The Regiment

It is 1899 and Second Lieutenant Murdoch Mackinder has just been posted to Cape Town, South Africa with the Royal Western Dragoon Guards.  As a newly minted Lieutenant, Mackinder needs to earn the respect of his men, some of whom had served under his late father.

In Cape Town, Mackinder and his captain, Holt meet a young German by the name of Paul Reger.  He is a Prussian reservist, also in the cavalry, so the men hit it off well.  Because Kaiser Wilhelm is a grandson of Queen Victoria, Germany is regarded as a friendly nation and Reger has the opportunity to see Mackinder's troop drilling.  It isn't long after this that the Guards are sent north.

Murdoch's first skirmish with the Boers results in his horse being shot out from under him.  However, he stands firm in the face of fire.  Unfortunately in the next skirmish, his good friend, Captain Tom Holt is killed.  This creates a resolve in young Mackinder to kill Boers in return.  The following day, the British try to force a night crossing of the river where Holt was killed.  They are met by murderous fire from the Boers, who are entrenched.  The British are unable to move, and there seem to be no alternative plans.   Murdoch is disappointed with the British leadership.

After the mess near Kimberley, the British government decides to put Field Marshall Roberts in charge with General Kitchener as his chief of staff.  The cavalry was now reorgaised under the leadership of General Sir John French and Colonel Douglas Haig. By 1901, unable to complete the war against the Boers, Kitchener orders concentration camps to be established.  This forces the Boers into guerrilla warfare.

Following a skirmish where his horse is shot out from under him, Mackinder is taken prisoner.  The man leading the group which has taken him prisoner is his German friend, Paul Reger.  Fortunately a young woman helps him escape, but the way she is treated upon his return results in him distrusting his superior officers.  He is sent back to England where he returns to his old training grounds to teach the lessons learned to new recruits.

Changes were in the works for the army after the war.  Gone were the red uniforms in favour of khaki.  Machine guns were more prevalent, and volley shooting done away with.  New alliances were being formed, Germany was no longer the friend on Britain.  Unfortunately a training accident results in injuries to Mackinder.  He decides convalesce in South Africa to rid himself of some demons preying on his mind.

Having returned from South Africa, now Captain Mackinder, is sent with a troop to Somalia to aid in eliminating a mullah who was causing problems there.  That was not the only problem as heat stroke and insect borne diseases were common.  Mackinder is severely wounded in a skirmish and as a result invalided back to Britain to recover.  Shortly afterward Mackinder marries a young American girl by the name of Marylee.  When they return from their honeymoon, he discovers that he has been appointed major.

As Mackinder's family grows, so do tensions in Europe.  Tensions are also rising in Ireland over home rule, so the regiment is sent to Ireland as a show of force.  The assassination of the archduke of Austria would change things altogether.  When Germany invades France through Belgium, Britain declares war and Mackinder's regiment is ordered to Le Havre in France.

Author Christopher Nicole has written an excellent historical novel, which I couldn't put down.  It is well researched and presented.  I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Brass in Pocket

In the middle of the night, DI Ian Drake is awoken by a call telling him that two police officers have been shot to death in the Crimea Pass.  The car that picks him up also picks up DS Caren Waits on the way to the scene.  Suspiciously, traffic cones had been set out by someone creating the number four around the scene.

Within a short time, it comes to the attention of the investigating team that the two victims had been bullies, also that one of them had been the recipient of death threats as a result of his treatment of one person in particular.

That evening DC David Howick is assaulted while making an arrest of a potential suspect with DC Gareth Winder.  Later at the post-mortem, evidence of a taser being used on one of the officers comes to light as does the fact that they were killed by crossbow bolts.

In hopes of advancing the investigation, Superintendent Price brings in a profiler, which does not impress Drake.  Shortly after this a politician is killed atop Snowdonia.  The team does get a vague description of the suspect, but Drake is sure it is a disguise.  Under the body is found the number three.  The investigation becomes personal when a picture of the politician and his family is mailed to Drake's parents.

After his father's doctor is murdered, someone breaks into Drake's house and leaves a bottle in each of his daughters' bedroom with lyrics from The Police "Message in a Bottle".

