Martin Henry Donohoe (1869–1927)

Donohoe, who served in "Dunsterforce" in NW Persia, was previously a war correspondent for the Daily Chronicle, where he covered the Entente's movements in Serbia, Belgium, Italy and Greece before becoming detailed to the intelligence corps. This story picks up Donohoe in 1918 where he is was shipped towards Mesopotamia, and was marshalled with other troops to joint Dunsterforce, which had already set out through NW Persia towards Baku.
Donohoe has some interesting observations as he moves through an already occupied Mesopotamia, well after the debacle at Kut. However, his observations are noteworthy as he advanced through Persia. His depictions of the famine, and how the local landlords pay scant attention to the suffering of the peasantry is worthwhile reading.
His storyline of the to and fro of the small token force he was attached to is an adequate accounting of the skirmishes between British troops and their poorly trained (and therefore unreliable) Persian levies. It is remarkable that his small force was not overrun many times over, but for the skittishness of the Turkish forces in that sector.
Donohoe was also detailed to a sector of Kurdistan, and his anecdotal observations of the Kurds, Nestorians are descriptive to say the least.
Where I thought the book left me wanting war, was his anti-climatic coverage of the end of the war, and the final appendix, almost thrown in as an afterthought, giving a very basic glance at the other operations of Dunsterforce.
WHile there are not many books detailing Dunsterforce, any accounting is worth the read to provide differing perspectives. And certainly this book meets that criteria. However, Rawlinson's and Dunsterville's accounts of this front provide a greater narrative, with a lot more detail of the actual military operations.
Nevertheless, an important contribution to the history of this forgotten theater.… (lisätietoja)