Paul Kendall – författare

This is the book you will need if you are considering setting up your own business. It is aimed at the new business owner who has a lot of questions to ask. It has been written by a successful business owner and provides advice on what, and what not, to do.While it is not intended to be a global reference book it does provide the reader with practical answers to the issues they will come across everyday, and includes examples of successes and failures from both the US and U.K. perspectives.

In the spring of 1917 the Arras offensive was begun to break the stalemate of the Western Front by piercing the formidable German defences of the Hindenburg Line. The village of Bullecourt lay at the southern end of the battle front, and the fighting there over a period of six weeks from 11 April until late May 1917, epitomised the awful trench warfare of World War I.In Bullecourt 1917, Paul Kendall tells the stories of the fierce battles fought by three British and three Australian divisions in an attempt to aid Allenby’s Third Army break out from Arras. Approximately 10,000 Australian and 7,000 British soldiers died, many of whom were listed as missing and have no known grave. The battle caused much consternation due to the failure of British tanks in supporting Australian infantry on 11 April, but despite the lack of tank and artillery support the Australian infantry valiantly fought their way into the German trenches. It took a further six weeks for British and Australian infantry to capture the village. This book tells the story of this bitter battle and pays tribute to the men who took part. Crucially, Paul Kendall has contacted as many of the surviving relatives of the combatants as he could, to gain new insight into those terrible events on the Hindenburg Line.

A giant statue of a six-pipe musical instrument stands in the heart of Kaili city. Yet despite its prominent placement, intended to convey the essence of the city, residents hold extremely low opinions of music-making in Kaili, particularly when compared to the "authentic" music found in surrounding ethnic minority villages. In this engaging, accessible work, author Paul Kendall investigates this conundrum and comes to terms with conflicting representations of a small southwestern Chinese city branded "the homeland of one hundred festivals".Drawing on Henri Lefebvre's triad of social space, the book explores the relationship between Kaili's branding, built environment, and everyday life: how China's post-Mao built environment hinders and hides everyday music-making, even in a tourist destination for ethnic music; how residents themselves deny or downplay the existence of ethnic music in the city, despite the government's efforts to promote it; how amateur musicians have constructed generational hierarchies of musical practice within a shifting cityscape. Kendall argues that increased focus on the small city helps counter a tendency to conceive China as either timeless village or futuristic metropolis and enables a more comprehensive understanding of the urban experience, both in China and beyond. He shows that many Kaili inhabitants recognize not only a rural-urban divide-long a dominant geographical notion of China - but also a more complex conceptualization of village, small city, and big city.By interweaving theories of authenticity with an innovative interpretation of space, Kendall shows how the category of "fake" minority emerged from this small city as a surprisingly positive form of self-identification, suggesting that there are ways of not being ethnic, even in often-exoticized southwest China. The Sounds of Social Space makes a distinctive contribution across a range of disciplinary interests, including Chinese studies, urban studies, anthropology, and ethnomusicology.

This is the book you will need if you are considering setting up your own business. It is aimed at the new business owner who has a lot of questions to ask. It has been written by a successful business owner and provides advice on what, and what not, to do.While it is not intended to be a global reference book it does provide the reader with practical answers to the issues they will come across everyday, and includes examples of successes and failures from both the US and U.K. perspectives.

The author of six novels, Jane Austen continues to enamour her readers more than two-hundred years after she wrote them. Now a global phenomenon, her books have sold millions of copies and sparked countless film and tv-drama adaptations in a multitude of languages. This book takes you on a tour of the many places associated with Jane Austen, from the homes she lived in Steventon, Bath and Chawton to the school she was educated at in Reading. Follow in her footsteps where she socialised, such as Sydney Gardens and the Assembly Rooms and Pump Room, Bath, and explore the myriad locations mentioned in her books. Discover where she spent her holidays in towns such as Lyme Regis and Worthing and where she worshipped at St Nicholas’ Church, Steventon. Personal objects belonging to Jane are detailed here, including her writing desk and table, her donkey cart and her ivory spool case. The memorials to her at Winchester Abbey and in Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey, and her statues in Basingstoke and at St Nicholas’ Church, Chawton, are also featured.With beautiful illustrations and packed with fascinating facts and entertaining anecdotes, this book transports you back to the Regency era and celebrates the life of one of England’s most-renowned authors.

