David Wragg

Covers the Second World War Operations of the Royal Navy in One Concise Volume On the declaration of war in 1939, the British Admiralty signaled all warships and naval bases: "Total Germany, Total Germany." It was fortunate that of Germany's three armed services, the Kriegsmarine, under Grosseradmiral Erich Raeder, was the least well prepared. They had not expected to fight all-out war for another two to three years. While Admiral Karl Dönitz's...

During the Summer of 1940, Hitler’s Germany appeared unstoppable. The Nazis were masters of mainland Europe, in alliance with Stalin’s Russia and only the English Channel prevented an immediate invasion. Britain stood alone. The BEF had been routed but, due to the Dunkirk miracle, most of her manpower had returned albeit without their transport and heavy equipment and guns. There was no doubt that the Nazis planned to invade all intelligence...

"Vedren Chel holds every oath of service sacred - except his own. His father's sermons on the nobility of duty left him ill-prepared for the grind of service to his indolent step-uncle. Chel's wretched oath has dragged him from home and family across a war-splintered kingdom; he craves an escape from this life. When foreign invaders heave into port, Chel finds opportunity in the chaos - a bargain with a stranded prince. Escort the prince to safety,...

Few modes of travel have the enduring appeal of steam railways. Today preserved lines, locomotives and rolling stock attract not just expert enthusiasts but more casual visitors who are keen to savor the distinctive atmosphere of a lost era in transport history. Yet these relics are but one aspect of the long story of steam, for they cannot reveal the human side of working life on the railways the experience of the railway - men who operated the machinery...

Compiled by the author of Janes Air Forces of the World, this book is a must for aviation experts. In one volume the reader will find the composition and details of all air elements of a staggering 169 nations air forces and, where they exist, army air, naval air and such paramilitary organizations as the US Coast Guard Service. By definition such a book must be regularly updated and David Wragg has researched his subject right up to the minute....

Railways played a key role in Britain's social, economic and industrial history. These companies have long since gone, but all over the country relics remain to remind us of that pioneering age. David Wragg's Historical Dictionary of Railways in the British Isles is a comprehensive, single-volume reference guide to the old railway companies and their heritage. He provides brief histories of the companies and their many-sided activities, and he gives...

A history-defining moment in World War II, when the allied nations of England and France stood on the precipice of betrayal-and war with each other. After the forces of Nazi Germany launched their Blitzkrieg assault on Holland, Belgium, and Northern France, the tentative relationship between Great Britain and France was strained to the limit. For when the Vichy regime surrendered, the British had grave fears that the Germans would force the French...

The Southern Railway may not have been the most glamorous of the 'Big Four' companies that emerged from the grouping of 1923, but it was the great innovator. In the 1930s the Southern pioneered the first main-line electrification and created the largest electrified suburban railway network in the world. It was also one of the few to offer regular departures and the first to run true international services, introducing the 'Night Ferry' through-trains...

Compiled by the author of Janes Air Forces of the World, this book is a must for naval experts and enthusiasts. In one volume the reader will find the composition and details of all naval elements of a staggering 137 nations armed forces including paramilitary organizations as the US Coast Guard Service. The book starts with an introduction based on the situation today and the response of the leading maritime powers. This is an interesting period...

Except for the strength of the U-boat fleet at the height of the Battle of the Atlantic, the German Navy, or Kriegsmarine, was never a match for the Royal Navy, even though the latter was overstretched and fighting in the Atlantic, Pacific, the Mediterranean and the Arctic. It was not meant to be that way. Hitler and his naval staff had a vision for a large and well-balanced fleet, including aircraft carriers.PLAN Z was the name given for the massive...