'Cassell's Battlefields of Britain and Ireland' is an enormous survey of 377
military actions fought on British and Irish soil (and British and Irish waters)
between the Roman period and the mid-20th century - beginning with the
confrontation between Caesar's legions and the native Britons at Deal in 55BC,
and ending with the air battles fought between the Royal Air Force and the
Luftwaffe above southern England in the late summer of 1940.
'Cassell's Battlefields of Britain and Ireland' is divided into eight
chronological parts:
- Sword and Javelin (55BC-AD83)
- Shieldwall (c429-1066)
- Knight and Castle (1022-1329)
- Longbow and Bombard (1332-1497)
- Hackbut and Halberd (1504-1601)
- Pike and Drum (1639-1651)
- Flintlock and Bayonet (1652-1798)
- Rifle and Radar (1916-1940)
Each part commences with a clear and concise overview of the political,
strategic and technological developments of the period in question, followed by
a chronological sequence of gripping 'battle narratives', each of which presents
a complete and rounded picture of the terrain fought on, the opposing forces
involved, the tactics employed, and the progress, outcome and consequences of
the battle. The battle articles are amplified by a wealth of supporting
material, both editorial and graphic, including for each battle a 'scoreboard'
boxed panel of key data providing details of protagonists, size of armies
involved, commanders and casualties. 'Cassell's Battlefields of Britain and
Ireland' also includes 100 clear and details maps, and OS grid references are
provided for every battle described. A glossary of military and other specialist
terms completes an impressive array of ancillary editorial features.
As scholarly and authoritative as it is readable, 'Cassell's Battlefields of
Britain and Ireland' avoids the pitfall of parroting the accounts of earlier
battlefield historians, and uses contemporary sources to prove what's written.
It is both a narrative history and a comprehensive and supremely reliable
battlefield reference book. It is an much for the armchair reader as it is for
the military historian, with the topographical and strategic circumstance
of 377 battles that shaped the course of British and Irish history.
Contents:
Acknowledgements
Introductions
Part 1. Sword and Javelin: The Romans in Britain 55BC-AD83
Part 2. Shieldwall: The Barbarian Invasions c429-1066
Part 3. Knight and Castle: Feudal Warfare 1022-1329
Part 4. Longbow and Bombard: The Later Middle Ages 1332-1497
Part 5. Hackbut and Halberd: Renaissance and Reformation 1504-1601
Part 6. Pike and Drum: The Great Civil War 1639-1651
Part 7. Flintlock and Bayonet: The Age of Enlightenment 1652-1798
Part 8. Rifle and Radar: Britain's Last Battles? 1916-1940
Glossary
Further Reading
Chronological List of Battles
List of Battles by Country/Unitary Authority
Index of Battles
General Index