The novels of Thomas Hardy continue to enamour his readers over a century after he wrote them. His beautifully observed tales of rural life in his native Dorset, which became his mythical setting of Wessex, have inspired readers and sold millions of copies worldwide and sparked numerous film and television adaptations.Although his novels were published during the Victorian era, he was ahead of his time and his outlook upon society was at odds with the social mores of the time. Demonised for the themes of his final novel, Jude the Obscure, he was dubbed ‘Hardy the Obscene’. He was a complex man and despite showing empathy for his female characters, he treated his two wives poorly and did not endear himself to anyone who worked for him. This book features the places where Hardy lived in Sturminster Newton, Wimborne Minster, Dorchester and London. It also includes places that inspired his writing and were incorporated into Wessex and featured in his poems.Personal objects connected with Hardy are detailed here, such as his writing desk, pens, the locket containing his first wife’s hair and photo, a war memorial tablet he designed, his tombs in Stinsford Church and Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey, and his statue in Dorchester.This book transports the reader to Hardy’s rural Dorset through objects and locations that celebrate the life and inspiration of one of England’s most celebrated authors.

The life of politician and diarist Samuel Pepys spanned seven decades, meaning he bore witness to many groundbreaking events such as the execution of King Charles I in 1649 and the Glorious Revolution in 1688. His famous diary was written between 1660 and 1669 and provides fascinating detail on the world around him, from the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 to the plague in 1665 and the Great Fire of London in 1666. This invaluable record of life in seventeenth-century England offers an intriguing insight into the politics, court life, defence of the realm and commerce of the period as well as day-to-day living. He describes visits to coffee houses, taverns, theatres, bear pits and, with incredible candour, brothels.Here Pepys’ life and diary is detailed through the places and objects associated with him. Visit the locations where Pepys resided and worked, the dockyards he inspected at Woolwich and Chatham, as well as the churches where he worshipped and the coffee houses and taverns he frequented. Examine items such as the bills of mortality Pepys read during the plague, his wig, the church steeple from which he observed the Great Fire, and his will.Full of quirky facts and fascinating illustrations, this book transports you back to seventeenth-century London through places and objects central to Pepys’ life.

The life of politician and diarist Samuel Pepys spanned seven decades, meaning he bore witness to many groundbreaking events such as the execution of King Charles I in 1649 and the Glorious Revolution in 1688. His famous diary was written between 1660 and 1669 and provides fascinating detail on the world around him, from the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 to the plague in 1665 and the Great Fire of London in 1666. This invaluable record of life in seventeenth-century England offers an intriguing insight into the politics, court life, defence of the realm and commerce of the period as well as day-to-day living. He describes visits to coffee houses, taverns, theatres, bear pits and, with incredible candour, brothels.Here Pepys life and diary is detailed through the places and objects associated with him. Visit the locations where Pepys resided and worked, the dockyards he inspected at Woolwich and Chatham, as well as the churches where he worshipped and the coffee houses and taverns he frequented. Examine items such as the bills of mortality Pepys read during the plague, his wig, the church steeple from which he observed the Great Fire, and his will.Full of quirky facts and fascinating illustrations, this book transports you back to seventeenth-century London through places and objects central to Pepys life.

