A continuation of the comprehensive history of the operations conducted by Canadian artillery units in Afghanistan, from 2007 to 2009. Based on hundreds of interviews and primary source documents, there is no other book that provides as accurate a picture of the invaluable contribution made by the artillery. READ MORE.
Drawing on decades of operational experience and academic study, Oliviero dismantles the myths born from shallow reporting and misunderstood drone footage. He explains what tanks actually do, how they fit within the combined arms system, and why, when used correctly, they remain the most decisive land weapon on the modern battlefield. READ MORE.
This book was born from a desire to honour and remember the forty-seven sons of Montreal West who gave their lives in the Second World War. Each story—of a soldier, sailor, or airman—begins in a small Canadian town but reaches outward across oceans and continents, into the heart of a global conflict. READ MORE.
Tokyo is plunged into darkness. Covert Chinese operatives have infiltrated Japan, crippling power and infrastructure in a coordinated strike. University student and part-time convenience store worker Minami Komachi wakes to a capital paralysed by blackout. As the nation reels, a cadre of ex-Japan Self-Defense Force officers known as the Sakura Society mount a counteroffensive from an unlikely front line: the convenience store. READ MORE.
The truth is that armies rarely teach tactics.
They drill procedures, rehearse checklists, and memorize doctrine — but the art of thinking and fighting, the essence of command, is left to chance. The result is predictable: leaders who can pass an exam but falter when lives depend on their judgment.
Dangerous Lessons is a guide to breaking that cycle. It strips away the false comfort of rote answers and gives leaders the means to actually teach tactics — with all the risk-taking, creativity, and focus that requires. READ MORE.
Unconventional is a gripping and candid account of John Hallett’s journey from Alberta’s construction industry to the war in Afghanistan as a Combat Engineer Troop Commander. Trading a stable civilian career for the unpredictable demands of the Canadian Armed Forces as a direct entry officer, Hallett steps into a world where rigid military doctrine can collide with the chaotic realities of war. READ MORE.
Send It is a raw, unfiltered account that takes readers deep into the shadowy world of the Canadian sniper—among the most revered and deadly warriors on the modern battlefield. Through the eyes and voices of a handful of elite soldiers, this book delivers an unparalleled look at what it takes to earn the coveted sniper badge, survive the crucible of combat, and walk the razor’s edge between life and death. READ MORE.
Many cities have laid claim to the title City of Spies—Vienna, London, Moscow, even Miami. But no city has earned it more than Berlin.
From the rubble of World War II to the razor’s edge of the Cold War, Berlin became the epicenter of a secret war fought in the shadows. READ MORE.
In 1939, the world found itself facing another global conflict. Canadians across the country rushed to recruitment centres, determined to do their part and stop the Axis war machine. For one man, the son of a famous Ottawa architect, enlisting in the armed forces proved difficult. READ MORE.
Iraq, 2003. Baghdad has fallen. Saddam is on the run. A cabal of deposed Iraqi officials scramble to move millions in illicit cash out of the country to finance new beginnings abroad. U.S. Marine Jim Wilde stumbles onto their money trail and uncovers a lethal plot connecting Baghdad, Los Angeles, and the wilds of Baja… READ MORE.
Berlin, 1957. A city split in two, teetering on the edge of conflict. Soviet and Allied forces glare at each other across barbed wire and crumbling streets, while spies, traitors, and assassins move unseen in the murky half-light. READ MORE.
Predators, Reapers, and Deadlier Creatures tracks Jones, a drone operator stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, 2010. As he monitors Sahar, a teenager and suspected terrorist, Jones commits the ultimate crime: he cares. READ MORE.
Captain Everett “Ridge” Frost, a disgraced Marine with a knack for trouble and a talent for survival, faces a grim future in a Pearl Harbor brig—until a shadowy U.S. intelligence agency offers him a way out. His mission: infiltrate the heart of Nazi Germany and steal their atomic weapons research before the world tips into chaos. READ MORE.
TRUST, ADAPT AND IMPROVISE
Books on leadership too often read like manufacturer’s assembly manuals: Insert Tab A into Slot B, and so on. Tactical Jazz provides a uniquely different approach. It casts ideas at the reader as pebbles are dropped into a pond. READ MORE.
