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J Graham's avatar

Hi Gordon -- late to the party but I'm new to your site. Thanks for the excellent review, I learned a few things (notably the myths over the 1857 mutiny), and I was struck by your common-sense point about pay and cost of living. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that Ghurka pay was still adjusted based upon old Indian Army rates until relatively recently -- but is now equal to the rest of the British Army?

One point that might be food for thought: I think a huge part of the Italian failures can be put down to (a) lack of motivation -- there simply wasn't the will to conquer that the Germans had -- (b) the appalling treatment of the ORs by the officer corps -- (c) the demoralization that must surely have resulted from having equipment that was sub-standard compared to the Germans and British. When properly trained, equipped, and led, the Italians did fight well -- Rommel was unstinting in his praise for the Ariete armoured division. I think Major Hans von Luck also had very good things to say about the Auto-Sahariana formation recce company attached to his battalion as the Afrika Korp's right flank.

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Pimm Fox's avatar

About time that facts and context were introduced into the writing of history. Maybe it’s to be filed under the heading of fiction. Many thanks and keep up the good work.

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