Britain has a rich musical heritage with many great names having been born here, such as Henry Purcell, Sir Edward Elgar and members of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. It has also attracted musicians from across the world, such as George Frederick Handel and Freddie Mercury, and, fleetingly, the likes of Glenn Miller and Bob Marley.Paul Kendall celebrates items and locations that have been associated with musicians, from Brighton, where Abba won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, to Wigan, the birthplace of George Formby, and from Rochdale, where Dame Gracie Fields began her musical career, to Dorking, where Ralph Vaughan Williams regularly premiered his work at the Leith Music Festival. Also featured are sites where artists composed well-known pieces or studios where they recorded their work, including Craeg Lea, Malvern, where Sir Edward Elgar composed ‘Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1’ which featured in ‘Land of Hope and Glory’, and Trident Studios, where David Bowie recorded ‘Space Oddity’. In dark times music has played an important role in raising the nation’s morale, another theme explored with, for example, the White Cliffs of Dover, the inspiration for Dame Vera Lynn’s ‘(There’ll be Blue Birds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover’.This book not only transports you to locations associated with music and musicians but is a celebration of those who through their music have brought joy and pleasure to so many people across the centuries.

An extensively illustrated history of a girl with little chance at the throne—who went on to rule for six decades and renew Britain’s love for its monarchy.Born fifth in the line of succession, she seemed likely to become a minor figure in history. But a series of premature deaths led to a remarkably long reign for Queen Victoria during one of the most tumultuous and colorful centuries in British history. Victoria embraced the enormous social, political, and industrial changes that were transforming Britain into the most powerful and prestigious country in the world. She was the first monarch to use the railway as a mode of transport, use anesthetic to alleviate the pain of childbirth, and use a telephone. From the very start of her reign, she took an interest in politics, playing an active part in the machinations of government, and worked with ten prime ministers. She broke down barriers between sovereign and subjects, making herself visible to the public. Victoria also established the tradition of the white wedding, wearing a bridal dress that ensured her subjects could see her amid the crowds. These are just a few of the many notable events, both large and small, of her rule. All aspects of Victoria’s life from Kensington Palace, her birthplace, to Frogmore Mausoleum, her resting place, are covered in this book filled with photographs, paintings, and images of fascinating artifacts. You’ll find illustrations of many of the places and palaces significant in her life—such as the site of the Fox & Crown public house, where the landlord stepped out to halt the horses of Victoria’s coach as it was careering out of control, or the point along Constitution Hill where the first assassination attempt was made on Victoria’s life. Also displayed are artifacts that epitomize her reign, such as the Penny Black, the world’s first pre-paid adhesive postage stamp that, of course, bore her image, and the gold enameled brooch she presented to Florence Nightingale in 1855 for her work in Crimea. Queen Victoria: Her Life and Legacy is a journey in gloriously-colored images through one of Britain’s greatest eras—the age of Victoria.

For almost 64 years, Queen Victoria reigned over Great Britain during a period which saw the country become the most powerful and prestigious in the world and one which experienced enormous social, political and industrial change. Those changes were embraced by Victoria, who became the first monarch to use the railway as a mode of transport, to use anaesthetic to alleviate pain, during childbirth, and to use a telephone.At the very start of her reign, she took an interest in politics, playing an active part in the machinations of government, and worked with ten prime ministers. She broke down barriers between sovereign and her subjects, ensuring that she was visible to the public. Victoria established the tradition of the white wedding, wearing a white bridal dress to ensure that her subjects could see her with the coronation route lengthened to maximise her exposure. She set the tradition of acknowledging her subjects from the balcony at Buckingham Palace during times of national celebration. She also paid regular visits to hospitals in England to visit wounded soldiers, and instigated the medal named after her which became the highest honour a man could receive fighting for his country.All aspects of Victoria’s life from Kensington Palace, her birthplace to Frogmore Mausoleum, are covered within this volume. Her personal life as well as her public persona are examined with illustrations of many of the places and palaces that were significant in her life – such as the site of the Fox & Crown public house on West Hill, Highgate, where, the landlord stepped out to halt the horses of Victoria coach which was careering out of control, or the point along Constitution Hill where the first assassination attempt was made on Victoria’s life.Equally displayed in this unique collection are fascinating artifacts that epitomise her reign, for example, the world’s first pre-paid adhesive postage stamp, the Penny Black which, of course, bore her image, and the gold enamelled brooch presented by Queen Victoria to Florence Nightingale in 1855 for her work in Crimea.Queen Victoria: Her Life and Legacy is a journey in gloriously-colored images through one of Britain’s greatest eras – the age of Victoria.

