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Library

A great primary source of information comes from contemporary military training pamphlets and manuals. These are often available at military fairs, auctions or from specialist booksellers and can allow historians to gain a great understanding of how or why things are done. In more cases than not they raise more questions than answers, and in most cases the answer is a form of local variation as a result of available resources or even contractor style. These manuals are therefore seen as best practice guides and not hard and fast rules.

I have collected a large number of specialist publications over the last few years, and while I can’t put them all online, this page aims to let you know what is available and the contents of each. Each section is listed chronologically.

Construction and Engineering

TitleDateChapters
Practical Treatise on Strengthening and Defending Outposts, Villages, Houses, Bridges, &c. (William Clowes and Sons) 100 pages + 100 pages + 132 pages18571. General rules and principles which regulate defensive works
2. Particular considerations which influence the selection of a military post
3. Details of executing breastworks, trenches, &c.
4. Defence of hedges, walls, woods, &c.
5. Obstructions, essential to a vigorous defence
6. Of placing buildings in a state of defence
7. Of placing a village in a state of defence
8. Arrangements for the defence of a bridge
9. Defence of an intrenchment
10. Guarding and defending a house
11. Guarding and defending an intrenched village
Supplement – Attack of Military Posts
1. Observations on the attack of outposts
2. Further considerations and details
3. Surmounting obstacles
4. Of attacks by surprise
5. Of attacks by open force
6. Attack of an intrenched village
7. Attack of a fleche, or earthen work open in the rear
8. Attack of a fortified building
9. Escalading
Duties required to be performed at a siege
1. A familiar explanation of the principles on which fortifications are constructed. Definitions &c.
3. Preliminary considerations and the general outline of proceedings at a siege
4. Further explanation of the objects of the different works
5. Number of men, ordnance, ammunition, &c.
6. Practical operations
7. Reconnoissance (sic.) of the place
8. Different periods of a siege
9. Duties of the working parties employed in cutting, brushwood, making fascines, gabions, &c.
10. Tracing the first parallel and the approaches from the rear
11. Working party, and execution of the first parallel and approaches
12. Construction of the batteries
13. Flying sap, and execution of the second parallel
14. Regular sap, &c.
15. Construction of the breaching and counter batteries
16. Storming the breach
Instruction in Fortification, Military Engineering, and Geometrical Drawing at The Royal Military Academy, Woolwich (Her Majesty’s Stationary Office) 417 pages18711. Geometrical drawing
2. The arms in use
3. Field fortification
4. Trace of field work
5. Details of field work
6. Obstacles
7. Lines
8. Field works on irregular sites
9. Defilade
10. Bridge heads
11. Military posts
Permanent Fortifications
12. Principles and details
13. Bastioned systems
14. Polygonal or caponier system
15. Attack of fortresses
16. Construction of siege works
17. Defence of fortresses
18. Defence of coasts
19. Outworks, advanced works, and detached works
20. Polygonal system on aquatic site
21. Various systems
22. Military mines
23. Military bridges
Instruction in Military Engineering, Volume I, Part V, Miscellaneous (School of Military Engineering, Chatham)18851. Duties of troops on defence of works
2. Field observations
3. Field railways and trench tramways
4. The steam sapper
5. Camping arrangements
6. Hutting
7. Water supply
8. Norton’s Abyssinian Tube Wells
9. Boring for water
10. Boning, levelling and taking sections
11. Roads
Military Handbooks for Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers, Vol. VII Field Works (Their Technical Construction and Tactical Application) (Colonel C.B. Brackenbury, Royal Artillery) 359 pages18881. Elementary
2. The arms in use
3. Cover against the arms in use
4. hasty entrenchments and regular field works
5. Accessories and obstacles – use of accidents – clearing the ground
6. Defence and attack of woods and defiles
7. Defence of houses, farms, and villages
8. Defence of villages (continued) – details and their reasons
9. Developments of defence of villages – question of redoubts
10. Attack of houses, farms and villages
11. Attack and defence of villages (continued)
12. Combat within villages
13. Examples of attack and defence of localities in modern war – campaign of 1866 and 1870-71
14. Examples – attack and defence of localities
15. Examples of fortified positions – Torres Vedras and Plevna
16. Examples of fortified positions – Ardhan, Kevin and Aladja Dagh
17. Defence and attack of large positions
Field Fortifications, Notes on the Text-Books (Major H.D. Hutchinson, Bengal Staff Corps) 144 pages18911. Artillery, projectiles, penetration, &c
2. Field defences, hasty entrenchments, stockades, &c
3. Improvised field defences
4. Obstacles
5. Revetments
6. Field-works
7. Various kinds of field works
8. Garrisons
9. The trace of field works
10. Lines of works, &c
11. Various details
12. Various details (continued)
13. Defilade
14. Defence of villages, houses and woods
15. Military bridging
16. Hasty demolitions
Examination questions for practice
Manual of Military Engineering (Provisional Edition) (School of Military Engineering, Chatham) 194 pages19011. Preliminary
2. Field geometry and field level
3. Intrenching tools
4. Working parties and execution of work
5. Materials
6. Revetments
7. Clearing the foreground
8. Defence of localities
9. Earthworks
10. Obstacles
11. Siege works
12. Escalading
13. Bonding and levelling
14. Roads
15. Railways and telegraphs
16. Cordage and use of spars
17. Bridges
18. Floating bridges
19. Camping arrangements
20. Hasty demolitions with explosives
21. Hasty demolitions without explosives
Glossary of terms
Military Engineering (Part I) Field Defences (General Staff, War Office) 100 pages and 59 plates19081. General principles of fortification
2. Arms and projectiles
3. Field level and field geometry
4. Intrenching tools and execution of earthworks
5. Materials, and tools other than for intrenching
6. Revetments
7. Application of field defences
8. Trenches
9. Redoubts
10. Improving existing cover
11. Obstacles
12. Communications in connection with defensive positions
13. Stockade and blockhouses
14. Defence of buildings
15. Defence of villages and suburbs
16. Defence of woods
17. Defence of posts and camps
Military Electric Lighting, Volume I (His Majesty’s Stationery Office) 104 pages19091. Principles of electromagnetic inductions
2. Field magnets
3. Armatures
4. Commutators, brushes, &c.
5. Continuous current generators
6. Alternating current generators
7. Motors
8. Transformers and converters
Index
Military Engineering (Part II) Attack & Defence of Fortresses (General Staff, War Office) 35 pages and 18 plates19101. Permanent Land Defences
2. Batteries
3. Communications and Depots
4. Trenchwork
5. Sapping
6. The Assault
7. Escalading
Manual of Field Engineering (General Staff, War Office) 131 pages plus 64 plates

