A Neglected Army, April 20, 2002

Reviewer:
Daisy C. Kiley "kiley@ncfreedom.net" (Jacksonville, North Carolina)

The Canadian armed forces are arguably the most neglected in military history. They also, in my opinion, have a combat record second to none. This gem of a book goes a long way to rectifying that mistake.

Canadians have served long and with much valor on the battlefields of the British Empire and Commonwealth. This book, expertly edited by Canadian historian Don Graves (who also contributed one of the chapters) gives in excellent detail and careful research, seven examples of battles which were either fought in Canada or in which Canadian units distinguished themselves. The battles retold range from Ticonderoga in 1758 (which gives an interesting perspective on the French commander, one which is uncommand and very interesting), through the War of 1812, the Fenian Rising, the Boer War, World War I, and ends with two sanguine actions in World War II. All are done with a very high degree of scholarship, detail, and are profusely illustrated with both pictures/photographs and maps.

The characterizations of the key personnel involved are fascinating. Soldiers and commanders seldom chronicled are brought into focus; tales of uncommon valor told for the first time in a history available to all and sundry; interesting anecdotes and comments (the best one in my opinion describing a pet monkey as either a 'staff officer, or perhaps war correspondent' to be particularly hilarious and telling). There are linkages between the chapters to bring the reader into focus with the next telling of the tale, and the book boils down into one of the best chronicles of men at war published in a very long while. Don Graves, a proven military historian, has now shown himself to be an editor of particularly keen insight.

There are detailed orders of battle in the appendices, which are invaluable, and the references are impeccable. Notes are particularly well done. This book is an important addition to literature on fighting men in general, Canadians in particular, and has a little bit for enthusiasts of all periods from the 'Lace Wars' to World War II. It has rekindled my interest in the Boer War and World War I, as well as the bitter fighting in Western Europe in the second half of World War II.

I recognized only one of the authors of the individual chapters as having had a book published before, Robert Malcomson, who did an excellent study of the war on Lake Ontario in the War of 1812, Lords of the Lake. This is undoubtedly due to my own ignorance. The other chapter authors, Ian McCulloch, Brian Reid (who wrote two of the excellent studies), Michael McNorgan and John Grodzinski, all did outstanding work here and I hope we hear from them again as soon as possible.

This book is highly recommended. In short, it is superb. ( )