Tommy Atkins: The Story of the English Soldier
Tommy Atkins is the English soldier who joking broke the cavalry of France at Minden, who singing marched with the Great Duke to the Danube, who grumbling shattered Napoleon’s dreams at Waterloo, who sweating in his red coat tramped back and forth across India, who kept his six-rounds-to-the-minute at Mons, and who died in the mud at Passchendaele, the sands of the Western Desert, and the jungles of Burma. If his name has been eclipsed by his more illustrious commanders—Cromwell, Marlborough, Moore, Wolfe, Wellington, Allenby, Slim—they at least will accord him his rightful place beside them. They knew his worth. Tommy Atkins is his story—the story of this most versatile, most adaptable, most unmilitary soldier.
"1110827714"
Tommy Atkins: The Story of the English Soldier
Tommy Atkins is the English soldier who joking broke the cavalry of France at Minden, who singing marched with the Great Duke to the Danube, who grumbling shattered Napoleon’s dreams at Waterloo, who sweating in his red coat tramped back and forth across India, who kept his six-rounds-to-the-minute at Mons, and who died in the mud at Passchendaele, the sands of the Western Desert, and the jungles of Burma. If his name has been eclipsed by his more illustrious commanders—Cromwell, Marlborough, Moore, Wolfe, Wellington, Allenby, Slim—they at least will accord him his rightful place beside them. They knew his worth. Tommy Atkins is his story—the story of this most versatile, most adaptable, most unmilitary soldier.
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Tommy Atkins: The Story of the English Soldier

Tommy Atkins: The Story of the English Soldier

by John Laffin
Tommy Atkins: The Story of the English Soldier

Tommy Atkins: The Story of the English Soldier

by John Laffin

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$18.95 
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Overview

Tommy Atkins is the English soldier who joking broke the cavalry of France at Minden, who singing marched with the Great Duke to the Danube, who grumbling shattered Napoleon’s dreams at Waterloo, who sweating in his red coat tramped back and forth across India, who kept his six-rounds-to-the-minute at Mons, and who died in the mud at Passchendaele, the sands of the Western Desert, and the jungles of Burma. If his name has been eclipsed by his more illustrious commanders—Cromwell, Marlborough, Moore, Wolfe, Wellington, Allenby, Slim—they at least will accord him his rightful place beside them. They knew his worth. Tommy Atkins is his story—the story of this most versatile, most adaptable, most unmilitary soldier.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780752460666
Publisher: The History Press
Publication date: 06/01/2011
Pages: 224
Product dimensions: 4.90(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

John Laffin (1922-2000) was an Australian military historian. In 1940 he enlisted in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force. After the war he wrote several books and novels. He traveled the Western Front extensively to research his work and wrote widely on World War I. He died in Canberra in 2000.

Table of Contents

'Tommy Atkins' vii

Three Centuries of Opinion xi

1 The Paradox of Tommy Atkins 1

2 1642-1700 The New Model Army and its Influence 17

3 1701-42 Marlorough's Men 35

4 1743-70 Battles Glorious, Health Notorious 48

5 1771-1800 Very Active Service 60

6 1800-8 'These Are Defects but he is a Valuable Soldier' 73

7 1808-15 (1) Iron Men of the Peninsula 87

8 1808-15 (2) Heroes at Albuhera; Hoodlums at Badajoz 100

9 Punishment: 'Europe's Most Barbarous Martial Laws' 116

10 1815-59 (1) Some of Those Finest Hours 140

11 1815-59 (2) The Sarah Sands; The Crimea; The Mutiny 157

12 1860-1902 The Glorious Years 172

13 1900-18 (1) The Proud Professionals 194

14 1900-18 (2) Bloodbath for the Zealous Volunteers 210

15 1918-45 (1) The In-Between Years 223

16 1939-45 (2) Seven Actions of World War II 228

17 1945 Ubiquitous Mr Atkins 248

Acknowledgements and Bibliography 252

Index 256

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