An illustrated biography of Queen Elizabeth I as revealed through the buildings, artifacts, documents, and other relics that still exist today.The Elizabethan Era was a golden age for England. Great playwrights such as William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe flourished, while the exploits of Sir Francis Drake and other ''sea-dogs'' established the country as a global power. At the center of it all was Elizabeth herself—daughter of Henry VIII and last of the Tudor monarchs. In this magnificently illustrated volume, Elizabeth''s life story is told through the objects, buildings, documents, and institutions she left behind.Historian Paul Kendall explores the queen''s birthplace at Greenwich Palace, her childhood homes, her prison in the Tower of London, the palaces she lived in, and her final resting place in Westminster Abbey. He also delves into the books young Elizabeth presented to her father and step-mother, Katherine Parr, with the binding she embroidered herself. Also covered in detail are her clothes, letters she wrote in her own hand, her coronation chair, her coat of arms asserting her title as Governor of the Church of England, and her signature signing the death warrant of her cousin, the 4th Duke of Norfolk.This book is not just a journey back in time to the reign of Elizabeth I, but also a tour across the country to visit the sites which still evoke that golden era of the Virgin Queen.

The forty-four-year reign of Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and the last Tudor monarch, was considered a golden age. It saw the emergence of the great playwrights such as William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe, while the exploits of Sir Francis Drake and other ''sea-dogs'' helped establish England''s position among the great maritime powers. This book looks at Elizabeth''s life through some of the many artifacts, buildings, documents and institutions that survive to this day. From the execution of her mother, Ann Boleyn, when she was just two-and-a-half-years-old, to her imprisonment on suspicion of supporting Protestant rebels, Elizabeth''s early life was a turbulent one, but her accession to the throne ushered in a period of stability. During her reign, England''s wealth and prestige grew through her patronage of seafaring privateers such as Drake, John Hawkins and Walter Raleigh. She encouraged the exploration and colonialization of North America, marking the birth of the British Empire and the establishment of British trade routes. Elizabeth was responsible for expanding the English Navy, its defeat of the Spanish Armada being considered one of England''s greatest military victories. In this magnificently illustrated book we see her birthplace at Greenwich Palace, her childhood homes, her prison in the Tower of London, the palaces she lived in, ruins of stately homes she visited, such as Gorhambury House, Kenilworth House, Upnor Castle and the Elizabethan town walls at Berwick, the many fortifications built during her reign to defend her realm, through to her final resting place in Westminster Abbey. Also found in this fascinating volume are books that she presented to her father and step-mother, Katherine Parr, with the binding embroidered by Elizabeth, her clothes, letters she wrote in her own hand, her coronation chair, her coat of arms asserting her title as Governor of the Church of England and her signature signing the death warrant of her cousin, the 4th Duke of Norfolk. This book is not just a journey back in time to the reign of Elizabeth I, but also a tour across the country to visit the sites which still evoke that golden era of the Virgin Queen.