This example was issued to the 6th Field Company, Royal Engineers, 2nd Canadian Division		1911, reprinted 19141. Field fortification
2. Tools, materials and their employment
3. Working parties and their tasks
4. Improvement of the field of fire and utilisation of existing cover
5. Earthworks
6. Obstacles
7. Defence of localities and positions
8. Field level and field geometry
9. Camping arrangements
10. Knotting and lashings
11. Blocks, tackles and use of spars
12. Communications
13. Bridges and the passage of water
14. Hasty demolitions with explosives
15. Hasty demolitions of railways and telegraphs without explosives
Appendicies
Manual of Military Electric Lighting, Volume III (War Office) 136 pages19121. Central power stations
2. Distribution
3. Theory of illumination and scales of lighting
4. Exterior illumination
5. Indoor wiring
6. Fittings and lamps
7. Secondary batteries
8. Practical applications of electric motors
Appendix I. Aldershot power station
Appendix II. Artificial lighting
Appendix III. The institution of electrical engineers’ wiring rules
Military Engineering (Part IIIa) Military bridging – General principles and materials (General Staff, War Office) 112 pages with 38 plates1913, reprinted 19151. Reconnaissance
2. Nature and measurement of gaps to be bridged
3. Loads on military bridges and stresses produced
4. Materials
5. Accessories required for bridging operations
6. Organisation of working parties
Military Engineering (Part V) Miscellaneous (General Staff, War Office) 87 pages19141. Camps and bivouacs
2. Huts
3. Quality of water
4. Supply and distribution of water
5. Raising water
6. Tube wells
7. Boring for water
8. Boning, levelling, etc
9. Military roads
Notes on Building Materials and Their Uses (School of Military Engineering, Chatham) 120 pages1st edition 1887
2nd edition 1907
3rd edition revised and enlarged 1919		1. Introduction
2. Stone
3. Slates
4. Bricks
5. Tiles
6. Stoneware
7. Terra Cotta
8. Limes and mortars
9. Cements
10. Concrete
11. Materials for plastering, etc
12. Asphaltes and bitumen
13. Timber
14. Metals – Iron and steel
15. Metals – Lead, Copper, Zinc, Tin, etc
16. Painters’ Materials
17. Glaziers’ Materials
18. Paperhangers’ Materials
19. Felt
Military Engineering, Volume VI, Water Supply (The War Office) 259 pages plus 181 plates1922Part I – Water supply with the field army
1. Organization (sic.)
2. Water supply during mobile warfare
3. Water supply during position warfare and the deliberate attack
Part II – Technical practice
4. Sources of supply
5. Requirements as to quantity
6. Supply from surface wells and methods of raising water by hand
7. Well boring
8. Pumping machinery
9. The airlift pump
10. Storage
11. Distribution systems
12. Pipework and fittings
13. Hydraulics
Pat III – Water purification
14. Requirements as to quantity
15. Principles of water purification
16. Methods of purification suitable for use in the field
Manual fo Field Works (All Arms) (The War Office) 279 pages plus 207 plates

This particular example came from the Irish Bureau of Military History		1925Part I – Field Fortifications
1. General principles of field fortifications
2. Tools and materials
3. The organisation of working parts and their tasks
4. Field level and field geometry
5. A defensive system
6. Machine gun emplacements
7. Obstacles
8. The siting of trenches
9. Details of trenches, fire positions, and trench accessories
Part II – Bridging
10. Knotting and lashings
11. Blocks, tackles and use of spars
12. Road bridges and the passage of gaps
Part III – Accommodation
13. Camping arrangements
14. Shelters and dug-outs
Part IV – Communications
15. Cross-country tracks, roads and tramways
Part V – Demolitions
16. Explosives and demolitions
17. Land mines, traps, etc
Appendicies
Military Engineering, Vol. II, Defences (The War Office) 99 pages and 27 plates1925Part I – Deliberate and land defence
1. Introductory and historical
2. Lessons of the Great War
3. Permanent land fortification to-day
4. Types of permanent works
5. Organization and execution of defensive works
Part II – Coast defence
6. Introductory
7. Review of past attacks by ships on land defences
8. The Great War
9. Coast defence to-day
10. Forms of attack
11. Defence works
Notes on Iron and Steel (Brig.-Gen. R.K. Bagnall-Wild) 53 pages, plus plates1927, original notes written 1904A technical booklet of notes to give users an elementary knowledge of the materials they are working with. Quote “these notes will, therefore, be of considerable assistance to those who have to operate aircraft and automobile transport, and especially to those in charge of workshops who have not had previous experience of steel making, manipulating and using.”
Military Engineering, Vol. III, Bridging (The War Office) 244 pages and, 74 plates19281. General considerations
2. Reconnaissance
3. Bridge design
4. Raft, tidal ramps, and pier heads
5. Accessories for bridging operations
6. Suspension bridges
7. Trestle piers and timber bridges
8. Abutments and piled piers
9. Girder erection
10. The box-girder (Martel) bridge
Manual of Field Engineering Vol. I (All Arms) (The War Office) 130 pages, 48 plates19331. Introduction
2. Training
3. Elements of field engineering
4. Organisation of work
5. General considerations regarding protective works
6. Concealment, observation and communications
7. Obstacles
8. Factors governing design of protective works
9. Protective works
10. Siting and development of protective works
11. Maintenance and repairs
12. Protective works for artillery
13. Miscellaneous protective works
14. Protective works in warfare in undeveloped countries
15. Roads and tracks
16. Passage of water obstacles
Appendices
Military Engineering Vol. VII Accommodation and Installations (The War Office) 383 pages, plus 143 plates1934Part 1. General principles governing the provision of accommodation in war
1. General considerations
2. Supply of materials
3. Base camps for personnel
4. Base accommodation other than for personnel
5. Accommodation in forward areas
6. Improvement of billets
7. Training camps at home
Part 2. Camps
8. Sites
9. Lay-outs
10. Scales of accomodaton
11. Camp services
12. Organisation of work
Part 3. Constructional Details
13. Mass production of huts
14. Hut construction
15. Timber and corrugated iron hut
16. Hut construction in materials other than timber and corrugated iron
17. Accessories
Part 4. Hospitals, miscellaneous camps and depots
18. Hospitals
19. Remount depots and veterinary hospitals
20. Miscellaneous camps, offices, etc
21. Depots – general considerations
22. RASC depots (excluding petrol and cold storage)
23. RASC depots, continued (petrol installations)
24. RASC depots, continued (cold storage installations)
25. Other depots
Part 5. Productive installations
26. Timber productions
27. Manufacture of bricks, lime and concrete products
28. Stone quarries
29. factories
30. Workshops
31. Power and water installations
Part 6. Miscellaneous engineer work on active service
32. Engineer work in connection with the formation of an overseas base
33. Mechanical handling of materials
34. Aerial ropeways
35. Constructional plant
36. Work for the Royal Air Force
Military Engineering Vol. V Roads (The War Office) 310 pages, plus 110 plates19351. General
2. Reconnaissance and survey
3. Principles of road construction
4. Types of roads
5. Macadam roads
6. Gravel roads
7. Concrete roads
8. Paved roads
9. Earth roads
10. Mountainous country
11. Hill tracks
12. Structures in road-work
13. Road-work in war
14. Organisation and construction
15. Miscellaneous
Military Engineering Vol. III – Part II, Pamphlet No. 4, Tubular Scaffolding for Military Purposes (The War Office) 29 pages, plus 22 plates19351. General description
2. Design
3. Applications
4. Erection
Tables
Manual of Field Engineering Vol. II (Royal Engineers) (The War Office) 432 pages and 200 plates1936Part I. Engineer Information
1. Engineer Reconnaissance
2. Simple Field Surveying
Part II. Field Fortification
3. Elaboration of Hasty Field Defences
4. Artillery Emplacements
5. Shelters and Dug-outs
6. Air Raid Protection
7. Concrete and Reinforced Concrete
8. Concealment
9. Protective World in Warfare in Undeveloped and Semi-civilised Countries
Part III. Bridging
10. Bridging Operations
11. Cordage, Wire Ropes and Chains – Blocks and Tackles
12. Application of Power and Anchorages
13. Derricks, Sheers and Gyns
14. Methods of Launching Girders
15. Bridge Types
16. Piers, Abutments and Foundations
17. Bridge Design and Calculations
18. Improvised Floating Bridges and Rafts
19. Watermanship
Part IV. Roads, Tramways, Railways
20. Roads
21. Tramways
22. Railways
Part V. Demolitions
23. Explosives and Demolitions
24. Land Mines and Traps
Part VI. Accommodation and Water Supply
25. Accommodation, Sanitation and Cooking Arrangements
26. Water Supply
27. Work for the Royal Air Force
The Royal Engineers Pocket Book (The War Office)19361. General data
2. Coast defence and beach landings
3. Anti-aircraft defence
4. Defences
5. Bridging
6. Demolition and mining
7. Roads
8. Accommodation and installations
9. Electrical engineering
10. Mechanical engineering
11. Railways
12. Survey
13. Water supply
Engineer Training (His Majesty’s Stationery Office) 237 pages1937Part I – Training
1. Introductory
2. Initial training
3. Annual training
4. Training in field operations
5. Drill
Part II – War
6. War organization of engineers
7. Engineer direction and command
8. Supply of engineering equipment and stores
9. Control of work in the field
10. Engineer duties in the field
11. Engineer tactics
12. Engineer work on the lines of communication
Appendicies
Military Engineering (Part II) Defences (The War Office) 174 pages1937Part I – Land Defence
1. Introductory
2. Deliberate defence – Nature and execution of work
3. Deliberate defence – Design and details of structures
4. Permanent fortification – Nature and execution of the work
5. Permanent fortification – Designs and details of structures
6. Superintendence of work – machinery
Part II – Coast Defence
7. Historical review
8. The great war
9. The coast defence problem
10. Forms of attack
11. Forms of defence and their organization (sic)
12. Fixed defence works and organization (sic)
Appendix
Schedule of Prices for Works and Repairs to Buildings of the War Department (His Majesty’s Stationery Office) 282 pages19391. Excavator
2. Concretor
3. Bricklayer
4. Asphalter
5. Drainlayer
6. Mason
7. Pavior and road maker
8. Slater, tiler, and slate mason
9. Carpenter and joiner (including Ironmongery)
10. Iron founder, smith and structural engineer
11. Gasfitter
12. Plasterer and wall tiler
13. Plumber (including water supply and all sanitary fittings)
14. Electrician
15. Glazier
16. Painter and decorator
17. hire of building, plant, machinery, etc

