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Old Soldier Sahib: Old Soldier Sahib
Here, in the author's own words, is the story of his life as a British soldier in India during the first decade of the twentieth century.
310 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1936
60 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
Frank Richards
3 books2 followersFrank Richards- born Francis Philip Woodruff- (June 1883 – September 1961) was a World War I soldier and author.
Frank Richards was orphaned at the age of nine in 1892 and went to live with an uncle and aunt in Blaina, then a busy and bustling industrial community. It was a happy and enjoyable childhood and he later claimed to have been taught Welsh as a child but, in his adult life, soon forgot the skill.
Detesting school, Richards often played truant and left formal education as soon as he was able – in those days at the age of 12. He worked in a variety of jobs, starting as the door boy in a local colliery. Then, in April 1901, under the combined influence of his adopted brother and the news of the Boer War in South Africa, he joined the army, enlisting in the ranks of the Royal Welch Fusiliers.
Richards served in India and Burma, finally being discharged into the Reserve in 1912. When World War I broke out on 4 August 1914, he was working as a timberman in the mines around Blaina but was immediately called back to the colours. By 7 August, he was en route to Dorchester and 3 days later, he sailed for France with other members of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).
Richards served continuously on the Western Front, taking part in almost every major campaign of the war. He was at Mons during the famous British retreat, fought at all of the Ypres battles and was still serving as a ranker when the Germans launched their final offensive in the mist-filled days of March 1918. He never rose above the rank of private, despite being offered promotion on a number of occasions.
He did not want to move up the ranks, did not want authority. He was content simply to do his job as a signalman and to do it well. Robert Graves, who knew him between 1915 and 1917, described him as the best signalman in the regiment.
Richards won both the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) and the Military Medal but resolutely denied any particular element of bravery in his character. He was, he said, simply doing his job.
Frank Richards was never seriously wounded during the war but the conditions in damp, unhealthy trenches did affect his health. Returning to work in the mines was out of the question. For several years after his discharge from the army he was forced to rely on a variety of temporary jobs and eventually wound up clerking in the local labour exchange.
He began writing his remarkable story – all the more impressive because he was not a particularly well educated man – in the 1930s. He would write in the evenings and into the middle of the night, often throwing away or burning whole passages because he was unhappy with them.
Somewhere around 1933, Frank wrote to his old officer, the renowned poet Robert Graves, asking him for advice. Immediately impressed by what he saw and read, Graves worked on the manuscript and eventually found a home for it with Faber and Faber. It was an immediate success.
At the urging of Robert Graves, Frank wrote another book, this time about his service life in India and Burma. It was called 'Old Soldier Sahib'.
Like its predecessor, it was a remarkable and fascinating account of the life led by ordinary British soldiers, this time during the high point of the Raj.
Frank died in September 1961 at the age of 78. His 2 books lauded as excellent accounts of solders lives in a time and place that now seem very far away. The final words, really, should be Frank's, simple, unadorned by purple prose but heartfelt in sentiment and purpose:
Frank Richards was orphaned at the age of nine in 1892 and went to live with an uncle and aunt in Blaina, then a busy and bustling industrial community. It was a happy and enjoyable childhood and he later claimed to have been taught Welsh as a child but, in his adult life, soon forgot the skill.
Detesting school, Richards often played truant and left formal education as soon as he was able – in those days at the age of 12. He worked in a variety of jobs, starting as the door boy in a local colliery. Then, in April 1901, under the combined influence of his adopted brother and the news of the Boer War in South Africa, he joined the army, enlisting in the ranks of the Royal Welch Fusiliers.
Richards served in India and Burma, finally being discharged into the Reserve in 1912. When World War I broke out on 4 August 1914, he was working as a timberman in the mines around Blaina but was immediately called back to the colours. By 7 August, he was en route to Dorchester and 3 days later, he sailed for France with other members of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).