A twentieth century icon, Lawrence of Arabia, as Thomas Edward Lawrence is more commonly known, spent thirteen out of his forty-six years in the region from which he drew his name. This was as a scholar researching his university thesis, a spy surveying Sinai for the British Army before the First World War, an intelligence officer in Cairo, a liaison officer to the Arabs, and as a diplomat who galvanised and united the Arab tribes into an effective fighting force. He became an explosives expert and a guerrilla fighter who influenced Arab leaders in defeating their Ottoman occupiers.The story of his achievements in Arabia, derailing Turkish trains and attacking enemy strongholds, has become the stuff of legend. But his life after the disappointment of witnessing the Arabs being denied independence at the end of the First World War is as intriguing as his more famous escapades in the desert.Uncomfortable with the fame and celebrity status that Lowell Thomas’s lectures brought upon him, after a brief tenure as a civil servant working for Winston Churchill in an attempt to address the failure of achieving Arab independence at the Cairo Conference, Lawrence, the former Lieutenant-Colonel, remarkably sought a life in obscurity. In the years after the war, for example, he served in the Royal Air Force as an aircraftsman and spent a brief period as a private in the Royal Tank Corps under the alias John Hume Ross or Thomas Edward Shaw. He became a competent marine motor mechanic, and was personally involved in the development of the fast RAF 200 Seaplane tender and an armoured target boat. He also became a renowned author and could claim literary giants such as Thomas Hardy, E.M. Forster and George Bernhard Shaw as his friends.In this highly illustrated book, the story of Lawrence’s fascinating life is explored through many of the places and objects associated with him, from his birthplace in Wales through to his grave at Moreton in Dorset. _Lawrence of Arabia_ features his places of education in Oxford, sites where he served as a British Army intelligence officer in Cairo, as liaison officer and adviser to the Arabs, even where he fought alongside his Arab brothers against the Ottomans.It also follows his life in the years after Arabia. Some of the fascinating locations Paul Kendall visits include RAF stations at Calshot and Bridlington, or the Tank Depot at Bovington Camp where he served in the ranks, his cottage at Clouds Hill and the homes of his famous friends that he frequently visited. The objects examined include Arab robes that he wore, his Khanjar, his service rifle, and even the Brough motorcycle which he enjoyed and valued.This book is not just a journey across Arabia, Britain and Europe, but also a journey back in time through objects and locations into the life of one of Britain’s most enigmatic and celebrated individuals.

A biography of the nineteenth-century English novelist as revealed through the historic landmarks and personal possessions that influenced his life and work.Few writers have had a greater impact upon British society than Charles Dickens. His stories, and, in particular, his many memorable characters, highlighted the life of the forgotten poor and disadvantaged within society at a time when Britain was the leading economic and political power in the world. Dickens'' portrayal of the poor, such as Oliver Twist daring to ask for more food in the parish workhouse, and Bob Cratchit struggling to provide for his family at Christmas, roused much sympathy and an understanding of the poor and the conditions in which they lived. This led to many people founding orphanages, establishing schools to educate the underprivileged, or to set up hospitals for those who could not afford medical treatment—one such was Great Ormond Street Children''s Hospital where one of its wards was named after the great writer.Little wonder, then, that his legacy can be found across the UK. From the buildings where he lived, the inns and hotels he frequented, the streets and towns which formed the backdrop to his novels and short stories, to the places where he gave readings or performed his own amateur dramatic productions to raise funds for his philanthropic causes. Dickensian memorabilia also abound, including his original manuscripts to his famous works and letters to his wife. Many of these have been woven in a single volume which transports the reader magically through stories and images into the Dickensian world of Victorian Britain.

Few writers have had a greater impact upon British society than Charles Dickens. His stories, and, in particular, his many memorable characters, highlighted the life of the forgotten poor and disadvantaged within society at a time when Britain was the leading economic and political power in the world. Dickens'' portrayal of the poor, such as Oliver Twist daring to ask for more food in the parish workhouse, and Bob Cratchit struggling to provide for his family at Christmas, roused much sympathy and an understanding of the poor and the conditions in which they lived. This led to many people founding orphanages, establishing schools to educate the underprivileged, or to set up hospitals for those who could not afford medical treatment – one such was Great Ormond Street Children''s Hospital where one of its wards was named after the great writer. Little wonder, then, that his legacy can be found across the UK. From the buildings where he lived, the inns and hotels he frequented, the streets and towns which formed the backdrop to his novels and short stories, to the places where he gave readings or performed his own amateur dramatic productions to raise funds for his philanthropic causes. Dickensian memorabilia also abound, including his original manuscripts to his famous works and letters to his wife. Many of these have been woven in a single volume which transports the reader magically through stories and images into the Dickensian world of Victorian Britain.

