Ordinary Heroes


Book Description

In 1982, 8,000 miles from home, in a harsh environment and without the newest and most sophisticated equipment, the numerically inferior British Task Force defeated the Argentinian forces occupying the Falkland Islands and recaptured this far-flung outpost of what was once an empire. It was a much-needed triumph for Margaret Thatcher's government and for Britain. Many books have been published on the Falklands War, some offering accounts from participants in it. But this is the first one only to include interviews with the ordinary seamen, marines, soldiers and airmen who achieved that victory, as well as those whose contribution is often overlooked – the merchant seaman who crewed ships taken up from trade, the NAAFI personnel who supplied the all-important treats that kept spirits up, the Hong Kong Chinese laundrymen who were aboard every warship. Published to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the conflict, this is the story of what 'Britain's last colonial war' was really like.




Emergency Action Message, Part 2


Book Description

The book chronicles the events that occurs in the final year before the bloodless beginning of the Second American Civil War. "Whatever the reason for this civil war," Archivist Graham North said, "it is dwarfed by the simple fact that twenty eight million men, women and children vanished." This dramatization follows the actions and inactions of over one hundred people who let themselves force a nation and the world at large toward war. Religion, politics, region, language and stupidity are equally represented in vivid detail.




Special Trust and Confidence


Book Description

This is an examination and an analysis of the systems of recruitment, selection, education and training for junior officers in the British Armed Forces. It is a study based around four core institutions: The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, The Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, the Department of Initial Officer Training, Royal Air Force College, Cranwell and the Officers Training Wing, Commando Training Centre, Royal Marines, Lympstone. The conclusions reveal the enduring dilemmas involved in the preparation of officer aspirants for entry to the British military profession.




I Am Alive!


Book Description

Acclaimed military historian Norton presents this long-forgotten memoir by a Marine captured in the spring of 1942 and interned for three devastating years by the Japanese. Jackson describes the fierce yet impossible battle for Corregidor and the lethal reality of the POW camps. Original.




The Last Soldiers of the King


Book Description

Of the remnant of Italian officers and men, as they sought to reestablish themselves as Italian soldiers. The Last Soldiers of the King tells the story of a proud people forced to endure death, poverty, and the virtual destruction of their nation." --Book Jacket.




Major Pettigrew's Last Stand


Book Description

Major Ernest Pettigrew is perfectly content to lead a quiet life in the sleepy village of Edgecombe St Mary, away from the meddling of the locals and his overbearing son. But when his brother dies, the Major finds himself seeking companionship with the village shopkeeper, Mrs Ali. Drawn together by a love of books and the loss of their partners, they are soon forced to contend with irate relatives and gossiping villagers. The perfect gentleman, but the most unlikely hero, the Major must ask himself what matters most: family obligation, tradition or love? Funny, comforting and heart-warming, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand proves that sometimes, against all odds, life does give you a second chance.




The Sergeant Major Syndrome


Book Description

You were a high-potential individual contributor. Your skills were valued. You received great performance reviews, a few raises, and promotion into management. Then things soured. The road to the top became a glass ceiling. Others passed you by. You worried about your job security. You are not alone. You are a sergeant major, and you are struggling to understand why your good efforts dont lead to equally good outcomes. In The Sergeant Major Syndrome, authors Roy Jacques and Mary Hobson seek to help you to understand and deal with these dynamics. Written by a former organizational sergeant major and a manager of sergeant majors, The Sergeant Major Syndrome is both a diagnostic tool and an action plan. It helps you understand what a sergeant major is, and it outlines a plan for strategizing what you can do about being (or not being) a sergeant major. Jacques and Hobson describe what the sergeant major can do to thrive in the tribal organization and how he or she can be valued at the project level. It also provides advice on advancing into the officer corps. Stop pressing your face against the glass ceiling and find the stairs.