During only a few hours on October 12, 1917, over one thousand New Zealand soldiers were killed and an additional two thousand were wounded on the German front line in the tragic Battle of Passchendaele. This World War I battle has gone down in history as the New Zealand Army’s ultimate military disaster. Yet the full story behind this heartrending loss of life remains misunderstood.   The new, revised edition of Massacre at Passchendaele meticulously outlines the Allies’ situation in October 1917 and describes with precision each attack made on Passchendaele. Harper employs several diary extracts and transcripts of recorded interviews to bring to life all of the harrowing, complex elements of these battles: the rationale of the strategists, the anxieties of officers, and the subdued desperation of the soldiers are all documented.   With an appendix listing the names of all New Zealand soldiers killed at Passchendaele, this book transports the reader back into the disastrous reality of this battle and captures its pivotal place in New Zealand’s history.

Massacre at Passchendaele: The New Zealand Story

History

Harper, Glyn

Military

Firestep

First published in 1972, British Artillery Weapons &amp; Ammunition 1914-1918 is the definitive account of British artillery from World War I. It meticulously catalogues all known types of artillery weapons that were in British service at the commencement of WWI and the new machinery that was created for the battlefield during the following four years. In addition, it lists the wide variety of coastal defense weapons and old nineteenth century veteran machines that were wheeled out of retirement in readiness for active service if necessary. The details of ammunition are also covered, including dimensions of cartridge cases and the different ammunition types for each artillery weapon listed. This new edition, featuring previously unpublished photographs and a foreword by Peter Simkins, distinguished historian and professor at the University of Birmingham, will be useful for military historians and weapons collectors alike.

British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition: 1914-1918

Hogg, I. V.

Thurston, L. F.

My Grandad, the Air Raid Warden tells the story of retired soldier, Reg Burt, who struggles to share his personal history with his grandson, Tom. Though he desperately wants to explain his past to his grandson, the dark memories of his years in the military have traumatized Reg to the point where he is unable to even vocalize them. He instead turns to a journal, pouring onto its pages his memories of the wars in graphic detail. Upon Reg’s death, Tom’s parents give the journal to their son, who is finally able to discover his grandad’s arduous life, the grandmother he never knew, and the brutal wars his grandad survived.   Steve Hookins brilliantly weaves this difficult story of family, memory, and wartime during the Blitz with ease. Also featuring a foreward from Mark Smith, curator of the Royal Artillery Museum, My Grandad, the Air Raid Warden, is based on a character Hookins developed over hundreds war education performances at the FirePower Museum.

My Grandad, the Air Raid Warden

Literature & Fiction

Hookins, Steve

Genre Fiction

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest decoration that a soldier can hope to earn from service to the Crown. Traditionally, it is awarded to “those officers and men who have served us in the presence of the enemy and shall then have performed some signal act of valor or devotion to their country.” It remains one of the most desirable awards for British soldiers.  Though Brigade of Gurkhas became part of the British Army in 1856, member of the elite British military regiment were not eligible to receive a VC until 1911. Since then, the Gurkhas have earned an impressive twenty-six Victoria Crosses. This long-awaited book gathers together the unique tales of courage and devotion that earned those twenty-six Victoria Crosses, each one more fascinating than the last. 

The Story of Gurkha VCs

Biggs, Maurice

Museum, the Gurkha

Europe

The unsung heroes of many a military endeavor—particularly before the rise of mobile technology—messengers were often the deciding factor of who wins a battle and who loses. There are no finer examples of these crucial players than the Despatch Rider Corps of World War I. Essential to successful communication between soldiers during the war, these motorcycling rascals raced around the country delivering messages and occasionally wreaking mayhem on the enemy.   In San Fairy Ann?, Michael Carragher tells the story of these underappreciated riders who played a pivotal role in preventing German victory. He tracks the adventures of one despatch messenger in particular, Roger West, an amateur rider in the British Expeditionary Force. At one point in his career, West—one of his feet was so injured he couldn’t wear a boot—thought it “seemed a pity” that a bridge along the Great Retreat of August 1914 was open to the German armies, so he rode back to blow it up.  San Fairy Ann? gives life to the incredible forgotten stories of the motorcycle men who rode day and night to hold a desperate army together through a combination of grit, bravery, and a dash of roguery.

San Fairy Ann?: Motorcycles and British Victory 1914-1918

Carragher, Michael

Young academic Lucy Masters journeys to the Himalayas to climb some of the world’s most challenging mountains. Harry Parker, an ex-Gurkha army officer, relaxes on leave between development contracts in Nepal. One of London’s richest hedge fund managers strives to make his biggest ever fortune, while a mysterious assassin stalks a man whose company just developed the most revolutionary social media application in decades. Though they aren’t aware yet, the lives of these four very different people will come together in extreme and unexpected ways. A dramatic adventure from the mountains of Nepal and the Tors of Dartmoor to the streets of London and Edinburgh, The Legacy will grip any military enthusiast or crime fanatic from the very first page.

The Legacy

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Lawrence, Craig

Thrillers & Suspense

The 'War Office Publications (WWI)' series are reproductions from a number of contemporary manuals and books covering First World War doctrine. These documents provide an insight into the daily lives of soldiers, as well as details of how the conflict was fought. They also help to dispel the myth that the First World War was fought on a basis of tactical and organisational mismanagement.

R. L. Handbook of Ammunition (War Office Facsimiles)

Office, War

Issued in February 1916, this book summarizes the principles and techniques regarding the care and management of military horses in an easily digestible question and answer format.

Catechism of Animal Management, Etc. (War Office Facsimiles)

Using detailed tables, this book gives information on the types of harness required for vehicles such as general service wagons and gun carriages.

Details of the Sets of Harness Required for the Various Natures of Service Pattern Vehicles (War Office Facsimiles)

Notes on Horse Management in the Field (1919) (War Office Facsimiles)

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