Sub-titled 'The Life of Brigadier-General Sir Owen Thomas, MP, Father of the Welsh Army Corps'. Owen Thomas was a farmer and land agent from Llanbadrig, Anglesey, and an enigmatic character throughout his life. Never wishing to break ties with his birthplace, he carved a career for himself as a soldier and agriculture advisor in Africa, and as a pioneer rural Labour Member of Parliament, propelled by a vital and supportive local trade union movement. He is best remembered however as the man responsible for the formation of Lloyd George's Welsh Army Corps, raised in response to Kitchener's appeal for volunteers at the outbreak of the Great War. He persuaded many thousands of his countrymen to join his colours, and when his 'army' marched away from North Wales to face its destiny as the 38th (Welsh) Division, at Mametz Wood on the Somme, he was left behind, a frustrated and deeply hurt man. This biography provides a story full of adventure and promise but which resulted in anguish and pain. Owen Thomas's personal story offers a valuable insight into British colonial expansion in Africa, the response to military recruitment, the first stirrings of a political Labour movement in a rural county and although there is proof that he kept a diary while in East Africa, all his personal papers have been lost and only a handful of private letters have survived. The book is therefore dependent on contemporary newspapers, manuscript sources and official papers. The Welsh author gives due weight to the Anglesey background. 207pp, illus. and maps.

Sub-titled 'The Adventures of The First World War Correspondents from Bonaparte to the Boers', it is not two centuries since a newspaper conceived the idea of sending a reporter overseas to observe, gather information and write about war. The first Special Correspondent was Henry Crabb Robinson who in 1807 was sent by the proprietor of The Times John Walter II to act as their 'Man in Germany', ostensibly to follow and report on the movements of Napoleon's Grande Armée. Robinson was a 32 year old lawyer. He was almost arrested, but escaped from the Continent in disguise, the first of many exploits and adventures of this bold group of individuals who included William Russell in the Crimean War, whose reports helped bring down the government, and perhaps most famous of all Winston Churchill who reported on conflicts in Cuba, the Indian frontier, Sudan and the Boer War. Also includes reportage from Balaklava, the American Civil War, Prussia on the march, into Africa's dark centre, the Zulu War, and Egypt and the Sudan. 236pp, eight pages of photos including William Russell writing in his tent in the Crimean War winter 1854-55 and Felice Beato, the first photographer to capture the reality of war (WARNING - dead bodies at Taku Fort 1860).

Sub-titled 'The Life and Achievements of a Self-Taught Polymath, Artist and Wit from Devonshire', John Cranch was born in the same small town in the same year that Gray's Elegy was published. Taught to read and write but little else, only his own personality and talent allowed him to break free to become a respected lawyer, scholar and artist. But his story would be a dry one if thought of only in terms of social mobility, because even across two centuries his strivings, disappointments and successes have a modern human appeal. Significant amounts of his own writing and letters have survived, and the numerous quotations in this biography allow his own voice to speak to us. This took on greater historical significance when he was writing to relatives and acquaintances caught up in the events surrounding the birth of the independent United States of America. One important fact is that his uncle Richard Cranch was the brother-in-law and great friend of John Adams, second President of the United States. When John Cranch's (1751-1821) paintings appeared at auction in the 20th century, the importance of his art was finally appreciated. As a painter he often depicted domestic life of ordinary people and tradesman, popular themes of Dutch art in the period but not fashionable in England for some time afterwards. His role as mentor to the young John Constable is acknowledged nowadays. What should also be acclaimed to his fame was his pioneering antiquarian work, but despite the importance attached to preservation of ancient things, he sought to alert the world to their destruction. Cranch never married or had children. He appreciated the work of the blue stocking author Hannah More and this polymath certainly noted the talents of others which may have led to his near abandonment of his legal practice, which bored him. Long periods of his life were spent in Kingsbridge and Axminster in Devonshire, London and finally Bath. 203pp, illustrations.

