Books

Index

A

ABSENT-MINDED BEGGARS - VOLUNTEERS IN THE BOER WAR
by Will Bennett
Leo Cooper (1999) ISBN 0 85052 685 X
When it became obvious after the 'Black Week' - when the British Army suffered three major defeats within seven days - that the number of troops that would be required to defeat the Boers was far greater than previously thought, part of the answer was to allow civilian and part-timer  volunteers to join up 'for the duration'. This book tells the story of these volunteers, and traces the impact that they had upon both the course of the war and the way in which the British Army would develop in the early years of the twentieth century.

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THE ADVENT OF STEAM - THE MERCHANT STEAMSHIP BEFORE 1900
edited by Robert Gardiner
Conway Maritime Press Ltd. (1993) ISBN 0 85177 618 3
Part of Conway's HISTORY OF THE SHIP series. The book covers the technological development of the steam-powered merchant ship during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. It includes sections on:

• Steam before the Screw

• Early Steamships in Eastern Waters

• Steam Navigation and the United States

• The Screw Propeller and Merchant Shipping 1840 - 1865

• Triple Expansion and the First Shipping Revolution

• The Industrial Background to the Development of the Steamship

• The Ship Propeller Company and the Promotion of Screw Propulsion 1836 - 1852

• Sail-Assist and the Steamship

• Alfred Holt and the Compound Engine

• Marine Engineering Development in the Nineteenth Century

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AFGHAN WARS AND THE NORTH WEST FRONTIER 1839-1947
by Michael Barthorp
Cassell (2002) ISBN 0 304 36294 8
Originally published in 1982 by Blandford Press under the title THE NORTH WEST FRONTIER. An excellent, well illustrated history of the various Afghan Wars and British campaigns on India's North West frontier.

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ALLAN QUARTERMAIN
by H. Rider Haggard
? (1887) (republished by Oxford University Press) (1998) ISBN 0 19 283485 1
Rider Haggard's sequel to KING SOLOMON'S MINES. This book has a similar theme to KING SOLOMON'S MINES in that it tells the story of a journey into Central Africa undertaken by Allan Quartermain, Sir Henry Curtis, and Captain John Good. It is, however, a much darker story as it deals with the events that lead up to Allan Quartermain's death.

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ALLENBY'S WAR - THE PALESTINE - ARABIAN CAMPAIGNS 1916 - 1918
by David L. Bullock
Blandford Press (1988) ISBN 0 7137 1869 2
This is a well written history of the much-neglected military campaigns fought in the Middle Eastern during the First World War. Besides covering the main events of the campaigns, the writer presents a balanced appraisal of the strategies adopted by the Allies and their Turkish opponents, as well as outlining the parameters within which those strategies were constrained. There are over 140 illustrations, most of them hitherto unpublished.

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ALL THE WORLD'S FIGHTING SHIPS 1898
edited by F. T. Jane
David and Charles (Publishers) Ltd. (1969) SBN 7153 4476 5
This is a facsimile reprint of the first ever edition of Jane's ALL THE WORLD'S FIGHTING SHIPS. Although it is not a detailed as more recent books, it has superb pen-and-ink illustrations, all drawn by Fred Jane himself. As he writes in the preface to the book "The aim of this work is, primarily, to supply those details of warships which are not included in other naval annuals, that have generally hitherto been obtainable only in the Confidential Books of the different navies, and there on a scale too large for frequent and individual reference."

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AMERICAN BATTLESHIPS 1886 - 1923
by John C. Reilly Jr. and Robert L. Scheina
Arms and Armour Press (1980) ISBN 0 85368 446 4
Despite the title, this is a well illustrated, detailed, ship-by-ship study of the battleships built for the US Navy during the Pre-dreadnought era. The design process and technical data for each ship or class of ships is covered in great detail, as is their service history. Of particular interest are the chapters that deal with USS Maine, USS Texas, USS Indiana, USS Massachusetts, USS Oregon, and USS Iowa, all of which played some part in the Spanish-American War.

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AMERICAN COASTAL DEFENSES 1885 - 1950
by Terrance McGovern, Bolling Smith, and Peter Bull
Osprey (2006) ISBN 1 84176 922 3
Part of the FORTRESS series (No. 44).

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THE ANATOMY OF THE ZULU ARMY FROM SHAKA TO CETSHWAYO 1818 - 1879
by Ian Knight
Greenhill Books (1999) ISBN 1 85367 363 3
An excellent, well written description of the evolution, structure, and fighting methods of the Zulu Army from its foundation until its ultimate defeat by the forces of the British Empire.

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THE ANGLO-BOER WARS - THE BRITISH AND AFRIKANERS 1815-1902
by Michael Barthorp
Blandford Press (1987) ISBN 0 7137 1658 4
An excellent, well illustrated history of the Anglo-Boer Wars. Whilst not as detailed as some histories of these conflicts, this is the best book to start with as it gives a panoramic view of the relationships between the British and the Boers before, during, and after the wars they fought against each other.

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ANGLO-ZULU WAR - 120th ANNIVERSARY
A brochure produced to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the Anglo-Zulu War. It contains short articles about the Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot), The Die-Hard Company, and the creation of a new heritage centre dedicated to the preservation of Zulu traditions, as well as a longer, retrospective of the war written by Ian Knight.

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THE ARAB REVOLT 1916 - 1918 - LAWRENCE SETS ARABIA ABLAZE
by David Murphy and Peter Dennis
Osprey (2008) ISBN 978 1 84603 339 1
Part of the CAMPAIGN series (No.202).

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ARMIES IN EAST AFRICA 1914 - 1918
by Peter Abbott and Raffaele Ruggeri
Osprey (2002) ISBN 1 84176 489 2
Part of the MEN-AT-ARMS series (No.379).

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ARMIES OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: AFRICA: EAST AFRICA
by Chris Peers
Foundry Books (2003) ISBN 1 901543 09 9
For more details click here.

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ARMIES OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: THE AMERICAS: THE PARAGUAYAN WAR
by Terry Hooker and Ian Heath
Foundry Books (2008) ISBN 1 901543 15 3
For more details click here.

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ARMIES OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: ASIA: CENTRAL ASIA AND THE HIMALAYAN KINGDOMS
by Ian Heath
Foundry Books (1998) ISBN 1 901543 01 3
For more details click here.

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ARMIES OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: ASIA: CHINA
by Ian Heath
Foundry Books (1998) ISBN 1 901543 02 1
For more details click here.

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ARMIES OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: ASIA: INDIA'S NORTH-EAST FRONTIER
by Ian Heath
Foundry Books (1999) ISBN 1 901543 04 8
For more details click here.

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ARMIES OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: THE BRITISH IN INDIA: 1825 - 1859
by John French
Foundry Books (2006) ISBN 1 901543 11 0
For more details click here.

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ARMIES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY: RISINGS AND REBELLIONS: 1919 - 1939
by Edwin Herbert and Ian Heath
Foundry Books (2007) ISBN 1 901543 12 9
For more details click here.

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ARMIES OF THE WORLD 1854 - 1914
by David Woodward
Sidgwick and Jackson Ltd. (1978) ISBN 0 283 98243 8
Now out-of-print. A good general source of information about the conscript armies of Europe (Prussia & Germany, France, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Turkey, and Italy), the main volunteer armies (UK, India, and the USA), armies of the Far East (Japan and China), and Switzerland.

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ARMING THE FORTS - THE ARTILLERY OF THE VICTORIAN LAND FORTS
by David Moore
The Palmerston Forts Society (1994) ISBN 0 9523634 0 2
This book is a detailed study of the armament installed in the forts that were build as a result of the 1859 Royal Commission into the defence of the United Kingdom.

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ARMORED TRAINS
by Steven Zaloga and Tony Bryan
Osprey (2008) ISBN 978 1 84603 242 4
Part of the NEW VANGUARD series.

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THE ARMOURED TRAIN - ITS DEVELOPMENT AND USAGE
by G. Balfour
B.T.Batsford Ltd. (1981) ISBN 0 7134 2547 4
Although this book concentrates upon the use of armoured trains to defend Britain during World War II, its opening chapters trace the development of the armoured train from the first proposals made during the mid-nineteenth century up to and including their use during the Boer War. 

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THE ARMY OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE 1870 - 1888
by Albert Seaton and Michael Youens
Osprey (1973) ISBN 0 85045 150 7
Part of the MEN-AT-ARMS series.

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ARMY LIFE IN THE '90s
by Philip Warner
Country Life Books (1975) ISBN 0 600 30234 2
This is a selection of interesting photographs from the NAVY AND ARMY ILLUSTRATED, a fortnightly journal that was first published in 1895 by Hudson & Kearns and George Newnes Ltd.

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THE ASHANTI RING - SIR GARNET WOLSELEY'S CAMPAIGNS 1870 - 1882
by Leigh Maxwell
Leo Cooper in association with Secker & Warburg Ltd. (1985) ISBN 0 436 27447 7
The 'Ashanti Ring' (or the 'Wolseley Ring' as it was also known) was a group of dedicated, professional officers brought together by Sir Garnet Wolseley during the course of his colonial campaigns. The 'Ring' - which besides Wolseley contained Sir Evelyn Wood, Sir George Colley, Sir Archibald Alison, Sir Baker Russell, and Sir Redvers Buller - was to have a profound effect on the British Army during the latter part of the Victorian era. This book examines in detail the six military campaigns that led to the creation of the 'Ashanti Ring', as well as giving a valuable insight into how and why the 'Ring' had such an influence on British military thinking.

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THE AUTHENTIC WORLD OF SHERLOCK HOLMES - AN EVOCATIVE TOUR OF CONAN DOYLE'S VICTORIAN LONDON
by Charles Viney
Bramley Books (1999) ISBN 1 84100 302 6
The illustrations of Victorian London give a real feel for the period, interspersed as they are with quotes from various relevant Holmes stories.

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B

BATTLE FOR THE BUNDU - THE FIRST WORLD WAR IN EAST AFRICA
by Charles Miller
Macdonald and Jane's (1974)
An excellent history of the campaign waged by German East African troops, led by Colonel (later General) Paul von Lettow Vorbeck, against the combined might of the Belgians, British, Portuguese, Rhodesians, and South Africans.

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THE BATTLE FOR TANGA 1914
by Ross Anderson
Tempus Publishing Ltd. (2002) ISBN 0 7524 2349 5
The Battle for Tanga marked the end of Britain's chances of a quick, decisive victory in German East Africa. Due to poor operational planning, muddled strategic aims, a lack of co-ordination between the Royal Navy and British Army, and a misguided belief that poorly trained Indian troops would be more than a match for the German led and trained African askaris, the Battle for Tanga was a truly monumental British fiasco. This book contains numerous photographs and situation maps that help the reader understand the course of the battle, as well as detailed Orders of Battle for both sides.

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BATTLE IN AFRICA 1879 - 1914
by Howard Whitehouse
Field Books (1987) ISBN 1 869871 01 4
An excellent book about the basics of colonial warfare. Well written and illustrated. A must for anyone interested in colonial warfare.

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BATTLES OF THE BOER WAR
by W. Baring Pemberton
Severn House Publishers (1975) ISBN 0 7278 0036 1
This book, which was originally published in 1964, covers the early Boer War battles of Belmont, Modder River, Magersfontein, Colenso, and Spion Kop. These battles were fought over a period of three months during the operations to relieve Kimberley and Ladysmith, and although they did not achieve their objectives, they showed that a Boer victory would, in the end, be impossible.

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BATTLES ON THE TIGRIS - THE MESOPOTAMIAN CAMPAIGN OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
by Ron Wilcox
Pen and Sword Books Ltd. (2006) ISBN 1 84415 430 0
This well researched book tells the story of the protracted campaign fought throughout the First World War by British Imperial forces to secure access to the oilfields of South Persia. The threat by the Turks to cut the pipeline from Shustar in southern Persia to the refinery at Abadan on the Shatt al Arab led to an expeditionary force being sent to Mesopotamia from India. From this small beginning the number of British and Indian troops deployed in what is now southern Iraq grew, and this led to the British policy of advancing further up the Tigris to ensure the security of the pipeline and the refinery. This policy culminated in the infamous Siege of Kut.

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BATTLESHIPS IN ACTION (Volumes I and II)
by H. W. Wilson
Conway Maritime Press Ltd. (1995) ISBN 0 85177 642 6
This two-part work was first published in 1926. The first volume is based on Wilson's earlier two-part work entitled IRONCLADS IN ACTION 1855 - 1896, and deals with all the major naval actions from the beginning of the American Civil War to the 2nd. Balkan War of 1913. The second volume covers the First World War.

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BATTLESHIPS IN TRANSITION - THE CREATION OF THE STEAM BATTLEFLEET 1815 - 1860
by Andrew Lambert
Conway Maritime Press Ltd. (1984) ISBN 0 85177 315 X
Even before the advent of the Ironclad, the navies of the world were undergoing major changes as a result of the development of steam power, the screw propeller, and the shell-firing gun. This book examines the influences these advances had upon both the design of line-of-battleships and international politics.

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BENGAL CAVALRY REGIMENTS 1857 - 1914
by R. G. Harris and Chris Warner
Osprey (1979) ISBN 0 85045 308 9
Part of the MEN-AT-ARMS series (No.91).

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BIRTH OF THE BATTLESHIP - BRITISH CAPITAL SHIP DESIGN 1870 - 1881
by John Beeler
Chatham Publishing (2001) ISBN 1 86176 167 8
The period of warship design covered by this book saw the change from turrets to barbettes, iron to steel armour, and the introduction of the Whitehead torpedo and the breech loading gun. It culminated in the building of the 'Admiral' class battleships, which were the immediate precursors of the Pre-dreadnought battleships that formed the backbone of all the major navies of the later Victorian period.

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BLOOD IN THE SAND - MORE FORGOTTEN WARS OF THE 19TH CENTURY
by Ian Vernon
Sutton Publishing Ltd. (2001) ISBN 0 7509 2614 7
This book deals with the wars of the nineteenth century that do not usually feature in the general histories of the period. These include:

• The Gurkha War (1814 - 16)

• The Defeat of the Borneo Pirates (1840 - 49)

• The Storming of Madagascar (1845)

• The First Sikh War (1845 - 46)

• The Second Sikh War (1848 - 49)

• Eureka Stockade, Australia (1854)

• The Defence of Kars, Turkey (1856)

• The Fenian Invasion of Canada (1866)

• The Battle of Orange Walk, Belize (1872)

• The Hut Tax War, Sierra Leone (1898)

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BLUEJACKETS & BOXERS - AUSTRALIA'S NAVAL EXPEDITION TO THE BOXER UPRISING
by Bob Nicholls
Allen & Unwin Australia Pty Limited (1986) ISBN 0 86861 799 7
This is a detailed and well illustrated account of the naval expedition sent in 1900 by the colonies of South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales to join the international force that was set up to defeat the Boxer Rebellion in China.

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THE BLUE NILE
by Alan Moorehead
Penguin Books Ltd. (1983) ISBN 0 14 006673 X
This book was originally published in 1962, and forms part of a two volume history of the River Nile. The Nile has always dominated the history of Africa. This book traces the course of the Blue Nile from its source in the Abyssinian mountains to the Mediterranean, and tells the story of James Bruce (a Scot who was supposed to have reached the river's source), Napoleon's Egyptian 'adventure', the conquest of the Sudan by Egypt during the reign of Mohammed Ali, and the British military campaign to rescue the hostages taken by Emperor Theodore of Ethiopia.

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BOER COMMANDO 1876 - 1902
by Ian Knight and Raffaele Ruggeri
Osprey (2004) ISBN 1 84176 648 8
Part of the WARRIOR series (No.86).

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THE BOER WAR
by P. J. Haythornthwaite
Arms and Armour Press (1989) ISBN 0 85368 764 1
Part of the UNIFORMS ILLUSTRATED series (No. 19). The book makes extensive use of contemporary black and white photographs of the uniforms worn by both sides in this conflict.

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THE BOER WAR
by Christopher Wilkinson-Latham and Michael Roffe
Osprey (1977) ISBN 0 85045 257 0
Part of the MEN-AT-ARMS series.

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THE BOER WAR
by Field Marshall Lord Carver
Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd. (in association with the National Army Museum) (1999) ISBN 0 283 06333 5
This book draws on the archive of letters, diaries, and other papers held by the National Army Museum, and was published to coincide with a special exhibition held at the Museum to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 2nd. Boer War.

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THE BOER WAR
by Tabitha Jackson
Channel 4 Books (1999) ISBN 0 7522 1702 X
This well illustrated book makes considerable use of new research, recently discovered letters and diaries, and the recorded oral testimony of participants. It was published to coincide with the transmission of a series of TV programmes made by Twenty Twenty Television about the 2nd. Boer War.

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THE BOER WAR
by Winston S. Churchill
Dorset Press (1991) ISBN 0 88029 704 2
Originally published in two volumes - LONDON TO LADYSMITH (1900) and IAN HAMILTON'S MARCH (1900) - this book relates Churchill's adventures in South Africa during the Boer War. The original books were based on despatches sent to 'Morning Post', a London daily newspaper, between November 1899 and July 1900.

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THE BOER WAR
by Thomas Pakenham
Weidenfeld and Nicholson Limited (1997) ISBN 0 297 81914 3
Originally published in 1979. This is a truly monumental work, and even though it was written over twenty years ago it is still one of the best books about the Boer War. Like its companion volume - THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA - it reads more like a vast adventure novel than a traditional history book.

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THE BOER WAR 1899 - 1902
by Gregory Fremont-Barnes
Osprey (2003) ISBN 1 84176 396 9
Part of the ESSENTIAL HISTORIES series (No. 52).

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BOER WARS (1) 1836 - 1898
by Ian Knight and Gerry Embleton
Osprey (1996) ISBN 1 85532 612 4
Part of the MEN-AT-ARMS series (No. 301).

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BOER WARS (2) 1898 - 1902
by Ian Knight and Gerry Embleton
Osprey (1996) ISBN 1 85532 613 2
Part of the MEN-AT-ARMS series (No. 303).

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THE BOER WAR GENERALS
by Peter Trew 
Sutton Publishing Limited (1999) ISBN 0 905 778 677
This is an in-depth study of the principal commanders on both sides of the Second Boer War. It has sections entitled:

• Buller

• Roberts, Part 1 - India and Afghanistan

• Roberts, Part 2 - South Africa and After

• Kitchener, Part 1 - Egypt and the Sudan

• Kitchener, Part 2 - South Africa and After

• Botha

• De Wet

• De La Rey

• Smuts

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THE BOER WAR: LADYSMITH AND MAFEKING, 1900
The Stationery Office (1999) ISBN 0 11 702408 2
This is an abridged collection of official despatches - originally published in full in 1901 and 1902 - from the British field commanders during the early stages of the 2nd. Boer War, to the Secretary of State for War.

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THE BOXER REBELLION
by Lynn E. Bodin and Chris Warner
Osprey (1979) ISBN 0 85045 335 6
Part of the MEN-AT-ARMS series (No. 95).

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BREAN DOWN FORT - ITS HISTORY AND THE DEFENCE OF THE BRISTOL CHANNEL
by Nicholas van der Bijl
Hawk Editions (2000) ISBN 0 9529081 7 4
This book tells the story of one of the many forts - known as 'Palmerston's Follies' - that were built as a result of the 1859 Royal Commission into 'the state, sufficiency and condition of the Fortifications existing for the Defence of Our United Kingdom ...'. Brean Down Fort - along with other forts at Flat Holm, Steep Holm, and Lavernock Point - was built to defend the Bristol Channel. It was originally armed with seven 7" Rifled Muzzle Loading Guns whose gun crews were provided by the 1st Gloucestershire Artillery Volunteer Corps. The book contains some excellent plans of the forts built at Brean Down, Flat Holm, Steep Holm, and Lavernock Point as well as line drawings of the various gun carriages used.

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THE BRENNAN TORPEDO - THE HISTORY AND OPERATION OF THE WORLD'S FIRST PRACTICABLE GUIDED WEAPON
by Alec Beanse
The Palmerston Forts Society (1997) ISBN 0 9523634 4 5
This book is a detailed study of the Brennan Torpedo, an ingenious wire-guided and powered torpedo that was developed during the 1880s and 1890s. The torpedo was operated by the Royal Engineers at eight different locations in the UK, Ireland, Hong Kong, and Malta, and was used as part of the coastal defences for major naval bases and the River Thames. 

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THE BRITISH ARMY ON CAMPAIGN 3 1882 - 1902
by Michael Barthorp and Pierre Turner
Osprey (1988) ISBN 0 85045 835 8
Part of the MEN-AT-ARMS series (No. 198).

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THE BRITISH ARMY ON CAMPAIGN 4 1882 - 1902
by Michael Barthorp and Pierre Turner
Osprey (1988) ISBN 0 85045 849 8
Part of the MEN-AT-ARMS series (No. 201).

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THE BRITISH ARMY IN WORLD WAR I (3) - THE EASTERN FRONTS
by Mike Chappell
Osprey (2005) ISBN 1 84176 401 9
Part of the MEN-AT-ARMS series (No.406).

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BRITISH ARTILLERY 1914 - 19: FIELD ARMY ARTILLERY
by Dale Clark and Brian Delf
Osprey (2004) ISBN 1 84178 688 7
Part of the NEW VANGUARD series (No. 94).

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BRITISH ARTILLERY 1914 - 19: HEAVY ARTILLERY
by Dale Clark and Brian Delf
Osprey (2005) ISBN 1 84176 788 3
Part of the NEW VANGUARD series (No. 105).

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BRITISH ARTILLERY WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION 1914 - 1918
by I. V. Hogg and L. F. Thurston
Ian Allan Ltd. (1979) SBN 7110 0381 5
Now out-of-print. This monumental work covers every piece of ordnance used by the British Army during the First World War, from the 1 Pounder Pom Pom to the 18" Breech Loading Railway Howitzer. As many of the pieces of artillery used during the latter part of the Victorian colonial period were still in use in 1914, detailed data about them is included in this book.

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THE BRITISH BATTLE-FLEET - ITS INCEPTION AND GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES
by Fred T. Jane
Conway Maritime Press Ltd. (1997) ISBN 0 85177 723 6
This is a reprint of a book originally published in 1912. Despite is title the majority of the book concentrates on the history of the Royal Navy from 1816 to 1912. It covers the evolution of steam power, the design of the first Ironclads, and the various individual ships, classes of ship, and developments in warship design that took place during time in office of the four Chief Naval Constructors of the Victorian and Edwardian eras - Edward J. Reed, Nathaniel Barnaby, William H. White, and Philip Watts.

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BRITISH BATTLESHIPS - WARRIOR 1860 TO VANGUARD 1950 - A HISTORY OF DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND ARMAMENT
by Oscar Parkes
Seeley Service & Co. (1973) ISBN 0 85422 002 X
This is the revised edition of Oscar Parkes' monumental work on the history of the British Battleship. Every individual ship and class is covered in detail, including information about their design history, armament, armour, machinery, sea-going qualities, and service history. These are supported by over four hundred and fifty plans and photographs as well as short chapters that deal with technical topics and foreign ship designs.

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BRITISH CAMPAIGN MEDALS 1815 - 1914
by Peter Duckers
Shire Publications Ltd. (2000) ISBN 0 7478 0465 6
A short, well illustrated book about the military medals awarded during the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

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BRITISH COLOURS & STANDARDS 1747 - 1881 (1) - CAVALRY
by Ian Sumner and Richard Hook
Osprey (2001) ISBN 1 84176 200 8
Part of the ELITE series (No. 77).

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BRITISH COLOURS & STANDARDS 1747 - 1881 (2) - INFANTRY
by Ian Sumner and Richard Hook
Osprey (2001) ISBN 1 84176 201 6
Part of the ELITE series (No. 81).

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BRITISH FORCES IN ZULULAND 1879
by Ian Knight and Richard Scollins
Osprey (1991) ISBN 1 85532 109 2
Part of the ELITE series (No. 32).

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BRITISH FORTIFICATIONS IN ZULULAND 1879
by Ina Knight and Adam Hook
Osprey (2005) ISBN 1 84176 829 4
Part of the FORTRESS series (No. 35).

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THE BRITISH-INDIAN ARMY 1865 - 1914
by Peter Duckers
Shire Publications Ltd. (2003) ISBN 0 7478 0550 4
A short, well illustrated book about the history of the British-Indian Army from the Mutiny to the First World War.

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BRITISH INFANTRYMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA 1877 - 1881
by Ian Castle and Christa Hook
Osprey (2003) ISBN 1 84176 555 4
Part of the WARRIOR series (No. 83).

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BRITISH MILITARY RIFLES
by Peter Duckers
Shire Publications Ltd. (2005) ISBN 0 7478 0633 0
A short, well illustrated book about the history of the British Military Rifle from 169 to the present day. It includes information and images of:

• The Brunswick Rifle (1837-51)

• The Minié Rifle (1851-60)

• The Enfield Rifle (1853- 67)

• The Snider Rifle (1867-74)

• The Martini-Henry Rifle (1874-95)

• The Lee-Metford Rifle (1888-98)

• The 'long' Lee-Enfield Rifle (1895-1903)

• The 'short' Lee-Enfield Rifle (1903-57)

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THE BRITISH TROOPS IN THE INDIAN MUTINY 1857 - 1859
by Michael Barthorp and Douglas N. Anderson
Osprey (1994) ISBN 1 85532 369 9
Part of the MEN-AT-ARMS series (No. 268).

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BUILDING THE STEAM NAVY - DOCKYARDS, TECHNOLOGY AND THE CREATION OF THE VICTORIA BATTLE FLEET 1830 - 1906
by David Evans
Conway Maritime Press (2004) ISBN 0 85177 959 X
During the Victorian and Edwardian eras the Royal Navy underwent massive technological development, none of which would have been possible without the support provided by the Royal Dockyards. This book traces the development of the dockyards and their infrastructure at a time when the continued introduction of new technology brought about a revolution in ship design and construction.

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BULLER'S CAMPAIGN
by Julian Symons
The Cresset Press (1963)
As well as assessing General Sir Redvers Buller's performance as a field commander during the Boer War, this books looks closely at the history of the British Army in the period immediately preceding the war, and in particular the clash between the 'Wolseley Ring' and the 'Roberts Ring' that had such an effect upon the events of the Boer War.

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WILLIAM FRANCIS BUTLER - A LIFE 1838 - 1910
by Martin Ryan
The Lilliput Press (2003 ISBN 1 84351 015 4)
This is a modern biography of a member of the famous (or infamous) 'Wolseley Ring'. William Francis Butler joined the British Army in 1858 and rose to the rank of Major General. Along the way he became a renown traveller and travel writer - especially about Canada - and took part in the Red River Campaign, the Ashanti Campaign, the latter part of the Zulu War, the Egyptian Campaign, the Gordon Relief Expedition, and the defence of the Egyptian border. He also commanded British forces in South Africa just prior to the outbreak of the 2nd Boer War. Butler was also involved in the most famous judicial proceedings of the era - the Campbell divorce case - and married the foremost female military artist of the century - Lady Elizabeth Butler.

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C

CAMBRIDGE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
edited by P. J. Marshall
Cambridge University Press (1996) ISBN 0 521 43211 1
A good, well illustrated general history of the British Empire from 1873 to 1960.

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THE CAMPAIGN OF 1882 IN EGYPT
by Colonel J. F. Maurice, Royal Artillery
The Naval & Military Press Ltd ISBN 1 84342 101 1
Originally published in 1887, this is a softback, facsimile of the original report on the 1882 Campaign in Egypt prepared by the Intelligence Branch of the War Office. Although a little 'dry' by modern standards of writing, the book contains comprehensive details - including orders of battle for the British Army and lists of officers who were engaged - that many will find fascinating.

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CAVALRY UNIFORMS (INCLUDING OTHER MOUNTED TROOPS OF BRITAIN AND THE COMMONWEALTH)
by Robert and Christopher Wilkinson-Latham and illustrated by Jack Cassin-Scott
Blandford Press (1969) ISBN 0 7137 0134 X
A well illustrated guide to British cavalry uniforms from 1742 - 1953. Amongst the uniforms illustrated and described are those of the 1st Dragoon Guards (1879), the Camel Detachment (1884), the Victoria Mounted Rifles (1899), the Imperial Yeomanry (1901), and Bethune's Mounted Infantry (1901).

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A CELEBRATION OF EMPIRE - A CENTENARY SOUVENIR OF THE DIAMOND JUBILEE OF QUEEN VICTORIA 1837 - 1897
by Colonel Peter Walton
Spellmount Publishers Ltd. in association with the Victorian Military Society (1997) ISBN 1 86227 021 X
This book was published to coincide with the centenary of Queen Victoria's Jubilee, and contains a brief history of the Queen's life, a description of the Jubilee celebrations, and a reprint of G. W. Stephens' report on the procession as published in the 'Daily Mail'. The appendices, which account for over half the book, include a complete list of all the units and dignitaries (including foreign Heads of State or their representatives) that took part in the Jubilee processions, detailed descriptions of the various contingents from the Colonies, Australia, Canada, and India that were involved, and a reproduction of a print that shows their dress uniforms.

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CHATHAM NAVAL DOCKYARD & BARRACKS
by David T. Hughes
Tempus Publishing Limited (2004) ISBN 0 7524 3248 6
During the reign of Henry VIII the River Medway was chosen to be the main fleet anchorage. Storehouses were constructed along the river banks, and it was from these humble beginnings that Chatham Naval Dockyard developed. By the time of the Napoleonic Wars the Dockyard was a major naval base and it was in the forefront of all the major innovations in warship construction that took place during the Victorian era. This book contains many photographs and illustrations that show the development of the dockyard as well as some of the ships that were built and based there.

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THE CHINESE STEAM NAVY 1862 - 1945
by Richard N. J. Wright
Chatham Publishing (2000) ISBN 1 86176 144 9
Prior to the publication of this book there had been no comprehensive study made of the history, organisation, and equipment of the Chinese Navy during the latter part of the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries. The book makes it clear that far from being a weak and ineffective force, equipped with a large number of war junks and a few modern warships, the Chinese Navy tried to modernise itself by both buying ships abroad and building them in their own dockyards. In addition to a well illustrated and detailed listing of all the major warships used by the Chinese Navy, there is good coverage of the naval aspects of both the Sino-French War of 1884 and the Sino-Japanese War of 1894 - 1895.

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COLENSO 1899 - THE BOER WAR IN NATAL
by Ian Knight
Osprey (1995) ISBN 1 85532 466 0
Part of the CAMPAIGN series (No. 38).

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COLONIAL ARMIES: AFRICA 1850 TO 1918
by Peter Abbott
Foundry Books (2006) ISBN 1 901543 07 2
For more details click here.

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THE COLONIAL WARS SOURCE BOOK
by Philip J. Haythornthwaite
Book Club Associates (by arrangement with Arms and Armour Press) (1995)
An absolute must for anyone who wants to have a single volume source of information about Britain's colonial wars. It provides good general information about the British Army (including troops raised by the colonies), all the major and minor colonial conflicts that they took part in, the native forces that opposed them, and the commanders who led them.

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CONFEDERATE IRONCLAD 1861 - 65
by Angus Konstam and Tony Bryan
Osprey (2001) ISBN 1 84176 307 1
Part of the NEW VANGUARD series (No. 41).

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CONWAY'S ALL THE WORLD'S FIGHTING SHIPS 1860 - 1905
edited by Roger Chesneau and Eugene M. Kolesnik
Conway Maritime Press Ltd. (1979) ISBN 0 85177 135 5
This book is the first complete listing of all the main warships built from 1860 - 1905. Each of the major and minor naval powers has a chapter devoted to it, and these contain sections on each ship type and class. Every ship or class of ships has its technical data laid out in an easy-to-understand tabular format, a side elevation line drawing and/or photograph, and a short version of its service history. An absolute must for anyone who wants to have a single volume source of information about the World's Navies during the Victorian era.

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CRISIS ON THE FRONTIER - THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR AND THE CAMPAIGN IN WAZIRISTAN 1919 - 1920
by Brian Robson
Spellmount Limited (2004) ISBN 1 87227 211 5
In May 1919 the Afghans invaded India. As a result fighting erupted along the length of the North West Frontier, and eventually over 350,000 troops were involved. This book tells the story of this much ignored war and the subsequent campaign in Waziristan. 

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D

THE DEFENCE OF DUFFER'S DRIFT - A FEW EXPERIENCES IN THE FIELD DEFENCE FOR DETACHED POSTS WHICH MAY PROVE USEFUL IN OUR NEXT WAR
by Captain E. D. Swinton
Leo Cooper (1990) ISBN 0 85052 7236
First published in the 'United Service Magazine' in 1903, and later produced as a book in 1907. Captain (later Major General Sir) E.D.Swinton drew on his experiences of fighting in the 2nd. Boer War to produce a series of 'dreams' had by a young subaltern charged with the defence of Duffer's Drift. In each successive 'dream' the young officer - 2nd. Lieutenant Backsight Forethought - tries, with increasing success, to foil and beat off an attack on his post. The book is a minor masterpiece, and its value is summed up by Field Marshall Wavell's opinion that "If, after studying this little work, an officer decides that he has learned nothing, I can only recommend him to apply for employment in an Administrative branch of the War Office; for he will certainly be a danger to troops in the field."

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THE DEFENDERS - A HISTORY OF THE BRITISH VOLUNTEER
by Geoffrey Cousins
Frederick Muller Ltd. (1968)
This book contains some interesting chapters about the British volunteer movement of the nineteenth century.

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DEFENDING LONDON'S RIVER - THE STORY OF THE THAMES FORTS 1540 - 1945
by V. T. C. Smith
North Kent Books (1985) ISBN 0 948305 00 2
This book covers the history of the Thames Forts for four hundred years, and contains a concise and well illustrated description of the fortifications built or remodelled by the Victorians for the seaward defence of London and the Thames.

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DERVISH - THE RISE AND FALL OF AN AFRICAN EMPIRE
by Philip Warner
Macdonald & Jane's (1973) ISBN 0 356 04570 6
This book describes the military achievements of the short-lived Dervish Empire. Although it was only in existence from 1881 until 1898, the Dervish Empire managed to inflict defeats on the British, Egyptians, and Abyssinians before its power was destroyed on the battlefield at Omdurman.

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THE DEVIL'S DEVICE - ROBERT WHITEHEAD AND THE HISTORY OF THE TORPEDO
by Edwyn Gray
Naval Institute Press (1991) ISBN 0 87021 245 1
The Whitehead locomotive torpedo revolutionised naval warfare during the latter part of the Victorian era, and this book traces its development from the first prototype up until its use during the two World Wars. The book also includes descriptions of the other torpedoes developed during the period as well as several appendices that contain a wealth of detailed technical information.

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DIRECTORY OF THE WORLD'S CAPITAL SHIPS
by Paul H. Silverstone
Ian Allan Ltd. (1984) ISBN 0 7110 1222 9
This book covers all the capital ships - battleships, battlecruisers, monitors, aircraft carriers, and armoured cruisers - built since the middle of the nineteenth century, and is organised alphabetically by country. Each country's chapter starts with a short introduction, then has a section which covers the technical details of each ship or class of ships, and concludes with individual ship's service histories. Although only part of its coverage is applicable to the Victorian and Edwardian eras, the book does contain some very rare photographs of early Ironclads.

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DISCOVERING ARTILLERY
by R. J. Wilkinson-Latham
Shire Publications Ltd. (1972) ISBN 0 85263135 9
This short book describes the development of British artillery up until the First World War.

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DISCOVERING ENGLISH COUNTY REGIMENTS
by Ian F. W. Beckett
Shire Publications Ltd. (2003) ISBN 0 7478 0506 7
An excellent book that gives a potted history of each of the former county regiments, lists their battle honours, their marches, customs, Victoria Crosses, nicknames, badges, facing colours, memorials, and mottoes.

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THE DISCOVERY OF THE NILE
by Gianni Guadalupi
Airlife Publishing Ltd. (1998) ISBN 1 84037 045 9
Originally published in Italy by White Star S.r.l. in 1997, this is a large, lavishly illustrated 'coffee-table' history book about the importance of Nile in African history. Most of the illustrations are in colour, and are taken from contemporary sources such as the Illustrated London News. It includes chapters entitled:

• The river of the Pharaohs

• The imaginary maps: Nile cartography from Ptolemy to the eighteenth century

• A dynasty of slaves: the Mamelukes

• A latter-day Marco Polo: James Bruce in Abyssinia

• "The sultan of fire": Bonaparte in Egypt

• A slave empire: Mehmet Ali and the conquest of the Sudan

• The lost city of Meroë: Frédéric Cailliaud

• Black ivory: the slave trade from Khartoum to Zanzibar

• Towards the Mountains of the Moon: Burton and Speke

• The solving of the enigma: Speke and Grant

• A very Victorian couple: the Bakers and the discovery of Lake Albert

• The missionary and the journalist: Livingstone and Stanley

• A brigand on the throne of Solomon: the British expedition to Abyssinia

• Excursions among the cannibals: Schweinfurth and Miani

• Ismailia: Baker conquers Equatoria

• The war against slavery: Gordon and Gessi

• The bankruptcy of the Khedive: British occupation of Egypt

• God's envoy in the Sudan: the revolt of al-Mahdi

• A million pounds' worth of ivory: Stanley and the relief of Emin Pasha

• Avenging Gordon: the reconquest of the Sudan

• In the shadow of the pyramids: the Nile of the scholars and the artists

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DOVER'S HIDDEN FORTRESS - THE HISTORY AND PRESERVATION OF THE WESTERN HEIGHTS FORTIFICATIONS
by John Peverley
The Dover Society (1996) ISBN 0 906124 12 3
This short book describes the development of the fortifications that were built on the Western Heights at Dover to protect the harbour from attack. Work on the fortifications began in 1803, and by 1804 the construction of the Grand Shaft - which provided access from the Heights to the town of Dover - was underway. The Grand Shaft had 479 steps, and at its top was the Grand Shaft Barracks, that held 1200 men. The Grand Shaft Barracks also had steps leading down to the Drop Redoubt as well as being connected to the Citadel. The latter, which occupied the highest point on the Heights, was unfinished by 1814, and was not completed until after 1859. This was when the construction of Fort Burgoyne, which is to the north of Dover Castle, was also begun, and by 1861 Dover had fortifications that could house 7000 men.

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DUEL IN THE SNOWS - THE TRUE STORY OF THE YOUNGHUSBAND MISSION TO LHASA
by Charles Allen
John Murray (Publishers) (2004) ISBN 0 7195 5427 6
This book re-tells the events of the supposedly peaceful political mission undertaken by Francis Younghusband to Lhasa in 1903 -1904. The author examines the interplay between the main British characters - Francis Younghusband and Brigadier General James Macdonald - and leads one to the conclusion that previous accounts of this mission have been more than a little biased in favour of Younghusband's version of events. An interesting addition to the literature of 'The Great Game'.

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DUELLING WITH LONG TOMS - AN ACCOUNT OF THE 16TH BATTERY SOUTHERN DIVISION R.G.A.  DURING THE ANGLO-BOER WAR 1899 - 1902
by David Martin
David Martin (1988) ISBN 0 951321 70 6
This privately published book was written by the grandson of Gunner Henry Powell, who served with 16th Battery. It is based on the Battery Diary of 16th Battery Southern Division R.G.A. with additional notes by the author about the events noted in the Diary. The book contains several small but very useful maps as well as some unique photographs.

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E

EARLY BRITISH QUICK FIRING ARTILLERY (FIELD AND HORSE)
by Len Trawin
Nexus Special Interests Ltd. (1997) ISBN 1 85486 154 9
Everything you will ever need to know about early British Quick Firing Artillery ... and more! This book examines - in considerable and well illustrated detail - the construction and design of field and horse gun carriages, the development of gun sights, the materials used to build both guns and their carriages, how artillery wheels were made, and the horse harness used to pull artillery and their limbers. It also covers the following early British Quick Firing Field and Horse Artillery pieces:

• Breech Loading 15 pdr. Mk.IV

• Breech Loading (Converted) 15 pdr. Mk.I

• Quick Firing 15 pdr. Mk.I

• Quick Firing 13 pdr.

• Quick Firing 18 pdr. Mk.I

• Breech Loading 5" Howitzer

• Quick Firing 4.5" Howitzer Mk.I

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THE EMPIRE AT WAR
by John Bowie
B.T.Batsford Ltd. (1989) ISBN 0 7134 5777 5
Although photographs taken during battles were very rare, even during the latter years of the Victorian period, after-battle photography became quite commonplace by the end of the era. The volume brings together a well captioned collection of such images.

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THE EMPIRE IS MARCHING - A STUDY OF THE MILITARY EFFORT OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE 1800 - 1945
by Glen St. J. Barclay
Weidenfeld & Nicolson Limited (1976) ISBN 0 297 77125 6
The first four chapters of this book examine the growing importance of the defence of the Empire during the mid and late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the increasing role played by the Dominions - Australia, Canada, and New Zealand - in that defence.

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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF NINETEENTH-CENTURY LAND WARFARE - AN ILLUSTRATED WORLD VIEW
by Byron Farwell
W. W. Norton & Company Inc. (2001) ISBN 0 393 04770 9
This compendious book is an extremely useful source of information about all aspects of nineteenth century warfare. A must for anyone interested in warfare during this era.

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THE EUPHRATES EXPEDITION
by John S. Guest
Kegan Paul International Ltd. (1992) ISBN 0 7103 0429 3
This book tells the story of the little-known British expedition to discover whether or not the River Euphrates could be used as a commercial route from Britain to India. The expedition was the idea of Thomas Love Peacock, the novelist friend of Percy Bysshe Shelley, and it was jointly funded by the British Government and the East India Company. Two paddle steamers were shipped in sections to Syria, and then carried on wagons to the Euphrates where they were assembled. Commanded by Francis Rawdon Chesney, an Artillery Officer, the paddle steamers attempted to sail down the River Euphrates to the Persian Gulf. The expedition was, in the end, a gallant failure.

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© Robert George Cordery (2005)