Richards served continuously on the Western Front, taking part in almost every major campaign of the war. He was at Mons during the famous British retreat, fought at all of the Ypres battles and was still serving as a ranker when the Germans launched their final offensive in the mist-filled days of March 1918. He never rose above the rank of private, despite being offered promotion on a number of occasions.
He did not want to move up the ranks, did not want authority. He was content simply to do his job as a signalman and to do it well. Robert Graves, who knew him between 1915 and 1917, described him as the best signalman in the regiment.
Richards won both the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) and the Military Medal but resolutely denied any particular element of bravery in his character. He was, he said, simply doing his job.
Frank Richards was never seriously wounded during the war but the conditions in damp, unhealthy trenches did affect his health. Returning to work in the mines was out of the question. For several years after his discharge from the army he was forced to rely on a variety of temporary jobs and eventually wound up clerking in the local labour exchange.
He began writing his remarkable story – all the more impressive because he was not a particularly well educated man – in the 1930s. He would write in the evenings and into the middle of the night, often throwing away or burning whole passages because he was unhappy with them.
Somewhere around 1933, Frank wrote to his old officer, the renowned poet Robert Graves, asking him for advice. Immediately impressed by what he saw and read, Graves worked on the manuscript and eventually found a home for it with Faber and Faber. It was an immediate success.
At the urging of Robert Graves, Frank wrote another book, this time about his service life in India and Burma. It was called 'Old Soldier Sahib'.
Like its predecessor, it was a remarkable and fascinating account of the life led by ordinary British soldiers, this time during the high point of the Raj.
Frank died in September 1961 at the age of 78. His 2 books lauded as excellent accounts of solders lives in a time and place that now seem very far away. The final words, really, should be Frank's, simple, unadorned by purple prose but heartfelt in sentiment and purpose:
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 7, 2018
"OLD SOLDIER SAHIB" was written by Frank Richards as a follow-up to his widely acclaimed First World War memoir "Old Soldiers Never Die."
Richards shares with the reader some aspects of his early life leading up to his enlistment in the British Army in 1901 during the waning days of the Boer War. It is fascinating to see through his eyes a glimpse of how life in Britain was for a working class person at that time, as well as gain an understanding of how the Army trained soldiers and carried out its regular functions.
After a year of home service, Richards' unit is shipped to India, where he shares with the reader much of what he did and experienced there. This, for me, was perhaps the best part of the memoir because, as someone who visited India in February 2003, I savored the opportunity to see British India through Richards' eyes. One example from Richards' time in India that made me chuckle was the following:
"A man in my tent at Meerut had bought a very clever little monkey and dressed him up with little striped trousers, red coat, and a pill-box on the side of his head. He gave him a little wooden musket too and trained him at the word of command to go through all the arms-drill that a soldier was taught. He had a small collar around his neck, to which was attached a long thin chain. During the day he was tied up with this chain to a large tent-peg outside the tent; on cold nights he slept at the foot of his master's bed. The man badly wanted to see what effect a drop of beer would have on his pet, so one day he brought about a pint and half of beer in a basin from Canteen and held it for him to have a drink. The monkey took a good drink and the way he smacked his lips afterwards made some of us who were looking on think that it was not the first occasion that he had tasted beer. By the time had drained the basin dry he was helplessly drunk. He staggered towards the tent-peg to lean his arms on it, which was the usual custom when resting during the day; but he must have been seeing a dozen pegs, because each time that he put on his arms to lean on it he was still two or three feet away. After falling down half a dozen times, he gave it up and the last time he fell he went to sleep. He now took the habit of accompanying his master to the Canteen every evening; after he performed a few tricks he would go along from table to table, holding out a little tin mug for a drop of beer to be put in it. Night after night he got gloriously drunk, and after he had been with us twelve months his master awoke one morning to find him dead at the foot of his bed. All the boozers were convinced that he had drunk himself to death, which in their opinion was the most noble and happy end to which either man or monkey could come."
