The expedition to rescue General Gordon from the Sudan must be the most extraordinary military endeavour of the Victorian age. It pitched the elite of the British army, equipped with modern weaponry that included breech-loading rifles, artillery and machine guns, against a fanatical enemy mostly armed with swords and spears. Many, including those taking part, expected it to be a very one-sided affair. They sought a place in the relief column anticipating a jolly adventure that would earn them credit and medals but they were in for a rude awakening!
The campaign was mismanaged from the outset and their enemy knew how to take full advantage of the hostile environment. Incompetent commanders, jammed weapons and a plan that was never going to work, all played their part. At one point, the survival of the advance party rested entirely on the courage of a seven-year-old Sudanese boy.
This second instalment in the adventures of war correspondent Thomas Harrison, (grandson of Thomas Flashman from my earlier series of books) is closely based on the memoirs written by those who were there. The events described really did happen. After reading this account, you will probably be surprised that any of them survived to put pen to paper.