Despatches from the Front

The Napoleonic Wars was truly a world-wide conflict and Britain found itself engaged in battles, sieges and amphibious operations around the globe. Following every battle the commanding officer submitted a report back to the Admiralty or the War Office. Presented here together for the first time are those original dispatches from some forty generals, captains and admirals detailing more than eighty battles that took place in India, Africa, Europe and the Americas. This unique collection of original documents will prove to be an invaluable resource for historians, students and all those interested in what was one of the most important periods in British military and naval history. The reports include those from some of Britain's most famous battles, the likes of Trafalgar and Waterloo, as well as less well-known but just as important engagements which resulted in the capture of the islands and territories which helped form the greatest empire the world has ever known.

The Napoleonic Wars was truly a world-wide conflict and Britain found itself engaged in battles, sieges and amphibious operations around the globe. Following every battle the commanding officer submitted a report back to the Admiralty or the War Office. Presented here together for the first time are those original despatches from some forty generals, captains and admirals detailing more than eighty battles that took place in India, Africa, Europe and the Americas. This unique collection of original documents will prove to be an invaluable resource for historians, students and all those interested in what was one of the most important periods in British military and naval history. The reports include those from some of Britain's most famous battles, the likes of Trafalgar and Waterloo, as well as less well-known but just as important engagements which resulted in the capture of the islands and territories which helped form the greatest empire the world has ever known.

Despatches in this volume include that on operations in Burma and North-East India between November 1943 and June 1944, by General Sir George J. Giffard; the despatch on operations in Assam and Burma between June 1944 June and November 1944, by General Sir George J. Giffard, Commander-in-Chief; the despatch on Naval operations in the Ramree Island area (Burma) in January and February 1945 by Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur J. Power, Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station; and the despatch on operations in Burma between November 1944 and August 1945 by Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese. This unique collection of original documents will prove to be an invaluable resource for historians, students and all those interested in what was one of the most significant periods in British military history.

The Crimean War was the most destructive armed conflict of the Victorian era. It is remembered for the unreasoning courage of the Charge of the Light Brigade, for the precise volleys of the Thin Red Line and the impossible assaults upon Sevastopol's Redan. It also demonstrated the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the British military system based on privilege and purchase. Poor organization at staff level and weak leadership from the Commander-in-Chief with a lack of appreciation of the conditions the troops would experience in the Crimea resulted in the needless death of thousands of soldiers. The Royal Navy, by comparison, was highly effective and successfully undertook its operations in the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The relative performance of the two branches of Britain's armed forces is reflected in the despatches sent back to the UK by the respective commanders. The comparative wealth of detail provided by Admirals Napier, Dundas and Lyons contrast sharply with the limited, though frequent, communications from Generals Raglan, Codrington and Simpson. The despatches of all these commanding officers are presented in this compilation just as they were when first published in the 1850s. They tell of the great battles of the Alma, Balaklava and Inkerman, of the continuing struggle against Sevastopol and the naval operations which cut the Russian communications and ensured an eventual, if costly, victory. They can be read, just as they were when revealed to the general public more than 150 years ago.

The Middle East Command in the SecondWorld War covered a vast region, stretchingacross Egypt, Libya, Malta, Palestine andTransjordan, Cyprus, Sudan, Eritrea, most ofSyria and a small part of Iraq, and includedsome forty different languages. At one pointit also oversaw operations in Greece, Kenyaand British Somaliland. Its campaign area ranfor a thousand miles from the Jordan to theHorn of Africa.Initially under the leadership of General SirArchibald Wavell, Middle East Commandsearly actions were in contending with theItalian forces in Libya and Italian East Africa.He was soon distracted by the Germaninvasion of Greece and the subsequentdefence of, and withdrawal from, the Islandof Crete. With his attention turned fromNorth Africa to the gean, Italian forces inNorth Africa were able to hold their groundand even receive reinforcements in the formof Rommels Afrika Korps .Wavells despatches detail all of thesecampaigns up to July 1941, when he wassuperseded by General Claude Auchinleck.The Auk had to deal with the Anglo-FreeFrench invasion of Syria and Lebanon and thenationalist uprising in Iraq. His mainconcern, though, was with stoppingRommels advances through Libya. The Axisforces were eventually held close to theborder of Egypt at El Alamein. It was as faras Rommel would go and it marked the endof the long run of Axis successes in NorthAfrica.The despatches presented here form aunique collection of original reports from thecommanding officers in this widespread anddifficult region. This is the first time thesedocuments have been brought together in asingle volume

Despatches in this volume include the despatch fo the campaign from Alamein to Tunis, by Field Marshal the Viscount Alexander of Tunis. Deputy Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces North Africa; despatch on operation in the Western Desert December 1940 to February 1941, by General Sir Archibald P. Wavell, Commander-in-Chief British land Forces, Middle East; despatch on Operation Torch, the landings in North Africa, by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew B. Cunningham; and the despatch in operations in North Africa November 1942 to May 1943, by Lieutenant-General K.A.N. Anderson, General Officer Commander-in-Chief, 1st Army. This unique collection of original documents will provide to be an inevitable resource for historians, students and all those interested in what was one of the most significant periods in British Military history.