If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to earn that coveted Ranger tab, wonder no more. The Mediocre Infantryman’s Annotated Ranger Handbook is here to deliver unfiltered, no-BS wisdom from someone who’s been through the suck—not once, but twice. Ranger Goldsmith (roster #185, for those keeping track) brings his signature wit and sarcasm to this annotated version of the Ranger Handbook, turning military doctrine into a hilariously practical survival guide for the rest of us. READ MORE.
What do you do when you show up to Ranger School clueless, alone, and completely unprepared for the pain and suffering ahead? How are you going to survive one of the world’s toughest military courses, earn the coveted Ranger Tab, and come home in one piece? READ MORE.
Matt Simpson, a military doctor who deployed to Afghanistan, wrote this debut novel explores explores the cost of loyalty, the weight of conscience, and the price of redemption. In his imagining, as the line between healer and warrior blurs, one question remains: can someone save himself by saving another. READ MORE.
Steve MacBeth, a three-tour Afghan war veteran, offers a compelling, first-hand account of Canada’s involvement in one of the most protracted and most complex conflicts of the 21st century. Through vivid and unfiltered interviews with 150 frontline soldiers, this collection captures the diverse experiences of those who served. These soldiers share their stories from the front lines of Afghanistan, detailing the challenges, sacrifices, and moments of camaraderie they encountered. READ MORE.
At the edge of Canada’s expansion into the North-West, a force emerged that would shape not just the borders, but the very culture of Manitoba. Citizen, Settler, Soldier, Scoundrel reveals how, between 1870 and 1885, the Canadian Militia became a decisive force in transforming this new province into an imperial outpost of the British Empire. READ MORE.
Chuck Oliviero‘s debut novel, The Cohort, delivers a gripping tale of deniable operations, reminiscent of the high-stakes thrillers by Frederick Forsyth, John le Carré, and Tom Clancy. READ MORE.
Former U.S. Navy SEAL David Brown was the unlikeliest of candidates for the world’s most grueling military selection process. Standing just 5′ 3″ and weighing 110 pounds, he was unlike any of the others around him who aspired to be SEALs. But through dogged determination and an iron will, he overcame every obstacle that life put in front of him to achieve his dream of becoming a SEAL. READ MORE.
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) was formed in August 1914 from the rapid volunteer enlistment of 1,098 veteran soldiers and policeman. The ‘Patricias’ fought magnificently throughout the First World War and subsequently earned a place as one of three permanent regular force infantry regiments in the Canadian Army. Theirs is a famous story; one replete with gallantry and dedication to duty. READ MORE.
The most feared tank of the Second World War is not a matter that is in dispute – it is the German Tiger. But there is a better question to ask – was it the most effective tank of the war? Or was it so wrapped in mythology that its true value has become obscured? READ MORE.
It’s 1988, and secrets that were buried in the jungles of Vietnam twenty years earlier are starting to re-emerge. David “Kick” Tacker is a Canadian-born—but American-made—stone-cold Killer, and is barely holding his psyche together shattered by years of war and violence. He fought in MACV-SOGs secret war in Vietnam until there was no more war to be made, and then sustained himself with clandestine work around the world. READ MORE.
In 1792, British naval lieutenant George Vancouver arrived in the Pacific northwest on a mission of exploration. He has orders to take possession of Nootka Sound, but finds the Spanish, led by Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, already there and unwilling to leave. Quadra and Vancouver negotiate their countries’ claims, manoeuvring for advantage and seeking the support of Maquinna, chief of the Mowachaht, who recognizes the threat posed by all the newcomers to his territory. Their fate lay in the hands of their commanders. How they respond could pitch Spain and Britain into outright war. READ MORE.
A comprehensive history of the operations conducted by Canadian artillery units in Afghanistan, from 2002 to 2006. Based on hundreds of interviews and primary source documents, there is no other book that provides as accurate a picture of the invaluable contribution made by the artillery. READ MORE.
Chief Warrant Officer Necole Belanger created a professional persona that was no-nonsense and highly put-together—even perfect. But the truth was much more complex.
Necole’s story is a tale of two lives, the CWO raised in a military family, and the woman coming to terms with her sexuality and her identity, in a time where the two could not co-exist. A lesbian member of the military police during the LGBTQ Purge in the Canadian Armed Forces, Necole would achieve success and promotion in her military career despite a near-constant struggle for identity. READ MORE.
