'Utterly brilliant: a fantastically exciting book... This really does read like the best kind of thriller. His best book yet' James Holland, author of Normandy '44April 1982. Argentina invades the Falkland Islands.In response, Britain despatches a naval task force. Eight thousand miles from home, its fate hinges on just twenty Sea Harriers against the two hundred-strong might of the Argentine Air Force.The odds against them are overwhelming.The MoD's own estimates suggest that half the Harriers will be lost in the opening days of the conflict. They need backup. Within three weeks 809 Naval Air Squadron is reformed, trained and heading south, ready for war.Not since World War Two had so much been expected of such a small band of pilots. Read more

'Robert Mason tells a gripping account of the relentless courage and heroism amidst the insanity of the Vietnam war. The final few pages are the most shocking I have read in any book.' - Tim PeakeA stunning book about the right stuff in the wrong war.As a child, Robert Mason dreamed of levitating. As a young man, he dreamed of flying helicopters - and the U.S. Army gave him his chance. They sent him to Vietnam where, between August 1965 and July 1966, he flew more than 1,000 assault missions. In Chickenhawk, Robert Mason gives us a devastating bird's eye-view of that war in all its horror.He experiences the accelerating terror, the increasingly desperate courage of a man 'acting out the role of a hero long after he realises that the conduct of the war is insane,' says the New York Times.'And we can't stop ourselves from identifying with it.'CHICKENHAWK contains the most vivid, astoundingly intense descriptions of flying ever written. It is a devastating account of men at war, of courage and cowardice, boredom and exhilaration, lasting friendship and sudden death. It is not a book for weak stomachs, but its powerful message will stay in the memory long after the last page is turned. Read more

'Tony is the real deal.' Andy McNabThe full, explosive, boots-on-the-ground story of the Falklands War, from a soldier at the heart of the action, published for the 40th anniversary of the conflict. Tony Hoare always knew he wanted to be in the SAS.Both his grandfather and father had been soldiers, and so Tony signed up for the Cadets at 13, then the Infantry at 17 and enlisted into the Royal Green Jackets before passing arduous SAS selection in 1978.Less than four years later, Tony and his team were sent to a collection of islands just off the coast of Argentina called the Falklands, where tensions were rising and war was on the horizon.No amount of training could prepare Tony for what happened over the course of the next twelve weeks, as the Falkland Islands became a battleground between British and Argentinian forces. As helicopters crashed and ships sank, Tony, at the centre of the action, battled across treacherous terrain and against a fearsome enemy, doing whatever it took to retake the islands.From one of the only soldiers who was on the frontline throughout the entire conflict, this is a thrilling account of what really happened in the Falklands, an explosive story of land, sea and air battles from a trooper who saw it all. Read more

The bestselling, highly-acclaimed and most famous account of the Falklands War, written by the commander of the British Task Force.On 5 April 1982, three days after Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, British armed forces were ordered to sail 8,000 miles to the South Atlantic. It soon became obvious they were sailing to war. But with no advantage in the air or on land and the vast distances involved, many felt that victory was at best unlikely – and at worst, impossible.As Battle Group Commander, Admiral Sandy Woodward was the man in charge on the frontline. In this acclaimed account, he takes us from day 1 to day 100 of the conflict; through the tragic losses of ships and men to the defeat of the Argentinian Navy and the retaking of the islands.‘One Hundred Days’ is an engrossing and authoritative retelling of these dramatic events, as well as a candid and revealing insight into what it is to lead your country to war.This ebook edition is updated with the diary that Sandy Woodward kept during the course of the campaign. Read more

