Britain's Forgotten Wars: Colonial Campaigns of the 19th Century

by Ian Hernon

This is a collection of Ian Hernon's three books, Massacre and Retribution , The Savage Empire , and Blood in the Sand . Much has been written about the great British military triumphs of the 19th century, but there are many more astonishing stories which have been largely forgotten. These forgotten wars cannot hope to compete in history with the Crimean War or the Boer War, but for acts of sheer courage and endurance, they deserve to be remembered. Using the actual words of the soldiers themselves, Ian Hernon presents an account which evokes Victorian colonial warfare in all its barbarity and the self-righteous belief of the British in the rectitude of their cause.

Genres: History, British Literature, Nonfiction

756 pages, Paperback

First published December 22, 2003

About the author

A print journalist since 1969 and a lobby correspondent in the Commons since 1978. Ian Hernon covered the Troubles in Northern Ireland and more mayhem in the Middle East. He ran the oldest Parliamentary news agency (now defunct) for 15 years. For the last five years he has been deputy editor of Tribune. He is the author of a dozen books including the best-selling Britain's Forgotten Wars.

Reviews

[Paul Collard · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this mighty tome you get three books in one and that is one hell of a bargain. Ian Hernon is a great historian with the rare ability to make the history very readable (a trait shared with people like Saul David or Richard Holmes.

[Jeff Slipper · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings on this work.

The inclusion of the Modoc War in the American northwest is puzzling.

Though I understand he has a book on forgotten US wars as well.

Some wars I was unaware of so interesting.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent history book (well three books in one combined volume) providing good introductions to a wide variety of colonial campaigns involving the British army (and in one odd inclusion, the American army). There has been some criticism (on Amazon) of the author being some sort of anti-British lefty, but I found his approach balanced and factual, bad practices from all sides being called out. A good primer for many of the small wars (and native peoples) of the 19th century that have been long forgotten by most.