Russia has won the war in Ukraine and is eyeing the Baltics next. The world stands on the precipice of war. When a spy deep in the Kremlin contacts his handlers and mentions a code word for an insane Russian plan for winning a nuclear war, it sets off alarm bells in Washington. A legendary CIA officer is sent to meet him. Former Special Forces and CIA operator Joshua Devlin is coaxed out of retirement to be his backup, with promises that the job will be little more than babysitting. READ MORE.
The American Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN) was the military broadcast network that served American service personnel during the Vietnam War. But much of what has been previously written about the AFVN has been overstated and far from comprehensive, including the most famous work: the movie Good Morning, Vietnam. READ MORE.
On November 11, 1941, four Fairey Swordfish of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm took off from Hal Far base in Malta to fly a mission over the Strait of Sicily. Their plans quickly went awry, turning their story into one of skill, determination and grit that is only now being fully told. This book, inspired by a photo of an aircraft upside down on Cefalù beach in Sicily, led to years of meticulous research by the authors to uncover the full story of the men and aircraft of the mission. READ MORE.
In the aftermath of an embarrassing attack against the Canadian Army in Afghanistan, desperate measures are needed to salvage their reputation. Enter Captain Leslie McNabb, a coward with a family legacy of posthumously rewarded heroism. He’s assigned the task of creating the perception of success. The mission? Rebuild Ghunday, the Taliban-infested village responsible for the attack. The problem? The village only needs to be rebuilt because the Canadians destroyed it, and they don’t want any more “help.” READ MORE.
South Sudan became independent in 2011, but the hope for a peaceful future was short-lived. By 2013, the world’s youngest nation was engulfed in a brutal civil and tribal war. Deployed as a Military Liaison Officer as part of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, John Vintar recounts the harsh realities of how the United Nations conducts peacekeeping operations in Africa. READ MORE.
To stay in power, Russian President Dmitri Barsukov must seize control of the vast oil and gas resources in the Black Sea. President of the United States Daniel Evans must stop the takeover. Chief Petty Officer Brian Thompson and the crew of the USS James E. Williams, dispatched on a search and rescue mission, find themselves back in harms way. READ MORE.
Soft Targets is a collection of short stories linked by themes of identity, camaraderie, vulnerability, and loss. They examine the stories we tell about war, and how conflict shapes us as individuals and as a society. A profoundly human journey, Inks shows us the wounds, both seen and unseen, soldiers collect along the way. In the end, we’re all soft targets. READ MORE.
When the men of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery went to war in 1914 they lacked training, had insufficient guns and ammunition, and clung to a strategy that emphasized manoeuvre and direct-fire engagements. When the opening phases of the Great War came to an end and the conflict became static siege warfare, Canadian gunners had to grow and adapt. READ MORE.
Canada may not come to the mind of many when we talk about terrorism. And yet it has been both the site, and origin, of terrorist attacks both here and around the world throughout our century and a half as a country. Irish nationalism, Sikh extremism, Islamist terrorism, and other forms of violent ideologies, we’ve seen them all. READ MORE.
Night Vision is a collection of poetry representing a journey of healing from trauma, told from the perspective of a female veteran. These poems lead you through a winding path of emotion. From valleys of pain and trauma, over mountains of healing, through golden fields of recovery, and finally, to the cool waters of new beginnings. Each stage reminds us of the humble humanity within us all. READ MORE.
Of the over 3,100 Canadian women who served as nursing sisters during the First World War, sixty-one paid the ultimate sacrifice. “Bluebirds at War” tells each of their stories, based on meticulous research that has uncovered a forgotten piece of Canadian history. READ MORE.
The development of Auftragstaktik was the foundation stone of Prussia’s, and later Germany’s, astounding battlefield performances. Universally praised in military circles, Auftragstaktik remains both poorly understood and badly practised. This uniquely German leadership philosophy lies shrouded in a fog of mystery and misinterpretation. READ MORE
1951. A growing Soviet threat. A volatile nuclear arms race. A dead body in the snow. Canada’s newly formed Special Branch is tasked to investigate the murder of a Soviet diplomat whose naked body is dumped on the American Ambassador’s lawn. READ MORE.