Addendums:
18. Hutting
18A. Hutting
The W.D. Schedule, Questions and Answers (WJ Hutson, late Royal Engineers) 35 pagesUnknown, estimated 1939As above
Schedule of Prices for the Provision of Engineer Services in connection with temporary Camps for the War Department (The War Office) 34 pages, plus platesMarch 19391. General regulations
2. Camp structures
3. Water supply
4. Drainage
5. Miscellaneous
6. Materials only
7. Labour only
8. Hire of machinery, etc
Department of the (United States) Army Field Manual FM 5-15, Field Fortifications (Headquarters, Department of the Army) 86 pages1940No table of contents
Regulations for Engineer Services (Peace), Part I (The War Office) 236 pages19431. General principles
2. Control in commands
3. The Engineer executive
4. Services chargeable to vote 10C
5. Inspections
6. Damages
7. Administration of W.D. estates
8. Execution of work
9. Contracts
10. Stores
11. Accounts
12. Office procedure and advertisements
Tables
Appendices
Field Engineering (All Arms) Military Training Pamphlet No. 30, Part IV: Booby Traps (The War Office) 26 pages19411. Definition
2. Object
3. Operation
4. Tactical employment
5. Principles of employment
6. Responsibilities of all arms
7. Detection
8. British booby trap equipment and its employment
9. German booby trap equipment and its employment
10. Italian booby trap equipment and its employment
Manual of Field Engineering (Royal Engineers) Part VI, Accommodation and Water Supply (Government of India Press) 46 pages and 30 plates1942, printed 19431. Accommodation, sanitation and cooking arrangements
2. Water supply
List of tables
Appendix
List of plates
Expert Committee on Compensation and Betterment, Final Report (Ministry of Works and Planning) 367 pages1942, reprinted 19531. Preliminary survey
2. The nature of existing difficulties
3. Unification of land ownership
4. Undeveloped land
5. Developed land
6. Procedure for obtaining and exercising compulsory powers of acquisition
7. Assessment of compensation on acquisition of land and for injurious affection
8. Compensation for planning restrictions
9. Betterment
10. Unification of the reversion
11. The central planning authority
12. Summary of recommendations
Field Engineering (All Arms) Military Training Pamphlet No. 30, Part III: Obstacles (The War Office) 58 pages19431. Introduction
2. Tank obstacles
3. Infantry obstacles
Royal Engineers Reconnaissance Pocket Book (The War Office, reprinted in India) 161 pages (excluding amendments)19441. Introduction
2. Field defences
3. Bridging
4. Demolitions, mines and bomb disposal
5. Roads, airfields, mechanical equipment and concrete
6. Accommodation and water supply
Post-War Building Studies No. 1 House Construction (Published for the Ministry of Works) 152 pages1944Part I. Suggested basic technical considerations of house construction
Part II. Alternative forms of construction used in the inter-war period
Part III. Notes on materials
Appendix. Recommendations for the use of no-fines concrete
Post-War Building Studies No. 15 Walls, Floors and Roofs (Published for the Ministry of Works) 52 pages1944, reprinted 19451. Walls and partitions
1.1. General properties
1.2. Special requirements
1.3. Recommendations
2. Floors
2.1. General properties
2.2 Special requirements
2.3 Recommendations
3. Roofs
3.1. General properties
3.2. Special requirements
3.3. Recommendations
Appendix 1. Experience resulting from War-time building
Appendix 2. Sound insulation
Military Training Pamphlet No. 75 Works Services (The War Office) 65 pages19441. General principles
2. Relation between staff and works services
3. General duties of works staff
4. Preliminary steps for starting work
5. Estimating
6. Applications for approvals and allotments
7. Control of expenditure on a service
8. Changes in a plan
9. Bills and final clearance
10. Repairs and maintenance
11. Barrack damages
12. Inspections, including table
13. Duties of a Superintending Officer (SO) and Surveyor of Works (SW)
14. Labour control – Uniformity agreement (UA) and Essential Works Order (EWO)
Military Engineering, Volume VII, Part X, Sewage and sullage disposal works, sewage pumping stations. Standard designs (The War Office) 8 pages and 54 plates1944A portfolio of Department for Works (DFW) design drawings for sewage works.
Military Engineering, Volume XIV, Concrete, Part I, Practical Work (The War Office) 72 pages19441. Cement
2. Aggregates and water
3. Testing materials
4. Supply and storage of materials
5. Workability and proportioning
6. Measurement of materials
7. Mixing
8. Transporting and placing
9. Formwork
10. Reinforcement
11. Curing
12. Effect of atmospheric conditions on concrete
13. Watertight concrete and construction under water
14. Colloidal concrete
15. Tests on concrete
16. Factors affecting the resistance of concrete to explosives and projectiles
Royal Engineers Supplementary Pocket Book, No. 5B, Airfields (The War Office) 108 pages19461. Airfields
2. Airfield reconnaissance
3. Soils
4. Site clearance, subframes and earth runways
5. Soil stabilization (yes, with a Z)
6. Airfield drainage
7. Prefabricated steel landing mats
8. Prefabricated bituminous surfacing
9. Miscellaneous surfaces
10. Airfield markings
11. Dust alleviation
12. Repair and maintenance of airfields
War Department Schedule of Prices for Works Services (The War Office) 414 pages1948Revised Addendum A:
1. Excavator
2. Concretor
3. Bricklayer
4. Asphalter
5. Drainlayer
6. Mason
7. Pavior and Road-Maker
8. Roofer
9. Asbestos-Cement Goods
10. Carpenter and Joiner
11. Ironmonger
12. Ironfounder, smith and structural engineer
13. Gas fitter
14. Plasterer, floor and wall tiler
15. Steel and iron worker
16. Plumber
17. Electrician
18. Glazier
19. Painter and decorator
20. Hutting
Field Engineering and Mine Warfare, Pamphlet No. 1, Basic Field Engineering, Part II – RE and Inf Pnrs, Chapters 6 to 8 (The War Office) 88 pages1949Chapter 6. Cordage, steel wire rope and chains
Chapter 7. Application of power and anchorages
Chapter 8. Derricks, sheers, gyns and aerial ropeways
Field Engineering and Mine Warfare, Pamphlet No. 1, Basic Field Engineering, Part I – All Arms (The War Office) 104 pages19501. General
2. Organisation of work
3. Elements of field engineering
4. Roads
5. Accommodation, sanitation and cooking arrangements in the field
6. Water supply
7. Stores organization
Military Engineering Volume XIV Concrete, Part II Reinforced Concrete Design (The War Office) 291 pages1950

