The Napoleonic ‘Dad’s Army’

The Napoleonic ‘Dad’s Army’ PDF Author: Paul L Dawson
Publisher: Frontline Books
ISBN: 1399037765
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 270

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Book Description
During the crisis year of 1792 when war against France was at its closest, a variety of societies and associations of ‘Loyal Britons’ were set up throughout Britain. Their aim was to organise patriotic, anti-French forces in defense of king and country, and to help maintain the established order. The need to provide an internal defense force resulted in the Volunteer Act of 1794. It witnessed the formation of hundreds of volunteer regiments on the upswell in loyalist sentiment following the disorder and instability witnessed across the Channel in Revolutionary France. By 1798, there were 118,000 volunteers but, faced with the possibility of a French invasion of Southern England, William Pitt’s government aimed to expand this number substantially. By 1804 there were an astonishing 380,000 volunteers under arms and the various Corps made up half to one third of all the home service forces. When we add in those volunteers who agreed to serve overseas, as garrison troops in India for example, the number grows to approximately 800,000 – meaning that around one in every five adult males participated in military activities. This amazing groundswell of patriotic fervour has seldom been investigated before. Using diaries and archive sources, this book seeks to explore the ‘Dad’s Army’ of the Napoleonic Wars. These men were far more than local bands of volunteers, they represented a militarisation of society not previously seen and which was repeated again when the world was thrown into war in the twentieth century.

The Napoleonic ‘Dad’s Army’

The Napoleonic ‘Dad’s Army’ PDF Author: Paul L Dawson
Publisher: Frontline Books
ISBN: 1399037765
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 270

Get Book Here

Book Description
During the crisis year of 1792 when war against France was at its closest, a variety of societies and associations of ‘Loyal Britons’ were set up throughout Britain. Their aim was to organise patriotic, anti-French forces in defense of king and country, and to help maintain the established order. The need to provide an internal defense force resulted in the Volunteer Act of 1794. It witnessed the formation of hundreds of volunteer regiments on the upswell in loyalist sentiment following the disorder and instability witnessed across the Channel in Revolutionary France. By 1798, there were 118,000 volunteers but, faced with the possibility of a French invasion of Southern England, William Pitt’s government aimed to expand this number substantially. By 1804 there were an astonishing 380,000 volunteers under arms and the various Corps made up half to one third of all the home service forces. When we add in those volunteers who agreed to serve overseas, as garrison troops in India for example, the number grows to approximately 800,000 – meaning that around one in every five adult males participated in military activities. This amazing groundswell of patriotic fervour has seldom been investigated before. Using diaries and archive sources, this book seeks to explore the ‘Dad’s Army’ of the Napoleonic Wars. These men were far more than local bands of volunteers, they represented a militarisation of society not previously seen and which was repeated again when the world was thrown into war in the twentieth century.

Dad's Army

Dad's Army PDF Author: David Carroll
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0752499890
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 150

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Book Description
Immortalised by ' Dad's Army' - this is the true story of the men who manned the British frontline.

In Search of the Real Dad's Army

In Search of the Real Dad's Army PDF Author: Stephen M. Cullen
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1844683869
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 410

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Book Description
“A fascinating examination of one of the best-known British forces of the Second World War . . . An efficient and increasingly professional military unit.” —History of War What was the Home Guard? Who were the men and women who served in it? And what can be said of their real role and significance once the popular myths have been stripped away? Despite the fame of the Home Guard—of Dad’s Army—the true story of this wartime organization tends to be neglected. The myths obscure the reality. Stephen Cullen’s aim in this thoroughgoing new study is to cut through the misunderstandings in order to reassess the Home Guard and its contribution to Britain’s war effort—and to deepen our understanding of the men and women who were members of it. He sets the Home Guard in the long historical context of domestic defense planning, then focuses on the preparations made before the outbreak of the Second World War. In detail he traces the changing role of the Home Guard during its wartime existence as it adapted to meet the multitude of challenges it faced—from civil defense and intelligence gathering to training for guerrilla warfare. “This enjoyable and well-illustrated book covers the ‘rags to riches’ story of the Home Guard from the 1940 volunteer in civilian clothing, armed with a keepsake from an earlier war, to the fully trained and equipped part-time soldier.” —The Armourer “An interesting and accurate account of a force that was in fact a well drilled, well organised and by wars end, a very professional fighting unit by the time of its stand down in 1944.” —WW2 Connection

The Dad's Army Movie Dossier

The Dad's Army Movie Dossier PDF Author: Mark McCaighey
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited
ISBN: 1785381423
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 48

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Book Description
Atten-shun! We present ready for your inspection The Dad's Army Movie Dossier. A new and original book that targets Jimmy Perry and David Croft's classic1971 movie spin-off from their top ranking BBC TV sitcom. Under the cover you’ll discover such information as why the making of the film proved to be at times a frustrating experience for Jimmy Perry, why the sequel movie entitled Dad’s Army and the Secret U-boat Base never emerged and how Clive Dunn (Corporal Jones) nearly submerged in a stunt involving a horse, a raft and a river. As well as behind-the-scenes anecdotes, there are quotes from the writers and stars, character and actor biographies, a bumper quiz and more. There is also a passing salute to the 2015 Dad’s Army movie. So, get yourself kitted out with The Dad’s Army Movie Dossier an entertaining and informative book that is an absolute must-have for Dad’s Army fans of all ages. At ease!

