Richard Hammond
@rjhammond215.bsky.social
Historian. Senior Lecturer. Vice-President and Founder Member of the Second World War Research Group: https://www.swwresearch.com/. Co-Editor of War in History journal: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/WIH
I am once again issuing a request to Italian historians: please write shorter books!
November 6, 2025 at 3:13 PM
I am once again issuing a request to Italian historians: please write shorter books!
Today’s random find: a map of the secret radio transmitter network of the German Armed Forces, 1939.
July 3, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Today’s random find: a map of the secret radio transmitter network of the German Armed Forces, 1939.
From a report from April 1940. Can almost hear the tiny violins.
June 5, 2025 at 10:41 AM
From a report from April 1940. Can almost hear the tiny violins.
Interesting passage to stumble across from a book published in 1947, by American authors, discussing a common sentiment among Americans that the US will generally always be 'successful in war', yet have 'never won a conference' as other countries 'take advantage' of them.
April 30, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Interesting passage to stumble across from a book published in 1947, by American authors, discussing a common sentiment among Americans that the US will generally always be 'successful in war', yet have 'never won a conference' as other countries 'take advantage' of them.
defeat on the RN in the central Mediterranean. Arguably this wasn’t ever that realistic in the first place but they were very clear after Taranto that it was no longer possible (eg see below from Dec 1940) and so their focused shifted solely to issues of convoy defence and interdiction. 2/
April 2, 2025 at 1:39 PM
defeat on the RN in the central Mediterranean. Arguably this wasn’t ever that realistic in the first place but they were very clear after Taranto that it was no longer possible (eg see below from Dec 1940) and so their focused shifted solely to issues of convoy defence and interdiction. 2/
New book just arrived, with the bonus prize that I get a mention in the acknowledgments.
February 6, 2025 at 10:55 AM
New book just arrived, with the bonus prize that I get a mention in the acknowledgments.
The dilemmas of preparing for war. This extract from the documents of the early 1940 meeting of the Commissione suprema di difesa shows how the deployment of substantial numbers of military personnel to Sicily will result in the island becoming quite seriously deficient in supplies of cheese.
November 29, 2024 at 9:48 AM
The dilemmas of preparing for war. This extract from the documents of the early 1940 meeting of the Commissione suprema di difesa shows how the deployment of substantial numbers of military personnel to Sicily will result in the island becoming quite seriously deficient in supplies of cheese.
This must have been a little awkward to write...
from a letter from Vittorio Cini (Italian Minister of Communications) to Albert Kesselring in March 1943, asking for the return of merchant ships that they had previously given over for German use, because of 'grave deficiencies' in shipping.
from a letter from Vittorio Cini (Italian Minister of Communications) to Albert Kesselring in March 1943, asking for the return of merchant ships that they had previously given over for German use, because of 'grave deficiencies' in shipping.
November 21, 2024 at 4:10 PM
This must have been a little awkward to write...
from a letter from Vittorio Cini (Italian Minister of Communications) to Albert Kesselring in March 1943, asking for the return of merchant ships that they had previously given over for German use, because of 'grave deficiencies' in shipping.
from a letter from Vittorio Cini (Italian Minister of Communications) to Albert Kesselring in March 1943, asking for the return of merchant ships that they had previously given over for German use, because of 'grave deficiencies' in shipping.
Can I tempt you to put in an abstract for the June 2025 SWWRG conference to talk about it?
November 15, 2024 at 5:17 PM
Can I tempt you to put in an abstract for the June 2025 SWWRG conference to talk about it?
I had quite the big day today
November 2, 2024 at 9:38 PM
I had quite the big day today
The call for papers for the 2025 Second World War Research Group UK conference ('The Second World War: 80 Years On') is now out! It takes place on 12-13 June 2025 at Bush House, King's College London. See the attached image for details:
🗃️
🗃️
October 25, 2024 at 10:36 AM
The call for papers for the 2025 Second World War Research Group UK conference ('The Second World War: 80 Years On') is now out! It takes place on 12-13 June 2025 at Bush House, King's College London. See the attached image for details:
🗃️
🗃️
Unexpected find in the charity sales bit of the local library. A real bargain at 50p!
September 14, 2024 at 6:11 PM
Unexpected find in the charity sales bit of the local library. A real bargain at 50p!
Today I was looking at Italian material that was captured during the SWW and came across this. Who can resist a bit of doodling eh?
July 25, 2024 at 8:46 PM
Today I was looking at Italian material that was captured during the SWW and came across this. Who can resist a bit of doodling eh?
Not a bad view! COYS!
June 8, 2024 at 2:53 PM
Not a bad view! COYS!
Me: Maybe I have time to quickly look through one more busta before the archives close.
The busta:
The busta:
May 16, 2024 at 3:19 PM
Me: Maybe I have time to quickly look through one more busta before the archives close.
The busta:
The busta:
Finalising my paper for my first conference in Sicily!
May 14, 2024 at 9:40 AM
Finalising my paper for my first conference in Sicily!
For no particular reason other than it was in the file I'm currently looking at, here is an Italian rail map from 1943. 🗃️
April 12, 2024 at 2:49 PM
For no particular reason other than it was in the file I'm currently looking at, here is an Italian rail map from 1943. 🗃️
I’m sure you have good NYE plans and all, but are they *live showing of the Gruffalo* good?
December 31, 2023 at 3:28 PM
I’m sure you have good NYE plans and all, but are they *live showing of the Gruffalo* good?
@bleddb.bsky.social I feel like something is missing from this Stena ferry map…
December 28, 2023 at 4:50 PM
@bleddb.bsky.social I feel like something is missing from this Stena ferry map…
My book has been recommended on Italian TV!
December 22, 2023 at 3:54 PM
My book has been recommended on Italian TV!