Serbia and the End of the Great War

 This book, published by the Historical Museum of Serbia, covers the latter part of Serbia's role in the First World War, after the retreat through Albania and the recovery on Corfu. It appears to have been a limited print run and not widely available. I picked up a copy in a shop attached to the Serbian war museum in Corfu Town.

There are not many books in English dedicated to Serbia in WW1, with Dusan Babac's Serbian Army in the Great War being my usual starting point. This book is in English and Serbian. The text is not that gripping, being largely limited to reproductions of official texts, timelines and pen portraits of the leading personalities. However, it does have a wide range of photographs, many of which I haven't seen before. It also touches on some aspects of war that are rarely mentioned.

One of those is Serbia under occupation. All the occupying powers adopted a denationalisation programme, although the Bulgarians applied it more radically. The Austro-Hungarians applied the Latin alphabet, but the Bulgarians detained and even executed Serbs who used their language, names, books and even folk costumes. Both powers ruthlessly exploited the country economically, bringing the population to the brink of starvation. With the fighting-age population much reduced by the war and the Serbian armies in Macedonia, uprisings were more challenging than in WW2. The most famous is the Toplica Uprising in February 1917, which resulted in around 20,000 victims of the counter-insurgency operation. 

The book also covers Serbian units that served outside the Balkans. These included the Serbian Volunteer Corps, recruited from Austro-Hungarian PoWs. This was eventually transported to the Macedonian Front. Some Serbs ended up in the Czechoslovak Legion during the Russian Civil War, and others fought for the Bolsheviks in the First Serbian Revolutionary Battalion and the Serbian-Soviet Battalion. Several other detachments fought with the Red Army. Sadly, no pictures of these units, which would make an interesting addition to the Red Army on the tabletop.

Serbian refugees found shelter across Europe. Britain received 400 students, who settled in cities across the country, including Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. France took in 17,000 refugees, and many ended up in French colonies.

There are better books on the Serbian contribution to the Macedonian Campaign, which was crucial to the Entente victory. However, there are some good pictures, if a little too heavy on the commanders rather than the army in the field. The post-war diplomacy that resulted in the creation of what would become Yugoslavia is covered in some detail, with a predictable Serbian slant! Objective history is rare in the Balkans!

Some of my 28mm Serbs

The Bosnian Serb Army at War

 This is Bojan Dimitrijevic's account of the Bosnian Serb Army during the 1992-95 conflict. Many books have been written on the conflict, but few focus on the fighting units. While the author attempts to write an objective military history, his objectivity slips several times. It is best described as a sympathetic view of an army that fought well under challenging circumstances but was also responsible for atrocities, not least the massacre at Srebrenica.

The author starts with a brief background and description of the army's (VRS) establishment. It mainly constituted the Yugoslav Army (JNA) units in the Serb areas of Bosnia and quickly incorporated paramilitary and militia units. It followed JNA ranks and organisation and was commanded by General Ratko Mladic, who was later convicted at The Hague for war crimes. The author describes a 'complicated relationship' with the civilian leadership, led by Radovan Karadzic, another convicted war criminal. While this was a predominantly ethic Serb army, there were a few Croat and Muslim officers.

The book is profusely illustrated with pictures and colour plates of the army's wide variety of equipment. In May 1994, this included 358 tanks (T-34, T-55, and M-84s) and 197 APCs. They also had a huge range of artillery, AA and tactical missile systems. Modellers will enjoy the variety of camouflage and additional armour used. 

The bulk of the book covers the main campaigns of the conflict. They had notable successes in 1992 and 1993, including Operation Corridor, Operation Vrbas, and Operation Lukavac. However, by 1994, their Croat and Muslim opponents were beginning to cooperate, and the army was increasingly forced back onto the defensive. NATO intervention meant they no longer had control of the skies, and their positions around Sarajevo came under ground attack. The US Congress also lifted the embargo on weapons deliveries to the Muslim forces. Pressure on the political front was a key feature of the final two years of the conflict. When the Contact Group's peace plan was rejected, NATO military intervention became more frequent. 

There were particular tensions around the capture of UN peacekeepers and their use as human shields against air attack. This was heightened when Serb forces captured the Muslim enclave of Srebrenica. I'm afraid the author lost the plot here, with the implication that the worst atrocity in Europe since WW2 was somehow the responsibility of a captain. The idea that 8,372 men and boys could be executed without the knowledge of the commanders is absurd. 

The VRS heavily outgunned its opponents in the early stages of the conflict and had the organisational advantage of building on already established armed forces. However, they had a lot of territory to defend, and the terrain was challenging. I have driven around Bosnia several times, and the defensive advantages are apparent. Putting objectivity aside, this book has all the factual information the wargamer and modeller needs on the VRS. 

Some of my 15mm JNA infantry of the period.

