When I sat down to write the list of sources of inspiration that I wanted to include in my PORTABLE COLONIAL WARGAME book, I gave some considerable thought to which one I would select as being the best ... and I decided that it was BATTLE IN AFRICA 1879-1914.
This was written by Howard Whitehouse and illustrated by Peter Dennis, and published by Fieldbooks in 1987. The late Dr Paddy Griffith was the driving force behind Fieldbooks as well as being the series the editor, and this was one of two books that they published. (The other was BATTLE IN THE CIVIL WAR, which was written by Paddy Griffith and illustrated by Peter Dennis.)
My copy cost me £4.95, and became so well-thumbed that I eventually bought a second copy. The book has twenty-three sections:
I understand that copies of the book can still be found on the second-hand market, and although it will cost a lot more than £4.95 to buy one, in my opinion it is (with apologies to Carlsberg) 'probably the best book about colonial warfare in the world'.
BATTLE IN AFRICA 1879-1914 was written by Howard Whitehouse and illustrated by Peter Dennins. It was published in 1987 by Fieldbooks (ISBN 1 869871 01 4).
This was written by Howard Whitehouse and illustrated by Peter Dennis, and published by Fieldbooks in 1987. The late Dr Paddy Griffith was the driving force behind Fieldbooks as well as being the series the editor, and this was one of two books that they published. (The other was BATTLE IN THE CIVIL WAR, which was written by Paddy Griffith and illustrated by Peter Dennis.)
My copy cost me £4.95, and became so well-thumbed that I eventually bought a second copy. The book has twenty-three sections:
- Africa before Partition
- The Scramble for Africa
- Strategic Concepts
- Collecting an Army
- Command
- Collecting Supplies
- Strategic Mobility
- Reconnaissance and Signals
- March Security
- The African Response
- Closing with the Enemy
- Tamai
- European Battle Plans
- African Battle Plans
- African Leadership
- The New Technology
- The Power of Fire
- Cold Steel
- Horrible Disasters
- Glorious Victories
- Guerrilla Warfare
- Siege Warfare
- After the Battle
I understand that copies of the book can still be found on the second-hand market, and although it will cost a lot more than £4.95 to buy one, in my opinion it is (with apologies to Carlsberg) 'probably the best book about colonial warfare in the world'.
BATTLE IN AFRICA 1879-1914 was written by Howard Whitehouse and illustrated by Peter Dennins. It was published in 1987 by Fieldbooks (ISBN 1 869871 01 4).
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What do you mean "probably"?
ReplyDeleteTrebian,
DeleteBecause I fully expect people to disagree with my suggestion, hence the use of 'probably'.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, how true! I would never part with my copy of the Civil War book. But it has always seemed to me a great pity that Paddy never produced a Fieldbook about the Napoleonic Wars.
ReplyDeleteThey were a wonderful way of presenting information in an attractive way.
Regards, Arthur
Arthur1815,
DeleteI wish that Fieldbooks had managed to stretch to several other titles, including ones on the Napoleonic Wars, World Wars I and II, and post-1850 European Wars.
The books were a very nice half-way house between what has become the graphic novel approach to telling a story and the more traditional text plus a few illustrations way of conveying information.
All the best,
Bob
Likewise. I did ask Paddy who not once. Simple answer: too expensive to produce and took too long because of the masses of artwork.
DeleteTrebian,
DeleteThe reasoning makes sense ... but it would have been nice if they had produced further titles.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting choice as a favorite reference book for the Colonial Period. My favorite book is 'SELF Sufficiency' by John Seymour (UK) - Published by CORGI in 1976...The text is extremely well supported by hand drawn illustration- a fascinating reference...it is my Favorite Book above all others - and it is a Soft Back. Regards. KEV.
Kev Robertson,
DeleteI must admit to not every having heard of the book before, but it will certainly look it up.
All the best,
Bob
Kev
DeleteDidn't that inspire the Good Life TV series back in the 1970s?
Dave
Dave,
DeleteHaving looked at online, it might well have.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
DeleteI do well remember 'The Good Life' a great TV Series with the Self Sufficiency couple and their different Neighbors- lots of laughs. Cheers. KEV.
Kev Robertson,
DeleteTom and Barbara Good and Jerry and Margot Leadbetter were great comic characters.
All the best,
Bob
Callwell's Small Wars and the 1914 Field Service Pocket Book would make into the shortlist for a top ten.
ReplyDeleteNigel Drury,
DeleteI have copies of both in my book collection, and SMALL WARS would certainly be in my Top Ten.
All the best,
Bob
It is an excellent book that has been on my shelves for years and years. I remember saving up in my early teens for a reprint by David and Charles,if I recall correctly, of the 1914 Field Service Pocket Book. I poured over it and found it fascinating.
ReplyDeleteTradgardmastare,
DeleteI managed to buy an original copy of the Field Service Pocket Book in a junk shop many years ago. It’s owner’s name was written inside the front cover.
All the best,
Bob
Most of the originals are the 1916 printing, I've yet to find a copy from the first printing.
DeleteNigel Drury,
DeleteYou're right. Mine is from the 1916 print run; it is the 1914 Infantry Fighting manual that I own that is dated August 1914. I got the two confused in my mind.
All the best,
Bob
In the same series the 1914 artillery training manual is very useful as it has more on the cooperation of the various arms.
DeleteNigel Drury,
DeleteI’d be interested to see a copy. Before it’s closure, I would have been able to do so at FIREPOWER, but now I’ve no idea where I’d find a copy. Possible the IWM?
All the best,
Bob
See - https://archive.org/details/fieldartillerytr0000grea_g6n2/mode/2up you can download in a variety of formats.
DeleteCheck here for what else is available - https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Great%20Britain.%20War%20Office%22
DeleteNigel Drury,
DeleteThanks for the links, I hope to have a proper look at them over the weekend.
All the best,
Bob
The 1874 Sir Garnet Wolsely Soldier’s Pocket Book for Field Service is available online. It doesn’t have quite the cachet of a real copy, but the info is there if one needs it:
ReplyDeletehttps://books.google.com/books/about/The_Soldier_s_Pocket_book_for_Field_Serv.html?id=uz9FAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button
Rob Dean,
DeleteThanks very much for the link. I didn't know that Wolseley's book was available online.
All the best,
Bob
All the best,
Bob
I find all Howard's writings compelling, although sometimes hard to read at the supermarket.
ReplyDeleteHoward Whitehouse,
DeleteI know that feeling. There you are, looking at your list, and trying to remember what the squiggles on the page mean ... and comforting yourself that at least you remembered to take the list with you!
All the best,
Bob
I have the colonial one, but I didn't pick up the ACW one as I had already bought Griffith's Rally Once Again on that topic.
ReplyDeleteDave,
DeletePaddy’s ACW book compliments RALLY ONCE AGAIN, and if you can get hold of a copy at a reasonable price, it’s worth buying.
All the best,
Bob