Product Description

This is a collection of Ian Hernon's three books, "Massacre and Retribution", "The Savage Empire" and "Blood in the Sand". Much has been written about the great British military triumphs of the 19th century, but there are many more astonishing stories which have been largely forgotten. These forgotten wars cannot hope to compete in history with the Crimean War or the Boer War, but for acts of sheer courage and endurance, they deserve to be remembered. Using the actual words of the soldiers themselves, Ian Hernon presents an account which evokes Victorian colonial warfare in all its barbarity and the self-righteous belief of the British in the rectitude of their cause.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #204445 in Books
• Published on: 2003-01-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 768 pages

About the Author
Ian Hernon has been a lobby correspondent at the House of Commons for the past twenty four years.he is married with two daughters and lives in Kent.

Customer Reviews

A curate's egg of a book
This book is chock full of fascinating and forgotten moments of conflict. Starting with the Kandy wars in treacherous jungle it pulls you through moments of red coated and wooden shoe wearing soldiers fighting in the foothills of the Himalayas to machine gun wielding exchanges in Africa. This is an excellent book to underline the huge diversity and scope of challenges the British army had to face in the 19th century.

There are however problems. As 1 other reviewer points out for no properly explained reason there's one chapter on the US army vs. Native Americans a very strange inclusion in a book about the British army. Secondly the conflicts are not in chronological order and this at times gets confusing as in one situation soldiers have modern weapons piling on the firepower only to find in the next chapter they are standing in long red coated lines firing muskets. The organisation could have been forgiven if this jumbling up was to make a point but there's nothing really linking these chapters, no overarching theory or point.

It is always interesting reading, I am just not convinced that the book has much value other than a series of "boys own" stories.

A guide to the Flashman novels
Forgotten wars is a usually highly readable account of some of the most noble and ignoble of britains overseas adventures. Readers will be interested to see the real background to many of the Flashman Novels. Some curiosities of history are well explained.

Only two criticisms. The book needs some maps to explain some of the campaigns clearly, and the Modoc War does not belong as neither is it British nor frankly a war.

A classic that brings you into the action
From start to finish this book grabs you by the collar and drags you into the frantic action, frustrating fiascos and personal nature of the inidivduals.

Each chapter is structured to keep the pace moving but with the detail to leave you amazed at the courage of the soldiers and the extremes some of the battles embraced.

Comprehensive and compelling. A 'must' read for anybody interested in history.