I can't but help feel we could do with some of that right now...
05.03.2026 11:16
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I can't but help feel we could do with some of that right now...
Happy World Book Day 2026
Happy World Book Day - here's just a little sample from the pen of your humble scribe! Read on dear friends! #worldbookday2026
Iron Curtain Speech Anniversary
Today marks the 80th anniversary of Churchill's famous Sinews of Peace or Iron Curtain speech in Fulton, Missouri. If you are interested in how it came about and why it received such an adverse international reaction at the time do check out.
Iran War
Almost makes me feel nostalgic for the early 1990s when I was swanning around Baghdad and Manama without a care in the world. How times change!
Closing Hormuz
With energy markets teetering on the brink we have such short memories. Back in the 1980s the Tanker War saw shipping in the Gulf running the gauntlet. Between 1981-88 547 ships were attacked of which 340 were tankers with predicable results.
What Fate Iran's Kurds
It's worth remembering that the Kurds fought against the Iraqis with Iranian backing in the 1960s, 1970s and the 1980s. In 2017 Iraq's Kurds declared independence and were crushed by the Iraqi military. Iran responded by closing the border.
What Fate Iran's Kurds
Today their are around 40 million Kurds spread across Iran, Iraq, Syria & Turkey. In the 1920s they were promised an independent homeland - the Republic of Kurdistan, it never materialized. Today they are the largest ethnic group denied statehood.
A Hormuz Bridgehead?
Is the US looking secure the Iranian islands of Hormuz, Larak and Qeshm to safeguard shipping through the vulnerable Strait of Hormuz or indeed a larger bridgehead around Bandar Abbas? Certainly targeting Iranian anti-shipping missile sites will be a priority.
Joys of 2nd Hand Bookshops
On the subject of international secondhand bookshops if in New York City do find time to wander around the Strand Bookstore - it's absolutely enormous and I have lugged some very heavy books back to the UK from there!
Fundamentalist Backlash
Are we facing an Iranian Shia Fundamentalist backlash, the like of which we have not seen since the 1980s. This book is a bit long in the tooth but still timely background reading.
Partition for Iran?
With the senior Iranian leadership down and the conflict widening where next for Iran. With only 60% of the population Persian will the other minorities, most notably the Arabs, Azeris, Balochis and Kurds, rebel against Tehran?
The 1944 Trilogy
If you are interested in Ops Overlord, Dragoon and Bagration you can find out what happened in Normandy, the Riviera and Byelorussia in my summer campaigns of 1944 trilogy.
Joys of 2nd Hand Bookshops
Here is another welcome haunt from my past - I used to frequent this shop when I was at college and still have stuff I bought there. It continues trading all these years on which is marvelous.
US-Israel Attack Tehran
Let's not forget Iran fought a futile 8 year war with Iraq that dragged on until they had fought each other to a bloody standstill and resulted in several million casualties.
US-Israel Attack Tehran
To facilitate regime change in Iran will require the Iranian Army to act against the Iranian government and Revolutionary Guard Corps in support of demonstrators. A coup seems the only way ahead.
US-Israel Attack Tehran
Is this a historic moment? For almost 50 years Iran sought to destabilize Afghanistan, Gaza, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen by backing its proxies - most notably Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi. Is it finally now time for regime change.
Joys of 2nd Hand Bookshops
Well dear friends this is where it all started - Laurence Oxley's in Alresford. I went to school in Alresford and spent many a happy hour browsing in Oxley's. I even have at least one book I bought there still on my shelves!
Nazi Hunters
Phew, just finished editing the first draft of my Nazi Hunters manuscript. As you can imagine a huge amount of research went into this in order to paint a coherent and up to date picture. Now to input the corrections.
The 1944-45 Trilogy
If you are interested in how the Germans won at Arnhem, why they conducted the Battle of the Bulge and how they defended the Rhine then do check out my trilogy from @ospreypublishing.bsky.social
Joys of 2nd Hand Bookshops
Yours truly outside Boom Cat Books, Camden, near the canal, a few years back when the weather was decidedly better! It's small but always well worth a rummage.
Joys of 2nd Hand Bookshops
When I worked in Whitehall in London this used to be one of my favourite lunchtime haunts on Charing Cross Road. I seem to remember I sold them quite a lot of stuff as well as buying a lot.
Joys of 2nd Hand Bookshops
Another nice secondhand bookshop is Tarka Books in Barnstaple - good military and British history sections. Again very old school - books stacked everywhere. Ideal for browsing on a rainy day!
Latest Reference Material
Just in my latest batch of research material for my next book project, nice mix of new and secondhand books. Just have to finish my current manuscript...
Joys of 2nd Hand Bookshops
After South Kensington and Camden this is one of my favourite 2nd hand book shops - located in the town of Bideford. It has very sizeable history and military history sections that never disappoint. Proper old school...
Cobbaton Combat Collection
Earlier this month Tim Isaac, a regular with the film industry, spent two weeks in Casablanca babysitting a small fleet of Humvees provided by British company Hughes Movie Supplies.
Cobbaton Combat Collection
Few notable gaps; the Centurion AVRE has now gone to a new home to be fully restored; while the Churchill Crocodile is away being returned to full running order. They hope to see that back in the summer for their annual VJ event.
Cobbaton Combat Collection
Great to catch up with this fella, Tim Isaac, proprietor of the CCC, at their winter militaria fair. He is recently back from filming in Morocco. Also saw the collection's new addition an M816 medium wrecker. Nice...
Praise for Rhineland
'Drawing on firsthand accounts and a clear narrative style, Tucker-Jones balances operational analysis with the human dimension of the campaign, making the book both accessible to general readers and valuable to serious students.' Dan Reinbold, Valour Canada
Dispatches Live
Tickets now available for Titchfield, Hampshire on 14 June when Ben Mayne and I will be appearing at The Great Barn.
www.eventbrite.com/e/anthony-tu...
Churchill Cold War Warrior Paperback
Churchill Cold War Warrior PB now available to pre-order and due for publication on 30 July. Go on treat yourself on the 80th anniversary of his famous Iron Curtain speech.
www.amazon.co.uk/Churchill-Co...