'No Higher Honor: The U.S.S. Yorktown at the Battle of Midway' by Jeff Nesmith is a insightful account of the men who made up the crew of the US aircraft carrier 'Yorktown' at the Battle of Midway. As one of the previous reviews has mentioned the title may be a bit misleading as the book really starts before America's entry into World War Two. But that is fine as the author gives you an idea of some of the characters of this story, he gives you a real look at the ordinary men who served on this ship. We hear stories from some of the ships crew, from pilots and the aircraft handlers and from some of the officers.

The narrative is easy to read and the personal accounts fit right into the flow of the book. I could really picture the story and the people; the author's style of writing put you right there. I was sadden by some of what I read, of the men who lost their lives during the fighting at Midway, of friends lost and bravery unseen and un-rewarded. This is a great story, maybe not the best book on a tactical/strategic level but one of the best covering the human element of war. The book has a number of black and white photographs many previously not seen before. Overall this is a good story and I think most people who enjoy a well-written history book will enjoy this account of a fine ship during a great battle of WW2.

I have just finished reading 'The Ship that would not Die' by Julian Becton. The book tells the story of the USS LAFFEY and the men who served on her during the Second World War. The book tells the story from the perspective of her commanding officer, Julian Becton, and covers the period from the USS LAFFEY's commissioning in 1943 till its de-commissioning in 1975.

The main part of the story is of course the account of the USS LAFFEY's role fighting off twenty-two Japanese Kamikaze aircraft during the Okinawa campaign. However the book offers more than that, it starts with a short account of the first USS LAFFEY in World War Two which was lost during the fighting off Guadalcanal against the Japanese Battleship Hiei. An action that the author participated in while serving on the USS Aaron Ward.

The author then takes us through the building of the new USS LAFFEY (DD724) , the assembly of its crew and officers, its commissioning and subsequent role in the Normandy campaign of 1944. The story then follows the USS LAFFEY to the Pacific where it took part in the campaign to liberate the Philippines. From there we follow the LAFFEY and crew to Iwo Jima and then to Okinawa where the USS LAFFEY was subsequently assigned a role in the Destroyer picket line.

This picket line was a system designed to provide an early warning of approaching Japanese forces to the American fleet and assault troops fighting around Okinawa. The ships in this picket line also served as a lightning rod to the Japanese Kamikaze planes. For most part the destroyers and other ships were isolated from the main fleet and as such appeared to be easy targets for the Japanese. As the narrative unfolds in this book it shows that this was not always the case.

On April 16th, 1945 whilst at radar picket station number 1 the USS LAFFEY was attacked by twenty-two Japanese aircraft. The destroyer took a hell of a beating but managed to stay afloat after massive damage and the loss of 32 men killed and 71 wounded, some with horrific injuries.

I found that I managed to feel a deep respect not only for the crew, that's expected of course, but also for the Japanese flyers. I don't know if that was the author's intention but occasionally he would describe something that allowed you to visualize the young Japanese pilot in his cockpit as his plane is closing in for the final plunge into eternity. Then it hits you that these poor pilots were young men just doing their duty for their country just as much as the young American's trying to shoot them down.

The narrative at times may come across a bit "corny" to some readers but the book was first published in 1980 and I believe the author is just conveying the feelings of those who served at that time. The story moves along at a quick pace and you really feel for some of the men, the silent heroes in this terrible incident, who died at their posts or in trying to save their ship mates. This is a good book and a great story of one ship and its brave crew during the Second World War. I have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone who enjoys accounts of naval combat or stories of the fighting during WW2.

Edmund Blandford's book, 'Two Sides of the Beach' offers the reader an interesting insight into the British and German soldiers who were involved in the attack and defence of the Normandy beaches in 1944. This book is mainly a collection of first hand accounts provided by front line soldiers, officers and members of the General Staff. The accounts detail the fighting from the invasion on June 6th 1944, until the final Allied breakout during 'Operation Totalise'. The accounts are woven skillfully together by the author and present a fairly complete picture of the campaign as seen through the eyes of the British and Canadian 'Tommies' as well as soldiers of the German Army and Waffen-SS.

By no means is this a comprehensive account of the Normandy campaign, it is more of an oral history similar in style to Gerald Astor or Lyn MacDonald and just as good. This book would blend in well and complement such campaign studies as Max Hasting's 'Overlord' (1984) or Carlo D'este's 'Decision in Normandy' (1983) as well as many other detailed histories. The beauty of this book is in the first-hand accounts provided by the participants, they are brutally honest and refreshing. They give you a real idea of what the soldiers endured during the fighting for Normandy and the subsequent breakout.

The only problem that I found with this book was the total lack of maps, just a few of the area would have been appreciated. However a number of good black & white photographs were provided in the book that fitted in with the story. Overall this was a most interesting account and the narrative was fast paced and well researched. I am sure that anyone who enjoys a good historical account or has a passion for the Normandy campaign will appreciate this book.

"Oh, the humanity and all the passengers... a mass of flaming wreckage." These are the famous words uttered by radio reporter Herbert Morrison who witnessed the destruction of the 'Hindenberg' in 1937. Who wasn't heard these words or seen the film footage of the 'Hindenburg' sinking in flames to the ground at the landing field at Lakehurst?

