Shire Library
8 primary works • 11 total works
Book 574
In spring 1940 Hitler unleashed his blitzkrieg, and as the British Expeditionary Force fell back to Dunkirk Britain was in imminent danger. In response to the threat of enemy paratroopers, Anthony Eden, Secretary of State for War made a radio appeal on 14 May 1940 for men 'who were for one reason or another not at present engaged in military service, and who wish to do something for the defence of their country' to join a new force named The Local Defence Volunteers. The men of Britain answered the call, not in hundreds as anticipated, but in thousands. Over 250,000 signed up in the first 24 hours and thousands more followed. Badly equipped and with no more uniform than an armband, the organisation was taken under the wing of Winston Churchill in July 1940 and re-christened The Home Guard. This book tells the Home Guard's story, using original training manuals, photographs, and memoirs, and covers all aspects of their history.
Book 575
As millions of young men marched off to war, they left behind mothers, wives, sisters, and sweethearts who were determined to contribute to the British cause. Women enrolled as nurses to treat wounded soldiers, and over 700,000 became workers in factories making munitions. Women also took on hundreds of jobs formerly done by men, such as bus conductors and billposters. Later in the war women were accepted into the armed services, serving behind the lines as auxiliaries. This book looks at the realities and the myths of the role of women in the war effort. Illustrated with archive photographs, this is an ideal introduction for anyone wanting to know more about the vital role played by women in the First World War.
Book 615
From gaslit city streets to dark wooded estates, crime was rife in Victorian Britain; through a wide array of historical court records, newspaper accounts and prison books, The Victorian Criminal gives a fascinating overview of those involved in it. Within these pages may be found accounts of petty criminals and poachers, baby farmers and notorious murderers, along with stories of the development of detective forces and forensic techniques. Countless novels, plays and films are testament to an enduring fascination with the dark aspects of the time and place that gave us Sherlock Holmes, Wilkie Collins and the great works of Charles Dickens.
Book 644
In the skies above south-east England in 1940, battle was waged between the men and machines of the Royal Air Force and Hitler's Luftwaffe. At stake was air superiority, and the Germans intended this to be a first step in the invasion of Britain. Squadrons of Hurricanes and Spitfires – then among the best and most modern fighter aircraft in the world – took on the threat and, over a period of months, defeated the Luftwaffe, which ultimately withdrew. This fully illustrated history looks at the origins and events of the battle, but focuses especially on the men and women of the RAF and on the ordinary people of the nation, above whose heads the great battle for freedom was waged.
Book 662
The popular image of a women's suffrage activist is a stoical woman chained to railings or committing criminal acts to attract publicity for the cause. While such women as Emmeline Pankhurst and Emily Wilding Davison embody this image, these militant 'Suffragettes' of the Women's Social and Political Union were in fact a small part of a wider movement that operated mainly through peaceful means. Molly Housego and Neil Storey here trace the evolution of the women's suffrage movement from its emergence in the nineteenth century, through the various divisions that emerged over how to conduct the campaign, to its apogee before the First World War - an event that highlighted the abilities of British women and helped to gain them the vote in 1918.
Book 694
A history of the women who worked the Land and the organisation of the Women's Land Army in the Second World War.
When war broke out in 1939, the Women's Land Army (WLA) was already organised and ready for action. Women who had served in the WLA in the First World War returned to service with their daughters, ready to fill in for the male labourers sent abroad to fight: livestock was tended, fields were ploughed, harvests were reaped and everything possible was done to keep Britain self-sufficient.
Neil R. Storey and Molly Housego here tell the story of the Women's Land Army - how it was organised, what its members did, what training was provided, and the work of the Timber Corps of the WLA, also known as the 'Lumber Jills'. Colourful illustrations of women at work, their uniforms and insignia bring to life the experiences of the ladies who helped keep Britain fed during the Second World War.
When war broke out in 1939, the Women's Land Army (WLA) was already organised and ready for action. Women who had served in the WLA in the First World War returned to service with their daughters, ready to fill in for the male labourers sent abroad to fight: livestock was tended, fields were ploughed, harvests were reaped and everything possible was done to keep Britain self-sufficient.
Neil R. Storey and Molly Housego here tell the story of the Women's Land Army - how it was organised, what its members did, what training was provided, and the work of the Timber Corps of the WLA, also known as the 'Lumber Jills'. Colourful illustrations of women at work, their uniforms and insignia bring to life the experiences of the ladies who helped keep Britain fed during the Second World War.
