The Universal Carrier was a fast, lightly armed vehicle developed by the British Army to carry infantry across ground defended by small-arms fire; specifically the Bren light machine gun, hence the name 'Bren Gun Carrier'. This name would stick with the Universal Carrier and all of its future variants. This book details the Carrier, which was employed in a number of roles including carrying ammunition, and towing anti-aircraft guns and trailers. All Allies used the Universal Carrier extensively during practically every World War II campaign. By the war's end, the Universal Carrier had proved itself to be an invaluable and successful cross-country vehicle that was both agile and fast for its time.
The Sherman DD (Duplex Drive) tank was designed to preserve the element of surprise during an amphibious assault. This book explores the development and modifications of the Sherman DD by the Allied forces, focusing on their deployment during the D-Day landings. It also discusses the many variations of the Sherman DD, including the Valentine DD tank and its role as a training tank in Britain and limited operational use in Italy. David Fletcher describes the rigorous training programme that the American, British and Canadian troops must endure to use the swimming Shermans, and he examines their successes and tragic failures on the beaches of Normandy.
Amongst the first ever mass-produced tanks in history, the British Mk IV has been classified as one of the most successful heavy tanks to have fought in World War I. It proved its worth at the landmark battle of Cambrai in November 1917, when 460 Mark IVs were deployed for the first time against the enemy with great effect. Arguably changing the nature of warfare on the Western Front, the Mark IV was one of the first vehicles in the world to partake in a tank duel when, in 1918, it met the German A7V in combat. Drawing on a wealth of previously unpublished photographs and new information on its operational abilities, this fascinating exploration of the British Mk IV tank provides a detailed account of this crucial vehicle, its variants, and its deployment on the battlefields of the Great War.
A fire-breathing monster on the battlefield, the Churchill Crocodile was one of the most awe-inspiring weapons of World War II. Tank expert David Fletcher chronicles the development of the flamethrower tank, examining the dramatic effect of these tanks in battle from use in France to the terrifying attack on the Senio River in Italy, as well as investigating the post-war use of Crocodiles to burn down and sterilise the site of Belsen concentration camp, and their mobilisation for the Korean War. Researched using the papers of Reginald Fraser - the genius behind the flamethrowers - and dramatically illustrated with detailed artwork and previously unpublished photographs, this book brings to life the true terror of these tanks.
Among the first tanks ashore on D-Day, the story of the Sherman Crab Flail is told here using rare sources and photographs. The 'Crab' proved its worth both in its mine-clearing role and as a fighting machine, this title recounts some of its more glorious moments with the famous British 79th Armoured Division and the US Army. From the beginnings of the design in the Matilda Scorpion and Baron flails, developed for the Valentine and M3 Grant tanks, through to the Sherman and particularly the Crab version; this is a detailed exploration of the history of this powerful and innovative machine and the deadly mines it faced.
A compact, detailed account of the most powerfully gunned tank fielded by the Allies during World War II.An ordinary American-built Sherman modified by the British, the Firefly had the firepower that could finally match the awesome German tanks that had dominated Europe. David Fletcher examines the controversy that dogged the Firefly and the psychological boost the tank provided to Allied forces. Exploring its successes and failures on the battlefield and providing a realistic assessment of the tank's worth, this is essential reading for anyone wanting to know the facts about a tank variant that quickly developed its own mythology.
Although, to the casual eye, all British tanks of World War I look much the same, the Mark V is quite outstanding and has a strong claim to be the tank that won the Great War. In this title, renowned tank expert David Fletcher examines the technological developments that made this tank excel where others had failed, and the reasons why it gave the British the upper hand over the Germans on the battlefield and why it was adopted by the US Tank Corps. Accompanied by detailed artwork showing the design changes that allowed the Mark V to breach the widest German trenches, this title is an excellent resource for the study of the armour of World War I.
