YOUNG WINSTON'S WARS edited by Frederick Woods. (8 3/4" x 5 1/2"; 350 pages, 6 photographs; 9 maps. Leo Cooper - £ 3.50P).
This book contains the original letters and despatches of Winston S. Churchill whilst a War Correspondent during the years 1897-1900. Frederick Woods, editor of the book, is well known as a biographer of Sir Winston Churchill. The introduction gives the background against which the letters were written and brings out the two *dVa motives behind Churchill's travels and writings - his wish to take part in campaigns and his long range aim to enter politics. Despite some hostility from soldiers and others who objected to his methods and some of his opinions, Winston was able to achieve his objectives, helped by powerful friends.
The letters and despatches cover the Malakand campaigns of 1897; the Sudanese campaign of 1896 and the Boer War from 1899-1900. One can feel the tension and excitement when the fighting soldiers clash, the action being brought to life and the scene set by the manner in which Churchill uses words. This is a memorable book, written by a young man whose style had not fully developed but the impact of the words is remarkable.
HISTORY OF THE REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY INDIAN ARMY edited by Major-General D. K. Palit VrC. (8 3/4 x 5 3/4", 342 pgs; 4 colour prints; 12 photographs and 11 maps and sketches. Leo Cooper - £ 4.00P).
Whilst I would have preferred a different emphasis so that the book was about artillery in British India during the l9th century, it is unreasonable to expect the author of a book dealing with a leading military organisation of one of the recently emerging countries to slant it otherwise than at their own personal wars since 1947 and relevant details from World War II. The first two chapters deal with the history of artillery in India but point out that, with the exception of the renowned Indian Mounted Artillery, the Indian military themselves were not trusted to be in charge of artillery!
Seemingly based very much on the style, traditions and establishment of the British Royal Artillery with whom they had been so long associated, the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army seem to have fired a fair number of shots in anger since the country was divided up in 1947 and to anyone interested in these operations, they are explicitly and well described with more than reasonable maps and sketches. ISt comes as something of a shock to realise just how many hostilities there have been in India since partition and whilst action inevitably adds to the traditions and glories of military establishments, it is to be hoped that it is not sought in that frame of mind.
MODEL SOLDIERS by W.Y.Carman. (8 1/2 x 6"; 80 pages; 65 colour plates. Published by Charles Letts and Co., Ltd. - distributed by Arms and Armour Press. £ 1.50P).
Written by a man whose name must for ever be linked with the upsurge of interest in model soldier collecting in Great Britain, this is a very pleasing little book indeed. It begins with a very comprehensive, concise and more than adequate introduction on the origin, manufacturing and collection of model soldiers over the last 150 years or so and then proceeds to move chronologically forward in a series of coloured plates of every conceivable type of model soldier from the flat figure up to the large 9 or 12-inch pottery figures. I found this book not only stimulating but full of nostalgia as I surveyed old Britains and other makes of figures that I distinctly remember playing with as a boy. Very nicely produced and very reasonably priced for today.
MINDEN 1759 by Howard N. Cole. (8 3/4 x 5 3/4"; 108 pages; 5 maps and diagrams. Charles Knight - 90p).
In the same manner as almost every other book in this series of "Battles for Wargamers" (with the exception of two) this book gives a first-class account of the battle which it would be difficult to better and yet fails entirely to even mention its reconstruction or simulation as a wargame and does not even mention a single book.
Note: The second part of the article was unscannable, and is presented as an image.--RL
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© Copyright 1973 by Donald Featherstone.
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