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MHM WELCOME EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Martin Brown Archaeological Advisor, Defence Estates, Ministry of Defence Mark Corby Military historian, lecturer, and broadcaster Paul Cornish Curator, Imperial War Museum Gary Gibbs Assistant Curator, The Guards Museum Angus Hay Former Army Offi cer, military historian, and lecturer Nick Hewitt Historian, National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Nigel Jones Historian, biographer, and journalist Alastair Massie Former Head of Archives, Photos, Film, and Sound, National Army Museum Gabriel Moshenska Research Fellow, Institute of Archaeology, UCL Colin Pomeroy Squadron Leader, Royal Air Force (ret ’d), and historian Michael Prestwich Emeritus Professor of History, University of Durham Nicholas Saunders Anthropologist, University of Bristol Guy Taylor Military archivist and archaeologist Julian Thompson Major-General, Visiting Professor at London University Dominic Tweddle Director-General, National Museum of the Royal Navy Greg Bayne American Civil War Round Table UK Eighty years ago this summer – on 6 June 1944, known as D -Day – some 150,000 Allied troops were launched against a 50 -mile stretch of the Normandy coastline, as they embarked on the f irst stage of the liberation of France and north-west Europe from the t yranny of Nazi Germany. The greatest amphibious invasion in histor y, the Normandy landings involved mainly British, American, and Canadian ser v icemen, but also those from many other countries around the world – an extraordinar y feat of international collaboration, as well as of planning and logistics. In the second of two special features to mark the anniversar y of this epic event, David Porter reveals how the invasion plan came together, while Patrick Mercer reads the diaries and personal accounts of British troops to understand the realit y of D -Day for those at the sharp end. Elsewhere, we mark another iconic anniversar y – the 150th birthday of Winston Churchill. In the f irst part of a new series, Taylor Downing considers Churchill’s role in some of the incredible technological advances made during World War I. Also in this issue, Stephen Roberts traces the life of Robert the Bruce, and analyses his great v ictor y over the English at Bannockburn; while Graham Goodlad continues his fascinating series on the rise of British sea power by examining the 18th- centur y career of Admiral Edward Vernon. Finally, Edmund West travels further af ield to highlight South America’s bloodiest 20th- centur y conf lict – the Chaco War, fought between Paraguay and Boliv ia over a vast area of untamed wilderness in 1932-1935. We hope you enjoy the issue! LAURENCE EARLE MILITARYIssue 140 • June/July 2024 THE ZONE OF INTEREST The award-winning film reviewed M H M D-DAY: 80 YEARS ON BATTLE FOR N O R M AN DY BATTLE FOR N O R M AN DY Inside the Allied victory Inside the Allied victory Inside the Allied victory The leader who forged a nation The leader who forged a nation o o The leader who The leader who The leader who The leader who The leader who The leader who ROBERT THE BRUCE ROBERT THE BRUCE WINSTON WINSTON AT 150 Churchill and the scientists AT 150 Churchill and the scientists .95 £5 • 2024 ly June/Ju ON THE COVER: A digitally coloured photograph of troops and supply trucks at Omaha Beach, Normandy, June 1944 Credit: akg-images /UIG/Underwood WHAT DO YOU THINK? Now you can have your opinions on everything MHM heard online as well as in print. Have a different viewpoint? Enjoying the magazine? Let us know what you think by email to feedback@military-history.org. Alternatively, you can visit our website www.military-history.org to post comments on a wide range of different articles. Take a look at our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ MilitaryHistoryMatters, follow us on Twitter (X) @MilHistMag, or send a letter to MHM, Current Publishing Ltd, Offi ce 120, 295 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 4HH. ADD US NOW and have your say CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE’S EXPERTS TAYLOR DOWNING is a historian and a bestselling author, as well as being MHM’s film critic. His latest book is The Army that Never Was: D-Day and the Great Deception. DAVID PORTER worked at the Ministry of Defence for 30 years. He is the author of 11 books on the Second World War, as well as numerous magazine articles. PATRICK MERCER is a former soldier, journalist, and MP. He is interested in any action of the British Army, or Royal Navy, but has made a special study of the Italian campaign in WWII. PETER POPHAM is a former Delhi correspondent of TheIndependent, who has reported from many countries around the world. A journalist and author, his most recent novel is India Be Damned. SUBSCRIBE NOW See p.73 for details and SAVE UP TO 20% June/July 2024 www.military-history.org 3