"A must read for all Damien Lewis fans" Compass ---------------------------------------------------------The most explosive true war story of the 21st Century It is the winter of 2001. A terror ship is bound for Britain carrying a horrifying weapon. The British military sends a crack unit of SAS and SBS to assault the vessel before she reaches London. So begins a true story of explosive action as this band of elite warriors pursues the merchants of death from the high seas to the harsh wildlands of Afghanistan. The hunt culminates in the single greatest battle of the Afghan war, the brutal and bloody siege of an ancient mud-walled fortress crammed full of hundreds of Al-Qaeda and Taliban. Fighting against impossible odds and bitter betrayal, our handful of crack fighters battle to rescue their fellow soldiers trapped by a murderous, fanatical enemy. ---------------------------------------------------------"The most dramatic story of a secret wartime mission you will ever read" News of the World "The author has been given unprecedented access" Zoo "Gripping" Eye Spy Read more

'A superb account of journalists, soldiers and the experience of modern battle, written by one of the greatest war reporters of our time' – Robert Harris, author of An Officer and a Spy‘Gripping and compulsively readable’ – Saul David, Sunday TelegraphMax Hastings grew up with romantic dreams of a life amongst warriors. But after a painful false start with the Parachute Regiment, he became a journalist instead. Going to the Wars is his vivid, insightful account of his years as a foreign correspondent.His first taste of danger came at the start of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, followed by the Biafra and Vietnam Wars. He left Saigon by helicopter from the American Embassy as the city fell to the Khmer Rouge, masqueraded as a game hunter to seek out the secrets of the Rhodesian civil war and was almost shot by marauding Turkish soldiers during the invasion of Cyprus. His greatest moment came at the end of the Falklands War, when he walked alone into Port Stanley, ahead of the British landing force, in determined pursuit of a scoop.'A first-class piece of reportage. It is filled with tales of derring-do, modestly told' Jon Swain, The Sunday Times'His memoirs have . . . honesty, pace and readability' – Jeremy Paxman Read more

The thrilling, edge-of-your-seat true story of one soldier's Special Forces operations in the Falklands War'BRILLIANT. A ROLLERCOASTER OF BLISTERING ACTION, SURVIVAL AND BEHIND-THE-LINES DARING' DAMIEN LEWIS________THE BIGGEST SINGLE LOSS OF LIFE FOR THE SAS SINCE WORLD WAR TWO . . .1982, the British task force sails to liberate the Falkland Islands. Aboard: SAS D Squadron, determined to make their mark.No one more so than Mark 'Splash' Aston.But they have barely seen action when their Sea King helicopter crashes in freezing South Atlantic waters, killing 22 of Mark's comrades.The last out of the sinking wreck, he suffers a broken neck. But defying medical evacuation orders, Mark sneaks off ship, re-joins his SAS comrades to land on a mountain near Port Stanley - to defend it against days of attacks by Argentine special forces . . .SAS Sea King Down is a pulse-pounding account of D-Squadron's tragic loss and subsequent heroic stand in one of the most hostile places on Earth.A story told by a man who barely survived to tell it.________'A gripping untold story of heroism, hardship and sacrifice within the SAS' BEAR GRYLLS 'Gripping, fast moving and completely authentic. A brilliant piece of work. Better than Bravo Two Zero' - Mike Rose, former Commanding Officer of the SAS Read more

It was 1982. Mark Whitney was a young, eighteen-year-old sailor serving aboard the Royal Navy’s guided missile destroyer, HMS Coventry. The ship had just completed Exercise Springtrain in the Mediterranean Sea, with other NATO forces, and was alongside in Gibraltar to allow the crew ashore for a well-earned rest before returning to Portsmouth to reunite with their families, who were due to come aboard for a day’s sailing in the Solent.But events taking place in the South Atlantic were to change everything. All leave was cancelled, and the ship was ordered south, to prepare to engage Argentine forces that appeared to be colonising South Georgia and were clearly making plans to invade the Falkland Islands, both British Overseas Territories.Surely, it would all be resolved before any shots were fired, wouldn’t it? Apparently not!The first indication to his folks back home that all was not well was when they received a telegram, courtesy of the Royal Navy. “Cancel family’s day. Heading South’. The next update they would receive from the Royal Navy was to confirm that the Coventry had been hit but he was not on the list of survivors. Whitney’s account introduces the reader into the life of a Royal Navy communicator, enlisting at the tender age of sixteen and, more importantly his baptism of fire, when repeated NATO exercises manifested into the reality of war. A war in which he did not expect to survive. There are further anecdotes from his return to the Falklands, some three years later, wanting to see what it had all been apart and to pay his respects to those shipmates who were still 'On Patrol'.His account is written with humility and a sense of humour, that many of those who served would understand. He comes to terms with the loss of a friend and how the effects of war impacted his life.If you’re looking for a great holiday read, you may well have found it. Read more

