Featured battle : Maida [Santa Eufemia]

Part of French War of the Third Coalition

Date : 04 July 1806

British infantry under General Stuart, sent from Sicily to support planned rebellion in Southern Italy met and defeated French forces under Reynier. The victory was gained by disciplined musketry followed by a bayonet charge. The victory was squandered by Stuart's failure to follow up and allowing Reynier time to reorganize and reassert control.

Tribals, Battles and Darings

Alexander Clarke
Here is a mass of information about a very special group of Royal Navy ships. They were the first generation of general purpose destroyers developed when accepted understanding was that destroyers were built to fulfil particular roles. The intention was to create a ship which could undertake many of a cruiser’s functions in a destroyer package with consequent savings in materials and manning. The book covers their conception, creation and actions. All classes do not get equal treatment as there is a strong bias towards Tribals. This is understandable as they were the first of the breed and saw the most action.
The narrative flows and is most readable, the photographs, of high quality, are many and varied and the whole is supported by a set of notes and a very extensive bibliography.
A super read which we highly recommend.

Seaforth Publishing, 2022