Books – AAG Whitehead

Pals War – The Hundred Day Offensive:

It is 1918 and time is running out for the mighty German army …

The Americans have joined the war in numbers as the British and French forces face another bloody onslaught.

The Germans are preparing for a last roll of the dice. They intend to split the French and British armies, drive a wedge between them, then charge for the Channel ports.

The British will have to sue for peace. The French will be hammered by the brutal German war machine.

The British need more intelligence if they are to scupper the plan. Once again they need Daniel Byrne and his fearless Special Operations unit – The Knaves.

The Knaves are a crack unit made up of childhood friends from the mining towns of the northeast of England.

Again they are to be sent on perilous missions behind enemy lines as the war comes to a head on France’s ravaged fields.

Byrne’s men must once more fight, not just for their lives, but for the survival of everything and everyone they hold dear. Daniel finally comes face to face with his nemesis as he foils the plot to sabotage the Armistice.

In the concluding book in his military adventure series, AAG Whitehead’s Pals War: The Hundred Days Offensive, skilfully blends historical fact and fiction in an all-action tribute the The Great War’s unsung heroes.

The pals experience the horror of that war in all its macabre, frightening and tragic glory. But mixed with the horror is a journey of discovery of self, new lands and the true meaning of friendship.

The violence is graphic but not gratuitous in this touching and intimate account of one man’s experience which fully evokes the deep camaraderie of this group of men, although the horror of the war is never far away.

It is about savagery, sacrifice and self-realisation.

Published by Endeavour Media

Available from Amazon and Endeavour Media.

Pals War – Kaiserschlacht. The Spring Offensive

The war is balanced on a knife edge. Political interference and Westminster lies see the British army taking a greater length of the Western Front whilst severely under strength. The thin khaki line is stretched to breaking point and to make things worse the forty extra miles they have as been neglected by the French. With the Russian capitulation hundreds of thousands of German troops flood west and bring their big guns with them.

Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Byrne and his “Knaves,” a crack special unit of the British Army need to go deep behind German lines on covert operations and intelligence gathering during the early months of 1918. They are the eye and ears of Field Marshall Douglas Haig and it is this information that could make or break the German push that must come before the American forces arrive in conclusive numbers.

This compelling story of a fictional Special Operations Team, formed from childhood friends gathered from the mining towns of the north east of England remains true to the storyline that has been developed in the previous books in the series by the author. AAG Whitehead's Pals War: Kaiserschlacht, The Spring Offensive, gives the reader an insider’s view into the personal and military development of the main characters in the plot as well as being packed with action and intrigue.

The lads have to contend with their most hated nemesis, Rex von Grapon and his Bavarian Death Eagles. They hunt them, they are hunted by them, and they are captured and escape. All the time delivering vitally important intelligence back to their lines whilst continuing to cause havoc to the enemy build up by strategic sabotage.

Being vastly outnumbered it will take the most spirited of fighting withdrawals by the British Expeditionary Force to prevent the Germans from breaking clean through and threatening the coastal ports.

As with the previous books in the series the author spins fact with fiction to create a truly gripping read.

Published by Endeavour Media

Available from Amazon and Endeavour Media.

Nimisuuts: Thunderspirit of the Iroquois

Two brothers are sired by one nobleman and two mothers – a deadly rivalry is born.

Edmund, son of William Fitzhugh, Lord of Teesdale, is born at Castle Teesdale early one grey morning.

He is two months younger than the old lord’s bastard son Nathaniel, born to the young daughter of one of his tenant farmers.

But Nate is the gifted one, outshining his brother in every way. And Edmund is tainted with an evil streak that will see him plot the death of his own father. And orchestrate a distressing end to Nate’s mother in gaol.

For Edmund there is only hatred. For Nate there is only revenge.

And so begins a battle between the two that not even an ocean can separate.

But as Nate tries to start his life again in the New World, with the native peoples and colonists alike, he finds he possesses powers even he did not dream of.

The Iriqouis seem him as one pre-figured in myths – a Thunder Being – to deliver them from blood-thirsty rival tribes. The European traders see him as a natural leader and pioneer.

But Edmund is everywhere his shadow, spreading his evil. Can Nate escape that fate that his new native friends believe awaits him? What new evil can Edmund devise that will unleash Nate’s new-found powers in devastating fashion? Will Nate finally secure the revenge that is haunting his every moment?

Mixing historical fact with tribal folklore, AAG Whitehead’s Nimisutts is an intriguing romance and adventure with as its backdrop the clash of cultures between the ‘savages’ and the ‘civilised’.

Published by Endeavour Media

Available from Amazon and Endeavour Media.