Book 790
The burden of the Great War was not shouldered by soldiers alone: the tasks, the camaraderie, the day-to-day life and the devastation were all shared with the animals that accompanied the forces abroad. The horses that took part in the last cavalry charges or hauled heavy guns are the most famous examples, but were far from alone: pigeons carried vital messages, dogs sniffed out wounded soldiers, camels were used as beasts of burden in the desert, and even ships’ cats and baby orang-utans had their parts to play. From noted historian Neil R. Storey, this book looks at all the practical ways in which animals were essential to the war effort, but is equally interested in their roles as companions, mascots and morale boosters – on land, in the air and at sea. Neil R. Storey is a social and military historian specialising in the impact of war on society. He has written over twenty-five books, countless articles and has given lectures across the UK, including at the Imperial War Museum. He has acted as a consultant on a number of television documentaries and dramas.
Book 828
From cooks and clerks to weapons analysts and air mechanics, generations of women have served in the Wrens (Women's Royal Naval Service or WRNS). The Royal Navy was the first of the UK armed services to admit women during the First World War with the purpose of freeing up a man to go to sea by giving his job to a trained female worker. Disbanded in 1919, the Wrens were reinstated on the outbreak of the Second World War. This book focuses on the work and experiences of Wrens during the two world wars, introducing the kinds of jobs they performed and the places where they served. It contains poignant accounts from the women themselves, along with contemporary images of the Wrens in action and modern photographs of their uniforms, badges and insignia.
Throughout the course of the Second World War, many millions of animals were enlisted to serve. Though they had no choice, yet they demonstrated loyalty, determination and bravery as they shared the burden of war with their human companions both on active service and on the Home Front. From the dogs trained to locate air-raid victims buried under rubble, to the mules that carried ammunition and supplies through the jungles of the Far East, each animal played a crucial role in the war effort. In fact, such was their contribution that those animals that showed exceptional gallantry or devotion to duty were recognised officially with the introduction of the Dickin Medal in 1943. This fascinating book draws from first-hand accounts and contemporary sources to reveal the wide-ranging contributions that animals made both on and off the battlefield.
As the world became embroiled in the second global conflagration in just over two decades, the women of Britain once more answered the call of duty. Many of the first volunteers had served in the Great War and now they offered their services again – this time bringing their daughters with them. During World War II women proved themselves indispensable to the war effort, serving in both military units abroad and in home-front organisations through the darkest hours of the Blitz. Illustrated with contemporary black-and-white and some rare colour photographs, documents and ephemera, this poignant and moving book tells the stories of these women.
An illustrated introduction to how British industries, supported by thousands of newly recruited women, strove to meet the nation’s wartime need for munitions, armour, shipping, uniforms and aircraft.
During the Second World War (1939–45), Britain stretched every sinew of its industrial might to fend off a Nazi invasion. As the nation stood alone against Fortress Europe, it harnessed, coordinated and maximised its resources, firstly to defend itself and then to help liberate Axis-occupied countries. Wartime Industry uses informative text and beautiful illustrations to show how the men and women of Britain met this unprecedented demand for military and home-front materials. It explores the work of Lord Beaverbrook’s highly organised Ministry of Aircraft Production; the ‘Shadow Factories’ that enabled manufacturers such as Vauxhall and Rootes to make tanks and aircraft; the Royal Ordnance Factories that produced firearms and explosives; the ‘Bevin Boys’ conscripted to work in the coal mines; the Women’s Timber Corps; and war workers – who, together, helped the nation to make it.
During the Second World War (1939–45), Britain stretched every sinew of its industrial might to fend off a Nazi invasion. As the nation stood alone against Fortress Europe, it harnessed, coordinated and maximised its resources, firstly to defend itself and then to help liberate Axis-occupied countries. Wartime Industry uses informative text and beautiful illustrations to show how the men and women of Britain met this unprecedented demand for military and home-front materials. It explores the work of Lord Beaverbrook’s highly organised Ministry of Aircraft Production; the ‘Shadow Factories’ that enabled manufacturers such as Vauxhall and Rootes to make tanks and aircraft; the Royal Ordnance Factories that produced firearms and explosives; the ‘Bevin Boys’ conscripted to work in the coal mines; the Women’s Timber Corps; and war workers – who, together, helped the nation to make it.