Now this new book can give you the amazing story behind these massive German airships that traveled the world's skies in the early part of the last century. This book provides the reader with an interesting story of not only the development and use of the Zeppelin but also a story about the one man who was intimately involved with their history, from their beginning until their end with the flaming destruction of the 'Hindenburg'.

The first dirigible was invented by Ferdinand von Zeppelin and was launched in 1900 on the Bodensee in Germany. However it was Dr. Hugo Eckener who saw the future potential of the airship as a viable commercial craft. By the late 1930s airships nearly the size of the Titanic had circumnavigated the globe and were regularly transporting passengers and mail from Europe to South America and the United States.

This book not only tells you the story behind these amazing trips, full of danger and excitement but he also tells the story of the Zeppelin as a weapon of destruction. During World War One the German Army and Navy utilized Zeppelin's to carry out raids against England in the first night time 'Blitz'. We read about the great Zeppelin Commanders, Strasser and Mathy and many others, most who did not survive the campaign against England. We then follow the Zeppelin into the turbulent years of peace and its historic role in global flights, setting new records in distance, endurance and comfort.

This is an amazing story, full of facts and interesting pieces of history. The story is told so well and the narrative flows so smoothly its like reading an exciting novel. I found it hard to put the book down and as I read page after page I realized that I knew very little about the 'Graf Zeppelin' and next to nothing about its amazing Captain, Dr. Hugo Eckener. I am sure that anyone who enjoys aviation history or just a good book will love this story.

This book was first published in 1978 but has now been re-released to the benefit of all who enjoy a fast-paced historical account. After reading this book I am amazed that it has taken nearly twenty years to be re-released. What a great story Mr. Thomas tells of Thomas, Lord Cochrane, later the 10th Earl of Dundonald. From his birth through to his death covering all his exploits in numerous sea battles and actions, so many in fact that you find it hard to believe that he survived.

The book covers Cochrane's battles during the Napoleonic Wars during which, on many occasions, he sent his ship in action against overwhelming odds. It was during this period that he was recognized, as one of Britain's most daring and successful captains. It was also during this period that he made many enemies, although he pressed hard in every action and took many risks, he always considered the well being of the men under his command. This later led to his single-handed campaign against corruption in the Admiralty.

Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 Cochrane commenced an extraordinary career as a mercenary admiral. He subsequently commanded the navies of Chile and Brazil and launched campaigns against their protagonists, Spain and Portugal. After finishing his 'little wars' in South America he took command of elements of the Greek navy in their war against the Turks. In all these campaigns Cochrane again showed that he was one of the best naval commanders of his time.

The narrative flowed along smoothly and although I have no great knowledge of maritime history I had no problems in following this story. In over 350 pages of text along with a number of black & white plates and a few maps Mr. Thomas tells a wonderful and exciting story. This is the type of book, which I am sure any person who has a love for history or who enjoys the novels of C. S. Forester and Patrick O'Brien will just love. A must for any serious student of naval tactics or Napoleonic warfare.

I would have to agree to some of the previous comments made about some this book. It is definitively a well-written account of the Boxer Rebellion but as seen through the eyes of the Western participants only. You will not find many Chinese accounts of the siege and fighting undertaken by the Boxers in this story.

Having said that I still found this book a delight to read once it got into the actual siege and relief operations. I found the first few chapters a bit slow but after that the narrative just flowed along with some great stories and accounts from the people who experienced this upheaval.

The story was well written and presented and it was easy to stay up into the early morning reading the book. The author supplied a number of maps to assist the reader in following the action and movements of the forces involved. She also supplied a great number of (small) black & white photographs taken at the time.

Some of the stories were excellent and I found some of the personal accounts truly amazing and very interesting. This is a book that may not suit the historian looking for a detailed account of the fighting but I am sure that most people who enjoy history will find this book a treat.

The story of Bishop Auguste Favier and his flock of Christians holding out at Peitang with a small detachment of Italian and French soldiers was great. The stories of what happened to a number of Missionaries and their families in the countryside were told in context to the situation as a whole.

Even though the book presents mainly the Western version of events I found that the author present her story in a fair and impartial manner. What happened to the Chinese Christians was not forgotten in the story but the book does concentrate on the Westerners. The chapter dealing with what happened after the siege was lifted was very illuminating and some facets of the interaction between the different foreign powers were very absorbing. I enjoyed a number of the quotes provided by the author and one that I found amusing was:

"I sent my servant (Chinese) on a message. He was robbed by a Russian, buggered by a Frenchman, killed by a German. In my dismay, I made complaint to a British officer. He looked at me, put his eye-glass into his eye, and said, 'Was he really? What a bore! '".

This is a good yarn, an enjoyable history and a decent story, well worth the effort to sit down and read.

Diana Preston’s new book covering the events leading to the sinking of the Lusitania is sure to become one of the classic accounts on the subject. From a land-lubber’s point of view I found the story well researched and very well presented. I enjoyed the background information on the ship and people involved, the build up to the final voyage, the accounts of the sinking and the world-wide ramifications of the German submarine attack. I found that the authors use of first-hand accounts were well placed and really conveyed the horror of the sinking as experienced by the survivors.

