The Tetrarch was not designed as an airborne tank
The British A17 Tetrarch light tank is best known for its role in Operation Overlord, where they landed in Hamilcar gliders in support of the airborne troops. It’s often said that the Tetrarch w... Read More
Remembrance Day 2020
Today is Remembrance Day in the UK. I have a poppy, and I shall observe the two minute silence at 11:00. For me, this is a day to remember everyone that has been harmed by war. Whatever thei... Read More
A Strange Campaign available for pre-order
On 5th May next year my next book, A Strange Campaign: The Battle for Madagascar, will be published. This coincides with the anniversary of Operation Ironclad, which marked the start of the campaign. ... Read More
My next book title is …?
My next book will be about the battle for Madagascar in WWII. It will cover the entire campaign, from the initial landings to the final Vichy surrender. I’m still undecided about the title. Some... Read More
The Iranian Embassy Siege: The Myth of the Wall
On 30th April 1980, terrorists stormed the Iranian Embassy in London and took twenty-six hostages. A six-day siege ensued, during which the embassy’s press attaché, Abbas Lavasani, was murdered... Read More
Project Prodigal and the British Army’s Flying Cars
On a visit to the National Archives, I ordered document AVIA 65/1540, “Project PRODIGAL: army vehicle with limited airborne capability”. I was expecting it to be about FV4401 Contentious, ... Read More
The Joy of Hex — Making a Hex Mat for Wargaming
A little while ago, I decided to try miniature wargaming on a hex grid. There are plenty of companies that will supply wargaming mats printed with hexagons or squares. I already had two plain green ma... Read More
Soviet 73mm SPG-9 Kopye Recoilless Gun
Introduced in the late 1960s, the SPG-9 was a light anti-tank gun mounted on a tripod. It had a four-man crew, and could be carried by two soldiers.... Read More