600 b/w illustrations
& 8 pages of colour profiles.