Pals War. The Battle of the Somme.

Pals War - The Battle of The Somme depicts in graphic detail both the bloody slaughter of the battlefield with the more touching and personal account, of a working class man who as found his true love in the arms of a French lady of noble breeding. He must balance his ever growing, new found love with remaining focussed on keeping himself and his men alive. Both sides of this polar opposite existence must be unaffected by the other if he is to prevail over his arch nemesis Rex von Grapon and his Bavarian Death Eagle unit. Daniel and his men go behind the lines prior and during the massive barrage that precedes the offensive, suffering under friendly fire they are discovered and hunted but manage to turn the tables on their foe. The camaraderie of this group of men date back to their childhood and it is this that time and again brings the lads through the most testing of times as the horrors and futility of the war is never far away. Their interaction with the French Resistance is what saves them from capture and they will return the favour by attacking a German Intelligence headquarters freeing one of their saviours. It is an interesting picture drawn of life for the French behind the lines and their interaction with the British soldiers, which contrasts dramatically with the carnage of the frontline. A none too predictable tale for this subject matter, The Battle of the Somme is well known but this paints a captivating slant in the way fact and fiction is intertwined by the author to give a thoroughly entertaining read.

Published by Endeavour Media

Available from Amazon and Endeavour Media.

Pals War. Passchendaele.

Pals War – Passchendasele brings them back to where it all started, the Ypres Salient where they accidently stumble into a plot to gain the British secrets of their munitions manufacturing success. Not for the last time in this story it is Daniels nemesis, Rex von Grapon of the Bavarian Death Eagles that leads him on a merry dance back to England.

But the mud of Passchendaele requires the Knaves to pay their dues and soon they are back deep behind the enemy lines experiencing great success on the Messines Ridge where Daniel once again proves his heroism. Then it’s into the hard fought slog eastwards to the small village of Passchendaele that sits just five miles from the front line, watching over the salient. Field Marshall Douglas Haig will have that vantage point so the winter can be a little more secure, he will stop at nothing to get it, regardless of the cost.

Never one to miss an opportunity to gain “spoils of war” Daniel takes advantage of being beyond the massive German stronghold as the Canadians make that final push. The climax is fittingly spectacular with the enemy being neutralised from within. The imagination of the author as created a saga of twists. The dreadful conditions and ferocious fighting at Passchendaele is well documented but this book spins an entrancing skew in the way fact and fiction is intertwined giving a thoroughly compelling read.

Published by Endeavour Media

Available from Amazon and Endeavour Media.

The Baltic Crusader.

He is the secret product of the love between a queen and one of her barons. The future of Eorle Wulfstan is overseen by the Prince Bishop as his forefathers were. He is given service at the castle of the De Balliol’s, the very family whose blood flows through his veins.

As squire to Hugh, the son and heir to the lands of the northern Pennines he is both servant and guardian to his wayward master. He falls for Hugh’s rejected wife, Elena and their passion is consummated before they leave for the Baltic, to crusade against the pagans as payment for the young knights indiscretions. Travelling east they are set upon by outlaws and before assistance arrives Hugh is killed and it is the squire who is mistaken for the nobleman.

His bravery and wisdom is proven time again in battle and nobody doubts his credentials as he leads a band of mercenary fighters serving whoever pays. The Baltic Crusaders battle across Europe gaining fame and wealth on the back of Eorle’s deadly, cunning. When he meets Elena again her love for him easily allows her to go along with the charade and with both Hugh’s parent dead, Eorle becomes the man and husband she always wanted.

Returning home to take his seat as the next Baron de Balliol he finds married life to his taste until his king needs him to battle the Scottish invaders that threaten Carlisle castle. It is his own indiscretions that play on his conscience so when the Mongol Horde pour west he returns to his old stomping grounds answering the Papal calling.

The action is fast, violent and unrelenting with just the briefest of moments allowed for pleasure as life in the saddle is unforgiving. The fictional character and exploits of Eorle (Hugh) is entwined in many actual events of the era as AAG Whitehead fabricated fact and fiction together seamlessly in a medieval maelstrom of religion and war.

Published by Sharpe Books

Available from Amazon and Sharpe Books.

Pals War: The Battle of Loos

Follow Major Daniel Byrne on his journey both through the trenches and upwards through the ranks of the British Army as he leads his fearless band of ‘Knaves', formed as a crack special unit made up of childhood friends from the mining towns of the north east of England. AAG Whitehead's Pals War: the Battle of Loos is a personal insight into life on the frontline of the First World War, centred on a group of young men who grew up together and now form a unique and elite band of fighters tasked with covert operations and intelligence gathering on the frontline during 1915.