The Wars of the Roses, which saw England and Wales ravaged by warfare for three decades and dynasties rise and fall, decimated the nobility of an entire generation, and saw the rise of the merchant class, the decline of medieval feudalism and opened the country to the enlightened ideals of the Renaissance. Such has been its lasting effects the red and white rose of the Tudors is still a national symbol.This book is an exploration of the buildings, monuments, towns and battlefields of that turbulent era across both England and Wales - places that can still be visited and experienced today. The stories of the great battles of St Albans, Stoke Field, Wakefield, Townton, Barnet, Tewksbury and, of course, Bosworth, are told along with beautiful photographs to help guide the reader round these important sites, as well as the dozens of smaller engagements where the supporters of the Houses of York and Lancaster fought and died.Here are castles and manor houses galore, all of which played their part in this protracted struggle for the throne of England, such as Richard of York's imposing powerbase of Lulow Castle and the magnificent Tudor stronghold of Bamburg. These are compared with the scant remains of Fotheringhay Castle, the birthplace of Richard III - the man whose remains were so dramatically uncovered in Leicester - and Micklegate Bar, York, was where Richard's head was placed on a spike.We see the Clocktower of St Albans and Gabriel' the bell that was rung in 1455 alerting of the Yorkist advance, as well as the Tower of London where Henry VI met his death and the possible burial place of the two princes.These, and scores of other places, monuments, plaques, buildings and battlegrounds, represent not only a journey across England and Wales, but a journey back in time to the bloody conflict that was the War of the Roses.

The Wars of the Roses, which saw England and Wales ravaged by warfare for three decades and dynasties rise and fall, decimated the nobility of an entire generation, and saw the rise of the merchant class, the decline of medieval feudalism and opened the country to the enlightened ideals of the Renaissance. Such has been its lasting effects the red and white rose of the Tudors is still a national symbol. This book is an exploration of the buildings, monuments, towns and battlefields of that turbulent era across both England and Wales – places that can still be visited and experienced today. The stories of the great battles of St Albans, Stoke Field, Wakefield, Townton, Barnet, Tewksbury and, of course, Bosworth, are told along with beautiful photographs to help guide the reader round these important sites, as well as the dozens of smaller engagements where the supporters of the Houses of York and Lancaster fought and died. Here are castles and manor houses galore, all of which played their part in this protracted struggle for the throne of England, such as Richard of York''s imposing powerbase of Lulow Castle and the magnificent Tudor stronghold of Bamburg. These are compared with the scant remains of Fotheringhay Castle, the birthplace of Richard III – the man whose remains were so dramatically uncovered in Leicester – and Micklegate Bar, York, was where Richard''s head was placed on a spike. We see the Clocktower of St Albans and ''Gabriel'' the bell that was rung in 1455 alerting of the Yorkist advance, as well as the Tower of London where Henry VI met his death and the possible burial place of the two princes. These, and scores of other places, monuments, plaques, buildings and battlegrounds, represent not only a journey across England and Wales, but a journey back in time to the bloody conflict that was the War of the Roses.