A new edition of the classic Falklands War memoir “which many regard as the most perceptive description of the momentous events of April to June 1982” (Maritime Adviser). Major General Julian Thompson first wrote this account (previously published as No Picnic) when what happened in the spring and summer of 1982 was fresh in his mind. As Commander of 3 Commando Brigade, he was at the heart of the planning and conduct of the Falklands War. Under his direct command had been the Royal Marine Commandos and the two battalions of the Parachute Regiment who conducted the lion’s share of the fighting. No one therefore is better qualified to tell the extraordinary story of their taking of the Falkland Islands from the Argentinians. The author, now a celebrated military historian, has revised his early book and added for this 25th Anniversary edition more of his own personal thoughts and impressions. It is all too easy to overlook just how perilous and risky a venture this expedition to the depths of the Southern Hemisphere was. Victory and defeat hung in the balance. Even those who feel they know about this most remarkable of wars will learn more from reading this classic account.“A fascinating perspective on the war from a key participant and a valuable insight into the mind of a field commander.” —Flying in Ireland Read more

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERRead the legendary story of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, seen through the eyes of former RAF captain Scott Bateman'An engaging and revealing read' JOHN NICHOL---Anytime, Anywhere, Anyhow. Whether it’s war, natural disaster, or humanitarian emergency, for over fifty years the RAF’s Hercules force was the first in and last out of any crisis faced by the UK government around the globe.First conceived in the 1950s, the US-built Lockheed C-130 Hercules earned its spurs flying difficult and dangerous missions in the Vietnam War before entering service with air forces around the world. Originally designed as transport aircraft, the Hercules has been pressed into service as an aerial tanker, gunship, spyplane, air-sea rescuer and bomber.Instantly recognisable, it became synonymous with daring special forces missions like the legendary raid in Entebbe in which dozens of hostages were rescued from the clutches of terrorists. In RAF colours it's seen action on every continent on the planet including Antarctica, flying life and death missions in the Falklands, Lebanon, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Sudan and all points in between.Former RAF Hercules Captain Scott Bateman opens the cockpit to give an action-packed insider’s account of what it’s like to fly this legendary flying machine in peace and war, and at home and abroad, paying tribute to the remarkable men and women who operated this much loved aircraft, and to those comrades in arms who, in doing so, made the ultimate sacrifice. Read more

The controversial account of what really happened in the south Atlantic skiesSharkey Ward commanded 801 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Invincible, was senior Sea Harrier adviser to the Command, flew over sixty missions and was awarded DSC. Yet had he followed all his instructions to the letter, Britain might well have lost the Falklands War.His dramatic first-hand story of the air war in the South Atlantic is also an extraordinary, outspoken account of inter-Service rivalries, bureaucratic interference, and dangerous ignorance of the realities of air combat among many senior commanders. As Sharkey Ward reveals, the 801 pilots were fighting not just the enemy, exhaustion, and the hostile weather, but also the prejudice and ignorance of their own side. Read more

Reissued for the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War.A Sunday Times Bestseller'Electric... Outstanding.' GuardianIn March 1982 the guided-missile destroyer HMS Coventry was one of a small squadron of ships on exercise off Gibraltar. By the end of April that year she was sailing south in the vanguard of the Task Force towards the front line of the Falklands War.On 25 May, Coventry was attacked by two Argentine Skyhawks, and hit by three bombs. The explosions tore out most of her port side and killed nineteen of the crew, leaving many others injured. Within twenty minutes she had capsized. In her final moments, after all the survivors had been evacuated, her Captain, David Hart Dyke, himself badly burned, climbed down her starboard side and into a life-raft. This is his compelling and moving story. Read more

