Capturing the immediacy of fighting and the writhing bodies of soldiers, as well as keeping narrative clarity, proved enormously difficult for painters depicting battles before the advent of photography. Michael Hall reveals how they rose to the challenge

ORTONA, ITALY 20-27 DECEMBER 1943

Our pick of the latest military history books

This Parachute Regiment teenager lost his closest friend charging an Argentine machine gun post during the Falklands War

I enjoyed reading the interesting article by Caitlin Ellis on the rivals for the throne in 1066 (October). In particular, it was fascinating to read about Edgar Ætheling’s claim, which was surely the

The jungle warfare in the Far East was both a tactical and political challenge for British forces in WWII