Download or read book Highlander written by Tim Newark and published by Constable. This book was released on 2009-10-15 with total page 468 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Highlanders have long been among the most feared soldiers in the world and Tim Newark's book admirably tells their stirring tale. A great read!' Bernard Cornwell On the fields of Waterloo, the deserts of Sudan, the Plains of Abraham and the mountains of Dargai, the trenches of Flanders and the jungles of Burma - the great Highland regiments made their mark. The brave kilted troops with their pipes and drums were legendary, whether leading the charge into the thick of battle or standing fast, the last to leave or fall, fighting against the odds. Acclaimed historian Tim Newark tells the story of the Highlanders through the words of the soldiers themselves, from diaries, letters and journals uncovered from archives in Scotland and around the world. At the Battle of Quebec in 1759, only a few years after their defeat at Culloden, the 78th Highlanders faced down the French guns and turned the battle. At Waterloo, Highlanders memorably fought alongside the Scots Greys against Napoleon's feared Old Guard. In the Crimea, the thin red line stood firm against the charging Russian Hussars and saved the day at Balaclava. Yet the story is also one of betrayal. At Quebec, General Wolfe remarked that, despite the Highlanders' courage, it was 'no great mischief if they fall'. At Dunkirk in May 1940, the 51st Regiment was left to defend the SOE evacuation at St Valery; though following D-Day the Highlanders were at the forefront of the fighting through France. It is all history: over the last decade the historic regiments have been dismantled, despite widespread protest. Praise for The Mafia at War: An engrossing history that reads like a thriller. 'The Godfather' meets 'Band of Brothers'. Andrew Roberts An engrossing account that has the read-on factor of the finest thriller. James Holland Newark tells an extraordinary tale with pace and conviction, and impressively unravels what really happened from the pervasive myths. History Today

Download or read book Those Bloody Kilts written by Thomas Greenshields and published by Helion. This book was released on 2022-04-15 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book is the first to examine comprehensively the experience of the Highland soldier in the Great War, seeking the truth behind the myths. It does not deal with the operational history, but with the life and character of the Highland soldier. It involves a far more comprehensive search of the original sources than previously attempted, being based on the original letters, diaries and accounts of serving soldiers and officers, principally from the Imperial War Museum, the Liddle Collection, the National Library of Scotland and the Regimental Museums, which together provide great richness of personal detail. Much work on Highland soldiers, and almost all popular work, has perpetuated myths about their unique character and martial spirit. This book critically examines such mythology and offers new insights into the practicality of the kilt, the use of the pipes, identity and morale, and frank revelations about courage, nerves, shell-shock and failure and the ruthless use of the bayonet. The whole is evidence based and scholastically sound, but nevertheless thoroughly readable and accessible to the general reader. The book reviews the Highland regiments before the declaration of war in 1914, including the kilted regiments not only of Scotland, but of England and the Empire. This includes an examination of their nature, composition, recent battle experience in South Africa and the Empire, sense of identity, public image and reputation. It then reviews the Highland battalions which actually went to war, including not only the pre-war Regular and Territorial battalions, but also the additional Territorial, Service, Garrison and Reserve battalions raised in the United Kingdom, together with the battalions raised for war service in Canada and South Africa. Specifically, it examines their composition, including Gaelic speakers, non-Highland Scots, recruits from the other home countries, including England, from the Empire and from foreign countries. It examines how composition varied between Regular, Territorial and Kitchener battalions etc, and how it changed with huge losses, replacement drafts and the introduction of conscription. It further examines the background of both officers and men and the reasons why they specifically joined Highland regiments. The book briefly describes the evolution of the Highland uniform during the war. More particularly, it examines the experience of the Highland soldier wearing the kilt, including its attraction for recruits, their first introduction to the kilt, regulations, custom and tradition for wearing the kilt, delays in issuing the kilt, the issue of khaki kilts, opinions of the kilt, self-image, pride and identity. It also considers its attractiveness to the ladies, the French and others, and the practicalities, risks and challenges of wearing it at home and behind the lines. It goes on to consider the practicality of the kilt at war, including exposure to cold, wet and mud, and the problems of lice, mosquitoes, barbed wire, easy recognition and mustard gas. It also considers attempts to alleviate these difficulties, for example through the temporary issue of trousers, or through proposals for abolishing the kilt in the trenches. In addition, it investigates soldiers'' opinions of the kilt at war. One chapter considers how the pipes were actually used in training, in battle and behind the lines. It demonstrates how, while on occasion the pipes were still used to pipe troops into battle, increasingly they were held back from the battle itself and used principally to boost morale behind the lines. It also investigates what the soldiers actually thought of the pipes, and the ways in which they contributed to morale, including both the reinforcement of identity and the emotional and stirring impact of the music itself. The book examines the way that discipline and inter-personal relations actually worked in the Highland battalions. It examines the exercise of discipline, and the relationships between officers, N.C.O.''s and men to see if there is any evidence at all for a more informal style of discipline and a distinctive ''family character'' in the Highland battalions, as frequently claimed. It also examines the personal relationships between the men, formed amongst small units (sections), groups of pals and between particular pals, identifying the support mechanisms used to maintain morale in the face of adversity. It relates these ''low level'' support mechanisms to support from home, the hierarchical relationships discussed above, and the overarching support provided by the battalion and regiment, to build a model of the way in which mutually reinforcing support mechanisms contributed to the maintenance of morale. It also considers identity and self-image, including identity as Highland soldiers, as members of individual regiments and battalions, and as Scots, and relates these elements to a model of the way morale worked. It includes a consideration of the extent to which specific customs and traditions were observed in the Highland battalions. The book considers the behaviour of the Highland soldier in battle, looking at their reputation for ferocity, the cult of the bayonet, their attitude towards the Germans, the taking or otherwise of prisoners and evidence for their treatment. It also looks at their reputation for courage, considering examples of courage alongside other examples of nerves, shell-shock and, on occasion, failure. The final chapter brings together the strands discussed in the preceding chapters, and seeks to identify what, if anything, truly made the Highland soldier unique, and to what extent his experience was simply the same as that of the ordinary Tommy.

