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Light Cavalry Action
¿Un héroe militar? ¿O un traidor a sus camaradas y a su país? Un apasionante thriller lleno de suspense e intriga, del maestro autor Max Hennessy. Cuando, en 1939, una carta arrojó dudas sobre la reputación militar de un hombre que probablemente se convertiría en Comandante en Jefe de la Fuerza Expedicionaria Británica si se declaraba la guerra con Alemania, no tuvo otra alternativa que llevar el asunto a los tribunales. El caso llevó al juez, al jurado y a un público fascinado a un día del invierno de 1919 cuando las tropas británicas, en acción contra las fuerzas bolcheviques en el sur de Rusia, realizaron la última carga de la caballería británica. Una brillante historia de engaños, conflictos y los últimos días del poder de la caballería británica.
Hardcover
First published March 23, 1967
18 people want to read
About the author
John Harris
66 books21 followersJohn^^Harris
Pseudonyms: Max Hennessy; Mark Hebden
Image is a self caricature from the late 1970s.
From Wikipedia:
John Harris was a British author. He published a series of crime novels featuring the character Inspector Pel, and war books. He wrote with his own name, and also with the pseudonym of Mark Hebden. His 1953 novel The Sea Shall Not Have Them was the basis for a feature film of the same name in 1954. He was the father of Juliet Harris, who published more Inspector Pel books under the name of Juliet Hebden.
Pseudonyms: Max Hennessy; Mark Hebden
Image is a self caricature from the late 1970s.
From Wikipedia:
John Harris was a British author. He published a series of crime novels featuring the character Inspector Pel, and war books. He wrote with his own name, and also with the pseudonym of Mark Hebden. His 1953 novel The Sea Shall Not Have Them was the basis for a feature film of the same name in 1954. He was the father of Juliet Harris, who published more Inspector Pel books under the name of Juliet Hebden.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 2, 2023
John Harris was a successful British author in several genres, but I know him mainly from his series of war/military novels which I started reading when I was in the UK back in the early 1980s. In Light Cavalry Action he is telling us the story of a mixed British-Russian force under British command in 1919 Russia during the Allied Intervention there.
The ‘modern’ setting for this narrative is a British courtroom in 1939 with a second war with Germany looming in late summer. The case before the court is a Libel suit brought by a British General, who is in fact being mentioned in discussions about who might command a new British Expeditionary Force on the continent if war breaks out. The charge of libel is based upon a letter of criticism published in the press and written by a subordinate officer during that intervention episode. The scene shifts back and forth from the courtroom to Russia as the events of 1919 are recounted first by the General and then by the defense presented on behalf of the subordinate officer and numerous witnesses who were also present in Russia. This structure gave to me the feel of actually following a light cavalry action – both in court and in the field – as the defendants’ attorney began with a deep patrol to begin rebutting the general’s version of events, and then additional reconnaissance patrols and probes represented by the accounts presented by further witnesses, ending in a climactic clash resolving the case.
The book jacket blurbs include a reference to “finger-biting suspense” which I have to say, I didn’t feel as the pace of the book seemed more measured in part because of the frequent shifts of scene from present to past and back again. I did nevertheless enjoy the pace and tempo that I felt as I eagerly continued to read as you might tell from how quickly I moved through the book!
The ‘modern’ setting for this narrative is a British courtroom in 1939 with a second war with Germany looming in late summer. The case before the court is a Libel suit brought by a British General, who is in fact being mentioned in discussions about who might command a new British Expeditionary Force on the continent if war breaks out. The charge of libel is based upon a letter of criticism published in the press and written by a subordinate officer during that intervention episode. The scene shifts back and forth from the courtroom to Russia as the events of 1919 are recounted first by the General and then by the defense presented on behalf of the subordinate officer and numerous witnesses who were also present in Russia. This structure gave to me the feel of actually following a light cavalry action – both in court and in the field – as the defendants’ attorney began with a deep patrol to begin rebutting the general’s version of events, and then additional reconnaissance patrols and probes represented by the accounts presented by further witnesses, ending in a climactic clash resolving the case.
