The 'Pals" battalions were a phenomenon of the Great War, never repeated since. Under Lord Derby's scheme, and in response to Kitchener's famous call for a million volunteers, local communities raised (and initially often paid for) entire battalions for service on the Western Front. Their experience was all too frequently tragic, as men who had known each other all their lives, had worked, volunteered, and trained together, and had shipped to France together, encountered the first full fury of modern battle on the Somme in July 1916. Many of the Pals battalions would not long survive that first brutal baptism, but their spirit and fighting qualities have gone down into history - these were, truly, the cream of Britain's young men, and every single one of them was a volunteer. This is a comprehensive history of the Tyneside Irish Brigade raised in the North East. It covers their raising, training and active service as well as the aftermath of the war and how it effected the local community. Included is an invaluable nominal roll which will appeal to local, family and military enthusiasts alike.

Is North East England really a coherent and self-conscious region? The essays collected here address this topical issue, from the middle ages to the present day.

Explores Irish nationalism in Britain, from the politics of John Redmond to the political violence of Michael Collins.

World War I in 100 Objects by Peter Doyle is a dynamic social history and perfect gift for history lovers. General readers and history buffs alike have made bestsellers of books like A History of the World in 100 Objects. In that tradition, this handsome commemorative volume gives a unique perspective on one of the most pivotal and volatile events of modern history. In World War I in 100 Objects, military historian Peter Doyle shares a fascinating collection of items, from patriotic badges worn by British citizens to field equipment developed by the United States. Beautifully photographed, each item is accompanied by the unique story it tells about the war, its strategy, its innovations, and the people who fought it.

One of the most used and most useful works of reference on the Great War ever published. In this marvellous volume is listed every cavalry and Yeomanry regiment, every battalion of every infantry regiment, Regular, Territorial or other - that existed during the Great War. In every case the location of the unit on 4 August 1914 is given, or the date and place of its formation if raised after the outbreak of war. Its initial disposition, subsequent moves, changes in subordination and final disposal or location on 11 November 1918 are all recorded. Thus, in a masterly and concise form, we have the war service record of 31 regular and 17 reserve cavalry regiments, 57 Yeomanry regiments and their second and third line counterparts and nearly 1,750 infantry battalions. Several appendices contain a mine of information; a table of the infantry regiments showing the number of the different types of battalions each had, regular, reserve, extra reserve, territorial, New Army, garrison etc.; how the New Army battalions were raised; the Training Reserve; list of infantry divisions; summary of battle honours, casualties and VCs of each infantry regiment. Finally, there is a good index.

The Walking the Western Front series started in 2012 with the release of two films on the Ypres Salient. Directed by acclaimed film maker Ed Skelding with guest historian Nigel Cave, the series of films offered a detailed tour of the battlefields, explori