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Bugles at Dawn: On the eve of Waterloo, a British ensign flees to India...
From the Battle of Waterloo to military training in India! Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwall, Adrian Goldsworthy and George MacDonald Fraser.
A young man’s destiny lies in an alien land …
1815
Handsome, young soldier John-Paul O’Hara has proved his mettle at Waterloo, catching the attention of the Iron Duke himself, who acts swiftly to protect the young hothead from the wrath of a cowardly aristocrat.
On Wellington’s recommendation he renames himself John Bold and flees to India to join the 6th Bengal Infantry of the East India Company. In the harsh and unfamiliar land he soon learns that there is no such thing as an easy peace. Life is hard and disease is rife in the searing heat.
But Bold soon proves his military worth in command of his own irregular unit of Indian volunteers. After training, they set off north in pursuit of a group of English women and children who have been taken hostage.
Riding into danger, they know they will face their deadliest enemies, the highly trained French cavalrymen and sadistic Pindaree bandits. Bold must use every last ounce of youthful energy, wit and cunning to lead his troops to victory…
BUGLES AT DAWN is the first book in the Major John Bold military action-packed historical adventures from the 19th century following the fortunes of a soldier of the East India Company during the early days of the expanding British Empire.
THE MAJOR JOHN BOLD MILITARY
BOOK 1: Bugles at Dawn
BOOK 2: Sabres in the Sun
A young man’s destiny lies in an alien land …
1815
Handsome, young soldier John-Paul O’Hara has proved his mettle at Waterloo, catching the attention of the Iron Duke himself, who acts swiftly to protect the young hothead from the wrath of a cowardly aristocrat.
On Wellington’s recommendation he renames himself John Bold and flees to India to join the 6th Bengal Infantry of the East India Company. In the harsh and unfamiliar land he soon learns that there is no such thing as an easy peace. Life is hard and disease is rife in the searing heat.
But Bold soon proves his military worth in command of his own irregular unit of Indian volunteers. After training, they set off north in pursuit of a group of English women and children who have been taken hostage.
Riding into danger, they know they will face their deadliest enemies, the highly trained French cavalrymen and sadistic Pindaree bandits. Bold must use every last ounce of youthful energy, wit and cunning to lead his troops to victory…
BUGLES AT DAWN is the first book in the Major John Bold military action-packed historical adventures from the 19th century following the fortunes of a soldier of the East India Company during the early days of the expanding British Empire.
THE MAJOR JOHN BOLD MILITARY
BOOK 1: Bugles at Dawn
BOOK 2: Sabres in the Sun
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 13, 2025
446 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Charles Whiting
252 books51 followersCharles Whiting was a British writer and military historian and with some 350 books of fiction and non-fiction to his credit, under his own name and a variety of pseudonyms including Ian Harding, Duncan Harding, K.N. Kostov, John Kerrigan, Klaus Konrad, and Leo Kessler.
Born in the Bootham area of York, England, he was a pupil at the prestigious Nunthorpe Grammar School, leaving at the age of 16 to join the British Army by lying about his age. Keen to be in on the wartime action, Whiting was attached to the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment and by the age of 18 saw duty as a sergeant in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany in the latter stages of World War II. While still a soldier, he observed conflicts between the highest-ranking British and American generals which he would write about extensively in later years.
After the war, he stayed on in Germany completing his A-levels via correspondence course and teaching English before being enrolled at Leeds University reading History and German Language. As an undergraduate he was afforded opportunities for study at several European universities and, after gaining his degree, would go on to become an assistant professor of history. Elsewhere, Whiting held a variety of jobs which included working as a translator for a German chemical factory and spells as a publicist, a correspondent for The Times and feature writer for such diverse magazines as International Review of Linguistics, Soldier and Playboy.
His first novel was written while still an undergraduate, was published in 1954 and by 1958 had been followed by three wartime thrillers. Between 1960 and 2007 Charles went on to write over 350 titles, including 70 non-fiction titles covering varied topics from the Nazi intelligence service to British Regiments during World War II.
One of his publishers, Easingwold-based Rupert Smith of GH Smith & Son said he was a quiet man and prolific writer.
"He's one of a band of forgotten authors because he sold millions of copies and still, up to his death was doing publishing deals.He was the kind of man who was very self-effacing, one of Britain's forgotten authors, still working at 80 years of age, with his nose down and kicking out books."
Charles Henry Whiting, author and military historian died on July 24 2007, leaving his wife and son.
Born in the Bootham area of York, England, he was a pupil at the prestigious Nunthorpe Grammar School, leaving at the age of 16 to join the British Army by lying about his age. Keen to be in on the wartime action, Whiting was attached to the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment and by the age of 18 saw duty as a sergeant in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany in the latter stages of World War II. While still a soldier, he observed conflicts between the highest-ranking British and American generals which he would write about extensively in later years.