Download or read book Highland Soldier written by Diana M. Henderson and published by John Donald. This book was released on 1989 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Highland Soldier written by and published by . This book was released on 1850* with total page 1 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Highland Soldier 1820 1920 written by Diana M. Henderson and published by John Donald. This book was released on 2004-06 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a novel approach to the history of the Highland regiments. Badges, buttons and battles only tell a part of a regiment's history and the Highland regiments have always been set apart and set apart and have always considered themselves special. As this book reveals, the roots of that elitist attitude lie in the neglected field of military social history. Diana Henderson's extensive research has revealed a new side to the Highland regiments and this book examines in detail the life of the Highland soldier between 1820 and 1920 and the pride and reputation that has made him so famous and respected through the years. While changes in the origins of the Highland soldiers have taken place, national loyalty, their unique uniform and music and the strong family nature of their regiments have all contributed to the particular character of the Highland battalions. The book examines the character of the highland regiments through the medium of the officers and men, and the result gives hew meaning to Highland regimental history.

Download or read book The Forgotten Highlander written by Alistair Urquhart and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-10-01 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alistair Urquhart was a soldier in the Gordon Highlanders, captured by the Japanese in Singapore. Forced into manual labor as a POW, he survived 750 days in the jungle working as a slave on the notorious “Death Railway” and building the Bridge on the River Kwai. Subsequently, he moved to work on a Japanese “hellship,” his ship was torpedoed, and nearly everyone on board the ship died. Not Urquhart. After five days adrift on a raft in the South China Sea, he was rescued by a Japanese whaling ship. His luck would only get worse as he was taken to Japan and forced to work in a mine near Nagasaki. Two months later, he was just ten miles from ground zero when an atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. In late August 1945, he was freed by the American Navy—a living skeleton—and had his first wash in three and a half years. This is the extraordinary story of a young man, conscripted at nineteen, who survived not just one, but three encounters with death, any of which should have probably killed him. Silent for over fifty years, this is Urquhart’s inspirational tale in his own words. It is as moving as any memoir and as exciting as any great war movie.