A raw, honest and evocative account of life as the most highly decorated serving soldier in the British Army.From the breakneck pace of an opening where he is in action in Helmand province, under fire from the Taliban, Mick Flynn pulls no punches. It's obvious that he is a trained killer. But how did it reach this point? The journey starts with his childhood, a working class lad, learning to fight and finding himself repeatedly on the wrong side of the law. Even after joining the Army he is found at fault and jailed, an experience that finally shocks him into behaving himself. From there, it is off to Northern Ireland and straight into hotspots where Mick's courage and determination are all that keep him alive. There's love too: his estranged wife, Denise, is being brought back into the picture, just as Mick tries to start a new life with his girlfriend Rachel. Can he manage to separate his ferocious soldiering persona from the real Mick? As things remain complicated, Mike flings himself into further tours of duty, in Bosnia, Iraq, the Falklands. Action-packed, shoots-from-the-hip narration from an engaging hero, this is gritty realism at its most shocking. Read more

The sensational second volume of Charles Moore's bestselling authorized biography of the Iron LadyIn June 1983 Margaret Thatcher won the biggest increase in a government's Parliamentary majority in British electoral history. Over the next four years, as Charles Moore relates in this central volume of his uniquely authoritative biography, Britain's first woman prime minister changed the course of her country's history and that of the world, often by sheer force of will.The book reveals as never before how she faced down the Miners' Strike, transformed relations with Europe, privatized the commanding heights of British industry and continued the reinvigoration of the British economy. It describes her role on the world stage with dramatic immediacy, identifying Mikhail Gorbachev as 'a man to do business with' before he became leader of the Soviet Union, and then persistently pushing him and Ronald Reagan, her great ideological soulmate, to order world affairs according to her vision. For the only time since Churchill, she ensured that Britain had a central place in dealings between the superpowers.But even at her zenith she was beset by difficulties. The beloved Reagan two-timed her during the US invasion of Grenada. She lost the minister to whom she was personally closest to scandal and almost had to resign as a result of the Westland affair. She found herself isolated within her own government over Europe. She was at odds with the Queen over the Commonwealth and South Africa. She bullied senior colleagues and she set in motion the poll tax. Both these last would later return to wound her, fatally.In all this, Charles Moore has had unprecedented access to all Mrs Thatcher's private and government papers. The participants in the events described have been so frank in interview that we feel we are eavesdropping on their conversations as they pass. We look over Mrs Thatcher's shoulder as she vigorously annotates documents, so seeing her views on many particular issues in detail, and we understand for the first time how closely she relied on a handful of trusted advisors to help shape her views and carry out her will. We see her as a public performer, an often anxious mother, a workaholic and the first woman in western democratic history who truly came to dominate her country in her time.In the early hours of 12 October 1984, during the Conservative party conference in Brighton, the IRA attempted to assassinate her. She carried on within hours to give her leader's speech at the conference (and later went on to sign the Anglo-Irish agreement). One of her many left-wing critics, watching her that day, said 'I don't approve of her as Prime Minister, but by God she's a great tank commander.' This titanic figure, with all her capacities and all her flaws, storms from these pages as from no other book. Read more

'He has known all forms of fear, he's an expert in it. He has come back from God knows how many brinks, all different. His experience in a Ugandan prison alone would be enough to unhinge another man - like myself, as a matter of fact - for good. He has been forfeit more times than he can remember, he says. But he is not bragging. Talking this way about death and risk, he seems to be implying quite consciously that by testing his luck each time, he is testing his Maker's indulgence' - John le Carre'McCullin is required reading if you want to know what real journalism is all about' - The Times'From the opening...there is hardly a dull sentence: his prose is so lively and uninhibited... An excellent book' - Sunday Telegraph'Unsparing reminiscences that effectively combine the bittersweet life of a world-class photojournalist with a generous selection of his haunting lifework... A genuinely affecting memoir that reckons the cost and loss involved in making one's way on the cutting edge of conflict' - Kirkus Reviews'If this was just a book of McCullin's war photographs it would be valuable enough. But it is much more' - Sunday Correspondent Read more