The Wars of the Roses, which saw England and Wales ravaged by warfare for three decades and dynasties rise and fall, decimated the nobility of an entire generation, and saw the rise of the merchant class, the decline of medieval feudalism and opened the country to the enlightened ideals of the Renaissance. Such has been its lasting effects the red and white rose of the Tudors is still a national symbol. This book is an exploration of the buildings, monuments, towns and battlefields of that turbulent era across both England and Wales – places that can still be visited and experienced today. The stories of the great battles of St Albans, Stoke Field, Wakefield, Townton, Barnet, Tewksbury and, of course, Bosworth, are told along with beautiful photographs to help guide the reader round these important sites, as well as the dozens of smaller engagements where the supporters of the Houses of York and Lancaster fought and died. Here are castles and manor houses galore, all of which played their part in this protracted struggle for the throne of England, such as Richard of York''s imposing powerbase of Lulow Castle and the magnificent Tudor stronghold of Bamburg. These are compared with the scant remains of Fotheringhay Castle, the birthplace of Richard III – the man whose remains were so dramatically uncovered in Leicester – and Micklegate Bar, York, was where Richard''s head was placed on a spike. We see the Clocktower of St Albans and ''Gabriel'' the bell that was rung in 1455 alerting of the Yorkist advance, as well as the Tower of London where Henry VI met his death and the possible burial place of the two princes. These, and scores of other places, monuments, plaques, buildings and battlegrounds, represent not only a journey across England and Wales, but a journey back in time to the bloody conflict that was the War of the Roses.

After the reverses of 1914, the French and British commanders were determined to turn the tables on the Germans and take the war to the enemy. A major combined offensive was planned in the Artois region of France but the French had to cancel their part in the operation. This did not deter the commander of the British Expeditionary Force, Sir John French, and on 10 March 1915, the British attacked the German positions centred on the village of Neuve Chapelle. In what was the first British planned offensive of the First World War, the attackers overran the German lines and almost achieved an unparalleled breakthrough. Only a lack of artillery shells and a breakdown in communications prevented the British First Army under General Haig from taking full advantage of the unprecedented success. The battle demonstrated how trench systems could be penetrated and set the pattern of warfare on the Western Front for the next three years, with the Allies seeking to achieve that elusive breakthrough which slipped through their fingers at Neuve Chapelle. The shortage of shells was seen as a ‘scandal’ which brought down the Liberal Government.

Approximately a third of all Allied merchant vessels sunk during the First World War were by German boats and submarines based at Bruge-Zeebrugge on the coast of Belgium. By 1918 it was feared that Britain would be starved into surrender unless the enemy raiders could be stopped. A daring plan was therefore devised to sail directly into the heavily defended port of Zeebrugge and then to sink three obsolete cruisers in the harbour in the hope they would block German vessels from reaching the English Channel. The cruisers were also to be accompanied by two old submarines, which were filled with explosives to blow up the viaduct connecting the mole to the shore, whilst 200 Marines were to be landed to destroy German gun positions at the entrance to the Bruges Canal.On 23 April the most ambitious amphibious raid of the First World War was carried out, told here through a huge collection of personal accounts and official reports on the bitter fighting which saw more than 500 British casualties from the 1,700 men who took part, and saw the awarding of eight Victoria Crosses.

Encouraged by the success of an attack on Messines Ridge on 7 June 1917, Field Marshal Haig ordered that his generals should continue their preparations for the Third Battle of Ypres. Delayed due to a number of reasons, one of which was poor weather, the offensive began on 31 July 1917. Fought around the little Belgium village of Passchendaele, the battle would come to epitomise not just the futility of offensive tactics against well-prepared defences, but of the terrible conditions the men had to endure in the Flanders mud, the images of which are forever synonymous with the trench warfare of the First World War. Over the weeks and months that followed the fighting rumbled. The last stage of the struggle for Passchendaele took place on 6 November. In just three hours the village of Passchendaele was in the hands of the Allied troops. It had taken ninety-seven days since the opening attack on 31 July to get there. The end of the offensive came after a small action by the Canadians on 10 November to seize a section of tactically important ground. The losses, on both sides, ran in to the hundreds of thousands.According to Lloyd George, writing in 1938, Passchendaele was indeed one of the greatest disasters of the war ...No soldier of any intelligence now defends this senseless campaign . In this highly illustrated publication, the author details 100 locations relating to the Battle of Passchendaele from the headquarters where it was directed from through to sites of specific actions or where Victoria Crosses were won. In doing so, he links moving human stories with the very ground over which the visitor can tread today.