Download or read book Scottish Soldiers in Colonial America written by David Dobson and published by Genealogical Publishing Com. This book was released on 2009-06 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book under consideration here marks the second in a series on Scottish colonial soldiers compiled by emigration authority David Dobson. (The first volume was published as two parts in one.) Working from manuscripts in the Acts of the Privy Council and the Calendar of British State Papers and published sources such as the Aberdeen Journal, the Edinburgh Advertiser, and the Georgia Gazette, the author has uncovered information on an additional 750 Scottish colonial solders not found in his earlier book. One such soldier was "John Wright, born in High Calton, Edinburgh, during 1728, an army sergeant who fought in the French and Indian War and in the American War of Independence, witnessed to death of Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham, died in Joppa, Edinburgh, in 1838, father of a Roman Catholic priest in Montreal."

Download or read book Scottish Military Disasters written by Paul Cowan and published by Neil Wilson Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2008 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A compilation of Scotland's failures on the battlefields of the world from Mons Graupius to Korea.

Download or read book The Arrow written by Monica McCarty and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2014-08-26 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NATIONAL BESTSELLER As King Robert the Bruce of Scotland plots to retake his English-occupied castles, he needs the stealth and skill of his elite soldiers, the Highland Guard. Fearless and indomitable, no men are more loyal to their king, or more cherished by the women they love. The talents of legendary marksman Gregor “Arrow” MacGregor are crucial now, as Bruce moves to reclaim his Scottish holdings. Gregor is considered the most handsome man in Scotland, and his fame as an archer is rivaled only by his reputation with the lasses as a heartbreaker. But when his infamous face is exposed during a covert mission, Gregor is forced to lie low. He returns home only to find a new battle waiting: a daring game of seduction involving his now very grown-up and very desirable ward, Cate of Lochmaben. A born fighter, Cate was clinging to life when Gregor rescued her after a vicious English raid on her village left her mother dead. But five years later, the once scrappy orphan Gregor took under his protection has become a woman. Brave, strong, and skilled in warfare, Cate is determined to lay claim to the warrior who refuses to be trapped. The heat in his eyes tells her she has his attention . . . and his desire. But will Gregor allow his heart to surrender before danger finds them, and the truth of Cate’s identity is revealed? Praise for Monica McCarty and The Arrow “[Monica] McCarty’s gift lies in writing strong characters into wildly entertaining—often unexpected—scenarios. Readers can’t go wrong with her latest.”—The Washington Post “The Highland Guard come to life as McCarty fills her tales with historical accuracy and moving romance. The ninth in the series is well paced, emotional and powerfully told. Don’t miss it!”—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick!) “One of the best Highlander historical series out there.”—The Reading Cafe “Heart-wrenching . . . The Arrow made a lasting impression on me.”—Under the Covers “A mixture of passion, history, and great wit to create a tale to captivate your senses! To die for!”—Addicted to Romance “There is danger, laughter, and sweet love and secrets revealed. All the characteristics of a wonderful read.”—Tea and Book “Monica McCarty is an absolutely superior author! Her Highland Guard series has to be one of the absolute best Highland series out there! Fun, fast paced, fact driven and totally fantastic!”—Bodice Rippers, on The Raider “McCarty is a master at writing Highlander romance . . . keeping her Highland Guard series fresh, with spectacularly riveting plots and fabulously romantic couples. . . . If you’ve not read this series yet, then I strongly suggest that you do.”—Night Owl Reviews, on The Hunter

Download or read book Rescued by Her Highland Soldier written by Sarah Mallory and published by Harlequin. This book was released on 2021-04-27 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Her rugged Highlander Is the gallant son of a laird! Traveling alone through the treacherous Scottish Highlands, Madeleine d’Evremont is saved by rough-looking soldier Grant Rathmore. Attraction flares between them as he escorts Madeleine on her perilous escape to France, until she discovers he’s the heir of a respected laird! Madeleine knows she must let him go. Surely the daughter of a humble adventurer could never be a suitable match for him now… From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past. Lairds of Ardvarrick Book 1: Forbidden to the Highland Laird Book 2: Rescued by Her Highland Soldier

Download or read book The Scottish Jacobite Army 1745 46 written by Stuart Reid and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-05-20 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the most celebrated moments in Scottish history, the Jacobite Rising of 1745 is often romanticized. Drawing on the work of historians and a wide range of contemporary sources, Culloden expert Stuart Reid strips away the myths surrounding the events of the campaign, revealing some of the lesser known and fascinating truths about the Rising. Illustrated with contemporary sketches and meticulous full-colour reconstructions of dress and equipment, the raising of Prince Charles Edward Stuart's army is examined in detail from its organization in regiments and their command system, to its weapons, tactical strengths and weaknesses.