In Harrier Boys, Volume One: Cold War Through the Falklands, 1969-1990, Bob Marston, who flew Harriers for many years, draws together accounts from others who worked with this unique jet through its history. The excitement, camaraderie and pride of Harrier operators shine through in the personal stories of those whose lives were changed by their experience of this iconic aircraft, both on land and at sea. In this first volume, events of the Cold War years are brought to life by contributors including Graham Williams, who flew the Transatlantic Air Race, Peter Dodworth, a member of the original Harrier Conversion Team, Peter Harris, a participant in the early defence of Belize, Sir Peter Squire, OC 1 (F) Squadron during the Falklands conflict, and Australian Dave Baddams, who commanded the Royal Navy Sea Harriers of 800 Squadron. Read more

In early summer 1982--winter in the South Atlantic--Argentina's military junta invades the Falklands. Within days, a British Royal Navy Task Force is assembled and dispatched. This is the story of D Squadron, 22 SAS, commanded by Cedric Delves. The relentless tempo of events defies belief. Raging seas, inhospitable glaciers, hurricane-force winds, helicopter crashes, raids behind enemy lines--the Squadron prevailed against them all, but the cost was high. Eight died and more were wounded or captured. Holding fast to their humanity, D Squadron's fighters were there at the start and end of the Falklands War, the first to raise a Union Jack over Government House in Stanley. Across an Angry Sea is a chronicle of daring, skill and steadfastness among a tight-knit band of brothers; of going awry, learning fast, fighting hard, and winning through. Read more

This authentic account is a tribute to the courage and resolve with which soldiers and their loved ones confront uncertainty, fear, hardship and the loss of their comrades. Subjected to continual changes of affiliation as the Falklands campaign unfolds, 2 Troop has to create its own identity and sense of belonging drawing on its professional belief, strength of leadership, and intrinsic camaraderie. This is the story of how they did it, and the contribution they made, in one of the toughest campaigns since World War 2. A ‘must read’ for aspiring junior commanders and students of the realities of war. Read more

SOLDIER FIVE is an elite soldier's explosive memoir of his time within the Special Air Service (SAS) and, in particular, his experiences during the 1991 Gulf War. As a member of the Special Forces patrol now famously known by its call sign Bravo Two Zero, he and seven others were inserted hundreds of kilometres behind enemy lines. Their mission to reconnoitre targets, undertake surveillance of Scud missil sites and sabotage Iraqi communications links was to end in desperate failure.From the outset, the patrol was dogged by problems that contributed both directly and indirectly to the demise of the mission. The patrol's compromise, and subsequent attempts to evade Iraqi troops, resulted in four members of Bravo Two Zero being captured and a further three killed. One escaped. But the story goes further that the Gulf War itself. Despite numerous books, films and articles on the same subject, the British Government has done its utmost to thwart the release of SOLDIER FIVE, at one stage claiming the book in its entirety was confidential. A campaign of harassment that took some four and a half years of litigation to resolve has now resulted in this controversial publication. SOLDIER FIVE is a gripping and suspenseful account of one man's experiences as a Special Forces soldier. Revealing his conflicts and loyalties, and the relationships he forged both on and off the battlefield, this book is the resolution of a soldier's determined fight to see his story told. Read more

The gripping personal story of a Falklands Fighter Ace.David Morgan, RAF officer and poet, relives his experiences during the Falklands War in this vivid memoir. On secondment to the Royal Navy when the Argentine invasion of the Falklands began and personally credited with shooting down two Argentine Skyhawks as well as enemy helicopters, Morgan was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.Here he recounts his involvement in the first British air-strike against Argentine positions around Port Stanley and describes being first on the scene when enemy jets bombed the landing ships SIR TRISTRAM and SIR GALAHAD. Including the author's heartfelt letters sent back to England to close family and friends, HOSTILE SKIES dramatically recalls what it was really like to fight, live and love during the Falklands War. Read more