North Africa proved to be the birthplace and proving ground for some of the Allies’ most prestigious special operations forces. Unleash the Dogs of War details their secret missions to track German troop movements, raids to destroy German air bases deep behind enemy lines and even an audacious attempt to kill Rommel himself. READ MORE
Chief Warrant Officer John G. Barnes recounts his military career, with a focus on his experiences in Afghanistan as a Company Sergeant Major of Charles Company in the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment during Operation MEDUSA. READ MORE
It was inevitable that we would turn the colonial mentality on ourselves. No matter what we think we are achieving, eventually, imperial wars come home to roost. A generation of men asked to watch children suffer without flinching return to America. The ethics of the wars of Pax Americana become the ways and mores in our own streets. The logic of the war in Afghanistan is transferred to the classrooms of Chicago’s public high schools. America is reborn in a shape we never intended. READ MORE
War fascinates us, but what do we really know about its nature? Strategia is the product of Colonel Oliviero’s decades-long intellectual quest to address this fundamental query. His work offers both the serious student and the casual reader a foundation stone upon which to build a deeper understanding of military thought and theory, and thereby a richer appreciation of mankind’s deadliest pursuit. READ MORE
Praxis Tacticum: The Art, Science and Practice of Military Tactics is an essential primer on tactics by Colonel Chuck Oliviero. Modern militaries claim that they are professional bodies, responsible to teach, control and discipline their members. But at least one aspect of this claim is poorly executed: tactics are not taught to junior leaders, which is why this is essential reading. READ MORE
Under the flag of the United Nations, Canada sent its soldiers into the midst of violence and bloodshed to bring peace to the region. One of those soldiers was Lieutenant Tom Mykytiuk. READ MORE
Interdiction a modern military thriller written by Navy veteran Matt Hardman. When a Pakistani nuke is stolen, the President of the United States sends the ailing USS Williams on a last-ditch interdiction mission to intercept the weapon and stop a conflict that would spiral out of control. READ MORE
9/11 was an inside job. The moon landings were faked. JFK is alive and well and spends his days with Elvis. Everyone knows what happened on 11/3/11. But do they really know the truth? Dive into a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and see the world through JD’s eyes. AE Merrick’s debut novel is a wild ride through mind control, paranoia, and isolation in search of the ever-elusive truth. READ MORE
A walking guide to the fields where the Regina Rifles fought the 12.SS-Panzerdivision “Hitler Jugend” on 8-9 June, 1944. Written by historian Sean Claxton, this book allows the reader to conduct a self-guided tour in less than a day. READ MORE
The Empire’s Smallest Regiment tells the little-known story of the Gambia Company of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF). Written by US Air Force officer Charles Estep, this book aims to fill a historiographical void by providing a valuable history of the Gambia Company , while also exposing the greater historical trends of theBritish colonial military in West Africa. READ MORE
The crawler tractor – which was often mistakenly referred to as a bulldozer – was invaluable to the Royal Canadian Engineers in the Second World War as it performed a wide variety of tasks. From prolific writer John Sliz, this book is the only in-depth look at the mechanical equipment used by the Royal Canadian Engineers in the Second World War. A perfect resource for modellers, reenactors, wargamers, collectors and history buffs! READ MORE
The 2nd Canadian Division was one of the unluckiest Divisions in Canadian history. Written by Canadian veteran Michael Dorosh, this book tells the story of the hard battles fought by the Division from Dieppe to Germany itself. READ MORE.
The 12th Regiment, York Rangers was a Canadian militia unit with a history that stretched back well before Confederation, to the earliest struggles for domination of the continent between the English and French. In 1914, as war fever gripped Canada, it played an instrumental role in raising four battalions for the Canadian Expeditionary Force and supporting many others. The story of those four battalions is about much more than their individual exploits. READ MORE
The third edition of the history of the Queen’s York Rangers, a unit of the Canadian Army Reserve whose roots stretch back before the foundation of Canada itself. READ MORE
Commissioned by the 20th Battalion Association after the First World War, this is an exhaustive history of the battalion’s actions throughout the war, from their initial recruitment and training in Toronto, through France, Belgium and Germany, and then back to Toronto for demobilization. READ MORE
Double Dagger Books 