In 1915, the German government published a book in Berlin entitled '"1915". It was produced in an attempt to portray the Germans as a civilised people who were destined to win the war, but in the meantime they would treat their prisoners with care and compassion. The aim of this present book is to compare "1915" to the reality of captivity, as experienced by the prisoners themselves. The book was translated into English by the German publisher, and sections are reproduced here, word for word, with errors and spelling and grammar included to add to the authenticity. Personal accounts from former prisoners will describe the reality of falling into the hands of the German Army and life as a prisoner of the Kaiser. The book has useful and unacknowledged accounts by captured British soldiers, maps of the camps, and interesting information about troops being sent to various camps. Dozens of original photographs from "1915" tell the story as seen through German eyes and here are photographs of a group of French, British and Belgian prisoners of war at Döberitz camp, Russian prisoners of war, working parties on a farm, an electrified fence along the German-Dutch border which has claimed a victim, a Greek Ritual Service at Sprottau where close by was a lazarette of 40 barracks for tubercular prisoners, the interiors of a Russian church, a French church and a synagogue, a prisoners' orchestra at Danzit-Troyl camp. From the "1915" book: 'A number of prisoners of war, arriving from the East, proved to be infected with cholera, typhus, dysentery and above all the dangerous spotted typhus... therefore disinfecting apparatus were provided for every camp', with machines used to rid prisoners' clothing of lice, shown in a photograph in use at Sagan camp which had a capacity of 6,000 prisoners known in the Second World War as Stalag Luft III of the Great Escape fame. Packed with archive photos, many of great nostalgic value, others grim and showing a harsh reality, reproduced to the best possible quality. Plus maps. 191pp.

In the summer of 1914, Lancaster, the ancient county town of what is properly the County Palatine of Lancaster, remained essentially the market town it had been for centuries, having been granted a borough charter in 1193 by King John. A key town on the main road from London to Carlisle (the modern A6), the Lancaster Canal opened in 1797, the railway had come early to Lancaster, there was an ancient grammar school and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. and since the 18th century the castle had been a prison. At the outbreak of the First World War panic buying led to price rises for sugar in particular and many grocers rationed their supplies. The first news of the war was referred to the 5th (Territorial) Battalion of the King?s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, which was due to begin its annual training near Kirkby Lonsdale on 2nd August. Training was cancelled and all units recalled to base, directed to guard the docks and warships in Barrow-in-Furness. Then they were sent by train to Didcot to guard the GWR line between Reading and Didcot and moved on to Sevenoaks before they embarked for France in February 1915. All those serving in the first two years of the war were volunteers and they suffered quite disproportionate losses. The 1st Battalion of the King?s Own formed part of the initial British Expeditionary Force and was soon in action at Mons and Le Cateau. Among the first to lose his life was their Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Alfred McNair Dykes, a veteran of the Boer War, along with three officers and 83 other ranks including Private John Carney of Ridge Street among many other Lancaster men. The town was out of range for shelling from the sea or aerial bombardment, but did experience an explosion at its munitions factory in 1917. Apart from this the Mayor and council endeavoured to continue with their primary duties as far as possible in running the town. The Lancaster men received many awards for gallantry. 116pp in large softback with many archive photos and posters.

The City of Leeds has a rich and varied military heritage and this book charts that heritage from Roman times to the end of the Second World War. The City came into its own in the English Civil War when it was a target for both Royalists and Parliamentarian armies and had a flirtation with the conflict of the 18th century Jacobite Uprisings and its regiments were mobilised in the industrial and social unrest caused by Chartism and Luddism. Leeds responded enthusiastically and the call to arms for volunteer regiments in the 19th century amid fears of French invasion and French-style popular revolution. Some of its most famous regiments find their origins at this time - Leeds Volunteers, Leeds Rifles and the 1st Leeds Yorkshire West Riding Artillery Volunteer Corps; 2nd West Yorkshire Royal Engineer Volunteers and the Yorkshire Hussars Yeomanry (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own). Local industry, not least brewers Joshua Tetley, supported this with a ready supply of horses and men. The Second Boer War saw Leeds Regiment serve with distinction, winning one VC, but it was in the First World War where Leeds men and women excelled themselves in patriotism and bravery and sadly sacrifice and slaughter. Military uniforms were made in their tens of thousands, while the heroines of the Barnbow Munitions Factory turned out even more munitions. 37 of the Canary Girls and two men tragically died working for their country in three fateful explosions. The Second World War was met by the people of Leeds with similar fortitude and regiments and an RAF squadron fought with distinction. Here are rare nostalgic archive photographs of RAF Yeadon (Leeds-Bradford Airport), the Blitz of 1941, 609 Squadron, Yeadon Lancaster factory, Leeds as a garrison city and current military research in Leeds. Also a look at conscientious objectors, agriculture, anti-Semitism, zeppelins and more. Packed with archive photos and a colour plates and map section. 128pp in softback.