I also have the 1964 edition in the collection		1. Basis of design
2. Singly reinforced beams and slabs in bending
3. Doubly reinforced beams and slabs in bending
4. T-beams in bending
5. Shear
6. Bond
7. Continuous beams and slabs
8. Loads on structures
9. Design of rectangular slabs and beams
10. Design of T-beams
11. Use of graphs
12. Bridges
13. Columns
14. Retaining walls
15. Tanks and reservoirs
16. Piles
17. Pre-stressed reinforced concrete
18. Specifications, tests and measurement
Appendices
Royal Engineers Supplementary Pocket Book, No. 2, Concrete (The War Office) 60 pages19511. Materials
2. Batching, mixing and transporting
3. Testing concrete
4. Placing, compacting and curing
5. Formwork
6. Reinforcement
7. Special conditions and methods
8. Site organisation and supervision
9. Design and memorandaa
List of tables
List of figures
Field Engineering and Mine Warfare, Pamphlet No. 3, Demolitions, Part II – RE AND INF ASLT PNRS (The War Office) 127 pages1955Part II (this pamphlet)
7. Operation demolitions – the Engineer picture
8. Demolition stores and equipment (other than in Part I)
9. Firing arrangements
10. Types of charges – their placing and calculations
11. Typical targets and methods of attack
12 – Reconnaissance and execution of a demolition
Military Engineering, Volume VI, Water Supply and Petroleum Installations (The War Office) 595 pages1956Part I – Basic principles
1. Responsibilities and scope of the problem
2. Requirements in quantity and quality
Part II – Plant, stores and equipment
3. Pumps and pumping – general
4. Reciprocating pumps
5. Centrifugal pumps
6. Air-lift pumps
7. Rotary and other pumps
8. Selection, installation and operation of surface type pumping plant
9. Well sinking and well boring
10. Selection, installation and operation of plant for raising water from wells
11. Pipes and fittings
12. Pipelaying
13. Bulk storage
Part III – Calculations
14. Hydraulics and other calculations
15. Calculations for flow in popes
Part IV – Water supply
16. Sources of water
17. Water analysis
18. Water treatment
19. Water supply systems
20. Water supply in the combat zone
21. Water supply in extremes of climate
Part V – Petroleum installations
23. Transfer of petroleum from ship-to-shore
24. Bulm storage, movement and distribution
25. Petroleum supply in extremes of climate
26. How to tackle a petroleum installation problem
Part VI – Historical
27. Some pipeline projects of the 1939-45 war
Appendicies

Field Engineering and Mine Warfare, Pamphlet No. 2, Field Defences, Part I (All Arms) (The War Office) 213 pages		19571. Introduction
2. Elementary defence works – Principles and methods of construction
3. Basic field defences for infantry
Part I – Rifle section posts
Part II – Emplacements for supporting weapons
Part III – Observation, command and regimental aid posts
4. Buildings in the defence
5. Artillery emplacements: Diggin-in vehicles and tanks
6. Large field shelters
7. Development in protracted defence
8. Miscellaneous field works
9. Training
Appendixes
Tables
Figures
Plates
Abbreviations
Royal Engineers Supplementary Pocket Book, No. 5B, Airfields (The War Office) 110 pages19601. Introductory
2. Planning and development of airfields
3. Components and standards
4. Airfield layout and design
5. Preliminary airfield reconnaissance
6. Final alignment
7. Final site survey
8. Earthwork
9. Airfield drainage
10. Preparation of an airfield project
11. Natural, and prefabricated surfaces
12. Flexible pavements
13. Maintenance, repair, and restoration of airfields
14. Dust control
15. Operational lighting installations
16. Organisation of work
17. Arctic landing grounds
War Department Schedule of Prices for Works Services (The War Office) 414 pages19611. Excavator
2. Concretor
3. Bricklayer
4. Asphalter
5. Drainlayer
6. Road-Maker
7. Pavior
8. Mason
9. Roofer
10. Asbestos-Cement Goods
11. Carpenter and Joiner
12. Ironmonger
13. Steel and iron worker
14. Plasterer and wall tiler
15. Plumber
16. Electrician
17. Glazier
18. Painter and decorator
19. Erection of hutting
Industrial Handbook (Ministry of Public Buildings and Works) 26 pages1963Employee handbook covering conditions of employment
Schedule of Rates for Building Works, Part 1 (Ministry of Public Building and Works) 389 pages19651. Excavation and earthwork
2. Concrete work
3. Brickwork and blockwork
4. Masonry
5. Asphalt work
6. Roofing
7. Carpentry
8. Joinery
9. Structural steelwork
10. Metalwork
11. Plumbing
12. Plasterwork and other floor, wall and ceiling finishings
13. Glazing
14. Painting and decorating
15. Drainage
16. Fencing
17. External surfacing
18. Standard detail sheets
Military Engineering, Volume II – Field Engineering, Part II – All Arms, Pamphlet No. 8 Roads and Airfields (Ministry of Defence) 53 pages19661. Roads: General
2. Construction and maintenance of roads
3. Air landing facilities
Royal Engineers Pocket Book (Ministry of Defence) 156 pages19671. Basic field engineering
2. Field defences and obstacles
3. Demolitions
4. Mine and booby trap laying
5. Mine and booby trap clearance
6. Assault river crossing
7. Floating bridges and rafts
8. Fixed bridges
9. Improvised bridges
10. Roads, airfields and helicopter landing sites
11. Reconnaissance and maintenance of existing roads
12. Water supply
13. Field and flood lighting
14. Armoured engineers
Royal Engineers Supplementary Pocket Book No. 7 (Ministry of Defence) 114 pages19681. Background and general guidance
2. Outline planning
3. Detailed planning
4. Planning data
5. Sewage and refuse disposal
Figures
Tables
Military Engineering, Volume II – Field Engineering, Part I – Tactics and Organization (Ministro of Defence)1968
Amended 1972		Pamphlet 1 – Basic field engineering
Pamphlet 2 – Field defences
Pamphlet 3 – Obstacles
Pamphlet 4 – Demolitions
Pamphlet 5 – Minelaying
Pamphlet 6 – Mine clearance
Pamphlet 7 – Assault rafting and bridging
Pamphlet 8 – Roads and airfields
Pamphlet 9 – Water supply
Pamphlet 10 – Explosive ordnance disposal
Military Engineering, Volume II – Field Engineering, Part II – All Arms, Pamphlet No. 2 Field Defences (Ministry of Defence) 225 pages19701. Fundamentals of field engineering
2. Infantry field defences
3. Development of field defences for prolonged occupation
4. Buildings in the defence
5. Field defences for artillery and vehicles
6. Miscellaneous field defences
Military Engineering, Volume II – Field Engineering, Part II, All Arms, Pamphlet No. 9 Water Supply (Ministry of Defence) 112 pages19731. Responsibilities and requirements
2. Intelligence and reconnaissance
3. Development of existing sources and estimation of yield
4. Development of new sources of supply
5. testing and treatment
6. Pumps
7. Mobile equipment used by all arms
8. Mobile equipment used by Royal Engineers
9. Storage tanks and towers
10. Distribution in the field
11. Water supply in special conditions and extreme climates
Military Engineering, Volume II – Field Engineering, Part II, All Arms, Pamphlet No. 3 Obstacles (Ministry of Defence) 92 pages19741. General considerations
2. Barbed wire and anti-personnel obstacles
3. Wiring methods
4. Anti-tank obstacles
5. Road Blocks
6. Urban counter-revolutionary obstacles
7. Obstacles under special conditions
Annexes
Military Engineering, Volume II – Field Engineering, Part II, All Arms, Pamphlet No. 1 Basic Field Engineering (Ministry of Defence) 112 pages19761. Organization of work
2. Tools and materials
3. Moving heavy weights and loads
4. Timber structures
5. Making out measurements and setting out work
6. Bivouacs and field hygiene
Annexes
Figures
Tables
Royal Engineers Pocket Book (Ministry of Defence) 333 pages19791. Basic field engineering
2. Earthmoving plan and materials handling equipment
3. Field defences, obstacles and structures
4. Demolitions
5. Mine and booby trap laying
6. Clearance of mines and explosive devices
7. Wet gap crossing
8. Fixed span bridges
9. Improvised bridging
10. Roads
11. Airfields
12. Water supply
13. Electric power and lighting
14. Petroleum installations
15. Armoured engineers
16. Counter surveillance
17. Troop tactics