The Battle of Loos is not a book of deliberately graphic detail but a more touching and intimate account, a study of one man's experience which fully evokes the camaraderie of this group of men, although the horror of the war is never far away. The book also offers a fascinating portrait of the life of ordinary French people behind the lines and their interaction with the British soldiers, which contrasts dramatically with the carnage of the frontline.

A none too predictable tale for this subject matter, The Battle of Loos is both different and captivating.

Available from Amazon.

Pals War: The Second Battle of Ypres

In a mixture of patriotism and excitement, Danny Byrne and his friends from the close-knit pit villages of north-east England sign up, like so many other young men, to fight for king and country at the start of the First World War, a war they all expected to be over by Christmas.

In this fictional account of the Durham Fusiliers, Danny and his band of brothers embark on an adventure that no one knows the ending to.

The camaraderie, skills, and connections of the regiment mean they are soon singled out as a specialist operations team - a unit that is feared and revered in equal measure.

The pals experience the horror of the First World War in all its macabre, frightening, and tragic glory. But mixed with the horror is a journey of discovery of self, new lands, and the true meaning of friendship.

This book is a fine tribute to those that fought in the First World War.

Available from Amazon.

Passchendaele Calling

They made a vow; never to leave anyone behind…

Three generations of a military family have fought in the same regiment, in three different wars, in three separate centuries.

Colour Sergeant Wes Gardiner, fights in Helmand Province in 2009. Wounded in action, what seems like divine intervention assists his recovery from gunshot wounds that should have been far more serious than they were. Once stable, he is taken to England for recuperation. There, he meets psychologist Debra Tonks. During Debra overseeing his recovery from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, they begin to fall in love, and Wes starts to experience some powerfully, vivid dreams.

At first, they are attributed to his PTSD, but it soon becomes clear they are not simply nightmares, they are a ghostly memory of a life that Wes had never lived.

Someone is trying to tell Wes something, someone needs his help to keep an age old promise they made, and so the journey of a lifetime happens, as Wes and Debra travel to Passchendaele via Ypres and Vitoria to try and uncover the lives of Wes’s forefathers, his great-great grandfather, Sergeant Henry Gardiner who fought in 1917 at Polygon Wood, Passchendaele and Corporal Jedidiah Gardiner, who battled in 1812 in Salamanca and Vitoria, Spain.

For Wes to find peace, he knows that he must keep the promise that his ancestors made centuries ago; should any man fall, they will never leave anyone behind.

Published by Endeavour Media.

Available from Amazon and Endeavour Media.

Ghosts of Bull Run

Chad Thomas is the son of a British Officer who refuses to stay behind when Abraham Lincoln calls. Joining as a private he joins a group of like minded youngsters who seek fame by serving the Union. Fate sees Chad as the only one who can deliver this fame and provide for his friend family following his deadly mistake. A spiritual oath is taken led by one of the young men with Cherokee blood in his veins. Chad’s terrible error leads him to be haunted by his vow and the spirit that is sent down by the ancient ancestors to ensure his word is kept.

Involved in many of the major battles of the first years of the American Civil War, Chad Thomas works his way through the ranks to become leader of his own special patrol. Not only do they have to confront the regular army they face a band of Confederate raiders commanded by a ruthless flamboyant cavalry officer. It soon becomes personal as Chad’s task is to hunt down this gang for the many heinous crimes they have committed to military and civilian alike.

Published by Sharpe Books.

Available from Amazon and Sharpe Books.

Ghosts of Gettysburg

The sequel to Ghosts of Bull Run:

The American Civil war is over two years old and rages on. Chad Thomas is the son of an Americanised, British Officer who refused to stay behind when Abraham Lincoln called. A spiritual oath taken by him with a group of young friends leaves Chad haunted by the vow following his terrible error in the trenches of the American Civil War. With is debt finally repaid and facing the Battle of Gettysburg once again he feels responsible for the loss of half of his unit some who are tortured and mutilated before being killed. In his rage the vow is re-energised. Chad continues his hunt for revenge on his nemesis. He is still led by the Cherokee spirit that was sent down by the ancient ancestors to ensure his word would be kept.

This new adventure takes him to the eastern theatre of war and the major battles of the last few years of the bloodiest episode on American soil, Chad Thomas continues to work his way through the ranks to become leader of his growing scouting patrols. Not only do they have to confront the regular army they face a band of Confederate raiders commanded by the ruthless flamboyant cavalry officer. It soon becomes personal as Chad’s own family are threatened during his task to hunt down this gang for the many heinous crimes they have committed to military and civilian alike.

Published by Sharpe Books.

