An Analysis of Factors Affecting the Royal Air Force Contribution to the Raid on Dieppe, 1942

This paper seeks to explain the limited options available to Air Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory when planning the Royal Air Force (RAF) portion of the combined operation raid on Dieppe in 1942. It proposes that a number of constraining influences, some self-imposed, reduced the air support options, so that only an air umbrella over the attacking forces could be provided. It argues that these influences were a consequence of the RAF’s cultural and conceptual environment, which perpetuated Trenchardian notions of offensive spirit in RAF doctrine, together with the refusal to consider options to extend the range of its fighter aircraft. The paper rejects claims that the RAF’s effort at Dieppe was the natural evolution of combined operations doctrine and demonstrates that preemptive bombing of Dieppe was politically unacceptable

Review of Flying to Victory: Raymond Collishaw and the Western Desert Campaign, 1940-1941 by Mike Bechthold

Review of Flying to Victory: Raymond Collishaw and the Western Desert Campaign, 1940-1941 by Mike Bechthold

“Monty’s Functional Doctrine: Combined Arms Doctrine in British 21st Army Group in Northwest Europe, 1944-45 (Book Review)” by Charles Forrester.

Review of Monty’s Functional Doctrine: Combined Arms Doctrine in British 21st Army Group in Northwest Europe, 1944-45 by Charles Forrester

Method and apparatus for cleaning rubber deposits from airport runways and roadways

A method and apparatus for cleaning rubber deposits from surfaces such as airport runways and roadways is disclosed. The apparatus includes a large vehicle that has the capacity to be loaded so as to effectively add weight to the rubber cleaning tires of the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle has a water tank and sprinkler system so that the surface may be wetted down in front of the tires as the vehicle proceeds across the surface. The cleaning tires of the apparatus are aligned so that they are at a yaw angle to the direction of travel, and the cleaning tire assembly is attached to the underside of the trailer of the vehicle and positioned between a forward and rear water tank. In addition, this tire assembly is equipped with a means of loading the tires onto the contaminated surface. The method comprises driving such a vehicle at low speeds down the surface as the road is being wet in front of the cleaning tires. The effect of the angled tires is to create a scrubbing action that not only heats the rubber deposits by friction but also causes it to be removed from the surface. The rubber that does not stick to the cleaning tires is then removed from the surface by sweeping

An Examination of the Application of Problem Based Learning: A Valuable Tool to Improve Student Learning or a Challenging Teaching Adjustment?

Pedagogic transitions towards constructivist, student-centred learning models have increased applications of active teaching methods such as problem-based learning (PBL), but little research has explored student perceptions of PBL applications within undergraduate geography curricula. This paper aims to determine whether PBL applications are beneficial to student learning and development; and to determine whether PBL applications such as a migration management case study are suitable for continued use within the undergraduate geography degree programme at the University of Hertfordshire. This study examines the utility of PBL by reviewing existing education and discipline specific literature and by studying geography student reflections of a PBL migration management activity. The findings suggest that undergraduate geography students are largely receptive to PBL applications and find the inclusion of PBL activities within lectures to be useful and engaging. Although challenges can be associated with implementing PBL into higher education curricula, these challenges can be alleviated by using recommendations for best practice and it appears that the advantages of PBL applications for student learning and development strongly outweigh initial adjustment challenges. The predominantly positive student feedback demonstrates that the PBL migration case study is a beneficial addition to the geography degree programme at the University of Hertfordshire and that further applications of PBL within the curricula could be extremely valuable for undergraduate geography students

Some thoughts on the life story method in labour history and research on rural women

SUMMARY Some social scientists see life?story interviews as the best method to obtain answers to normative and unquantitiable questions, expecially in women's research in this article a historian draws on her own research experience on the Cuban tobacco industry to show how life stories when used sensitively, can be an invaluable methodological tool. RESUMEN Algunas reflexiones sobre el método de historia de vida en la historía laboral e investigacion sobre las mujeres rurales Diversos cientistas sociales consideran las entrevistas de historia de vida como el mejor método para despejar incógnitas normativas e incuantificables, especialmente en la investigación sobre las mujeres. En este articulo, una historíadora utiliza su propia experiencia de investigación en la industria cubana del tabaco para demostrar que la historia de vida pueda constituir un instrumento mitodológico invalorable cuando se usa con sensibilidad. RESUMES Quelques pensées sur la méthode autobiographique dans l'histoire de la main d'oeuvre et la recherche sur les paysannes Quelques sociologues considérent les ínterviews autobiographiques comme les meilleures méthodes pour obtenir les réponses de questions normatives et non determinées, surtout dans la recherche qui concerne les femmes. Dans cet article une historienne se sert de sa propre expérience de recherche sur l'índustrie du tabac à Cuba pour montrer comment les interviews autobíographiques lorsqu'elles sont utilisées efficacement, peuvent être outil de méthodologíe de très grande valeur