Weapons and Warfare

TitleDateChapters
Musketry Regulations, Part I (General Staff, War Office) 320 pages1909, reprinted with amendments, 19141. General instructions
2. Arms and ammunition
3. The theory of rifle fire and its practical application
4. Musketry exercises
5. Visual training and ranging
6. Preliminary training and range practices
7. Field practices
8. Competitions, badges, prizes and metal funds
9. Reports, returns and records
10. Machine guns
11. School of musketry
Musketry Regulations, Part II (General Staff, War Office) 89 pages1909, reprinted with amendments, 19141. General instructions for the use of and selection of sites for Ranges
2. Selection of Sites for and Construction of Classification Ranges
3. Construction of 30 yards Ranges
4. Field Practice Ranges
5. Miniature Cartridge Ranges:
I. General Instructions
II. Instructions for Inspection
III. Rifles and Aiming Tubes
IV. Ammunition
V. Outdoor Ranges and types
VI. Indoor Ranges and types
VII. Details
6. Targets and Appliances:
I. General
II. The firing and aiming posts
III. Aim corrector
IV. Targets for preliminary training
V. Targets for 30 yards ranges
VI. Machine gun targets
VII. Targets for classification ranges
VIII. Targets for field practices
IX. Mirrors
X. Targets for miniature cartridge ranges
XI. Articles of store
Field Service Regulations, Part I, Operations (General Staff, War Office) 296 pages1909, reprinted, with amendments, 19121. The fighting troops and their characteristics
2. Inter-communication and orders
3. Movements by land and sea
4. Quarters
5. Protection
6. Information
7. The battle
8. Siege operations
9. Night operations
10. Warfare against an uncivilised enemy
11. Convoys
12. Ammunition supply
Garrison Artillery Training, Vol. III (General Staff, War Office) 474 pages1911, reprinted with amendments, 1914Part I – Material and machines
1. Cordage
2. Appliances
3. Holdfasts
4. Strength and weight of material
5. General remarks on machines
6. Levers
7. Tackles
8. Gyns
9. Jacks
10. Crabs and transporting carriages
11. Wheel and axle, and inclines plane
12. Friction
Part II – Moving ordnance
13. General instructions
14. Drill in moving ordnance
15. Parbuckling
16. Sleighs
17. Moving guns on wheeled vehicles
18. Mounting and dismounting
Part III – Sheers and derricks
19. General remarks
20. Derricks
21. Rigging sheers
22. Raising and working sheers
23. Calculations relative to sheers and derricks
Appendices
1. Row boats and rowing
2. Tables
Field Artillery Training (Provisional) (General Staff, War Office) 409 pages19121. Principles of training
2. Dismounted drill with and without arms
3. Equitation and driving
4. Gunnery
5. Laying
6. Mounted drill
7. Employment of artillery in war
8. Brigade tactics
9. Battery tactics
10. Field engineering, reconnaissance duties, range-finding, and intercommunication service
11. Movements and quarters
Appendices
Text Book of Gunnery, Part I (Ordnance College, Woolwich) 353 pages

This particular example was issued to Antrim Artillery, Kilroot Battery on 2 May 1916		19141. Definitions and units
2. Construction of ballistic tables
3. Application of the ballistic tables
4. Miscellaneous
5. Compilation of range tables
6. Accuracy of fire (laying, methods of sighting used in practice, mathematical investigation of laying)
7. Accuracy of fire (probability of)
8. Internal ballistics – Principles of
9. Gun construction – Investigation of
Appendix. Gunnery Tables
Text Book of Gunnery, Part II (Ordnance College) 242 pages19111. The resistance of the air
2. Construction of ballistic tables
3. Unresisted motion of a projectile
4. High-angle fire
5. Accuracy of fire
6.1. Principles of gun construction
6.2. Rifling of guns
7. Interior ballistics
Ballistic table
Trench’s Manoeuvre Orders (BM Bateman) 116 pages1914, 12th edition, revised1. General principles
2. Instruction in writing orders
3. Tables and data
4. March orders
5. Combat orders
6. Halt orders
7. Night operations
8. Convoys
9. Local defence orders
10. Martial law regulations
11. Orders for passage of a river or a landing
12. Standing orders
Appendices
Gun Drill for 18-Pounder Q.F. Gun, Marks I to II. Carriages, Marks I to II (Issued by the General Staff) 78 pages19201. General duties
2. Gun drill
3. Laying and fuze setting tests
4. Sight tests
5. Care of equipment
Appendix – Carriage of stores
Artillery Training, Volume II, Gunnery (Army Council) 388 pages19231. Elementary gunnery2. Application of gunnery and range tables
3. Ammunition
4. Time fuzes
5. Laying
6. Lines of fire and angles of sight
7. Fire discipline
8. Ranging
9. Shooting with ground observation
10. Cross observation
11. Shooting with air observation
12. Predicted shooting
13. Calibration
Appendix
Tables
Infantry Training Volume II, War (The War Office) 278 pages plus 7 plates19261. Battle
2. Attack
3. Defence
4. Protection
5. Fighting in close country, woods and villages
6. Night operations
7. Ammunition supply
8. Orders, reports and messages
9A. Working parties and tasks
9B. Assault bridging
Appendices
Artillery Training Volume III, War (The War Office) 194 pages19281. Battle
2. Attack
3. Defence
4. Protection
5. Counter-battery world
6. Co-operation with the Royal Air Force
7. Artillery survey
8. Information
9. Intercommunication
10. Ammunition supply
Appendices
Textbook of Small Arms (The War Office) 418 pages1929Part 1. Small arms
1. The rifle
2. The sword, lance and bayonet
3. Revolvers and self-loading pistols
4. Grenades
5. Machine guns and light machine guns
Part 2. Small arm ammunition
1. History of the development of the small arm cartridge
2. Notes on the design of the modern military cartridge
3. Explosives
4. Small arm cartridge manufacture
5. Proof of small arm ammunition with special reference to .303-inch Mk. VII
6. Inspection of .303-inch Mk. VII ammunition
7. Miscellaneous military ammunition
Part 3. Ballistics of small arms
1. Interior ballistics (descriptive)
