Andrew Knighton

Andrew Knighton is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE

Articles by Andrew Knighton:

Rommel Attacks El Agheila Fort – The Desert Fox In North Africa

Erwin Rommel’s attack on El Agheila Fort on March 24, 1941, did not lead to fearsome fighting. It was not one of the great battles…

The First Battle of Ypres, 1914 – A Harbinger Of Things To Come

The battles for Ypres were among the defining engagements of the Western Front during the First World War. Ypres became a harbinger of much that…

The Italian Campaigns – Where Napoleon Built The Foundation For His Legend

Napoleon’s 1796 invasion of Italy was one of the most significant campaigns of his career. It was the offensive that turned him from a rising…

How Artillery Evolved During The Brutal And Merciless 100 Years War

The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) saw the first appearances of gunpowder artillery in English and French warfare. These fearsome weapons, which had been largely unused…

How Mass Warfare Transformed Nations: Europe’s Military Revolution

Warfare has changed dramatically over the centuries. From small bands defending local communities, it has turned into the clash of vast armies on an industrial…

Bellum Gallicum – Rome’s Greatest Conqueror In His Greatest War – Caesar’s Gaulish Campaign

The Roman invasion of Gaul was one of the most significant wars in the ancient world. It saw Rome’s empire vastly expand, propelled Julius Caesar…

Learning Lessons The Hard Way – The Battle Of Neuve Chapelle, 1915

To the casual observer, it seems that no-one learned anything during the First World War. The same disastrous tactics were repeated over and over again…

Encounters Between Enemies: Peaceful Meetings Between the Opposing Sides of World War I

The First World War saw unprecedented death and destruction all along the Western Front. Despite this, soldiers from opposing sides managed to have friendly encounters,…

A Brief History Of The SAS, Britain’s Fighting Elite

Britain’s principal special forces unit, the SAS are perhaps the country’s most famous military unit They are internationally influential experts in special missions. World War…

Brotherhood, Blood, And Discipline: How It Felt To Fight In An Ancient Roman Battle

It’s the first century AD and the professional Roman army is at the height of its power. You’re part of that army – a soldier…

The Cactus Air Force: How The Guadalcanal Shoestring Flyers Took On Japanese Zeros – And Won

The Battle of Guadalcanal was one of the most important battles in the Pacific theater of World War Two. Marking the furthest expansion of the…

The Race To Berlin – The Dramatic Closing Stages Of World War Two

The advance on Berlin in early 1945 didn’t only mark the final stage of World War Two in Europe. It also saw the first open…