The Napoleonic 'Dad's Army'

The Napoleonic 'Dad's Army' PDF Author: PAUL L. DAWSON
Publisher: Frontline Books
ISBN: 9781399037723
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
During the crisis year of 1792 when war against France was at its closest, a variety of societies and associations of 'Loyal Britons' were set up throughout Britain. Their aim was to organise patriotic, anti-French forces in defense of king and country, and to help maintain the established order. The need to provide an internal defense force resulted in the Volunteer Act of 1794. It witnessed the formation of hundreds of volunteer regiments on the upswell in loyalist sentiment following the disorder and instability witnessed across the Channel in Revolutionary France. By 1798, there were 118,000 volunteers but, faced with the possibility of a French invasion of Southern England, William Pitt's government aimed to expand this number substantially. By 1804 there were an astonishing 380,000 volunteers under arms and the various Corps made up half to one third of all the home service forces. When we add in those volunteers who agreed to serve overseas, as garrison troops in India for example, the number grows to approximately 800,000 - meaning that around one in every five adult males participated in military activities. This amazing groundswell of patriotic fervour has seldom been investigated before. Using diaries and archive sources, this book seeks to explore the 'Dad's Army' of the Napoleonic Wars. These men were far more than local bands of volunteers, they represented a militarisation of society not previously seen and which was repeated again when the world was thrown into war in the twentieth century.

To The Call of Bugles

To The Call of Bugles PDF Author: Bill Openshaw
Publisher: McNidder & Grace
ISBN: 0857162519
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 265

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Book Description
This highly readable illustrated biography on the Percy Tenantry Volunteers has been written with exclusive access to the current Duke of Northumberland's treasure trove of archive records. This book is for anyone interested in military history, especially Revolutionary and the Napoleonic war period, and for those looking at the local history of Northumberland, and especially Alnwick Castle. The history of Britain's conflict with France between 1793 and 1815 is well documented. Nevertheless, one aspect that has scant coverage, is that of the role of Volunteers. In 1798, afraid of impending invasion by France's all-conquering armies the British desperately needed to defend their shores. To The Call of Bugles reveals, for the first time, how among those who stood forward in Home Guard style military bodies, there was no finer example than that of the valiant Percy Tenantry Volunteers, created by the 2nd Duke of Northumberland, General Hugh Percy. This amateur body of men, 1,500 strong, consisting of cavalry, artillery and riflemen, was put together, trained, armed, dressed and operated by General Hugh Percy. This book provides stories from the original volunteers, an in-depth understanding of how such a corps was organised and reveals how they were fashioned into an elite and innovative fighting force.

The Oxford History of the British Army

The Oxford History of the British Army PDF Author: David G. Chandler
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0192853333
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 498

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Book Description
From longbow, pike, and musket to Challenger tanks, from the Napoleonic Wars to the Gulf Campaign, from the Duke of Marlborough to Field Marshal Montgomery, this stimulating and informative book recounts the history of the British army from its medieval antecedents to the present day. Commanders, campaigns, battles, organization, and weaponry are all covered in detail within the wider context of the social, economic, and political environment in which armies exist and fight, making this the definitive one-volume history of the British army for specialists and non-specialists alike. Book jacket.

The Complete A-Z of Dad's Army

The Complete A-Z of Dad's Army PDF Author: Richard Webber
Publisher: Orion Publishing Company
ISBN: 9780752846378
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
'The success of Dad's Army can be summed up in a line from the first episode when the bumptious Captain Mainwaring says: "The machine-guns could have a clear field of fire from here to Timothy White's ... if it wasn't for that woman in the telephone box."' The Independent Dad's Army is quite simply the most successful British TV sitcom of all time. 80 episodes were made and are constantly repeated. The first black-and-white series, re-shown for the first time in 1999, attracted 4.6m viewers outperforming Have I got News for You and very nearly outstripping Channel Four's most popular programme Friends. When the second series was shown on Saturday nights in 1998 it took 7 million viewers and 40% of the audience. This book will be the last word on the series. There have been other books, but this is first to present the whole story from how the series got made - scripts, locations, filming, the real history of the Home Guard, the background to the actors who played in the series, every episode catalogued and much more. The creators have volunteered to open their archives, which include the original programme research, annotated scripts and location photographs. Now recognised as one of the great shows of this and any TV era, Perry and Croft have decided the programme requires a monument and this book will be it.

Fortress Britain 1940

Fortress Britain 1940 PDF Author: Andrew Chatterton
Publisher: Casemate
ISBN: 1636243460
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 294

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Book Description
"Through meticulous research in archives and crumbling ventilation shafts, Chatterton paints a picture of Britain in the Second World War that turns our popular narrative on its head. This is important, shocking, and impressive.” — Dan Snow MBE, historian, broadcaster and television presenter Alone, unprepared and weak. These are generally the words used to describe Britain’s position in 1940, part of a narrative that has been built up ever since the end of World War II. However, the reality is very different. On land, sea and in the air, Britain was prepared. It had the most powerful navy in the world; the RAF was relatively strong, but more importantly, was operating as part of a plan and a joined-up group system that was in reality never in any real danger of being defeated; even the post-Dunkirk British Army was better armed than the post-war narrative tells us. These forces were backed up by the Home Guard, and thousands of men and women in secret roles ready to help fight the invasion of the country. Even if all of this had gone wrong and the Nazis had defeated Britain militarily then a separate, highly secret civilian group were ready to become active only after the occupation had started. One word associated more than any other during this period of the Second World War is ‘Alone’ – Churchill played upon this in his speeches but in 1940, Britain had a hugely powerful empire. Although in many cases this support was thousands of miles away, the Empire and other Allies would have played a huge role had the Germans had invaded, one that has been overlooked in many accounts.

Wellington: The Iron Duke (Text Only)

Wellington: The Iron Duke (Text Only) PDF Author: Richard Holmes
Publisher: HarperCollins UK
ISBN: 0007383495
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 258

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Book Description
In this compelling book, Richard Holmes tells the exhilarating story of the Duke of Wellington, Britain's greatest ever soldier.