Old Soldier Sahib

Old-Soldier Sahib

Frank Richards' 'Old-Soldier Sahib' is an illustrative recounting of a soldier's life, deeply rooted in the early 20th-century military experience. The narrative style is candid and unembellished, immersing the reader into the gritty reality of a soldier's routine and camaraderie, as well as the brutalities of war. In its literary context, this work serves as a raw and authentic reflection of its era, eschewing romanticism for a tone that captures the unvarnished perspective of a common soldier. As part of DigiCat Publishing's repertoire, the text is presented with great reverence, ensuring that Richards' original prose is meticulously preserved and accessible for modern audiences, both as an eBook and in print, further cementing its place within world literature's cherished archives. Frank Richards brings to the pages of 'Old-Soldier Sahib' not just the eye of a keen observer but the experience of a life molded by the very subject matter he depicts. His work is informed by his own experiences in the British Army, revealing a world that few outside the military ranks could imagine—a world that Richards not only survived but also meticulously documented. In doing so, he has bequeathed to us a literary legacy that transcends the temporal boundaries of his military service, offering a timeless glimpse into the life of a soldier from a bygone era. Richards' work is particularly recommended for those who seek to understand the historical context and the human element within the military milieu of the past. 'Old-Soldier Sahib' should be approached with the respect due to a piece of living history, as it offers readers not only literary merit but also a profound educational value. Students of history, military enthusiasts, and lovers of biographical narratives alike will find in this book a poignant and enlightening journey through the eyes of an ordinary soldier with an extraordinary tale to tell.

Old Soldier Sahib

Old Soldier Sahib

“The life of a soldier in the first decade of the twentieth century, before the Great War. Frank Richards is well known for his Old Soldiers Never Die, probably the best account of the Great War as seen through the eyes of a private soldier. Richards served in the trenches from August 1914 to the end in the 2nd Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers (RWF). Born in 1884 he enlisted in the RWF at Brecon in April 1901, just three months after the death of Queen Victoria... This is a marvellous book, full of nostalgia as it takes you back to the days of the Empire before the outbreak of the Great War, to that great little army that died on the Western front in 1914... Richards served in India and in Burma and his descriptions of the soldier’s life in those countries in those far off days and his anecdotes make wonderful reading. Kipling described east of Suez as ‘the place where there ain’t no ten commandments’. For the soldier the prime virtues were courage, honesty, loyalty to friends and a pride in the regiment. In his inimitable style Richards is down to earth though never having to use the four-letter language that is de rigueur today nor was the soldiers’ attitude to the natives very politically correct...Some of his yarns are for the broad minded - witness the ‘magnificently built’ prostitute who chose the date of the Delhi Durbar of 1903 to announce her forthcoming retirement. To celebrate the occasion and as an act of loyalty to the Crown she decided on her final appearance to make herself freely available to all soldiers between the hours of 6 p.m. and 11 p.m...But life in the army wasn’t all bad; Richards served eight years with the colours, nearly all of them in India and Burma, and in those eight years he grew three inches in height and put on three stone in weight. As a reservist he was recalled to the Colours in August 1914 and in the war that followed he was awarded the DCM and MM. This is a superb book!.”-Print ed.