The story isn’t a pleasant one and it makes you wonder how can some people act in the way they did and then you think to yourself, how would I act in the same circumstances? I found this book as enjoyable and as interesting to read as ‘The Sea Shall Embrace Them: The Tragic Story of the Steamship Arctic’ by David Shaw. Both books provide the reader with a narrative that draws you into story, into the lives of the people facing uncertain fate and you feel so relieved that you are safe at home in a warm bed reading a good book.

I think that Preston has done a very decent job in bringing the people involved to life in her story of the events surrounding Lusitania’s last voyage. In over 500 pages she tells the tale of this great and beautiful ship, its crew and passengers and its sinking at the hands of U-20. I found that her treatment of the German U-boat commander very fair and I was surprised at some of the information provided about the actual sinking and events following during the Inquest and other official investigations.

Overall this is a compelling and fact filled book, which holds your attention throughout. I am sure that this story should please most people interested in maritime history or in the R.M.S Lusitania.

Constantine Pleshakov’s new book ‘The Tsar’s Last Armada: The Epic Voyage to the Battle of Tsushima’ is a compelling account of the voyage undertaken by a Russian Fleet half way around the world which ended in its total annihilation at the hands of the Japanese during the Battle of Tsushima. The book concentrates more on the actual events leading up to the decision to send the Russian fleet on this journey, the voyage itself and the personalities involved. Some previous reviews have made mention of the lack of detail on the actual battle itself, however the book’s titles gives you a fair idea of the content and I think it was a story told well, full of interest and drama.

In the introduction the author makes it very clear that the story is told from a Western viewpoint:
“The Russian and British archives that I have used allow one to tell the story of Tsushima with some hope of being objective and complete, yet, I know that my research is deficient. I do not read Japanese, and without Japanese archival evidence it is not possible to write anything truly comprehensive about the war. So this is the story of Tsushima told from a Western perspective, as it was seen through Russian, British, French, and German eyes – nothing more, but also, hopefully, nothing less.”

Overall I found the story interesting and although I too would have liked more on the Battle of Tsushima there was enough to complete the story. The book has filled me with an urge to learn more of this decisive engagement and I will look around for another book to complete my education. The narrative was well presented and held my interest throughout the journey. Towards the end of the book I felt quite sorry for Vice-Admiral Rozhestvensky who appeared to have done the best he could under most trying circumstances.

This is decent account and I think accomplishes what the author set out to do, to tell the story “of the Russian squadron’s long, difficult journey and fast, horrible defeat.” One compliant that could be leveled at the author would be the standard of the maps provided. I am sure anyone who enjoys stories of mans determination and perseverance against adversity will enjoy this book. However you will need to look further for a more comprehensive account of the Battle of Tsushima.

'Top Secret Bird' by Wolfgang Spate is an interesting first-hand account of the Luftwaffe's program to build the Me-163 'Komet'. This aircraft was one of the early jet fighters designed by the Germans to help turn back the Allied control of the air over Occupied Europe and Germany towards the end of WW2.

The author was an Army Reconnaissance pilot, chiefly employed in the Polish and French campaigns. Thereafter, he served as a fighter pilot, operating mainly in the East. In 1942, he became Head of 'Erprobungs-Kommando 16', tasked with the development of the Me 163 Rocket Fighter. Returning to operations as a Wing Commander in 1944, he continued flying until the end of the war, by which time he had been promoted Major. He was credited with ninety-nine aerial victories and was awarded the Knight's Cross.

This book goes into great detail about how the Germans designed, constructed, tested and mass-produced this most revolutionary aircraft. The book has numerous black and white photographs throughout which offers great detail in regards to the Komet. The majority of the book covers the frustrating efforts to get the Komet tested and massed produce whilst Germany was slowly losing the war.

Overall it's a great story of brave pilots testing a revolutionary type of aircraft sometimes with quite horrific results. The book is more directed to this aspect of aviation history than about fighter combat but its still a gripping read. The narrative pulls you along, weaving in and out of Nazi politics, the air war, flight-testing and the sometimes-terrible results. This is a great story, well told and should hold the interest of anyone interested in aviation history.

Mark Urban has added another great book to the many titles competing to be placed in a Napoleonic library. This book, 'The Man Who Broken Napoleon's Codes' covers a little known and written of subject, the story of George Scovell. This man had as much to do with the British victories in Spain as did Wellington although you would not know it if you read any previous accounts of the Peninsular War.

George Scovell helped break the French Imperial codes and provided much useful intelligence to Wellington in his campaigns against the French armies. But since Scovell was of low birth he struggled for advancement. He showed his bravery on a number of battlefields but was almost always forgotten when it came to promotion, being passed over by younger men of more distinguished birth.

I must admit that I was a bit dubious when I started reading this book as I usually find accounts on code breaking and intelligence quite dull and boring however this book reads like a novel. Full of information with a narrative that races along, it was a great story and full of action. The book covers all the major campaigns and battles in the Peninsular and was a joy to read. I have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone who loves reading about the Napoleonic period.