The first Rolls-Royce armoured car was a privately owned vehicle fitted with a machine-gun and a limited amount of armour plate, used by the Royal Naval Air Service in Flanders in 1914. By 1915, nearly 100 had been built and turned over to the Army. From then on, as Sir Albert Stern said 'They searched the world for war', operating as far apart as the northwest frontier of India, the Middle East and southern Africa. The cars were fast, quiet and reliable but above all powerful. 'A Rolls in the desert is above rubies,' said Lawrence of Arabia. After World War I, the War Office continued to produce the Rolls-Royce while tinkering with the design. These further cars served all across the Empire, including in Ireland and even later Shanghai, returning for a final brief appearance in the early stages of World War II.This book tells the complete story of the Rolls-Royce Armoured Car, following its design and development as it fought from theatre to theatre during World War I and the turbulent inter-war years.
Nowadays, we take for granted the ready availability of maps of all kinds. In mid-Tudor England, they were rare. All this was to change in 1579 when Christopher Saxton, a farmer from the West Riding of Yorkshire, became the first cartographer to make a published atlas of all the counties of England and Wales. This book traces the story of Saxton’s life and legacy by reconstructing his extraordinary mapmaking project alongside the crucial nature of the support and encouragement he received from Queen Elizabeth I and her court. Saxton’s atlas became the template for most detailed maps of the country for almost two centuries: it is hard to exaggerate its importance. For many, his atlas provided the first detailed image of England and Wales they had ever seen, showing the Elizabethan kingdom as a whole and in its constituent parts. This lavishly illustrated book reproduces all Saxton’s county maps together with many other illustrations revealing the forebears and successors to this groundbreaking work. Today, Saxton’s maps give us an invaluable cartographic snapshot of late Tudor England.
The Matilda was the principal British infantry tank in the early years of World War II. It served with the BEF in France and later in North Africa, where it earned the title 'Queen of the Desert'. Outclassed by increasingly powerful German anti-tank weapons, it still remained a power in the South-East Pacific, and was kept in service until the end of the war by Australian forces. In this title, David Fletcher deals with Marks I to V. Development and operational history are discussed, along with service in other countries, including Germany and Russia. Numerous variants are also covered, including the prototype 'Hedgehog' bunker-busting weapon.
The Covenanter (which never saw active service) and Crusader Cruiser tanks were developed between 1939 and 1940. The Crusader first saw action in the North African desert in June 1941: its speed and sleek design made it a hard target to hit, and the tank was well-respected by the Afrikakorps for its velocity in combat. But its hurried development prior to World War II also made it prone to mechanical failure. This book examines the Covenanter and the many variants of the Crusader tank, detailing the designs, developments and disappointments of these infamous World War II tanks.
This book provides a concise and accessible overview of model averaging, with a focus on applications. Model averaging is a common means of allowing for model uncertainty when analysing data, and has been used in a wide range of application areas, such as ecology, econometrics, meteorology and pharmacology. The book presents an overview of the methods developed in this area, illustrating many of them with examples from the life sciences involving real-world data. It also includes an extensive list of references and suggestions for further research. Further, it clearly demonstrates the links between the methods developed in statistics, econometrics and machine learning, as well as the connection between the Bayesian and frequentist approaches to model averaging. The book appeals to statisticians and scientists interested in what methods are available, how they differ and what is known about their properties. It is assumed that readers are familiar with the basic concepts of statistical theory and modelling, including probability, likelihood and generalized linear models.
Four old widowers gather in a village pub once a week to share their frustrations with modern-day living and their increasing sense of impotence in a world that is not as they’d like it. On one of their visits, they learn of the suicide of a local farmer, brought about by his despair at having to deal with repeated instances of fly-tipping on his land. With the authorities seemingly unable to bring a stop to this countryside scourge, the four old codgers decide not to simply accept their status as powerless observers, but instead to actually do something. That is, they decide to become vigilantes – with one specific objective in mind: to capture ‘in the act’ whoever is responsible for the fly-tipping. Little do they know, when they make this decision, how it will affect their shared sense of impotence or to where it will ultimately lead them.