2. Exterior ballistics (descriptive)
3. Interior ballistics (numerical)
4. Exterior ballistics (numerical)
5. The “Le Boulenge” chronograph
6. Instruments for measuring the pressure in the rifle and how to use them
7. Ballistic pendulum and theory of recoil
8. Probability of fire
9. The strength of guns
10. Wounding effects of bullets
11. Definitions and units
Part 4. Appendices
1. Range table of .303-inch Mk. Vii from Hythe firings
2. Abstract of results of Ordnance Committee calculations
3. Ordnance Committee calculations and pricked off
4. Table for V = 2600 f.s., C = 0.284
5. Use of S&T Table I to determine R and L when V, C and v are given by formulae
6. Table I, IA, II, III, IV, V
7. Index to Formulae, Part III, Chap. IV
8. Details of the rifles of various Powers
9. Details of the machine guns and light machine guns of various Powers
10. Details of the small arm ammunition of various powers
The Gunnery Pocket Book (Admiralty) 160 pages1932 (reprinted 1938)1. Naval guns
2. Obturation
3. Breech mechanisms
4. Hand-worked gun mountings
5. Power-worked mountings
6. Loading arrangements at hand-worked guns
7. Loading arrangements at power-worked mountings
8. Hydraulics
9. Gunsights
10. System of director sights
11. Allowances to be made in director system
12. Use of director system
13. Telescopes and binoculars
14. Firing mechanisms
15. Notes on laying and training
16. Notes for guns’ crews
17. Fire control
18. Fire control drill and procedure
19. Rangefinders and inclinometers
20. High-angle control
21. Stations for fighting
22. Practice firings
23. Records and recorders
24. Saluting guns
25. Particulars of armaments and fittings supplied for service boats
26. Bugle calls
Coast Artillery Training, Volume II (The War Office) 349 pages1933Part I Material and machines
1. Cordage
2. Appliances
3. Strength and weight of material
4. General remarks on machines
5. Gyns
6. Levers
7. Jacks
8. Winches, crab capstans and transporting carriages
9. Friction
10. Wheel and axel, and inclined plane
11. Tackles
12. Holdfasts
Part II Moving Ordnance
13. General instructions
14. Drill in moving ordnance
15. Parbuckling
16. Sleighs
17. Moving guns on wheeled vehicles
18. Mounting and dismounting
Part III Sheers and derricks
19. General remarks
20. Derricks
21. Rigging sheers
22. Raising and working sheers
Artillery Training, Volume II, Gunnery (The War Office) 254 pages19341. Ballistics
2. Ammunition
3. Time Shrapnel
4. Laying
5. Preparation at the battery for opening fire
6. Preparation at the O.P. for opening fire
7. Fire discipline
8. Engagement of targets by observed shooting
9. Observation of fire
10. Predicted shooting
11. Programme shoots
12. Co-operation with the R.A.F.
13. Forward observation
14. Calibration
15. Brigade control
16. Methods applicable during periods of stabilization
Appendices
Field Service Regulations, Vol. II, Operations – General (The War Office) 265 pages19351. Fighting troops – their characteristics and armament
2. The command and control of troops in battle
3. Movements by land and air, and quarters
4. Information and reconnaissance
5. Protection
6. The attack
7. The defence
8. Night operations
9. Position warfare
10. Special types of warfare
Appendicies
Direction for the Use of Artillery Instruments, Pamphlet No. 3, The Slide Rule (The War Office) 50 pages1937 (Reprinted with amendments 1 and 2, 1942)1. Description and theory
2. Application
3. Settings for problems of bearing, distance and angle of sight
4. Other slide rule settings
Artillery Training, Volume IV, Part II, AA Searchlights, Pamphlet No. 9, Elementary Optical Principles of Searchlights (The War Office) 38 pages19431. Optical aspects of searchlights
2. Reflectors – Manufacture, testing, care and maintenance
Regulations for Army Ordnance Services, Volume 2 – War, Pamphlet No. 20, Planning Data (The War Office)1949Part 1. General Subjects
1. Allotment of RAOC field force units formations, etc
2. Summarised particulars of RAOC units
3. Siting and accommodation requirements of RAOC units and installations in the field
4. Points to be remembered when planning maintenance of a force
5. Relations between shipping and dead-weight tonnages
6. Metric system conversion tables
Part 2. Subjects relating to ordnance stores
21. Normal system of supply of ordnance stores in the field
22. Weight and space required for war equipments
23.
24. Requirements of accommodation for a base ordnance depot holding an average of six months maintenance for Forces of 20, 15, 10, 6 or 2 divisions
25. Requirements of accommodation and personnel for smaller depots serving forces which are not actively operational
26. Provision of ordnance stores – definitions and formulae
27. War maintenance scales – brief details
28. Brief particulars of weapons and fire control instruments
29. Brief particulars of wireless and line signal equipments
30. Brief particulars of radar equipments
31. Brief particulars of teen-age, portable shelters, storehouse trucks and stackers
32. War schedule of tentage and accommodation stores
33. Monthly wastage rates of clothing and necessaries
34. Average daily maintenance tonnages of ordnance stores
35. Tubular steel racking
Part 3. Subjects relating to vehicles
51. Normal system of supply of vehicles in the field
52. Brief particulars of vehicles
53. Siting and layout of vehicle parks
54. Schedule of covered accommodation offices, park workshops and maintenance sheds for an ordnance vehicle group
Part 4. Subjects relating to ammunition
71. Normal system of supply of ammunition in the field
72. Brief particulars of ammunition
73. Siting and layout of ammunition depots
74. Classification of types of ammunition by storage categories
75. Schedule of covered accommodation for offices, trench shelters and laboratories
76.
77. Daily maintenance tonnages of ammunition
78.
79. Capacity of BADs, AADs, and ammunition sections of ordnance maintenance companies