Eventually, Richards' unit was transferred to Burma, where he served out the remainder of his Army service. Then he returned to Britain (1909), where he was put into reserve status. A status he maintained until August 1914.
For anyone keen to experience a way of life long past from someone who lived it, "Old Soldier Sahib" is the book to read.
Richards shares with the reader some aspects of his early life leading up to his enlistment in the British Army in 1901 during the waning days of the Boer War. It is fascinating to see through his eyes a glimpse of how life in Britain was for a working class person at that time, as well as gain an understanding of how the Army trained soldiers and carried out its regular functions.
After a year of home service, Richards' unit is shipped to India, where he shares with the reader much of what he did and experienced there. This, for me, was perhaps the best part of the memoir because, as someone who visited India in February 2003, I savored the opportunity to see British India through Richards' eyes. One example from Richards' time in India that made me chuckle was the following:
"A man in my tent at Meerut had bought a very clever little monkey and dressed him up with little striped trousers, red coat, and a pill-box on the side of his head. He gave him a little wooden musket too and trained him at the word of command to go through all the arms-drill that a soldier was taught. He had a small collar around his neck, to which was attached a long thin chain. During the day he was tied up with this chain to a large tent-peg outside the tent; on cold nights he slept at the foot of his master's bed. The man badly wanted to see what effect a drop of beer would have on his pet, so one day he brought about a pint and half of beer in a basin from Canteen and held it for him to have a drink. The monkey took a good drink and the way he smacked his lips afterwards made some of us who were looking on think that it was not the first occasion that he had tasted beer. By the time had drained the basin dry he was helplessly drunk. He staggered towards the tent-peg to lean his arms on it, which was the usual custom when resting during the day; but he must have been seeing a dozen pegs, because each time that he put on his arms to lean on it he was still two or three feet away. After falling down half a dozen times, he gave it up and the last time he fell he went to sleep. He now took the habit of accompanying his master to the Canteen every evening; after he performed a few tricks he would go along from table to table, holding out a little tin mug for a drop of beer to be put in it. Night after night he got gloriously drunk, and after he had been with us twelve months his master awoke one morning to find him dead at the foot of his bed. All the boozers were convinced that he had drunk himself to death, which in their opinion was the most noble and happy end to which either man or monkey could come."
Eventually, Richards' unit was transferred to Burma, where he served out the remainder of his Army service. Then he returned to Britain (1909), where he was put into reserve status. A status he maintained until August 1914.
For anyone keen to experience a way of life long past from someone who lived it, "Old Soldier Sahib" is the book to read.
December 2, 2016
After reading a couple of John Masters books I was starting to develop a romantic image of the British Raj...This book, solved that problem, so to speak.
This is a candid account by a Private in the Royal Welch Fusiliers about his service in India from about 1900-1909. (I don't have the book in front of me to check the exact dates.)
Interestingly enough, this memoir was shepherded into existence by renowned historical novelist Robert Graves ("I, Claudius", "Goodbye to All of That") who was Richards' officer in WWI.
This memoir does not lack for the "exoticism of the East", but is also written with the casual racism and contempt for Indians, of the day. Modern readers might find it difficult to get through. Having said that, I have read much, much worse.(Try "Black Bagdad" by John H. Craige).
Richards' book is a long string of anecdotes- barrack room stories, character studies, shaggy dog stories, etc. Given that Graves gave it his stamp of approval, it probably accurately describes duty in a difficult, dangerous and strange land.
If you're into Burmese history, there's also a chapter or two about Richards' temporary duty in "Burmah".
Fascinating stuff, but if you have gauzy, romantic images of British India, this will take the bloom off the rose. It's gritty.
This is a candid account by a Private in the Royal Welch Fusiliers about his service in India from about 1900-1909. (I don't have the book in front of me to check the exact dates.)
Interestingly enough, this memoir was shepherded into existence by renowned historical novelist Robert Graves ("I, Claudius", "Goodbye to All of That") who was Richards' officer in WWI.