The book jacket blurbs include a reference to “finger-biting suspense” which I have to say, I didn’t feel as the pace of the book seemed more measured in part because of the frequent shifts of scene from present to past and back again. I did nevertheless enjoy the pace and tempo that I felt as I eagerly continued to read as you might tell from how quickly I moved through the book!
January 10, 2021
From 1967, this is an interesting and increasingly involving account of a British unit during the Russian Civil War. The plot centres on a libel action pursued by a high-ranking British officer in August 1939 against a subordinate who cast doubt on his actions at a cavalry charge to disperse Budenny’s Red troops in the south. The court case follows with the stories of those that were there, which culminated for many in a long retreat to the coast. The build-up to, and the result of, the charge as well as the varied and realistic characters are adroitly handled
May 13, 2009
This brilliantly written book posits an incident in which British troops were involved in the Russian Civil War. To be sure, they were supposed to be support for the White Russians--providing training and advice (much like the U.S. when entering Vietnam), but we know that certain Royal Air Force personnel flew missions prior to the wholesale evacuation and we suspect that such rules of engagement are occasionally ignored by field commanders under the guise of protecting their troops.
Light Cavalry Action is the account of a libel trial that, in the fiction, took place just before Britain's entry into WWII. Within the context of that trial, the principals involved in a controversial action during the Russian Civil War recount their experiences as testimony. Though the author readily admits that he fudged evidentiary procedure in order to streamline the telling of the narrative, he keeps enough of the courtroom drama alive to keep one turning pages. Indeed, I started the book on the train this morning and had to finish it tonight. It was that good.
Earlier, I suggested a slight parallel with Vietnam. To be honest, it's more than a slight parallel. In Light Cavalry Action, a frustrated commander who is seeking glory makes a questionable decision that costs hundreds of lives. But, since a war correspondent decides to exaggerate the story, the commander is both decorated and promoted as a result of the questionable action. Two decades later, one of his subordinate officers sends a letter to the editor of a major publication stating that the commander was incompetent. The commander sues for libel. Our story is born.
How is that a parallel with Vietnam? In this fictional case, as in many real cases, subordinate officers didn't come forward to speak against the former commanding officers until they heard that the former commanders were under consideration for new commands. In the fictional case, it is the fact that this former commander was being considered as a possible Commander-in-Chief of a new British Expeditionary Force to go against Hitler that brings his disgruntled former command out of the woodwork.
Of course, in some ways, Light Cavalry Action is a land-based version of The Caine Mutiny, Herman Wouk's powerful novel about a power-mad, autocratic captain in World War II's USN. Wouk's novel was adapted for film with Humphrey Bogart as the infamous captain. Harris' novel is worthy of filming and I thought throughout the book about what a terrific film it would make.
Naturally, with "cavalry" in the title and the idea that a questionable decision where lives were lost in a cavalry action being involved, one cannot help but think of the dreadful "Charge of the Light Brigade." Indeed, the action is compared with Balaclava and the "Charge of the 600." Fortunately for the suspense of the book, this action proves even more complex than the one immortalized in Tennyson's poem.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and military adventure.
Light Cavalry Action is the account of a libel trial that, in the fiction, took place just before Britain's entry into WWII. Within the context of that trial, the principals involved in a controversial action during the Russian Civil War recount their experiences as testimony. Though the author readily admits that he fudged evidentiary procedure in order to streamline the telling of the narrative, he keeps enough of the courtroom drama alive to keep one turning pages. Indeed, I started the book on the train this morning and had to finish it tonight. It was that good.
