Ian V. Hogg
Encyclopedia
Ian V. Hogg was a notable British
author of books on firearm
s, artillery
, ammunition
, and fortification
, as well as biographies of several famous general officers
. During his career he wrote, co-wrote, edited, or co-edited about 150 books and sold well over 1 million copies (Walter 2002).
of the British Army
in April 1945. During World War II
he served in Europe and in eastern Asia. After the war he remained in the military. In the early 1950s, he served in the Korean War
. Altogether he served in the military for 27 years. Upon retiring in 1972, he held the appointment of Master Gunner at the Royal Military College of Science, where he taught on the subjects of firearms, artillery, and their ammunition and use. Hogg also had an interest in the subject of fortification and was one of the founding members of the Fortress Study Group
in 1975.
His first books were published in the late 1960s while he was still an instructor. After retiring from the military, he pursued the career of military author and historian. He was editor of Jane's Infantry Weapons
from 1972 to 1994. He worked with a skilled artist, John Batchelor
, to ensure that his books were well illustrated with cutaway diagrams. He contributed articles to a variety of journals, and his books have been translated into a dozen languages (Walter 2002). In Brazil
, Argentina
, and Spain
his translated books are popular, among military books.
Hogg has been described by publishing people who worked with him as "an unassuming man, with a gift to pass on [his] knowledge at any level, and often with a dry humour" (Editors 2002), which is a gift that most of his readers can readily discern. He was also respected for his professionalism as an author. Walter (2002) said that he was "a consummate professional who (unlike most of his peers) usually submitted manuscripts on time, within agreed parameters, and accompanied by all the illustrations."
Hogg was a frequent guest on the History Channel's Tales of the Gun
, as well as other military-related television programs.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
author of books on firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s, artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
, and fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
, as well as biographies of several famous general officers
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
. During his career he wrote, co-wrote, edited, or co-edited about 150 books and sold well over 1 million copies (Walter 2002).
Biographical sketch
Ian V. Hogg enlisted in the Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in April 1945. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served in Europe and in eastern Asia. After the war he remained in the military. In the early 1950s, he served in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Altogether he served in the military for 27 years. Upon retiring in 1972, he held the appointment of Master Gunner at the Royal Military College of Science, where he taught on the subjects of firearms, artillery, and their ammunition and use. Hogg also had an interest in the subject of fortification and was one of the founding members of the Fortress Study Group
Fortress Study Group
The Fortress Study Group is an international organisation based in the UK, which aims to further the understanding of military fortifications, particularly those designed after the introduction of gunpowder artillery.-History:...
in 1975.
His first books were published in the late 1960s while he was still an instructor. After retiring from the military, he pursued the career of military author and historian. He was editor of Jane's Infantry Weapons
Jane's Information Group
Jane's Information Group is a publishing company specializing in transportation and military topics.-History:It was founded by Fred T...
from 1972 to 1994. He worked with a skilled artist, John Batchelor
John Batchelor (illustrator)
John Batchelor is an English artist and arguably the world's foremost technical illustrator, particularly known for his clear and detailed illustrations of vehicles and military equipment. His work can be seen in many late-20th-century works on armour, fighting vehicles, ships, firearms, etc....
, to ensure that his books were well illustrated with cutaway diagrams. He contributed articles to a variety of journals, and his books have been translated into a dozen languages (Walter 2002). In Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
his translated books are popular, among military books.
Hogg has been described by publishing people who worked with him as "an unassuming man, with a gift to pass on [his] knowledge at any level, and often with a dry humour" (Editors 2002), which is a gift that most of his readers can readily discern. He was also respected for his professionalism as an author. Walter (2002) said that he was "a consummate professional who (unlike most of his peers) usually submitted manuscripts on time, within agreed parameters, and accompanied by all the illustrations."
Hogg was a frequent guest on the History Channel's Tales of the Gun
Tales of the Gun
Tales of the Gun is a television series broadcast on the History Channel featuring the history of firearms. The usual episode includes interviews of historians and people who used the featured weapon, shows how the weapons were made, and shows the featured weapon being fired on a shooting range....
, as well as other military-related television programs.
Confounding of Ian V. Hogg's name with other notable Ian Hoggs or with "Ivan Hogg"
- There are several well-known people named Ian Hogg, as explicated at Ian HoggIan HoggIan Hogg may refer to:*Ian Hogg *Ian Hogg *Ian V. Hogg *Ian Hogg , New Zealand footballer...
. - When searching online stores for Ian V. Hogg's books by title, often one comes across the error of the author name field having been filled in as "Ivan Hogg". This error probably started small, but has propagated across the internet.