And in
fairness it must be added that in the latter half there are touches of
humour and humanity which make the reading easy and pleasant.
* * * * *
It has been my lot, and I am far from complaining about it, to read many
war-books, but never has my luck been more completely in than when _With
the Persian Expedition_ (ARNOLD) fell into my hands. Major DONOHOE, while
never losing sight of his main object, finds time to tell us a number of
entertaining stories with a sedate humour which is most attractive. Seldom
has an expedition set out on a wilder errand than this of the "Hush-hush"
Brigade, or, as it was officially known, the "Dunsterville" or "Bagdad
Party." It was commanded by General DUNSTERVILLE, and briefly its objects
were to combat Bolshevism, train Persian levies, prevent the Huns and Turks
from threatening India by way of the Caspian Sea, and a few other little
things of the same nature. The men of this "party" were picked men, and it
is enough to say that their courage was as high as their numbers were few.
It is indeed a mystery why any of them escaped with their lives, for, as
experience proved, it was one thing to train Persian levies and another to
get them to fight when they were wanted to. And without the levies the
"Hush-Hush" party was outnumbered again and again. I could have wished that
the excellent map which is firmly embedded in the binding had been
detachable, for the interest of the chronicle compelled me constantly to
refer to it, and I suffered great distraction.
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