This is an addition to a series of books that each cover the military legacy of British towns and cities. This book looks at the rich military legacy of Nottingham. – Highly Recommended
NAME: Military Legacy, Nottingham's Military Legacy FILE: R2876 AUTHOR: Gerry van Tonder PUBLISHER: Pen and Sword BINDING: soft back PAGES: 128 PRICE: £14.99 GENRE: Non Fiction SUBJECT: Nottingham, Norman, Nottingham Castle Nottingham's Regiments, VCs awarded, battle honours, WWI, WWII, Medieval, Legend of Robin Hood
ISBN: 1-52670-758-6
IMAGE: B2876.jpg BUYNOW: tinyurl.com/y354qqpg LINKS: DESCRIPTION: This is an addition to a series of books that each cover the military legacy of British towns and cities. This book looks at the rich military legacy of Nottingham. – Highly Recommended Nottingham is a location of strategic importance which is why one of the first permanent Norman castles was built at Nottingham. We know the history of the castle which was besieged by Richard I when his brother John surrendered to him. However, the enduring legend is of Robin Hood, a character who may, or may not, have existed. Nottingham is perhaps best known for the legend in Britain and beyond. Certainly the legend contains a selection of verifiable facts, such as the use of Nottingham castle as a base for John and his supporters. There is no dispute that Richard besieged and captured the Castle from John, although the legendary links to Robin Hood are rather more tenuous. It is known that the turbulent period led to many seeking refuge in Sherwood Forest and living as outlaws. Some have suggested that the Legend of Robin Hood is an amalgam of characters who did exist, but whose names are long lost. The Legend of Robin Hood has been a useful story for Nottingham in promoting the town, but it has also overshadowed the more solid military legacy. There were settlements in the area back to the time of the Ancient Britons because it was always a strategic location. There has also been a solid military heritage since the Norman period. The sons of Nottingham have over generations joined the colours and local regiments had a particularly strong association with North America during the American War of Independence. Nottingham's military units also participated in the Peninsula Campaigns of Wellington and in colonial conflicts in Afghanistan and South Africa. Nottingham's soldiers served with distinction in both World Wars and continue to serve, now absorbed into the Mercian Regiment. The author has provided a fascinating description of the military legacy of Nottingham. As with the other books in this excellent series, there are many illustrations, including some in full colour and some very rare images.