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MHM

WELCOME

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Martin Brown Archaeological Advisor, Defence Estates, Ministry of Defence Mark Corby Military historian, lecturer, and broadcaster Paul Cornish Curator, Imperial War Museum Gary Gibbs Assistant Curator, The Guards Museum Angus Hay Former Army Offi cer, military historian, and lecturer Nick Hewitt Historian, National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Nigel Jones Historian, biographer, and journalist Alastair Massie Former Head of Archives, Photos, Film, and Sound, National Army Museum Gabriel Moshenska Research Fellow, Institute of Archaeology, UCL Colin Pomeroy Squadron Leader, Royal Air Force (ret ’d), and historian Michael Prestwich Emeritus Professor of History, University of Durham Nicholas Saunders Anthropologist, University of Bristol Guy Taylor Military archivist and archaeologist Julian Thompson Major-General, Visiting Professor at London University Dominic Tweddle Director-General, National Museum of the Royal Navy Greg Bayne American Civil War Round Table UK

Eighty years ago this summer – on 6 June 1944, known as D -Day – some 150,000 Allied troops were launched against a 50 -mile stretch of the Normandy coastline, as they embarked on the f irst stage of the liberation of France and north-west Europe from the t yranny of Nazi Germany.

The greatest amphibious invasion in histor y, the Normandy landings involved mainly British, American, and Canadian ser v icemen, but also those from many other countries around the world – an extraordinar y feat of international collaboration, as well as of planning and logistics.

In the second of two special features to mark the anniversar y of this epic event, David Porter reveals how the invasion plan came together, while Patrick Mercer reads the diaries and personal accounts of British troops to understand the realit y of D -Day for those at the sharp end.

Elsewhere, we mark another iconic anniversar y – the 150th birthday of Winston Churchill. In the f irst part of a new series, Taylor Downing considers Churchill’s role in some of the incredible technological advances made during World War I.

Also in this issue, Stephen Roberts traces the life of Robert the Bruce, and analyses his great v ictor y over the English at Bannockburn; while Graham Goodlad continues his fascinating series on the rise of British sea power by examining the 18th- centur y career of Admiral Edward Vernon.

Finally, Edmund West travels further af ield to highlight South America’s bloodiest 20th- centur y conf lict – the Chaco War, fought between Paraguay and Boliv ia over a vast area of untamed wilderness in 1932-1935.

We hope you enjoy the issue!

LAURENCE EARLE

MILITARYIssue 140 • June/July 2024

THE ZONE OF INTEREST

The award-winning film reviewed

M H M

D-DAY: 80 YEARS ON

BATTLE FOR N O R M AN DY BATTLE FOR N O R M AN DY Inside the Allied victory Inside the Allied victory Inside the Allied victory

The leader who forged a nation The leader who forged a nation o o The leader who The leader who The leader who The leader who The leader who The leader who ROBERT THE BRUCE ROBERT THE BRUCE

WINSTON

WINSTON

AT 150 Churchill and the scientists

AT 150 Churchill and the scientists

.95

£5

•

2024

ly

June/Ju

ON THE COVER: A digitally coloured photograph of troops and supply trucks at Omaha Beach, Normandy, June 1944 Credit: akg-images /UIG/Underwood

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Now you can have your opinions on everything MHM heard online as well as in print. Have a different viewpoint? Enjoying the magazine? Let us know what you think by email to feedback@military-history.org. Alternatively, you can visit our website www.military-history.org to post comments on a wide range of different articles.

Take a look at our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ MilitaryHistoryMatters, follow us on Twitter (X) @MilHistMag, or send a letter to MHM, Current Publishing Ltd, Offi ce 120, 295 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 4HH.

ADD US NOW and have your say

CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE’S EXPERTS

TAYLOR DOWNING is a historian and a bestselling author, as well as being MHM’s film critic. His latest book is

The Army that Never Was: D-Day and the Great Deception.

DAVID PORTER worked at the Ministry of Defence for 30 years. He is the author of 11 books on the Second World War, as well as numerous magazine articles.

PATRICK MERCER is a former soldier, journalist, and MP. He is interested in any action of the British Army, or Royal Navy, but has made a special study of the Italian campaign in WWII.

PETER POPHAM is a former Delhi correspondent of TheIndependent, who has reported from many countries around the world. A journalist and author, his most recent novel is India Be Damned.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

See p.73 for details and SAVE UP TO 20%

June/July 2024

www.military-history.org

3

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