Featured battle : Malta 1565

Part of Islamic Expansion

Date : 19 May 1565 - 08 September 1565

The Christian Garrison including the Knights of St. John defended the fortresses of Malta against a considerably larger force of Muslim Turks. Very large losses were suffered by both sides. The Turks withdrew when the Christian relief fleet arrived from Sicily.

Wellington's Spies

Mary McGrigor
This is a story of three men parts of which, if told as fiction, would be seen as taking things too far. Who would believe that an army officer in uniform and in their right mind, would take a journey of a few hundred miles, behind the enemy lines, accompanied by his servant and with various guides? And another who after capture and being held prisoner in Paris continues to send valuable information back to the commander in the Peninsular? The adventures of the three principals is well told against the background of the Peninsular war. The author, Mary McGrigor, has an easy, readable presentation of the facts and uses lots of extracts from the men’s journals and other official papers to support her words. Here are rich insights into the character of a certain class of men of that period. They don’t all have it easy and they don’t all survive but to say more would be to spoil the story.
This book takes a different, fascinating angle on life in the British army for three men in the Peninsular war. It can be read as a novel but it is so much more than that. We highly recommend it.

Pen & Sword Military, 2020