This memoir does not lack for the "exoticism of the East", but is also written with the casual racism and contempt for Indians, of the day. Modern readers might find it difficult to get through. Having said that, I have read much, much worse.(Try "Black Bagdad" by John H. Craige).
Richards' book is a long string of anecdotes- barrack room stories, character studies, shaggy dog stories, etc. Given that Graves gave it his stamp of approval, it probably accurately describes duty in a difficult, dangerous and strange land.
If you're into Burmese history, there's also a chapter or two about Richards' temporary duty in "Burmah".
Fascinating stuff, but if you have gauzy, romantic images of British India, this will take the bloom off the rose. It's gritty.
October 21, 2017
common soldier's life in the days of the Raj
Books of history have usually been written by elite writers or at least those with a fair amount of education. Your average autobiography rolls off the pen of a person who's risen to some level of fame or fortune, not to mention notoriety. Frank Richards played hooky more than attending school, went to work in the Welsh coal mines at a tender age and joined the British Army as soon as he could. He was sent to India in 1902, just as the Boer War came to an end. He spent seven years there and in Burma without seeing any military action, returning to "Blighty" in 1909. He wrote this most engaging account of his Indian days, without any attempt to disguise his fondness for wine, women and song. (Not so much song.) You will find it hard to put it down. He had a dry sense of humor and did not try to write in any "clever" way, but really straight from the shoulder. Snakes, fakirs, leopards, the regimental Goat, malaria and amoebic dysentery, soldiers' gambling games, the rope trick, long marches, Royal visits, great characters among his fellow soldiers, and much more await you here. Two things also hit me hard. The number of men who died from disease was appalling. In modern times, we have totally forgotten what such soldiers risked. [I served in the US Peace Corps in India in the 1960s. Not one of us died, though I and others got sick.] In those days cholera and plague wiped out thousands of people on a regular basis. The second thing was the incredible racism normal to the British troops at that time. They regularly beat and even killed Indians, speaking of them as less than human. Richards himself believed that violence was the only reply to "uppity natives." If you wonder why the Indians were so determined to get rid of them, despite the material progress that was no doubt brought, this book will help you understand. Having a lifelong fondness for India and Indian people, I found all this hard to take, but must admit that for history's sake and for an entertaining read, this is a five star book.
Books of history have usually been written by elite writers or at least those with a fair amount of education. Your average autobiography rolls off the pen of a person who's risen to some level of fame or fortune, not to mention notoriety. Frank Richards played hooky more than attending school, went to work in the Welsh coal mines at a tender age and joined the British Army as soon as he could. He was sent to India in 1902, just as the Boer War came to an end. He spent seven years there and in Burma without seeing any military action, returning to "Blighty" in 1909. He wrote this most engaging account of his Indian days, without any attempt to disguise his fondness for wine, women and song. (Not so much song.) You will find it hard to put it down. He had a dry sense of humor and did not try to write in any "clever" way, but really straight from the shoulder. Snakes, fakirs, leopards, the regimental Goat, malaria and amoebic dysentery, soldiers' gambling games, the rope trick, long marches, Royal visits, great characters among his fellow soldiers, and much more await you here. Two things also hit me hard. The number of men who died from disease was appalling. In modern times, we have totally forgotten what such soldiers risked. [I served in the US Peace Corps in India in the 1960s. Not one of us died, though I and others got sick.] In those days cholera and plague wiped out thousands of people on a regular basis. The second thing was the incredible racism normal to the British troops at that time. They regularly beat and even killed Indians, speaking of them as less than human. Richards himself believed that violence was the only reply to "uppity natives." If you wonder why the Indians were so determined to get rid of them, despite the material progress that was no doubt brought, this book will help you understand. Having a lifelong fondness for India and Indian people, I found all this hard to take, but must admit that for history's sake and for an entertaining read, this is a five star book.
