The National Army Museum Book of the Crimean War: The Untold Stories

by Alastair Massie (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  2005

  $5.84

  The Charge of the Light Brigade, the Thin Red Line and the Lady of the Lamp have all passed into legend. From the Soldiers' Battle at Inkerman to the siege of Sebastopol, the Crimean War showed the incompetence of the British High Command being redeemed time and again by the outstanding courage and determination of the British soldier. Failure of supplies, exposure and disease led to the deaths of thousands during the cruel Crimean winter. Here for the first time are the previously unpublished first hand accounts of fighting, woven together to recreate one of the most famous and gruelling conflicts in history.

  From the commander-in-chief Lord Raglan to the lowliest private, the fascinating material from the archives of the National Army Museum bring to life tragic friendships, shattered nerves, accusations, rivalries, the harrowing experiences of Victoria Cross winners, decapitation and amputation - all finally revealing the untold stories of the Crimean War.

• Used

  Hardcover
  2004

  $5.85

  The Crimean War is famous for four key engagements - Inkerman, Alma, Balaclava and the siege of Sebastopol. All typified the incompetence of the British High Command redeemed by the indomitable courage of the British soldier. 'C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerre', remarked the French general Bosquet as the Light Brigade suicidally charged the Russian guns at Balaclava.

  Unlike recent histories, which have drawn largely on well-worn published accounts, this book is based on unpublished material, from single letters by barely literate private soldiers to the voluminous correspondence of commander-in-chief Lord Raglan. The whole experience of fighting in the Crimea is captured here: the thrill of combat, the men's impressions of their allies - French, Turkish and Sardinian, the horrors of their first winter in the Crimea, the scandalously inadequate medical arrangements and the impact made by Florence Nightingale. Written by a leading authority in this field, The National Army Museum Book of the Real Crimean War is a colourful, fresh account of one of nineteenth century's most famous conflicts.