After the war, he stayed on in Germany completing his A-levels via correspondence course and teaching English before being enrolled at Leeds University reading History and German Language. As an undergraduate he was afforded opportunities for study at several European universities and, after gaining his degree, would go on to become an assistant professor of history. Elsewhere, Whiting held a variety of jobs which included working as a translator for a German chemical factory and spells as a publicist, a correspondent for The Times and feature writer for such diverse magazines as International Review of Linguistics, Soldier and Playboy.
His first novel was written while still an undergraduate, was published in 1954 and by 1958 had been followed by three wartime thrillers. Between 1960 and 2007 Charles went on to write over 350 titles, including 70 non-fiction titles covering varied topics from the Nazi intelligence service to British Regiments during World War II.
One of his publishers, Easingwold-based Rupert Smith of GH Smith & Son said he was a quiet man and prolific writer.
"He's one of a band of forgotten authors because he sold millions of copies and still, up to his death was doing publishing deals.He was the kind of man who was very self-effacing, one of Britain's forgotten authors, still working at 80 years of age, with his nose down and kicking out books."
Charles Henry Whiting, author and military historian died on July 24 2007, leaving his wife and son.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 17, 2025
A young man is at the Battle of Waterloo, despite the misleading title, and in the process knocks a cowardly superior officer out to protect his men and win his small part of the battle. Wellington protects him but cashiers him out, and now he has a fierce, deadly enemy with powerful connections.
From there, Battle heads to India to start a new life, and faces much difficulty. This book details the final destruction of the Mahattra government in India, granting the East India company fuller control of the subcontinent, and John Bold's various travails.
It was pretty well done but the character is not very interesting, his romance not very compelling (the woman is basically interesting only because she's really pretty, but her personality is not very pleasant), and the events while described in dire terms never quite feel threatening to Bold.
From there, Battle heads to India to start a new life, and faces much difficulty. This book details the final destruction of the Mahattra government in India, granting the East India company fuller control of the subcontinent, and John Bold's various travails.
It was pretty well done but the character is not very interesting, his romance not very compelling (the woman is basically interesting only because she's really pretty, but her personality is not very pleasant), and the events while described in dire terms never quite feel threatening to Bold.
September 2, 2025
Adventure in the East
Sent to India under difficult circumstances, John Bold must build a new career in India. Attached as an officer in the East India Company, the new Second Lieutenant must take command of a mixed group of native soldiers. John Bold must learn to command this group of mixed loyalties while navigating the treacherous local politics between the British and the local population. There are skirmishes with danger around every corner. Our new Lieutenant must master all of these factors to succeed in this new exotic land.
I hope the second installment continues with the continuous action and danger that we have here from the first page of this series.
Sent to India under difficult circumstances, John Bold must build a new career in India. Attached as an officer in the East India Company, the new Second Lieutenant must take command of a mixed group of native soldiers. John Bold must learn to command this group of mixed loyalties while navigating the treacherous local politics between the British and the local population. There are skirmishes with danger around every corner. Our new Lieutenant must master all of these factors to succeed in this new exotic land.
I hope the second installment continues with the continuous action and danger that we have here from the first page of this series.
May 29, 2025
Just tries way too hard, this book reads as if composed by a 14 year old who has just discovered CHATGP and puberty. What is probably supposed to riveting gory prose actually reads as just boring and repetitive.
June 11, 2025
I enjoyed both the John Bold books. However, be advised that the author is deceased. Foreshadowing would indicate that more than two books were planned for the series, so the two books feel incomplete.
July 16, 2025
Life and times in 19th century India
The book was a good read. It gave an insight into life in India in the 19th century and how the East India Company was a major factor in the British getting control of India.
The book was a good read. It gave an insight into life in India in the 19th century and how the East India Company was a major factor in the British getting control of India.
May 21, 2025
Very enjoyable
A great way to start a fantastic series bold by name bold by nature john is on a quest in India for glory
A great way to start a fantastic series bold by name bold by nature john is on a quest in India for glory
May 30, 2025
Good book. Very enjoyable reading. I’ve already begun the next book in the series “Sabres in the Sun”.
June 17, 2025
An enjoyable romp.
Not the most realistic novel, but it was good fun. The coincidental meetings were a bit far-fetched and the characters were predictable.
Not the most realistic novel, but it was good fun. The coincidental meetings were a bit far-fetched and the characters were predictable.
June 22, 2025
Interesting period not some much the storyline
Good start for the main character but my interest waned as we wandered through his seemingly endless battles and escapes.
Good start for the main character but my interest waned as we wandered through his seemingly endless battles and escapes.
October 7, 2025
Below-average historical fiction. Won't be reading the sequel.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews