Pen Sword: 3374 books

Originally published in 1970 and out of print for nearly thirty years, this book has already earned its place as a classic of submarine history by an author with an international reputation for being second-to-none in evoking the claustrophobic horror of war beneath the waves. Accurate in detail,...

The Battle of the Atlantic (Churchill's term) was arguably the pivotal campaign of the Second World War – it was certainly the longest starting with the sinking of RMS Athenia on 3 September 1939 and ending with the torpedoing of SS Avon Dale on 7 May 1945. This superbly researched work covers...

The fierce struggle between the British 1st Airborne Division and the superior German forces in and around Arnhem is well documented. This book tells of the role played in the battle for Oosterbeek and the bridge at Arnhem itself by the men of the Glider Pilot Regiment (GPR). These men were already...

The RAF Regiment was created in the early years of World War II for the active dedicated defense of RAF airfields and installations. This book concerns the Regiments operational history in South-east Asia Command and draws on the diaries and recollections of the men who served in that theatre. It...

Published for the first time in a single volume, VC’s of the Second World War consolidates the accounts of the actions of every recipient. The medal of this ultimate honor is inscribed with the simple words ‘For Valour’‚ and this cross of courage was awarded to a total of 180 men - many posthumously. As...

A brilliant and prolific collection of rare photographs celebrating the war-winning qualities of arguably the most important tank of the Second World War. Many of the marvelous images have never been seen before but thanks to the author, who has special access to the IWM archive they are now available with full authoritative captions.

Keeping the Atlantic sea-lanes open was a vital factor in the fight against Nazi Germany. In the battle to protect merchant shipping from the menace of surface raiders and U-boats, Allied resolve and resources were tested to the utmost. The story of the extraordinary measures that were taken...

The Second World War saw a host of heroic raids enacted across the various theatres, all delivered valiantly in a variety of ways by British combatants; on land, by sea and from the air. Daring exploits such as the raid on Rommel, the endeavours of the Cockleshell Heroes and the Dam Busters have become...

The scene is set with an overview of the respective states of the RAF and Japanese Airforce, and an explanation of how the American Volunteer Group (The Flying Tigers) came to be in China. There is a concise description of air ops covering the Japanese invasion of Indo China, Malaya and Singapore,...

A study of medieval warfare and a formative event in the history of Britain.   Edward I’s conquest of Wales has not been the subject of a scholarly book for over a century. Research has advanced since then, changing our perception of the medieval military mind and shining fresh light on the key...

On 22 May 1940 Alec Jay arrived in Calais with his Battalion, the Queen Victoria Rifles. After four days of intense fighting, he was taken prisoner of war along with those of his colleagues who were not killed. The Calais Garrison was not evacuated.
His situation as a POW was exceptionally perilous...

A vivid portrait of the final years of the civil war between the Chinese Nationalists and Communists, including many previously unpublished photos.   This volume in the Images of War series is the first photographic history of the Chinese Civil War, fought between Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists...

The Japanese offensive in the Far East in 1941-2 was extraordinary in its ambition for their aim was to advance across the entire region. They clashed with an array of forces in a series of lightning campaigns that included famous episodes like the raid on Pearl Harbor and the conquest of Singapore....

In the dark days of 1940, Prime Minister Winston Churchill showed his belief in ultimate victory by ordering the raising of the elite Commandos to ‘break the intolerable shackles of defeat.’ Having proved their worth in numerous raids and operations in the Mediterranean they and their American...