At this point author Stephen Puleston picks up the pace of the story.  Possible suspects are arrested, but what they tell him doesn't bring conclusion to the mystery.  The real suspect comes as a surprise.  All-in-all a good read, hard to put down.  I'm looking forward to reading the sequels.

An Irish Country Doctor in Peace and at War

It is Kinky O'Hallaran's wedding and the local women are arguing over which flowers to use in the church.  Of course Dr. O'Reilly is able to settle the dispute.  Dr. Barry Laverty is now a partner and Dr. Jenny Bradley is operating wellness clinics for women.

Usual, author Patrick Taylor intersperses his 1960s Dr. O'Reilly with his past self.  In this case, it is 1939 and he has just become engaged to Deirdre Mawhinney, a newly qualified midwife.  Unfortunately Hitler's invasion of Poland changes their plans and O'Reilly is called up to serve as a surgeon aboard HMS Warspite.  His first operation is not for a war wound, but rather appendicitis.

It was that naval experience that helped O'Reilly diagnose an illness in the stepson of Kinky after they had helped her settle in with her new husband.

O'Reilly's war would take him back and forth across the Atlantic on convoy duty, a battle on the coast of Norway and to the Mediterranean.  It would also delay his marriage to Deirdre.  The horrors of war live and die with O'Reilly through his postings. However, he gains valuable knowledge and experience in short order.

Once again, author Patrick Taylor has written an engaging and at times amusing story about Irish country life.  Before the reader knows it, the book is done and you are looking forward to picking up the next in the series.  An excellent read.

The Hangman's Song

DCI Jo Dexter and DI Anthony McLean with their team have been watching a ship in port anticipating that it is going to be dropping off some illegal cargo.  When a supply van pulls up, McLean realises that it is actually being loaded up with illegal human cargo.  Why are sixteen prostitutes being shipped out of country?  Usually human smugglers are bringing them in, but now they are taking them out.

While doing the paper work on the bust, McLean receives news that Emma, his girlfriend has awoken from her coma.  Unfortunately when he arrives at the hospital she doesn't recognise him.

While up to his eyeballs in paperwork, he is asked by DC MacBride to check out a suicide.  McLean agrees with the DC's assessment that there is something fishy about it.  However both get a bollocking from Acting Superintendent Duguid for not writing it off as a suicide.  Later DS Ritchie adds her voice to the suspiciousness of the incident. When the three officers attend the post mortem, the pathologist furthers their suspicions with what he finds.

When a badly decomposed body turns out to be the pimp involved in the people smuggling scheme, McLean finds out about corrupt police ind the sex crimes unit, but what to do about it?  Meantime the two suicides must be tied together, but what is the connection, other than the use of hemp rope?  And where is the rest of the hemp rope that one of the suicides used?  Are there more suicides out there or to come as part of a suicide pact?

After a third apparent suicide appears, a specialist in knots shows McLean that they were all hangman's knots tied in exactly the same manner.  The pathologist also shows that the broken necks were on exactly the same vertebrae.

One of the prostitutes who has provided McLean with information is badly beaten and slashed.  He is sure that one of coppers in his unit is responsible, but how can he prove it?

Author James Oswald has plenty of twists, turns and surprises awaiting the reader in this murder mystery.  You will find yourself engrossed in the book; a real page turner.

Wall of Fire ~ The Battle of Vimy Ridge

Author Michael Krawchuk begins the story of Vimy Ridge by describing the conditions of trench life in The Great War as it was then known.  Life was dirty and dangerous.  New weapons such as the machine gun cut down swathes of men as they crossed No Man's Land.  Artillery was no longer at the front, but fired from behind the trenches.  Men could recognise the types of shells by their sounds as they flew overhead or were incoming.  Dead bodies were everywhere, and death was continually imminent.

Although artillery was long range, its range wasn't long enough to support the troops once they had advanced in the enemy's trenches.  Nor was it easy to move the artillery through the churned up battlefield.  As a result, the enemy was able to retake their trenches.  So why attack?  It was a matter of politics; the Germans had taken prime territory from France and Belgium.  Germany couldn't be allowed to control Europe.

Both the Germans and the French had large standing conscripted armies, whereas the British relied on their navy and a small volunteer, professional army.  It would take them a couple of years to build up a large volunteer army.  However, Britain did have a strong, loyal empire including Canada.  Unfortunately Canada's army was tiny, and it would take a couple of years to make a substantial contribution.

