British veterans of the Great War turn to organized crime in this history of rival street gangs and their reign of terror in the 1920's. When the returning heroes of the First World War were forgotten by their country, they had no choice but to fight again, this time for their own survival. Reduced to motley neighborhood regiments, they traded their rifles for razors and butcher's knives. The enemy was society at large-and the police force paid to protect it. Money would be made, blood would be shed, and lives would be lost. Sheffield was a city at war with itself, as opposing gangs battled daily for control of the streets. Out of these deadly gangs, two rival factions took control of the city. For a dark and dangerous time, The Mooney Gang and the Park Brigade even acted as governing bodies in many of the poorer neighborhoods. In Sheffield's Most Notorious Gangs, true crime historian Ben W. Johnson explores their rise to power, and the rising tide of violence that authorities seemed powerless to stop.

Ben Johnson is a freelance writer, columnist and sub-editor. He currently writes for two true crime magazines, and has a first class Honours degree in Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University. It was while studying court reporting that he found his love for the dark subject of true crime, and since these days of sitting at cold, silent press benches, has been a prolific writer, with articles being published on both sides of the Atlantic.

The returning heroes had been forgotten by their country. Men who had risked life and limb in the hellish world of the First World War trenches had no choice but to fight again; this time, for their livelihoods, their families, and a place in society.Reduced to marching with motley suburban regiments, these were the men who left behind the war in Europe, and returned to fight their own wars on the streets of the Steel City. Rifles had been replaced with razors, and bayonets with butchers knives.This time, the enemy was society itself, more often than not represented by the under-staffed and under siege police force. Money would be made, blood would be shed, and lives would be lost. Sheffield was a city at war with itself, as opposing gangs battled daily for control of the inner city streets.Of these deadly street gangs, two of the largest rival factions held the city in the palm of their hands. The Mooney Gang and the Park Brigade had become the unofficial governing bodies in many of the poorer neighbourhoods, and the authorities seemed powerless to stem the ever growing tide of violence which swept through the streets like a deadly plague.Unchallenged, uncontrollable and unwanted, the gangs of the Steel City seemed to be unstoppable. Only a show of brute force from the authorities could return order to the city. But, for one former soldier in particular, this shift of power arrived too late.