Delivering air support for law enforcement, here are brilliant insights into police aviation in GB, the Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit, police helicopter aircrews, equipment and tactics. They cover terrorist attacks, royal weddings and state occasions, US presidential visits, the London Riots of 2011, the Olympic Games of 2012, a transition into MPAS and all about the pilots, crew training and tactical flight officers. Then we take a detailed look at enclosed area searching, vehicle pursuits, ASU liaison role, Eagle One, using infrared and the electromagnetic spectrum. There are case studies and a look at maintenance, recruitment, media and PR. As we expect from Haynes manuals, there are hundreds of colour photographs, maps, many overlayed with diagrammatic lines, and explanations of the Met's EC145 helicopters which take to the skies over London for around 2700 flying hours each year and attend around 7500 operational tasks. Brandon describes the evolution of police aviation plus the Wescam MX15 camera, Skyforce Observer Moving Map, Video Management System, Vislink Digital Downlink, and Airwave Digital Police Radio. With exciting case studies, 200 colour photos and illus., many in print for the first time. 180pp.

How many of us know what's behind those gorgeous prints of batik and how they came to be? Batik is a basic hand-dyeing method elevated to an art form in which wax is used as a resistance to create patterns on fabric. When dye is applied areas coated with wax do not accept the colour and the fabric is characterised by a mottled or marbleised look. The second batik method involves block printing or stamping. Quilters love batiks and it's easy to see why they are so popular - they are beautiful. Play up all the special qualities you love in this collection of fabulous patterns to inspire from traditional projects to new ways to show off batiks or other favourite fabrics in quilts using pre-cut strips, fat quarters and or yardage. Learn fascinating titbits about batik fabrics, colourways and as you assemble block by block Purple Daze, Winter Stars, Paradise Winds or Tangerine Summers. 80 page large softback, packed with colour diagrams and full page images.

A Greenhill book first published in 1997, we are delighted to have the 2016 reprint in a large format Pen and Sword softback. It is from the G.I. Series, an illustrated history of the American soldier, his uniform and his equipment and ends in the early 90s and therefore should be seen as a collection of rare photographs with extended captions beginning with an image of General Norman Schwarzkopf and Collin Powell listening to a briefing during the Persian Gulf War. There is a close up of a tank driver for the 24th Infantry Division based at Fort McPherson Georgia wearing a DH-132 armoured crewman's helmet with sun, wind and dust goggles. There are troops pictured during a 'Reforger' exercise in 1985, 'Forward deployed' in Europe, prepared to halt an invasion of Western Europe by Warsaw Pact forces. A G.I. takes aim with his M16A2 rifle and is wearing the daytime desert camouflage BDUs known by G.I.s as 'chocolate chips'. Here are parades and drills, an SGT taking a break to smoke his pipe during Operation Desert Storm, the Drill Instructors, Military Policewomen, Kitchen Police, students honing their physical skills or taking a breather in desert operations, Eskimo Scouts, army snipers, an AH-15 Cobra Attack helicopter carrying eight TOW missiles, 750 rounds of 20mm canon ammunition and 76 2.75" rockets, a formidable array of weaponry. It was replaced by the Apache helicopter. And the Navy and Military Policeman and jungle training all make their way into this collection of 100 rare and unusual images as the U.S. Army has become a smaller and more technologically advanced force. 80 page large paperback.

The frank and forthright wine critic is a renowned expert on organic and biodynamic techniques. Monty Waldin knows what he likes to drink, and knows how he likes it to be made, yet as his 40th birthday loomed, he found himself increasingly satisfied with just writing about wine. It was time he realised to put his money where his mouth is and produce bottles of his very own. Renting a vineyard in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, Monty has just 12 months to put his beliefs into practice and make a decent tasting organic wine. It could have ended in career suicide, and Monty faced that possibility with only a four-legged companion at his side, his ever-faithful dog, Harry. There in the notoriously unpredictable weather of the Pyrenees, as well as how equally unpredictable locals will react to having an English wine novice hanging around, Monty with his second-hand van purchased for just one euro which had only one gear and an aversion to roads began his adventure. It begins with a car crash which left Monty with a sort of back injury that his doctors ordered him to stay in bed with, just when he should begin digging. Published to accompany the major Channel Four TV series, whether you have dreamt of owning your own vineyard or just enjoy a glass or two of decent red, Monty is a wonderfully warm and witty companion who has clearly made lots of friends and learned all about chickens and geese and irrigation canals and has a lot to be proud of. With many sections of both colour and black and white photographs, 298pp.