Download or read book Sketches of the character manners and present state of the Highlanders of Scotland with details of the military service of the Highland regiments written by David Stewart and published by . This book was released on 1822 with total page 552 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Sons of the Mountains written by Ian McCulloch and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An informative history of early Highland regiments of the British army in North America. It collects essays on Highland weapons, uniforms, equipment, bagpipes and specialist soldiers, with a biographical register of various officers that served in the three regiments, including regimental muster rolls and returns.

Download or read book The Highland Brigade written by Samuel Mackenzie Elliott and published by Gale Cengage Learning. This book was released on 1861 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Soldiers of the Virgin written by Kevin Gosner and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 1992-07-01 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the early summer of 1712, a young Maya woman from the village of Cancuc in southern Mexico encountered an apparition of the Virgin Mary while walking in the forest. The miracle soon attracted Indian pilgrims from pueblos throughout the highlands of Chiapas. When alarmed Spanish authorities stepped in to put a stop to the burgeoning cult, they ignited a full-scale rebellion. Declaring "Now there is no God or King," rebel leaders raised an army of some five thousand "soldiers of the Virgin" to defend their new faith and cast off colonial rule.Using the trial records of Mayas imprisoned after the rebellion, as well as the letters of Dominican priests, the local bishop, and Spaniards who led the army of pacification, Kevin Gosner reconstructs the history of the Tzeltal Revolt and examines its causes. He characterizes the rebellion as a defense of the Maya moral economy, and shows how administrative reforms and new economic demands imposed by colonial authorities at the end of the seventeenth century challenged Maya norms about the ritual obligations of community leaders, the need for reciprocity in political affairs, and the supernatural origins of power.The first book-length study of the Tzeltal Revolt, Soldiers of the Virgin goes beyond the conventions of the regional monograph to offer an expansive view of Maya social and cultural history. With an eye to the contributions of archaeologists and ethnographers, Gosner explores many issues that are central to Maya studies, including the origins of the civil-religious hierarchy, the role of shamanism in political culture, the social dynamics of peasant corporate communities, and the fate of the native nobility after the Spanish conquest.

Download or read book Black Watch written by John Parker and published by Headline. This book was released on 2013-02-28 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Black Watch is one of the finest fighting forces in the world and has been engaged in virtually every worldwide conflict for the last three centuries. Named after the dark tartan of the soldiers' kilts, it is the oldest Highland regiment. As part of the British army, their first battle abroad was in Flanders in 1745 but the regiment soon moved to North America to fight the French, and then shared the capture of Montreal, the Windward Islands and Martinique. The American War of Independence saw the regiment once again in America, fighting horrific battles and eventually storming Fort Washington in 1776. Since then the regiment has held its own from the Napoleonic Wars to the Indian mutiny to Iraq. The Black Watch is the UK's most decorated regiment, combining the proud history and tradition of an organisation that has been soldiering for over 250 years.

Download or read book The Fatal Land written by Matthew P. Dziennik and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2015-01-01 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Matthew P. Dziennik has written a compelling account of the Scottish Highland soldier and his service in Great Britain's American colonies during the French and Indian War and America's Revolutionary War. In the middle to the late decades of the eighteenth century, the British state recruited more than twelve thousand soldiers from the Highlands of Scotland for the purpose of expanding and defending Britain's American empire, thereby transforming the most maligned region of the British Isles into a key sustainer of British imperialism. Dziennik's fascinating history corrects the mythologized image of the Highland soldier as a noble savage, a primitive if courageous relic of clanship, revealing instead how the Gaels used their military service to further their own interests in terms of material security and social status. Using both English and Gaelic sources, the author re-creates the experiences and the mindset of the Highland soldier in the New World and demonstrates in the process how a periphery of the British Isles became a center of the British Empire." -- [Tiré de la jaquette].