Earlier, I suggested a slight parallel with Vietnam. To be honest, it's more than a slight parallel. In Light Cavalry Action, a frustrated commander who is seeking glory makes a questionable decision that costs hundreds of lives. But, since a war correspondent decides to exaggerate the story, the commander is both decorated and promoted as a result of the questionable action. Two decades later, one of his subordinate officers sends a letter to the editor of a major publication stating that the commander was incompetent. The commander sues for libel. Our story is born.
How is that a parallel with Vietnam? In this fictional case, as in many real cases, subordinate officers didn't come forward to speak against the former commanding officers until they heard that the former commanders were under consideration for new commands. In the fictional case, it is the fact that this former commander was being considered as a possible Commander-in-Chief of a new British Expeditionary Force to go against Hitler that brings his disgruntled former command out of the woodwork.
Of course, in some ways, Light Cavalry Action is a land-based version of The Caine Mutiny, Herman Wouk's powerful novel about a power-mad, autocratic captain in World War II's USN. Wouk's novel was adapted for film with Humphrey Bogart as the infamous captain. Harris' novel is worthy of filming and I thought throughout the book about what a terrific film it would make.
Naturally, with "cavalry" in the title and the idea that a questionable decision where lives were lost in a cavalry action being involved, one cannot help but think of the dreadful "Charge of the Light Brigade." Indeed, the action is compared with Balaclava and the "Charge of the 600." Fortunately for the suspense of the book, this action proves even more complex than the one immortalized in Tennyson's poem.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and military adventure.
October 17, 2016
John Harris (1916-1991) was a prolific writer of detective stories and historical fiction; as with any author who produces a lot, the quality is variable but Light Cavalry Action is one of his stronger efforts. He was a diligent researcher and this story is set in what is now a long forgotten period of history ie the ill-fated intervention by Allied troops in the 1917-1922 Russian Civil War.
The plot centres around a British courtroom in 1939 and switches back and forth to the topic of the legal action itself, a disputed military skirmish which took place in Southern Russia in 1919 (the 'Light Cavalry Action'). This back and forth structure can be confusing if not handled right but Harris manages the transitions very well and maintains the tension throughout. Straightforward rather than subtle is the best description of the plot - that's not a criticism but this isn't War And Peace :).
As I said above, it's one of his better novels and an interesting topic; it's not as good as his best known works (Covenant with Death and The Sea Shall Not Have Them) but definitely worth reading for anyone who enjoys historical novels.
The plot centres around a British courtroom in 1939 and switches back and forth to the topic of the legal action itself, a disputed military skirmish which took place in Southern Russia in 1919 (the 'Light Cavalry Action'). This back and forth structure can be confusing if not handled right but Harris manages the transitions very well and maintains the tension throughout. Straightforward rather than subtle is the best description of the plot - that's not a criticism but this isn't War And Peace :).
As I said above, it's one of his better novels and an interesting topic; it's not as good as his best known works (Covenant with Death and The Sea Shall Not Have Them) but definitely worth reading for anyone who enjoys historical novels.
July 18, 2014
I really enjoyed this, and I don't usually do "gripping courtroom drama", but I couldn't put it down! He writes very well, the story is infuriatingly curious (!), each chapter more engaging than the last. It's set in 1939, and the plot, briefly, is about a libel case against a general touted to be the CinC British Expeditionary Force in WWII, having distinguished himself in the last war, or indeed, having falsified events to distinguish himself in the last war, and the case as it is laid bare is miserable and and damning.
I picked it up in a op shop for $2. A great buy!
I picked it up in a op shop for $2. A great buy!
March 10, 2012
This is one of the best war stories, and easily one of the best courtroom dramas. All about the end of the First World War, when Britain sent her troops into Russia to try to prevent the communists from taking control. A period of terror, brutality, dishonour and cowardice. But so well told, this is a story that can be read again and again.
I know. I have. If you can get a copy, buy it and read it, like me, in one sitting.
I know. I have. If you can get a copy, buy it and read it, like me, in one sitting.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews