What are you reading at the moment?

Over the weekend, got into Harmsen's second work, partner of "Shanghai 1937...":

"Nanjing 1937: Battle for a Doomed City"

 

I am reading " The First and The Last " 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards regimental war diary. By Major J.D.P. Stirling. it is Awsome!!

 

I am reading {HELMAND MISSION} with the
Royal irish battlegroup in Afghanistan 2008.

only reading it because my son was over there with them
and he never speaks of it .

 

Just began "China's Wings: War, Intrigue, Romance, and Adventure in the Middle Kingdom During the Golden Age of Flight ", by Gregory Crouch.

 

Conflict Across the Strait: A Battery Commander's Story of Kent's Defences 1939-1945
By Colonel B E Arnold TD

 

Just began "CLASH OF EMPIRES IN SOUTH CHINA: THE ALLIED NATIONS’ PROXY WAR WITH JAPAN,1935–1941", by Franco David Macri.

 

Finally started reading Mark Zuehlke's "Forgotten Victory, the First Canadian Amy and the Cruel Winter of 1944-45".


Got a signed copy!! Courtesy JvD

 

I was hopping around Amazon with a Christmas voucher that's burning a metaphorical hole through my pixilated pocket when I found this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008KMNDKO?keywords=wavell&qid=1451148729&ref_=sr_1_3&sr=8-3

I was wondering whether it might be worth a read, but I didn't get that far - the cover!

I'm pretty good with British generals of the era and I could swear that's Dill and not Wavell (who notably had lost an eye).

How in god's name could the wrong general appear on the cover of a biography?

 

Pen & Sword standards? Image is stated to be of Dill on Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dill

Mark

 

I'm working on this right now. It's a pretty good read and very interesting to say the least, that is, if you are interested in reading about the guerilla campaign in the Philippines after Mac bugged out. And what I've learned about it, it is nothing short of amazing what these men did taking the war to the Japanese after the surrender there.

 

You my well be correct in the first instance, but Pen & Sword is a dedicated military publisher with an emphasis on the two world wars. How many pairs of eyes (including the author's) must have passed over the cover and failed to note the glaring error?

 

An excellent read. Nearly finished.

 

Currently reading 'Touched with Fire- The Land War in the South Pacific' by Eric Bergerud. I also have his second book 'Fire in the Sky-The Air War in the South Pacific' which will be my next read.

 

Days from a Different World, by John Simpson. A childhood memoir from the BBC War correspondent, which includes details of his paternal Uncle who was Wingate's RAF Radio Sergeant on Operation Longcloth.

 

After a few days off due to Christmas and the New Year, I'm about to finish me Hong Kong set of books:

The pertinent pages of "Campaigns in South East Asia, 1941-42", from the Indian Army Official History series, by Bisheshwar Prasad;
"Not the Slightest Chance", by Tony Banham;
"Hong Kong Volunteers in Battle", by Evan Stewart;
"Escape from Hong Kong", by Tim Luard

Sorry for going AWOL again... :redface:

 

Just started reading "Liverpool: A City at War" by Bryan Perrett. Details the importance of the city as the main lifeline for supplies from North America, Western Approaches and the Battle of the Atlantic and the Liverpool Blitz.

 

Finished this excellent study, which I gave myself as a Christmas Gift. It offers a good insight in German decision making for the 1940 Campaign in the West ... makes you wonder who was the most surprised by the succes of the deep armoured thrust, the Germans or the British and French Allies. The swift succes of the Panzers certainly gave both opponents the jitters.

Also available in English: http://www.amazon.com/The-Blitzkrieg-Legend-1940-Campaign/dp/1591142954

 

Currently reading The Silent Deep: The Royal Navy Submarine Service Since 1945 by James Jinks & Peter Hennessy.
This very readable new release (October 2015) gives a detailed account of the sun-dodgers from the immediate post war years when the RN began to use the submarines on secret intelligence operations against Russia to the current Perisher course. While a lot of the operations remain classified the authors have been given assistance by the RN and access to files and have been able to provide details on areas that will not of been known about by the public at large, covering the operations, the men in the boats and the cooperation (or lack of) with the USN.

 

Taking a break from military subjects, my partner bought me this history of Redcar Jazz Club - used to be there most Sundays in the late 60s/early 70s by which time it was mostly Blues and Prog. Rock.
Nealry finished now and next is my Christmas present to myself - One more river to cross the story of british military bridging.