On July 1, 1916 the British started the Battle of the Somme, in part to alleviate the German pressure on Verdun.  Although it was carefully planned out, it went badly right from the start.  The artillery stuck to its predetermined schedule, and advances far ahead of the infantry.  The Germans were able to come out of their trenches and pour withering machine gunfire on the advancing infantry.  The shells that were supposed to destroy the barbed wire failed to do so and many men were hung up on it, badly exposed.  The 1st Newfoundland Regiment had 91% casualties.  It would be the worst day in history for the British Army.

The summer on the Somme was a time of attrition on both sides.  Attacks and counter attacks cost thousands of men on both sides.  In September the allies would introduce the tank with limited success.  That fall, the Canadians were taken out of the Somme and placed below Vimy Ridge where they began preparations for a spring assault.

Vimy Ridge has a gentle slope from the west to the crest in the east.  Below the crest is a sharp drop off to the Douai Plain.  The Germans were able to look down on their enemies.  The place their artillery below the crest.  Both the British and French had tried to take this stronghold to no avail.  The ridge was badly churned up by shell holes and trenches.  In some cases the trenches were close enough that opponents could here their opposition as they went about their routines.

Artillery played an integral part in the war.  After the Battle of the Somme, the British and Canadians had more guns, shells and fewer duds.  Spotters in balloons, planes and on the ground would offer a target to the gunners and telephone in corrections until the target was hit.

The winter of 1917 on Vimy Ridge was a time to use other weapons, such as rifle grenades, trench mortars and machine guns.  The Canadians were also adept at patrolling No Man's Land.  Different types of patrols had different purposes.  Above, airplanes were busy in reconnaissance missions, gathering information and taking photos of the German trenches.  Integral to the preparation for the spring battle were raids, which varied in size from a few men to several hundred.  The purposes behind the raids was multiple; to take prisoners, to gather information, to destroy the enemy's trenches and to develop coordination between the infantry and the supporting artillery.

The battle for Vimy Ridge was not a battle in isolation.  It was part of a larger allied plan intent on pushing the Germans out of France.  The Canadians developed a plan to use a creeping barrage of artillery fire that would advance about 100 yards ahead of the infantry.  It would lift and advance every five minutes, the the Canadians would enter the German trenches and kill any remaining enemy.  The Canadians also used their machine guns to good effect, firing over the heads of their own men, forcing any Germans who came out between lifts to keep their heads down.

Extensive training prepared the Canadians for the battle.  They rehearsed their objectives on land taped out to replicate German lines in platoon order.  The men were shown maps and given the opportunity to learn all the weapons in their platoon and continue to operate should their officers be killed.  Never before had soldiers been so prepared for a battle, they were going into battle as intelligent soldiers.

In the weeks preceding the attack on Vimy Ridge tunnels were dug under the ridge to hide and protect the soldiers.  Within the tunnels were dugouts and first aid stations.  Ammunition was brought up by night, including artillery shells and rifle rounds.  No Man's Land virtually became a possession of the Canadians.  For the German command, that didn't matter because, even though they knew that an offensive was coming at some time, they were sure that the ridge was impregnable.

The weather leading up to the assault was miserable; rainy, snowy and cold.  Despite that, the morale and the spirits of the 30 000 men who were about to attack was high. Each man was alone with his thoughts as Zero Hour; 5:30 a. m. April 9, 1917 approached.

The artillery barrage was intense, lighting up the sky making it impossible to hear.  However, the officers waved the men over the top.  The first wave of soldiers were to take their objective and the next wave would leapfrog them onto the next objective with a third and fourth wave doing the same until all objectives had been achieved.  The artillery barrage would 'stand' on a target and then advance after three minutes allowing the soldiers to advance.  This kept the Germans hunkered down.  Following the waves were soldiers whose responsibility was to mop up any Germans who survived the artillery and infantry.

The author goes on to describe the battle in detail, examining the actions of individuals and individual units as the battle progressed through the day.  By 7:30 a. m. the crest of the ridge in the centre was taken, and by 11:00 a. m. most of the right side objectives were secured.  Unfortunately on the left, Hill 145 was still held by the Germans, and they pressed home counter-attacks.  Losing the left side of the ridge could result in a catastrophe for the Canadians.

