Written by: Mark Urban
Submitted By: Simon O'Connor, John Jeffers, William Carter, Jason, Zachary Mallett, A. Whittick
The First Band of Brothers--
This book is a cracking read. The author peels away layers of myth and tells it like it was.
The officer who hid in his tent to avoid a battle gets his due, so does the sergeant who got himself a comfy job in the hospital store room to avoid fighting. At the same time the guys who fought the French again and again - desperate not to let their regiment down despite suffering terrible conditions get the praise they deserve.
Urban flags up the stories of several soldiers and officers to show what kind of people they were, where they came from, what their hopes and fears were. He shows also how the cameraderie between officers and men came to blow away the class system - with men of the Rifles themselves using the term 'Band of Brothers' that is now so familiar to us.
There are plenty of battle scenes and as many villains seem to wear British uniform as French. It really is an eye-opener, especially if you've read the Sharpe books before.
This book follows the adventures of the rifle regiment in general, and also a group of individual officiers and men from the embarking of the 1/95 at Dover for Portugal in May 1809 until Waterloo. I found this a very interesting book, a lovely mix of fact and anecdote, a history that reads like a novel. I commend it to all Sharpe fans and any one interested in the Peninsular war.
A must for all Sharpe fans, this book written by the author of "The Man who broke Napoleon's Codes."
This one follows the famous 95th Rifles through six years of fighting, scrapping and thieving their way across Europe.
Most probably the first official Infantry troops, first into battle and last to leave. As we know the Vanguard of Wellington's Army.
Like the Desert Rats, the Rifles have claimed their place in History. A riveting read, a must book for the New Year.
A wonderful book by the same author who wrote "The Man Who Broke Napoleon's Codes", Mark Urban takes a very narrative approach to the history of the 95th from leaving England in 1809 to Waterloo six years later focusing on the careers of a handful of riflemen and officers. Not much new information if you have read many other books on the subject and it only covers the exploits of the 1st Battalion but these are small complaints. A highly enjoyable, page-turning read, at $45 CAN for the hardcover most people might want to wait for the trade paperback next year.
Not a novel, rather an account of six years with the 95th rifles following a diverse group of individuals in the peninsular war.
The battles are described in detail but we are drawn in by the intimate relationships that Urban creates for us by interweaving the personal correspondance and reminiscence with the hard military facts.
Well researched and well written.
All in all a damned good read! (though obviously inspired by the success of BC's Sharpe novels)