Other Pamphlets and Manuals

TitleDateChapters
Field Army Establishments, Home Defence (Her Majesty’s Stationary Office) 119 pages18901. Data for the calculation of loads
2. Staff; An Army corps, a division of infantry, a brigade of infantry, a brigade of cavalry.
3. Cavalry; Household regiment, line regiment, detachment with two machine guns
4. Artillery; Regimental staff, horse battery, field battery, infantry divisional reserve ammunition column, cavalry divisional reserve ammunition column
5. Engineers; Regimental staff, pontoon troop, HQ and four sections of telegraph battalion, field company, field park, mounted detachment
6. Infantry; Battalion, machine gun detachment, mounted battalion, mounted machine gun detachment
7. Signallers; two companies
8. Army Service Corps; Company with i) corps troops ii) infantry division iii) infantry brigade iv) cavalry brigade
9. Medical Department; Bearer company, field hospital
10. Brigade of Infantry
11. Division of Infantry
12. An Army Corps
13. Cavalry Brigades
A Text-Book of Naval Architecture for the use of Officers of the Royal Navy (J.J. Welch, Her Majesty’s Stationary Office) 167 pages with 18 plates18891. Buoyancy of ships
2. Stability of ships
3. Oscillations of ships
4. Materials for shipbuilding and modes of connecting
5. Classification of ships
6. Keels and framing
7. Stems and sternposts
8. bottom and side plating and planking
9. Deck plating and planking
10. Watertight sub-divisions of ships
11. Pumping, flooding, and drainage arrangements
12. Ventilation of ships
13. Steering arrangements
14. Protection of ships against gun attack
15. The preservation of ships
16. Strains experiences by ships
Index
Manual of Physical Training (His Majesty’s Stationary Office) 254 pages19081. Object and scope of physical training
2. Principles of the system employed
3. Formation of classes and conduct of physical training and exercise
4. Abbreviations, nomenclature, explanation or terms used
5. Method of instruction and hints to instructors
6. Class arrangements, etc
7. Detail of exercises under group headings
8. Obstacle training, etc
9. Running training
10. Use of dumb-bells and rifles
11. Recreational gymnastics
12. Elementary anatomy and physiology
13. Method of using the tables
14. Tables
Appendix. Compiling tables
First Aid to the Injured (St John Ambulance) 215 pages plus the St John Ambulance Association general price ListRevised 19081. Principles of first aid
2. Skeletal injuries
3. Circulation
4. Miscellaneous injuries
5. Nervous system and respiratory system
6. Poisoning
7. Bandaging
8. Methods of carrying
9. Stretcher transport
10. The fifth lecture (for females only)
Steam Manual for His Majesty’s Fleet containing Regulations and Instructions relating to Machinery of His majesty’s Ships (Hi Majesty’s Stationary Office) 130 pages of a textbook, extended to 198 pages with notesCorrected to April 19101. Instructions respecting steam manual
2. Circulars
3. Duties and responsibilities of Engineer Officers
4. New machines and machinery of ships undergoing extensive repairs
5. Certificate of acquaintance with the structure of the ship
6. Machinery of ships in commission
7. Engines
8. Boilers
9. Propellers
10. Torpedo boat destroyers and torpedo boats
11. Steamboats and second class torpedo boats
12. Boiler tube leak drill
13. Hulls
14. Precautions when cleaning double bottoms
15. Precautions against galvanic action
16. Steam trial of ships
17. Ships paying off
18. Miscellaneous
19. Coal and coal bunkers
20. Oil
21. Precautions in case of ramming
22. Precautions against fire
23. Clerical duties
24. Stores and store accounts
25. Particulars of machinery
Manual of Elementary Military Hygiene (The War Office) 97 pages1912, reprinted 19141. Sanitation in the army
2. Causes of disease
3. The chief diseases of soldiers
4. The principles of disease prevention
5. Water
6. Food
7. Clothing, equipment and physical training
8. Hygiene on the march
9. Barrack sanitation
10. Field sanitation
Appendicies
Field Service Pocket Book (General Staff, War Office) 290 pages plus 21 plates19141. War establishments, system of command in the field, general organisation and functions of the staff
2. Marches and march discipline, time and space, quarters, camp cooking, sanitation of camps and bivouacs, water supply
3. Orders, intercommunication, information, protection, overseas operations, map reading and sketching
4. Field engineering, summary of tools and explosives, table of time men and tools required for certain work, defence of localities, obstacles, working parties and tasks, knots cordage blocks and tackle, bridges and bridging expedients, demolitions
5. Transport, details of vehicles and stores in common use, convoys, transport by rail, transport by sea
6. Small arms and guns, supply of ammunition, rations fuel and forage, supply arrangements
7. Pay, clothing, field kits, medical, veterinary
8. Office work and private correspondence, discipline, court martial, international law
9. The army in India, military forces overseas, details of foreign armies, weights measures and money (British, Indian and foreign)
Handbook of Specifications for Supplies (War Office) 104 pages1925This fascinating insight into the quality of goods supplied to the War Office and onward to outstations across the world covers all manner of goods from light ale, candles, curry powder, liquid chlorine, malted milk, oats, kerosene, sardines and Irish whiskey.
Manual of Map Reading, Photo Reading, and Field Sketching (The War Office)1929, reprinted with amendments (Not. 1 to 4) 1939Part 1. Map Reading
1. Map Reading
2. Definitions
3. Scales and units
4. Conventional signs
5. Relief and its representation
6. north points
7. Systems of reference
8. Setting the map and finding position on it
9. Copying and enlarging a map
10. The service protractors and the prismatic compass
11. Illustration of military reports
Part 2. Photo Reading
12. Photo reading
13. Use of a simple stereoscope
Part 3. Field sketching
14. Field sketching
15. Plane table sketching
16. Prismatic compass sketching
17. Eye and memory sketching
18. Sketching from photographs
19. Description of instruments used in field sketching
Appendix 1. Finding the true north from sun or star
Appendix 2. Night marching
Appendix 3. Spelling of place names
Appendix 4. making a strip mosaic
Appendix 5. Tables
Manual of Military Vehicles (I.C. Engines) (The War Office) 379 pages19301. Application of mechanical vehicles
2. General arrangements of self-propelled vehicles
3. The IC engine
4. Engine lubrication
5. Cylinder cooling
6. Carburation
7. Exhaust
8. Ignition
9. Special engines
10. Clutches
11. Gear box
12. Back axles
13. Brakes
14. Steering, front axle and engine control
15. Frames and springs
16. Wheels, rims and tyres
17. Tracks and suspension
18. Lighting and starting systems
19. Fuels, lubricants and metals
Royal Air Force Pocket Book (Air Ministry) 319 pages1937 (Reprinted 1939)1. Appreciations, orders and reports
2. Discipline
3. Signals
4. Air navigation
5. Meteorological information
6. Airmanship
7. Liaison with the navy and army
8. Reconnaissance of landing areas and routes
9. Movement
10. Billeting
11. Camps: Erection, sanitation and administration
12. Works
13. Protection
14. Medical
15. Explosives and weapons
16. General data
Admiralty Handbook of Wireless Telegraphy, Volume I, Mangnetism and Electricity (Admiralty) 442 pages + appendixes1938
Reprinted 1939
Reprinted 1940
Reprinted 1941		1. General introduction
2. Electricity and magnetism
3. Electromagnetism, inductance and capacity
4. Alternators, generators and motors
5. Alternating currents
6. The transformer, measuring instruments, R/F effects
7. The oscillatory circuit: damped oscillations
8. Three-phase and polyphase A.C. systems
Admiralty Handbook of Wireless Telegraphy, Volume II, Magnetism and Electricity (Admiralty)1938
Reprinted 1939
Reprinted 1940
Reprinted 1941		A. The spark transmitter
B. Thermionic valves
D. Reception of electromagnetic waves
F. Amplification – receiver design
H. Power supplies
K. Valve transmitters
N. Radio-telephony – sound reproduction
P. Propagation of electromagnetic waves
R. Aerials, feeders, directional arrays
T. Direction finding
W. R/F measurement – wavemeters and oscillators
Appendix A. The decibel and the neper
Operations, Military Training Pamphlet, No. 23, Part VIII – River Crossings (The War Office) 25 pages19401. General considerations
2. Encounter crossings
3. Deliberate crossings
4. Phases of the crossing
5. Means of crossing
Camouflage, Military Training Pamphlet No. 46, Part 1: General Principles, Equipment and Materials (all Arms) (The War Office) 10 pages plus 7 plates19411. General principles
2. Equipment and materials
Camouflage, Military Training Pamphlet No. 46, Part 2: Field Defences (The War Office) 32 pages plus 4 plates19411. Field works
2. Field defences
3. Pillboxes
Camouflage, Military Training Pamphlet No. 46, Part 6: Notes on Screens (The War Office) 16 pages

This pamphlet was issued to 203 HAA Battery, Royal Artillery		19411. Types
2. Uses
3. Construction
4. Conclusion
The Raid Spotters Note Book (Compiled by C. Griffith) 68 information pages plus blank note pages3rd edition, 2nd impression (not dated, but estimated 1942)“Containing descriptions and silhouettes of 103 types of aircraft, information on recognition, spotting, comparisons, bombing, gliders, etc, etc.”
Field Service Pocket Book, Part I (The War Office)1944Pamphlet No. 3 – Abbreviations, 1944
Pamphlet No. 4 – Appreciations, orders, messages, and intercommunication, 1944
Pamphlet No. 5 – Signal codes, 1944
Pamphlet No. 6 – Intelligence, Information and Security, 1944
Pamphlet No. 6A – Conventional military symbols, 1943
Pamphlet No. 7 – Field Engineering, 1944
Pamphlet No. 9 – Movement by rail and road, 1943
Pamphlet No. 10 – Gas, 1943
Keeping the Peace (Duties in support of the Civil Power) (The War Office) 90 pages

Download a copy of this book		1957PART I – GENERAL
1. Introduction
2. Legal aspects of the use of troops in support of the civil power
3. Methods of suppressing unlawful assemblies and riots
4. Use of troops in maintaining essential services
PART II – KEEPING THE PEACE IN OVERSEAS DEPENDENCIES
5. Dependant territories
6. Colonial police forces
7. Security forces
8. Military action
9. Intelligence
10. The word battle
PART III – OPERATIONAL METHODS IN OVERSEAS DEPENDENCIES
11. Restoration of law and order in a disturbed area
12. Searching a built-up area
13. Curfews
14. Security duties
15. The employment of troops in a police role to suppress unlawful assemblies and riots
16. Ambushes, sweeps and patrols
APPENDIXES
Notes on the British Army (incorporating staff/promotion examination candidates’ précise) (The War Office) 149 pages1961, revised 1962, updated 1962, 1963, 19641. The British Army, structure and organisation
2. Organisation and functions of the War Office
3. Organisation and duties of the staff at formation Headquarters
4. Armour
5. Artillery
6. Engineers
7. Signals
8. Infantry
9. Land / Air warfare
10. The administrative services of the army
11. Administration and system of maintenance in the field
12. The administration of personnel
13. Supplies and transport
14. medical services
15. Ordnance
16. Repair and recovery
17. Pay services
18. The reserve army
Tactical Aide Memoire (Chief of the General Staff)19881. Appreciations and Orders
2. NBC
3. Air
4. Communications
5. Medical
Tactical Aide Memoire (Chief of the General Staff)1990, amendment No. 11. Miscellaneous Orders
2. NBC
3. Air
4. Communications
5. Medical
6. Field engineering and search
7. Threat
8. Reports and returns
9. General
10. Tactical check notes
11. Special to Army Inserts
12. Special operations/techniques

Modern Reference (1914 – 1945)

