Featured battle : Jidballeh

Part of Operations against the "Mad Mullah"

Date : 10 January 1904

The 4th Expedition against the Mullah called for greater Forces. General Egerton succeeded Brigadier Manning who had led the 3rd Expedition. The 1st Bn Royal Hampshire Regt and two battalions of the Indian Army were added to the Force. The Royal Navy provided backup, patrolling the coastline and preventing the running of arms to support the dervishes. Two major engagements took place the first of which, at Jidballeh on 10th January 1904 involved the greatest number on both sides up to that time. It resulted in the disintegration of the Mullahs army but not to his capture or removal from the Protectorate. The second battle, a joint service engagement, took place at Illig on the East Coast of the Horn of Africa on the 21st April 1904

Taranto and Naval Warfare in the Mediterranean 1940-1945

David Hobbs
This book’s main title is ‘Taranto’ but it is about so much more than that singular action. The whole range of Fleet Air Arm activity in the Mediterranean theatre, 1940-1945, is the real content and a full and fascinating story it is. There are many insights into little known activities especially those where shore based squadrons were supporting the RAF and the troops on the ground in the North African campaign. Readers can expect to have their eyes opened to the real value of the ‘antiquated flying string bag’ the Fairey Swordfish. Although superseded by fast single seater fighters there was always a niche which no other aircraft could fill and consequently they stayed in service for the whole period. An underlying message of the book is that during this period the battleship became obsolete to be replaced by the aircraft carrier. The author draws attention to the political difficulties in the Admiralty, the RAF and the aircraft supply chain which accounted for the necessity of eventually obtaining, by purchase or Lean Lease, American aircraft and American carriers.
Technical detail, personal stories and lots of photographs make this a must have book for readers with many different interests. A jolly good read which we highly recommend.

Seaforth Publishing, 2020