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Rudolph Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan, was a Grenadier Guardsman who served in the Boer War, later writing '..we heard as many bullets in the whole war as we heard in one day of the 1915-16 battles'. He retired in 1912 to be Master of the Hertfordshire Hunt, where he might have stayed had it not been for the outbreak of war in 1914. He commanded a brigade, then the Guards Division, where he took the young Prince of Wales under his wing, and later an army in Italy. In 1922 he became Chief of the Imperial General Staff, an appointment for which he did not feel qualified. He presided at a difficult time, in an era of public indifference and defence cuts. In 1939 he was back in uniform as a member of the Home Guard.Cavan was a leader who believed in order, discipline, and the importance of communicating clearly; the perfect Guardsman. He was well-read, learnt languages wherever he went, was charming and showed style, as demonstrated by the occasion when his 'cigar saved the situation' in November 1914. Had it not been for The Great War, he would have retired to the hunting field, yet he served throughout the war, becoming a Field Marshal. Then, at the beginning of another war, at the age of 75, he was taking up his spade to dig trenches to defend the approaches to Ayot St Lawrence from the invader.

Containing details on training technique, nutrician, health and travel, this cyclist's manual also details the preparation and equipment needed by: the novice on a 50-mile charity ride; the tourist planning a cyclying holiday; the experienced cyclist; and cyclists tackling marathon events.

From charity rides to touring, everything you need to know to ride your bicycle farther than the end of your driveway.

This is an illustrated book about the landscape of the Western Front where the First World War was fought, relentlessly, for over four years across a narrow ribbon of ground stretching some 440 miles from the North Sea to the Swiss border. All the destructive power then known to man was used here, with success and failure measured in yards rather than human cost. The character of the landscape was soon lost once the battles started in earnest, stripped bare of vegetation and topsoil, churned beyond recognition, with irrigation systems destroyed, woods and forests erased, high explosive shells and other man-made remnants of war littering the ground, and the remains of many thousands of soldiers laying on the battlefields. Towns and villages were rebuilt, concealing all trace of war for the next generation. But in the countryside there remained indelible scars. This landscape has gradually recovered thanks mostly to nature and regeneration, while that other enduring legacy of the war, the cemeteries, memorials, preserved trenches and battlefields, carefully tended as gardens and parkland, now provide an ordered sense of humanity. These places have become part of the landscape as if they had always been there, as indeed they now always will. The authors have explored the length of the Western Front, not just those places that resonate in Britain, but to less familiar stretches of the front-line where both allies and enemies faced each other, in low swamps, rolling hills, and rocky mountainsides. It has been something of a journey, since there were many fierce battles in places that are rarely if ever mentioned in British accounts of the war. Equally revealing is that most of these hidden parts of the Western Front are all well within a day's drive of the Channel ports. This book captures some of the haunting and evocative images of the Western Front landscape as it is now, using present-day photography. It focuses on the physical sweep of a place irrevocably changed by events that took place 100 years' ago.

- Informative, beautiful, moving, in words and pictures, of the elite British soldiers of World War I - Story told from within: Simon Doughty served with the Guards, as did eminent introducer Sir Michael Howard - Contains brand new research on the complex history of the regiments, their formation and dissolution and the campaigns in which they fought The story of the Guards in the First World War epitomizes the shattering historical significance of the conflict. These elite regiments fought in every major engagement on the Western Front - Mons, Loos, the Aisne, the Somme, Passchendaele - and sustained incalculable losses. Whole divisions were wiped out, and new regiments created. Cavalrymen spent the war behind machine-guns while their horses remained tethered and terrified. Simon Doughty's account is the first truly comprehensive record of the regiments' contribution to the war, describing every action in which they participated and tracing the complex history of their formation and dissolution. Rare extracts from regimental publications and arresting photography - much of which is published here for the first time - bring us close to the stories of famous figures such as Kipling, Julian Grenfell and Harold Macmillan, but also introduce us to the unknown private soldiers, all of whom were awarded the special rank of Guardsman by a grateful King George V after the War. As eminent historian Sir Michael Howard's introduction makes clear, the experience of the Guards is a peculiarly poignant tale within the wider narrative of the War. Amid the series of centenary commemorations, it is a story that needs to be told.

Evocative and richly atmospheric photographs of the Gallipoli Peninsula's battlefields today.

The story of the British Army's Household Division from 1969 to 2023. It is the biography of a family of three generations of soldiers who have served Crown and Country during a period of significant social and geostrategic change. The story of the British Army's Household Division from 1969 to 2023 is one of three generations of soldiers who have served Crown and Country during a period of significant social and geostrategic change. It is the story of a family of seven regiments that symbolise the Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Septem juncta in uno: The Life Guards, The Blues and Royals, Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards. The Guards established an ascendancy in the Peninsular War and at the Battle of Waterloo, and have never truly faltered since. They have managed this by changing when change was needed. Over the last 50 years, the Household Division has been at the centre of almost every major operation conducted by the British Army: Northern Ireland, the Falklands, the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. At the same time, the Household Division is a national institution, admired by the public through its mastery of ceremonial and pageantry, and the magnificent hour that is Trooping the Colour. The professionalism and self-discipline of the individual Guardsmen and Troopers are what ensures both their exemplary performance on operations and their high standards of state ceremonial and public duties. Those Must Be The Guards illustrates both roles through the experiences of those who have served in the Household Division over the past half-century.

The definitive guide to fitness for cycling, suitable for everyone from complete beginners looking to build fitness for their first charity event through to the experienced cyclists looking to improve competitive performance. Starting with the basic components of fitness, this step-by-step handbook then guides you through everything you need to know to train and compete at your best, including how to organize your training, training methods, nutition, health, and how to avoid the most common cycling injuries. it also provides specialized training programs and techniques for all cycling disciplines, such as road racing, time trials, and mountain biking, as well as specific advice for novices, juniors, women, and veterans. Quotes, tips, and Q&A sessions from leading cyclists and team coaches are also featured.

In 'The Big Book of Christmas Treasure Tales', Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson compiles an expansive anthology of the most beloved Yuletide narratives, encompassing a variety of genres including novels, short stories, poems, and carols that have shaped the literary canon of Christmas. Readers will discover a rich tapestry of festive classics, from the poignant 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry to the venerable verses of 'Ring Out, Wild Bells' by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Bjørnson's curatorial finesse is evident as he interweaves timeless works with lesser-known gems, all while capturing the diverse cultural essence of Christmas through the prism of literature. The collection is presented with an eye for both literary quality and seasonal charm, offering an immersive experience into the spirit of the holiday. Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, a revered figure in Norwegian literature and a Nobel laureate, perhaps found inspiration for creating this collection from his own engagement with themes of identity, community, and tradition — concepts deeply entwined with the Christmas season. His personal literary footprint, characterized by a poetic realism and national romanticism, echoes through the selections, hinting at the universal longing for warmth, generosity, and connection during the holiday period. By encompassing works from international literary greats, Bjørnson underscores the shared human experiences central to Christmas, transcending any one tradition or geography. 'The Big Book of Christmas Treasure Tales' is a must-read for aficionados of classic literature and anyone looking to rekindle their holiday spirit. It is a literary hearth around which readers of all ages can gather, finding solace and joy in tales that celebrate the profound simplicity and deep complexities of the human experience. It is an invitation to revisit the storied past of Christmas traditions and to instill new memories with the turn of each page. For the literary connoisseur and the Christmas enthusiast alike, this anthology is a treasured addition to any winter library, promising to delight and inspire for generations to come.