This is a work that will appeal to those who enjoy First World war memoirs of the men in the trenches and is of special interest to anyone connected with the 1/9th (Highlanders) Battalion, the Royal Scots (the "Dandy Ninth").

At the core of the book - 78 pages - is an edited version of the diary of James Beatson, bought at auction by one of the editors. It covers his war from the first entry, when Beatson crossed the Channel with the battalion, up to December 1915 when he returned home on leave and got married. The editors' introduction explains much of his background, the early months of warfare and the battalion's history and movements. It provides a useful context in which the diary would make more sense to the reader. There is too, a dreadful epilogue, for Beatson was killed in action at High Wood in 1916.

In many ways the diary is unremarkable in that the experiences recorded are typical. Beatson and the Dandy Ninth enjoy at first the unfamiliar sights and experiences of France and Flanders, before the boredom and drudgery of uneventful trench occupation. There are moments of action (particularly in late April and August 1915) and inevitably there is the harrowing loss of comrades, which Beatson records in an understated and caring way. It is in his style that the diary becomes worthwhile; it is well observed and factual, but sensitive and sympathetic. There is no sign of disenchantment or criticism; none of the "lions led by donkeys" conceits of generations that followed. Beatson knows he is there to do a job, and goes through it with strength and good humour. The diary mentions relatively few individuals by name but places and events are frequently noted.The condition and atmosphere of early times at Ypres, Armentieres and Bois Grenier are of particular interest, knowing as we do of what happened to them later on.

One aspect of the diary is unusual and gives an insight into Beatson and perhaps into the British soldier of the time. He comments in depth on the diary of a Prussian officer, "Heinrich", which had been published in a magazine and does so in the second person, talking to Heinrich as "you". Beatson's commentary is reflective, respectful; it is easy to see that Beatson recognises himself and his situation in the German diary. The end note to this passage could not capture better the mood of men stuck in these dreadful, inhuman conditions, "The suspense in Purgatory is a real terror if it resembles in any measure this eternal waiting, waiting".

The book includes a selection of photographs, some of them stock images seen many times before but most are unusual, rare examples of the battalion and early trench warfare. It also benefits from photos of James Beatson himself and his family.

Of additional interest is a short foreword written by the late Henry Allingham, who achieved fame as one of Britain's longest surviving veterans of the war and for a while became the country's oldest man. Given that he wrote the piece at the age of 112 it is remarkably lucid.

All royalties raised by sale of the book are going to charity.

As Lieutenant George might have said to Blackadder, "Well, hurray and hurrah!". A published history of a regular army unit, that most neglected of species, long overdue and thanks to John Sheen, past author of a number of splendid works on units raised in the North east of England.

2nd DLI was a typical pre-war infantry battalion of the British Army, although it had not seen service in the South African War and had returned home from India as long ago as 1902. It was placed under orders of 18th Infantry Brigade of 6th Division and remained in that formation throughout the war.

Sheen's history has all of the insight and detail we have come to expect of modern scholarship, drawing deeply on official, regimental and private records. With many excellent photographs, most of which will not have been seen before, and lacing the battalion's history with the stories of individual officers and men, he takes us through the whole war from the battalion's first searing experiences on the Aisne, right through to the honour of advancing into Germany as part of the army of occupation. In between, the 1915 nightmares of Hooge, the latter stages of the Somme, Hill 70, Cambrai and ceaseless engagement in 1918. The story also brings out how the nature of the battalion inevitably changed, from wholly regular through mostly volunteer to conscript, yet managed to maintain an ethos and professional air throughout. The battalion also coped with the rapid and manifold developments in armaments, tactical doctrines and training - a testament to the efforts of officers, NCOs and men alike.

As battalion histories go this would be hard to better; the fact that it records the endeavours of an unglamorous and unsung yet vital component of the army makes it very special.

They still make Zeppelins in Friedrichshafen. Small ones. You can even take a ride in one over the Bodensee towards the mountains of Switzerland if you are lucky enough. I was certainly lucky to be sent to do some work there a few years ago, to ZF, the modern form of its original name Zeppelin Friedrichshafen. ZF do not make the modern flying machines, but turn out thousands of gearboxes for cars, still at the forefront of technology. Strolling one day along the town's lake front I was delighted to visit the Zeppelin museum - all fascinating stuff and some excellent exhibits of their global flights in the 1930s, but little mention of their early warlike use. That is a great pity, for in 1914-1918 the Zepps were among the most feared of weapons. Once their great menace had been identified, the British attempted something never done before - to fly over great distances in aircraft that were puny in comparison with the Zepps, to bomb the factories and sheds not only at Friedrichshafen but also at Dusseldorf and Cuxhaven.

The Flatpack bombers (which I think is a truly awful title) offers a history of the background, execution and effect of these raids. The title itself comes from the fact that a small number of Avro 504s were dismantled, shipped in kit form to the French aerodrome at Belfort, reassembled and tested, all in the greatest of secrecy, before going on the Friedrichshafen mission. The crews and mechanics were destined to remain in the Belfort hangars, sleeping next to the machines in freezing weather, until the opportunity came to mount the raid. The stories of the three quite different targets are told clearly and well, drawing upon German as well as British official and secondary sources. The reader can only gasp at the sheer bravery and skill of the pilots, and wonder at the pinprick scale of the raids. The fact that navigation was largely by the senses and that no maps of France could be carried adds to the intrigue. Almost inevitably little damage was done, but the Germans were caused to increase their anti aircraft defences. Certainly the raids had next to no effect on the ability of Germany to use its Zeppelins against Britain and its Royal Navy.

Despite not knowing much about the war either in the air or on the sea, I enjoyed Flatpack bombers. Ian Gardiner brings the characters of the men and the derring-do, early war, feel of their exploits to life and leaves us with a valuable record of their story.

A good buy.