"CROPREDY BRIDGE 1644: The Campaign and the Battle" by Margaret Toynbee and Peter Young. (Roundwood Press Limited- 55s. -d. 9.5" x 6 1/4" 156 pages; 27 plates (2 in colour); 2 maps and innumerable little black and white pen sketches at the conclusion of each chapter).
On first seeing this attractively put-up book, I was inclined to feel that a whole book on what was really only a cavalry skirmish, was stretching the subject a little far. But, just as Brigadier Peter Young did with his book "Edgehill" this volume goes far beyond the actual battle both in assessing the events that led up to it and the conclusions derived from it. Like other books put out by the Roundwood Press, this volume holds a singular lavishness and class indicating that the publishers put out books in a mood of care and affection rather than commercial achievement. This is a book of interest to every student of military history, it is an essential work for any military historian or wargamer specialising in the English Civil War. The manner in which it describes the marching and counter-marching that led up to the battle can be taken as an excellent example of a "potted" wargames campaign as it bears a little touch of Salamanca in its setting-to of arms. It includes innumerable details Of the formations, arms, equipment and tactics of units of the period which are invaluable collected together under one cover.
If there was one small facet of the book that I found irksome, it is the habit of the authors to include long extracts from original documents couched in the spelling and the phrasing of the day. Being an impatient reader, I found it vaguely irritating to have to "translate" these passages -- because not to read them is to miss the meat of the subject. Knowing Brigadier Peter Young personally and having read everything else that he has written, I would be intrigued to know what parts of this book were his and what were Margaret Toynbee's!
"MILITARFAHRZEUGE - German Soft-skinned Vehicles of WW2" This is number 10 in the Armor Series put out by Aero Publishers, Incorporated in California and sold in this country by d.E.Hersant Limited of 228 Archway Road, Highgate, London N.6., at about 24s.6d. including postage. This is an extremely useful book to the wargamer specialising in World War II because it gives a complete breakdown of the German soft-skinned vehicles of the period. Perhaps it is invidious to mention but logistics involving convoys and columns of trucks probably play a greater part in the set-up of the World War II wargamer than that of any other period. If he wants his vehicles to be accurate then this is a book he must have.
"MILITARY VEHICLE DATA - Number Three" (Bellona Publications: 58. -d. postage extra). This series is the Allied counterpart of the last reviewed book and, together with numbers I and 2 already published and number 4 to be published in September 1970, contains an illustrated breakdown of all the vehicles Used by the Allies during World War II. All that has been said about the American book above applies to this one so far as the modernist wargamer is concerned and as a series it cannot be too strongly recommended at what would seem to be a Most reasonable price.
My well-read informant W.T.Thurbon of Cambridge has, as usual, sent me a list of recent books that have caught his eye - it is as follows:
"Colin Mitchell's autobiography "Having Been a Soldier" has just been issued as a paperback by Mayflower. With that and his seat in Parliament "Mad Mitch" hasn't done too badly. I mentioned the hard back edition recently.
The other two are new volumes in Hamlyns all-colour paperbacks. Both at 6s.-d. (a) "Warships from 1860 to the Present Day" by H.T.Lenton. This has numerous coloured drawings and may be useful to the Naval Wargamer. (b) "Gundlby Frederick Wilkinson. Also profusely illustrated - a number of the illustrations may be useful to wargamers. There is a particularly rare set of drawings of a musketeer.
I have just picked up the second volume of an early edition of Hales "Ironclads in Action" issued 1890, before the Spanish-American War: covering some South American squabbles and the Sino-Japanese War of the early 90s.
BELLONA "MILITARY VEHICLE PRINTS" Series 22 contains many photographs and plans of the 155mm Gun Motor Carriage T6 and M.12; the Cargo Carrier T.14 and M.30 - all these are U.S.A. vehicles - and the Soviet Assault Gun Carriages ISU - 122 D-253 and A-19S. These are superbly detailed drawings presented in 1:76 and 1:48 scales sell at 58. -d. and are extremely good value.
"FALLSCHIRMJAGRR 1931-1945" German Parachute Troops - An Illustrated History by Peter Stahl. Obtained from military bookseller A.A.Johnstan of Pitney, Langport, Somerset. It seems as though the German Army of World War II must be just about the beat documented military force in history - there is certainly no excuse for any wargamer interested in World War II for not being completely accurate in his uniforms, vehicles and equipment. This book deals with the German parachute troops and contains a great number of photographs and drawings of the troops, their equipment, their weapons and their aircraft together with Regimental Standards and Colours etc,, in full colour, Behind it obviously lies a wealth of research and a very commendable search for illustrations. Seemingly expensive at 45s. -d., its price is probably justified by the unique and comprehensive contents.
It is worth pointing out that Arthur Johnston is agent for a very comprehensive number of hitherto unobtainable publications on the armies of World War II and other periods. He does a great deal for the hobby in providing a staggering list of military books published over the years since the beginning of the 19tk century in some cases. Such a service as is provided by Arthur Johnston saves hours of fruitless searching and enables the man who lives in the backwoods to obtain books that otherwise would be beyond his reach.
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© Copyright 1970 by Donald Featherstone.
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