The Road To Kandahar

The Second Afghan War, 1879 to 1880, between Imperial Britain and the Afghan  tribes and their army.  As a matter of interest, we are now in the third cycle of Britain’s interests in Afghanistan. Starting in 1830 with the disastrous loss of a British army by Lord Elphinstone. The second war in 1879-1880 with Lord Roberts invasion which was a success for awhile and of course a more recent one with American and British troops. History tells us that this part of the world is just as quick to give invading forces a very black eye; remember Russia’s abortive invasion and ignominious withdrawal and just recently as we have seen with the IED’s and continuing tribal fighting on Pakistan’s borders.  It seems we never remember our history and not remembering it we are doomed to repeat it.

John Wilcox wrote a really interesting paperback called, The Road To Kandahar. In this book, He continues the saga of two ex-soldiers one who had resigned his commission from the 24th Regiment of Foot and bought out his servant, called 352 Jenkins. If you have any interest in the British Army,a rousing good story, and some interest in what our own troops are facing, this is one of the books that I can personally recommend. Actually I haven’t found one of his books that wasn’t interesting and full of relevant facts about the time and about the British Army.

There was a barrack-room Ballad written by Rudyard Kipling around this time about Afghanistan as follows: “Wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains. ” The quote is one of the best known from Rudyard Kipling’s poems and is the last stanza from, The Young British Soldier. The stanza goes as follows: “When yiu’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains, And the women come out to cut up what remains, Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains, An go to your Gawd like a soldier. Go, go go like a soldier, Soldier of the Queen.” The song, Soldier of the Queen was a popular one during this time and Here is a video with the music: Soldier of the Queen.

If you want to read a ripping good story read this one. The Road To Kandahar. It will grip you and you will find it hard to put it down.