Captain of Horse

 This is the second book in Griff Hosker's English mercenary series. The first book covered the opening campaigns of the Thirty Years' War. In this book, our hero, Captain James Bretherton, is recruited by Gustavus Adolphus to lead a unit of light horse during the initial actions of the Swedish phase of the wars. 

The unit is ill-disciplined because it has been abandoned by its original commander. The soldiers are mainly from England, although there were also Scottish, Danish, and Swedish troops. He organises them because they are used as scouts for the army's advance into Germany. 

Gustavus landed in Pomerania in June 1630 with nearly 18,000 Swedish troops, supplemented by mercenaries. However, very few of the German princes rallied to the Protestant cause, and he was heavily outnumbered by Tilly's Imperial forces. French funding enabled him to recruit additional mercenaries and properly equip his army. Gustavus used this army to win a couple of defensive victories and then a significant victory at Breitenfeld in September 1631. 

This battle forms the core of this book, and Bretherton's horse plays a key role. There are plenty of subplots involving espionage, sieges and skirmishes with Imperial troops. I won't spoil the plot, but this is all written in Hosker's fast-paced style, with plenty of action. The unit is fictitious, although not untypical of the army, and otherwise he keeps pretty close to the history. 

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one in the series, which has just been published. I must dust down my armies of the period for some tabletop action.

Imperial Cuirassiers play a big part in the story. They should have red sashes, but I use mine for ECW as well.

The MacGregor Trilogy

 The latest in my Nigel Tranter project is the MacGregor Trilogy. Three books focused on the proscribed MacGregor Clan in the late 17th and early 18th century. This begins with the story of Rob Roy MacGregor and continues with his relatives in the period following his death in 1734.

Most people are familiar with the story of Rob Roy through the 1995 film starring Liam Neeson or Sir Walter Scott's novel. It is a cracking film, even if historically inaccurate, particularly in the depiction of the government troops' uniforms. In fairness, details of Rob Roy's life are a mix of fact and legend, and according to one historian, the film portrays Rob Roy "in the most sympathetic light possible". Tranter takes a slightly less romantic view of Rob Roy and doesn't shy away from his outlaw status and blackmailing of cattle owners around the Highland Line. 

This part of the MacGregor story is closely linked to the Jacobite risings. Rob Roy took part in the 1689, 1715 and 1719 risings. His role in the Battle of Sheriffmuir is contested, and Tranter supports the theory that he arrived late. Tranter probably exaggerates Rob Roy's broader role in coordinating the clans during the 1715 and 1719 risings, but it helps with the storyline. 

The final book in the trilogy, Gold for Prince Charlie, starts just after the Battle of Culloden, and our hero is Duncan MacGregor, great-nephew of Rob Roy. It covers the escape of the Prince from Scotland and the gold sent to support the rising that arrived too late. The gold was from Spain rather than France (although sent in French ships), but otherwise, Tranter sticks to what little we know about where it went and how it disappeared. Duncan is inserted into the story, and he attempts to save it from grasping clan chiefs.

Rob Roy is a classic legend of Scottish history, and Tranter does the story justice. Well worth a read.

Some of my 1745 figures on the tabletop.

Warwick military heritage

 I was in Warwick last Saturday afternoon, not for the castle, which I have visited before, but to visit the three regimental museums. Yes, that's right, a small Midlands town has three regimental museums. 

The first stop was the Museum of the Queen's Royal Hussars. Based in a former drill hall, it tells the story of the British Army's light cavalry regiment, amalgamated from many famous regiments over the years. There is nothing light about the current regiment, which utilises the Challenger 2 and will be the first to receive the Challenger 3. The regiment served in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq.

The 3rd and 4th Hussars were created in 1685, and the 7th Hussars in 1690. The 8th Irish Hussars in 1693. One or more of the regiments served in just about every significant conflict the British Army was involved in since. This is reflected in the museum displays on two floors, with an annexe that holds the Parker Collection.

This is one for wargamers moaning about the effectiveness of mounted skirmishing. The Padget carbine was effective at only 25 paces!

An early version of Wofun miniatures!

Next stop was the Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum in the town centre. The regiment was created in 1794 and disbanded in 1956.

They have a room dedicated to the last unsupported cavalry charge of the British Army at Huj in Palestine in 1917.

Finally, the Fusilier Museum, which covers the history of the Warwickshire Regiment, now part of today's Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. This is the oldest regiment in the county, formed in 1674.

This drum was lost at Prestonpans and turned up in a Highland cottage.

The regiment can boast three of the most influential British commanders of World War II - Montgomery, Slim, and Nye.

Having three regimental museums in one town is quite unusual. And we should remember they are all run by volunteers. The ones I met were very welcoming and knowledgeable, adding a lot to the visit. A highly recommended way to spend the afternoon in an attractive town. Frankly, much better than the overpriced castle.