Gigantic Underground Mines – The Biggest Explosions of The First World War
One of the common techniques used in warfare during the First World War was mining. There were various mines planted under trenches, then detonated to…
The Letter That Forced America Into WWI
When the war in Europe was declared, America was determined to stay neutral until a letter forced its hand. It was rather complicated, but Japan,…
Lawrence of Arabia – one of the most mythologised officers in modern military history
Thomas Edward Lawrence is one of the most mythologised officers in modern history. A biography by a journalist, his own writings, and a film about…
Amiens: the beginning of the Hundred Days Offensive – The Allies brought enormous resources to bear
In August 1918, the Allied forces began their final great push of the First World War. Later known as the Hundred Days Offensive, this series…
Battle of WWI merchant raiders: HMS Alcantara v SMS Greif
On February 27, 1916, the Norwegian cargo ship Rena steamed out of Cuxhaven on Germany’s North Sea coast. In peacetime, this would not have been…
The Schneider CA1 Was The First Operational Tank Ever – A First In Military History
The beginning of armored weaponry dates back to the days of the First World War when a stalemate occurred on the Western Front due to…
Henry Johnson, Known as the “Black Death” – America’s First World War Hero
Henry Johnson was a World War I soldier who singlehandedly beat back a German assault while critically wounded. He was a great American hero and…
How 50 German Sailors sailed, marched and rowed home from a tiny island halfway around the world
The Keeling Islands are little more than overgrown coral reefs, but in 1914 they saw the beginning of one the most epic adventure stories of…
How a band of German Pirates Captured 15 Ships During World War 1
On Christmas day, 1916 a Norwegian clipper ship, the Irma, was boarded by the British cruiser, Avenger. There was nothing particularly unusual, the captain spoke…
Military Technologies Invented In WWI That We Still Use Today
The evolution of military technology is an ongoing process, and breakthroughs in new weapons and defensive systems make the news every year. However, many staples…
The Red Baron: Manfred von Richthofen, Famed WW1 Flying Ace
The greatest fighter ace of the First World War, Manfred von Richthofen, was born on the 2nd of May 1892. Becoming an officer cadet at…
Harold Ackroyd – A Selfless WWI Medic with More than 20 Separate VC Recommendations
Life in war is never easy. Watching your fellow soldiers and friends fighting for their lives and suffering serious wounds – physically and mentally – can be…