The British soldiers who marched off to fight in World War I in 1914 wore only regimental insignia, yet by the time of the armistice in November 1918, insignia in the British Army had undergone a considerable change. Now visible was a bewildering display of coloured devices on uniforms, helmets, veh[...]

This volume covers the years of the "big pushes": the costly mistakes of the Somme in 1916, and Third Ypres - the infamous Passchendaele battle - in 1917. The author goes on to describe the successful defensive fighting against the great German offensive of spring 1918; and the Allies' final advance[...]

Osprey's examination of the British Guards during World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945). The best example, and perhaps the only body of elite troops who have maintained their role as guardians of a royal household for over three centuries while building a reputation in war that is the[...]

Airborne operations have often been called a vertical envelopment, and therein lies one of the best descriptions of their value. The essence of an envelopment is to pin the enemy in place so that it can be destroyed. A strong enemy force to one's rear disrupts supplies and communications and makes o[...]

World War I (1914-1918) was a watershed in British military and social history, and even now the repercussions can still be felt. No town or village in the British Isles escaped casualty, and the creative genius of a generation was wiped out, at an incalculable loss to society. This book looks in de[...]