TitleDateChapters
Key to Victory (Richard Doherty) 100 pages19951. The U-boat threat
2. Front-line city
3. Action stations
4. The alliance is forged
5. U-boat sighted
6. Constant endeavour
7. On the home front
8. The soldiers’ tale
9. War in the air
10. Everywhere
11. Victory
Defending the North, the Fortifications of Ulster 1796-1956 (Bill Clements) 118 pages20031. The Board of Ordnance and Defence Committees
2. War with France, 1798 – 1809
3. Lough Swilly, 1810 – 1815
4. Lough Foyle and Belfast Lough, 1810 – 1816
5. The Irish signal years
6. The years of peace, 1816 – 1854
7. Fear of France and the technological revolution, 1855 – 1880
8. Breech-loaders and battleships, 1881 – 1900
9. The approach of war, 1900 – 1914
10. World War One, 194 – 1918
11. Between the wars, 1919 – 1939
12. World War Two – Part one, 1939 – 1941
13. World War Two – Part two, 1941 – 1945
Appendices
Silent Sentinels – The Irish Treaty Forts (Donal MacCarron) 156 pages20081. A safe harbour for ships
2. The twin forts
3. The Brennan torpedo
4. Berehaven
5. The guardians of Lough Swilly
6. The development of coastal artillery
7. The Great War
8. Bombardment
9. The Anglo-Irish Treaty
10. The Queenstown outrage
11. Inquisitive visitors
12. Life in the forts
13. A new agreement
14. Preparations
15. Who will man the guns?
16. The changing of the guard
17. Other ceremonies
18. Neutrality
19. ‘Stand to’ in the forts
20. Operating the guns
21. Practice makes perfect
22. Mines and MTBs
23. Churchill and the treaty ports
24. The fort on the Shannon
25. New names, old problems, future hopes
U-Boats Around Ireland (Guy Warner) 239 pages20181. Larne, Kingstown and Lough Swilly 1914-15
2. The U-boat war – the first phase
3. The development of aerial and other U-boat countermeasures
4. From the end of 1915 to the end of 1917
5. The U-boat war intensifies
6. Enter the SSZ Class
7. 1918: The climax of the struggle
8. Two U-boats are sunk by Larne-based vessels
9. Kite balloon bases and fixed-wing aircraft
10. US Navy aviation in Ireland, 1918
11. The US Navy around the rest of Ireland, 1917-18
12. The final encounters
13. Other U-boats destroyed around the coast of Ireland between 1916 and 1918
14. Some final thoughts
Appendices
Vanguard, the True Stories of the Reconnaissance and Intelligence Missions Behind D-Day (David Abrutat) 400 pages2019Operation Overlord, the opening up of an Allied second front by the invasion of the Normandy beaches in June 1944 was the largest military invasion of all time, but it was preceded by years of industrial-scale intelligence collection and dangerous clandestine reconnaissance missions of the French coast.

Vanguard is the untold story of this work, the intelligence machine and covert reconnaissance missions that went into D-Day planning, such as the signals intelligence intercepts, the agent running operations orchestrated by the 15th Flotilla, to the clandestine work of the X-Craft and tCOPP diver teams that secured the Normandy coast months before the June 1944 deadline.

This book pulls together previously unpublished by declassified Top Secret documents, diaries, letters and personal accounts from some of the few remaining veterans who were there.

Modern Reference (Cold War)

TitleDateChapters
War Plan UK (Duncan Campbell) 445 pages1983, reprint 20151. An insurance policy
2. Scenarios of war
3. War on civilians: 1914 – 1949
4. Home defence in the nuclear age: 1949 – 1972
5. Machinery of Government: 1972 and after
6. Martial order
7. Going underground
8. Nuclear citadels
9. Communications and warnings
10. Essential services
11. Death and life
12. Nuclear targets in Britain
13. The fraudulence of civil defence
Appendices
Cold War, Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946 – 1989 (English Heritage) 281 pages20031. Introduction
2. The Cold War – military and political background
3. MAD – ‘Mutually Assured Destruction
4. The United States ‘umbrella’
5. Early warning and detection
6. Warning of ballistic missile attack
7. The response – air defence
8. Observation and monitoring
9. The home front
10. The ‘white heat’ of defence technology
11. The legacy of the Cold War – an international perspective
Nuclear War in the UK (Taras Young) 127 pages20191. Introduction
2. Informing the public
3. Getting involved: Civil Defence Corps, Royal Observer Corps, WRVS, UKWMO, Police, Post Office, Armed Forces
4. Local Authorities

Modern Reference (Northern Ireland, post 1969)

TitleDateChapters
Uniforms Illustrated No. 4 – The British Army in Northern Ireland (Simon Dunstan) 72 pages1984Over a hundred photographs have been specially selected for their rarity and interest for each title in this all-picture paperback series. A well-known, expert writer on the subject has been given the opportunity, in each volume, to present his own, personal choice of photographs, depicting details of uniform and personal equipment typical of the particular army or campaign, including rare operational and ‘in-action’ views, and even some of the more unusual aspects of military life.
Elite 44 – Security Forces in Northern Ireland 1969-92 (Osprey, Tim Ripley) 64 pages1993 first published, 4th impression 2008, digital print on demand 2011The conflict in Northern Ireland remains online any other campaign conducted by the British Army this century. There have been no set-piece battles, no decisive victories or crushing defeats; just a grinding, relentless series of small-scale operations in response to riots, bombings, sectarian murders and terrorist ambushes. In this book the author profiles the operations, tactics, uniforms and equipment of the British and Irish Security Forces and the main terrorist groups involved in ‘the Troubles’ from 1969-92. The text is accompanied by fascinating photographs and detailed artwork.
Atlas of the Irish Revolution (Crowley, O Drisceoil, Murphy) 963 pages2017, reprinted 2017, 20181. Before the revolution
2. Crisis
3. The First World War and the Easter Rising
4. The rising tide
5. War of Independence, military dimensions
6. War of Independence, political, social and international perspectives
7. War of Independence, regional dimensions
8. Treaty and civil war
9. After the revolution
10. Memory and culture
The Irish War, The Military History of a Domestic Conflict (Tony Geraghty) 408 pages1998, this edition 20001. The great deception
2. The British soft-war machine
3. The Irish hard-war machine
4. A nation once again?
Army Aviation in Ulster (Guy Warner, Alex Boyd) 112 pages20041. Army aviation – a brief history from 1978
2. Army aviation in Northern Ireland from 1957
3. 5 Regiment Amy Air Corps
4. Flying with 5 Regiment
Air War Northern Ireland (Steven Taylor) 157 pages20181. Troubled times
2. Bandit country aka ‘The Independent Republic of South Armagh’
3. ‘Everything was done by helicopter’
4. Pot-shots
5. Priority targets
6. ‘If it flies, it dies.’ The SAM threat
7. Gifts from the Colonel
8. Striking back
9. Home-made solutions
10. Towards peace
Appendix A. Aircraft crashes. forced landings in South Armagh during Operation BANNER
Appendix B. Aircraft types operated by AAC, RN and RAF during Operation BANNER
Nurses Voices from the Northern Ireland Troubles (Margaret Graham, Professor Jean Orr) 201 pages2013 first edition, second edition 2013, published in paperback 20141. A personal journey through the troubles
2. Violence erupts – Bombs, booby traps and bullets 1969 – 1979
3. Community nursing in 1969 and early 1970s
4. Student nurses then and now
5. Paramilitary punishments
6. Major incidents 1969 – 1979
7. Travel, transport and telephones
8. Lighter moments
9. Working alongside weapons
10. Trauma
11. Community nursing 1973 and after
12. Major incidents 1980 – 1989
13. Major incidents 1990 – 1999
14. Coping with stress
15. After the ceasefire
16. Family impact
17. Footnote
18. References for statistical and historical data
Appendices
An Army of Tribes, British Army Cohesion, Deviancy and Murder in Northern Ireland (Edward Burke) 374 pages20181. The British Army before 1971
2. The political and operational environment in Northern Ireland, 1969 – 1972
3. The Scots Guards and Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiments in Northern Ireland, 1971 – 1972
4. Murder: The killing of Michael Naan and Andrew Murray