Fortunately a frontal attack later in the evening aided by a flanking attack helped to secure most of Hill 145.  The remainder of the hill and The Pimple would have to be secured the following day.  It was now time for the infantry to consolidate their positions and for the artillery to advance.  Hill 145 was secured on the 10th, but it wouldn't be until the 12th that The Pimple was in Canadian hands.  Where both the British and French had failed, the Canadians had triumphed.

But at what cost?  Almost 11 000 casualties, of whom almost 3 600 were dead.  Vimy Ridge was the first time the Canadians had fought together as an army.  They now had a Canadian commander in General Currie.  They developed an "esprit de corps", and through the remainder of the war would go on from success to success.  Vimy was the building block of nationhood for our young country.  Canada was one of the nations which would be involved in the Treaty of Paris.

Author Michael Krawchuk has written an excellent book about the Battle of Vimy Ridge.  It is very detailed and intense.  I have two concerns, however.  Firstly there could have been more maps detailing the phases of the battle, and the author should know that the past tense of lead is led.  There were a number of times lead was used incorrectly.  All-in-all a very good read for history fans and fans of Canadian history in particular.

The Ambleside Alibi

Simmy Brown has been asked by DI Moxon to establish an alibi for a man she had seen briefly in a cafe in Ambleside earlier that morning.  He had been brought in to the police station as a suspect in a murder case.  The following day, Simmy is a little unsure of the alibi.

Later a woman to whom Simmy had delivered flowers to with an unusual note, comes in requesting information about the person who had sent the flowers because they couldn't have come from who she thought that they had come from.  Simmy refuses to provide the information because she is concerned it might be part of a scam.

For some reason, Simmy is attacked and tossed in the stream in Ambleside.  She fortunately survives the fall and cold water, but with a cracked skull and a broken pelvis.  Why would anyone want to kill Simmy?

There are a lot of convoluted happenings before the crime is solved.  A quick read for fans of amateur sleuthing by author Rebecca Tope.

Warrior in Bronze - Agamemnon Book I

Jason has come to the court in Mycenae requesting funding for a trip to Colchis in search of gold.  He gets the financial support he needs in return for half the gold acquired.  Hercules is to be included amongst the crew, much to the chagrin of Jason.

Meantime Agamemnon is shocked to learn that he and his brother, Menelaus have a different father than the one they have grown up believing is their father.  Artreus is actually their grandfather, and he has plans to usurp the throne and make Agamemnon his heir.

Before that is to happen, Agamemnon must join Diores in putting Diores' new estate to rights.  Therefore his military training is out on hold while he learns other things.  After an encounter with Dionysus, Agamemnon returns for further training with Atreus.  Agamemnon earns his greaves when he follows Atreus in a night invasion of Midea.

When Jason returns with gold aplenty, Mycenae sees the value of building a fleet of ships.  Later, after a battle lost and Agamemnon and Menelaus return to Mycenae to find their uncle, Thyestes, bedding their mother.  Atreus is summoned, and with a large army takes Mycenae and the throne, but not before Thyestes can escape.  Peace ensues.  Trade prospers, and Agamemnon travels to Troy to set up a route through the Hellespont.  There he meets Hector, who impresses him.

A siege of Thebes failed, so Atreus decided to send Agamemnon to Sparta to try and forge an alliance.  There Agamemnon met Helen and Clytemnestra.  The alliance with Sparta would lead to a city state alliance.

When Atreus and his wife are murdered, Agamemnon tries to take the throne, but some of the councillors revolt, therefore Agamemnon and Menelaus must flee Mycenae for Thyestes now has control of Mycenae.  Thyestes immediately came into conflict with Troy, which was the start of the Trojan War.  Sparta is the safest place for Agamemnon and Menelaus.

Agamemnon marries Clytemnestra and Menelaus seeks the hand of Helen.  Menelaus also seeks the kingship of Sparta by marriage to Helen.  What does the future hold for these four?  Author George Shipway brings to life the people of a bygone age in an excellent story.  It reminded me of the stories I had read and studied as a lad in school. A good read for fans of historical fiction.  There is more to come in the sequel, "Kings in Splendour".