Welcome

Thanks for looking in. England’s Last War Against France - Fighting Vichy 1940-42, my latest military history, will be published by Weidenfeld on 31 July 2009. Amazon UK is already offering a hefty discount on prepublication orders. It has been largely forgotten that, within living memory, Britain was involved in a two year conflict with the France governed by Maréchal Petain, the hero of Verdun. It took place on land, sea and air and there were times when the casualties on both sides were heavy starting with almost 1300 French sailors killed in 10 minutes when the British fleet attacked French ships at Mers el-Kebir. If you want to read my full author's introduction, reviews (when available) or look at extracts click on its cover.

The same applies to Singapore Burning and any of my other books including the two I wrote with the former BBC reporter and biographer John Bierman who died in January 2006: Alamein: War Without Hate, described by the historian Sir John Keegan as "a remarkable achievement" and Fire in the Night our biography of Orde Wingate, the most eccentric soldier Britain has produced since Clive of India. "The best book on the subject yet available" wrote Philip Ziegler in The Spectator. All the books listed can be bought through the Amazon link.

In recent years I have been giving radio and live audience talks, sometimes illustrated, at the Cheltenham Literary Festival. Subjects have ranged from 'War Without Hate - the North African campaign and the Empire's Last Victory'; 'Orde Wingate and the guerrillas he led in Burma, Ethiopia and Zion'; 'The Last Crusade - Allenby's cavalry campaign in Palestine and his capture of Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks in 1917' ; 'Singapore - its myths and heroism.' Talks can best be arranged by emailing colley@cytanet.com.cy or writing to me at POB 20827, Nicosia 1664, Cyprus.