Today we're showing three pieces of artwork from our September 2025 series books! Let us know in the comments which books you'd like to see featured in our October 2025 Artwork Reveal!

 

Manila Bay 1898: Dawn of an American Empire

By Brian Lane Herder

Illustrated by Edouard A. Groult

Requested by Daniel Figueroa Giraldez

 

Art showing a battle in the rain with a group of soldiers firing through the trees

THE BATTLE IN THE RAIN, JULY 31/AUGUST 1, 1898

A furious tropical storm raged over Manila the night of July 31. The severe downpour and high winds reduced visibility to mere yards. Suddenly, around 2230hrs, four Spanish guns at Fort San Antonio Abad opened a heavy artillery barrage at the American front, accompanied by intense rifle fire from entrenched Spanish infantry across from the Americans.

The Spanish line extended well beyond the US right. The 10th Pennsylvania Regiment was holding the front of the American line, and the resulting enfilading Spanish fire caused the Pennsylvanians to report that the Spanish were attacking and attempting to turn the American right. The 3rd Artillery moved forward to counterattack, as did the 1st California and 1st Colorado Infantry.

 

New Guinea 1942–43: Halting the last Japanese advance

By Mark Stille and John Rogers

Illustrated by Jim Laurier

 

Japanese strike at Oro Bay

Japanese strike at Oro Bay

Until the airfield at Dobodura was completed, the US 32nd Infantry Division needed to rely largely on seaborne supplies to prepare for the upcoming assault on Buna. But on November 16, the 11th Air Fleet launched an attack against the recently detected Allied supply activity at Oro Bay. Arriving about 1745hrs, after Allied fighter cover had departed, twelve 582 Air Group Vals attacked three trawlers and one captured Japanese barge as they approached the landing site. All four craft were destroyed, along with heavy weapons, ammunition, rations, radios, and medical supplies. Major General Edwin Harding, the 32nd Infantry Division commander, was aboard one of the trawlers and had to swim to shore with some of his staff after the attack, but 23 US personnel were killed and many others wounded.

 

Sinai 1916–17: The Fight for the Suez Canal

By Stuart Hadaway

Illustrated by Graham Turner

Art showing soldiers retreating through the desert at nightNIGHT RETREAT, ROMANI, 0200HRS, 4 AUGUST 1916


In the early hours of 4 August 1916, the 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade conducted perhaps the most difficult military manoeuvre possible: a fighting retreat in the dark while closely engaged with an enemy that greatly outnumbered it. The brigade was widely dispersed in small piquets, but was able to use its superior manoeuvrability to, mostly, keep ahead of the enemy. On foot, the heavily laden Australians found themselves at a disadvantage over the Ottomans, who frequently went barefoot in the soft sand, but by using their horses to move quickly out of contact were able to remain (sometimes literally) one step ahead. Despite this advantage, sheer weight of numbers or misjudgement led to some piquets being overwhelmed. This was the mounted arms being used to their best effect: remaining mobile to compensate for their relative lack of strength and firepower.