by Lt. Colonel H.B. Vaughan (7th Rajputs), £ 10.95.

I received this from The Alexius Press and editor John Adamson, who had read a previous review in the Heliograph of mine--A.S. Daggett's America in the China Relief Expedition and thought I might give this a review. Well, WOW.

Col. Vaughan begins his journal without much introduction with his regiments' landing in China. Vaughan details the advance on Peking with discussions of various contingents, how the the advance was managed, means of the advance and how the troops performed.

Some interesting comments include: "The French troops present during the advance, unlike other regiments of the French contingent, were of puny statue and inferior physique. They were marines, I believe, from Tonkin, and were apparently unable to keep up with the rest of the allies; otherwise it is difficult to account for their absence on every important occasion (page 71)."

Col. Vaughan reports that his sepoys thought the following: "He said he could get on well with all the troops except the Frenchmen. He found the American, Japanese, Russians and Italians friendly; they talked together by signs when on guard or duty near each other, and showed one another their equipment and rifles; but the Frenchman, if asked to see his rifle, or made any other advances towards him, was suspicious and surly (114)."

This is the best personal account of the expedition I have ever read with great detail, interesting comments, very nice OBs for the Brits and Americans, gaming ideas for future campaigns and comments concerning the appearence and discipline of each national contingent.

All very useful for rules construction. This is not just an interesting account but a very good read. Now that said this also includes some seen before photographs but best of all superb drawings by Vaughan. One black and white sketch of a squad of the 7th in action before the Hatamen Gate, OUTSTANDING.

Beyond that are sixteen color sketches by Vaughan: the cover is of a Bengal lancer of the 1st (Duke of York's Own) Regiment (Skinner's Horse), Royal Artillery (field and dress uniforms), 7th Duke of Connaught's Own Rajput infantry (marching and review order), a Sepoy of the Mounted Infantry, Russian Cossack and Infantry (three enlisted figures), Japanese Engineers and Artillery (officer and two enlisted), Japanese Cavalry (officers), 2nd battlion Royal Welsh Fusiliers (marching and dress). Adamson provides a good introduction to the Boxer Rebellion as well as introducing Col. Vaughan as an explorer with the intelligence service, what an interesting life the Colonel led, not quite rivalling Burnaby but right close.

A hardy well done to Adamson, I can only hope that Alexius Press continues to reprint these outstanding gems of colonial warfare. Altogether, while I really, really like the two from Greenhill Press, I think that St. George and the Chinese Dragon is the best of this lot. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!