Available from Amazon and Sharpe Books.

Caratacus. Sword of Britannia

The mighty empire of Rome is faltering and the ancient tribes of Britannia need someone to lead them in a fight against the tide of invaders. Taken under the wing of an old Druid, Caratacus the freedom fighter is transformed into a unequalled warrior and both power and skill. Betrayed and captured by the hated Romans he becomes a gladiator fighting for Romes pleasure. In the arena he finds his calling and is soon as famous as any in the Imperial capital performing before the emperor at the coliseum where he wins his limited freedom. He must serve the empire within their army where his fame and ability sees him rise to become Centurion in General Stilicho’s personal bodyguard. He returns to his homeland and convinces his people to join Rome as part of their war against the natural enemy, the Picts. With his service still not spent he is forced to leave Britannia once again as the occupation ends and the shrinking empire is under siege. Deserted by the emperor and by Rome itself his general is executed but in his final act releases his comrade from his service.

Caratacus returns to lead his people once again and joins the other ancient tribes to face the Saxon invasion. Battles are lost and won before both belligerents join forces, an allegiance that his forged by a marriage that as a surprising and pleasurable twist. The Picts are finally defeated and driven back north of the great wall of Hardian but not before the the Saxon king’s three sons are all killed leaving Caratacus’s son to inherit the throne.

In this historic fictional tale fact and fantasy are woven together with great skill. Share in Caratacus’s bloody battles and his steamy, romantic encounters. Anglo-Saxon, Roman, Gladiators and the Arthurian Legend all play their part in this intriguing plot of survival and revenge.

Published by Sharpe Books.

Available from Amazon and Sharpe Books.

Jefferson Drake and the Schlieffen Plan

Jefferson Drake is the young ex-Pinkerton Agent who returns to serve his king and country as World War One looms ever larger. His family ties reach far and wide from his Uncle who still works for the Pinkerton’s in America to his parents whose immediate family lineage is shared between England and the hotly disputed Alsace Lorraine region of France and Germany.

Introduced to the fledgling British Secret Service Bureau through family contacts the young man brings a fresh determination as well as a potential spy network across the belligerent European territories. War is coming; of that there is no doubt. The British are desperate to know the Kaiser’s intentions as the French don’t seem to take the threat seriously so they send Jefferson Drake undercover.

His cousin, a staunch “Revanchist” is frustrated by his own countries seemingly apathetical view to the growing rumours and their total reliance on the existing defences that in 1914 cover the Franco-German border. He therefore encourages Jefferson to utilise the existing network he heads. They identify a likely enemy spy and with the erotic help of French passion they setup their first double agent who gives vital information on the whereabouts of the German invasion plans.

Firstly at Hohenzollern Castle and then Koenigsbourg Castle Jefferson wins help by using his charms as well as his cunning. But the game is going to become deadly serious with Europe’s future at stake.

Having escaped capture and retrieved the plans from the clutches of the German Naval Intelligence he is on the run and forced to seek assistance with the Romani travellers who conduct their own dubious business across Holland and Germany. He wins favour with the sultry Charani as the chase pushes him to the British Consulate General in Amsterdam where the lovers part.

However, Jefferson’s work is not done. The powers in Whitehall want the plans hand delivered not trusting the security of normal consulate postage routes in such testing times. They arrange his transport, a treacherous crossing of the North Sea by a local fishing boat. The sea is at its worst and the journey is further hampered by the presence of a U-Boat sent to intercept the special courier of the vital information. The little vessel was doomed had it not been for the intervention of the Royal Navy but is still sent crashing on the rocky English coast. Surviving the ship wreck Jefferson must fight for his life as a web of German agents are looking for him. Overcoming two agents in a gunfight on the shoreline he kills one and captures another uncovering the true extent of the network of deceit within the county. Armed with a captured code book and yet another turned agent an elaborate sting is set up to destroy the espionage cell and its most dangerous spy, the man who has been chasing Jefferson across half of Europe.

For all his sexual encounters, his heart belongs to Edie Marriot an office worker in the bureau. With the ambush about to take place and all the field operatives involved the girls from the office are left to observe the comings and goings of the Islington barbershop that acts as the headquarters for the enemy spy ring. With one girl brutally raped and murdered and Edie taken prisoner a deadly game of cat and mouse takes to the streets of London.

The tragic aftermath of the final scene sees the birth of an agent who has changed deep inside. Never again will he allow true love into his heart as in his profession it can only end in pain and jeopardise his mission. He will in future be driven by the unswerving desire to serve Britain in any way he can to help defeat the Kaiser and track down the man who killed his love.

To be published by Sharpe Books.