There is a world, or perhaps a heaven, of deities outside of the Greco-Roman context, and this book looks to take you on a divine ride through those cultures to meet the gods and goddesses of ancient eras. David Fletcher, with the help of an array of sumptuous illustrations, weaves the ancient with the modern, giving a humorous and current commentary on the otherworldly of yesteryear. Many wonderful, fascinating, gruesome and downright weird (not to say oftentimes borderline inappropriate) tales and their protagonists are captured in a volume that deserves to adorn the shelves of both the armchair mythologist and interested reader, as well as the seasoned expert.
The game of baseball is a beautiful thing. It teaches you things like dealing with failure, paying attention to detail, individual effort leading to teamwork, putting in work and having nothing to show for it, and many more life lessons. Perhaps, the life lessons taught within the game of baseball are what make it such a beautiful thing. This passion that I have for baseball is what I wish to spread with as many people that want to listen. Living out your dream of going to college and being a professional athlete is a special feeling. However, it only means something if you live in the moment and enjoy each step along the way. Being able to understand this throughout my journey and analyzing each part of it has allowed me the knowledge and relationships to put together this book. As my playing career comes to an end and another chapter of my life waits, I only grow more anxious to see what will come next in life. Not anxious because I don't know what to do with myself, but because I can't wait to learn and master whatever I do next. This trait as a lifelong learner, led to the idea of this book. As I enter the coaching world, high school and local club teams, I've already noticed a few flaws. The one flaw that I wish to address is the idea of using baseball as a moneymaking scheme and a lack of coaching while doing so. The goal of this book is to provide a general understanding of how to play baseball and go about your business in the right manner. The intent is that coaches, players, and parents can use this a universal guide to help them succeed in the "baseball world". All of the baseball information within this book is the same stuff that my coauthors or I were taught throughout our professional careers. The coauthors are trusted friends and family that play the game and carry themselves the right way. My brother, Alex Burnett, was my role model growing up. David Fletcher is known everywhere he goes as being, "the best defender I've ever seen". Jeremy Martinez is "Mr. All-American", shown by his work ethic and character. David, Jeremy, and I played on the same travel ball team (OC Juice) for six years coached by Joey Martinez, where a lot of our common principles were engraved into us. A lot of what makes me the person I am is my mom, Lisa Moore. The life lessons I've learned have all stemmed from the way that she raised me. I felt like this book wouldn't be complete without her. She has been with me along the entire ride and has dedicated so much of her life towards my wishes. As every single mother knows, it can't be done alone. That is why I want to thank everyone that has been apart of my life and playing career. I love all of you God bless you
This lavishly illustrated volume details the design, development and operational history of US-made tanks in British service in the Second World War.The idea of British soldiers using American tanks was not viewed with a great deal of enthusiasm by the British Army. They perceived American tanks as being crudely made, mechanically unsophisticated and impossible to fight in. However, once British crews got used to them and learned to cope with some of their difficulties, such as limited fuel capacity and unfamiliar fighting techniques, they started to see them in a far more positive light, in particular their innate reliability and simplicity of maintenance. This book, the last in a three-part series on British Battle Tanks by armour expert David Fletcher, concentrates on World War II and studies American tanks in British service, some of which were modified in ways peculiar to the British. It shows how the number of these tanks increased to the point that they virtually dominated, as well describing some types, such as the T14 and M26 Pershing, which were supplied but never used in British service.
For most of World War II, British tank development remained faithful to the design philosophy inaugurated during World War I. Experiences in North Africa highlighted flaws in this basic design, however, and the General Staff identified the need for a new heavy cruiser that could combine speed and manoeuvrability with increased armour and armament. The Cromwell Cruiser tank was designed as a result, and soon proved itself one of the fastest and most successful tanks deployed by the Allies during World War 2. This book details the design and development of the Cromwell and its many variants, from its introduction at D-Day, through its many successes in the final year of World War 2 and beyond.
This book provides a review and discussion of the recent move towards the positive aspects and consequences of competitive anxiety. Following a description of competitive stress-related terminologies, conceptual and psychometric developments are considered including the notion of directional anxiety interpretations. The commentary then focuses on the theories and models that outline the potential positive aspects of anxiety in relation to athletic performance. Applied implications and future research directions are also discussed together with a number of explicatory statements regarding the nature of the precompetitive stress experience in sport.