February 15, 2013
An old regular soldier's tale of life as a Private in the Royal Welch Fusiliers. Enlistment to service in India pre Great War. An excellent record of a vanished way of life. Clearly no angel, but an honest and just reporter of his many adventures. Readers of a delicate disposition may blanch at some of the descriptions applied to the Indian civillians in this pre PC era.
(A brave man too. Called up as a reservist for the Great War, Frank Richards served 1914-1918, receiving the DCM and MM, refusing all promotion)
(A brave man too. Called up as a reservist for the Great War, Frank Richards served 1914-1918, receiving the DCM and MM, refusing all promotion)
September 10, 2015
Remarkable autobiography of a private soldier in the British Army. Frank (Dick) Richards served the colors from 1906 to 1912 spending most of his time in India. His narrative style is simple and straightforward with no pretense or literary flourishes, but the story he tells and the anecdotes he shares are priceless and not just for their rarity. His book is (I believe) the ONLY account in this genre from a private soldiers's point of view. This is an honest and therefore not politically correct account. The British Army's views on the native population is out of step with today's more egalitarian viewpoint and will offend some readers. He was a man of his time and felt no need in 1936 when this was written to apologize.
There are no battles or even skirmishes, but rather a fascinating account of training, transportation, habits, equipment, organization and characters of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. This is my second reading of this book and I appreciated it even more than I did on the first occasion. The Author's other book, Old Soldiers Never Die is even better. It recounts his re-enlistment and service in the Regiment during WWI...a remarkable book for three reasons See my review on that book to find out more.
There are no battles or even skirmishes, but rather a fascinating account of training, transportation, habits, equipment, organization and characters of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. This is my second reading of this book and I appreciated it even more than I did on the first occasion. The Author's other book, Old Soldiers Never Die is even better. It recounts his re-enlistment and service in the Regiment during WWI...a remarkable book for three reasons See my review on that book to find out more.
December 15, 2014
An excellent account of pre-Great War regular soldiers. This work will be of particular interest to anyone interested in the British Expeditionary Force (especially in their performance in the opening weeks of the war) as Richards' second work "Old Soldiers Never Die" follows his experiences during the Great War, and this work provides context.
August 11, 2021
Frank Richards first memoir, "Old Soldiers Never Die," was about his service as a private in the Royal Welch Fusiliers of the British Army during the First World War. "Old Soldier Sahib," while not nearly as good, is nevertheless an engaging account of his pre-war military service in British India and Burma from 1901 to 1908, the height of the British Empire.
It is a valuable eyewitness account of this very interesting period before the disaster of the Great War. The book is a series of stories from the everyday life of a common soldier in India.
Unfortunately, his horizons don't go much higher than those of the common soldier. The memoir tends to get repetitive as he spends a lot of time on practical jokes played by soldiers against each other and other trivial happenings. He also gives way too much attention and importance to the local prostitutes at every post he was stationed, describing them in great detail. It is probably the topic he describes the most throughout the memoir. Soldiers, of course, have never been known for their chastity. But I'm interested in getting a better understanding of the British Raj, not what the Indian prostitutes from 1905 were like.
According to Richards, many (but certainly not all) of the British soldiers were very harsh with the local Indians. At the same time, many of the Indians were utterly untrustworthy and would steal the smallest thing if given the chance (and often did, as he describes.)
British India was a fascinating place, full of beautiful wildlife and with a rich and exotic culture. Richard's memoir brings this long-past chapter of history back to life in a well-written, if incomplete, way.
It is a valuable eyewitness account of this very interesting period before the disaster of the Great War. The book is a series of stories from the everyday life of a common soldier in India.
Unfortunately, his horizons don't go much higher than those of the common soldier. The memoir tends to get repetitive as he spends a lot of time on practical jokes played by soldiers against each other and other trivial happenings. He also gives way too much attention and importance to the local prostitutes at every post he was stationed, describing them in great detail. It is probably the topic he describes the most throughout the memoir. Soldiers, of course, have never been known for their chastity. But I'm interested in getting a better understanding of the British Raj, not what the Indian prostitutes from 1905 were like.
According to Richards, many (but certainly not all) of the British soldiers were very harsh with the local Indians. At the same time, many of the Indians were utterly untrustworthy and would steal the smallest thing if given the chance (and often did, as he describes.)
British India was a fascinating place, full of beautiful wildlife and with a rich and exotic culture. Richard's memoir brings this long-past chapter of history back to life in a well-written, if incomplete, way.
September 8, 2025
Very interesting
I am a history buff and found this book to be extraordinary in relating the story of a low ranking soldier in the British army. The book details the life of a soldier serving in India during the late Victorian era through the first decade of the 20th century. The day to day life is vividly portrayed, as are the long marches, attitudes towards the native population and the illnesses that were common in the army.
For those looking for battles, there are none. However, there is a second book by the author describing his experiences during the First World War which was also well written.
I am a history buff and found this book to be extraordinary in relating the story of a low ranking soldier in the British army. The book details the life of a soldier serving in India during the late Victorian era through the first decade of the 20th century. The day to day life is vividly portrayed, as are the long marches, attitudes towards the native population and the illnesses that were common in the army.
For those looking for battles, there are none. However, there is a second book by the author describing his experiences during the First World War which was also well written.
December 11, 2025
Having left school at twelve to work in the coal mines and tin plate mills of South Wales , Frank Richards at age seventeen joined the second battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers at the turn of the twentieth century . In old soldier sahib, he describes in detail his basic training, then his deployment to India and Burma. The book is packed full of the life of a British Infantryman at what was the height of the Empire. Richards also vividly captures the sights and smells of India and fills his narrative with a plethora of memorable characters.
December 3, 2018
Interesting, chatty autobiography of a pre-war infantryman serving in India. Richards does a good job of reflecting what his experience was, rather than attempting anything more.
December 18, 2018
This memoir by a British soldier of the Raj, written by Private Frank Williams, is a worthwhile read. Any family historian with ancestors who served in India will value the detail provided.
December 16, 2024
British soldiers serving the Empire
Well researched book British army’s soldiers serving in the British empire in India and other countries. Every aspect meticulously recorded.
Well researched book British army’s soldiers serving in the British empire in India and other countries. Every aspect meticulously recorded.
April 19, 2025
Great story
I was enthrawled. I wish he had written about hus time in WW1. We need to make colonization great again. Its a shame how far England gas fallen
I was enthrawled. I wish he had written about hus time in WW1. We need to make colonization great again. Its a shame how far England gas fallen
December 24, 2025
Kipling-esque!
This novel is a belated prequel to the author’s World War I autobiography Old Soldier’s Never Die. In this volume he relates the tale of his prewar enlistment with the British Army and subsequent deployments to India and Burma. Overseas, policing imperial territories, the author and his comrades in arms are the very stuff - the thin red ‘eroes - that populate so much of Rudyard Kipling’s poetry and prose. This is a fascinating, if not politically correct, memoir that contains soldiers, fakirs, prostitutes, wild animals, tattoos and everything in between. It was heady stuff, for the little adventurous boy in me, and made me nostalgic for my own military service. You‘ve come to the wrong shop, if you are looking for great literature here, but what you will find is a fun and highly entertaining yarn!
This novel is a belated prequel to the author’s World War I autobiography Old Soldier’s Never Die. In this volume he relates the tale of his prewar enlistment with the British Army and subsequent deployments to India and Burma. Overseas, policing imperial territories, the author and his comrades in arms are the very stuff - the thin red ‘eroes - that populate so much of Rudyard Kipling’s poetry and prose. This is a fascinating, if not politically correct, memoir that contains soldiers, fakirs, prostitutes, wild animals, tattoos and everything in between. It was heady stuff, for the little adventurous boy in me, and made me nostalgic for my own military service. You‘ve come to the wrong shop, if you are looking for great literature here, but what you will find is a fun and highly entertaining yarn!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews