An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir July/August 2015 www.dfmagazine.ie 40 | author: Lt Gen Sir Barney White-Spunner Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd (March 2015) ISBn: 978-1471102912 Price: €34.50 Pages: 496 H/B Rarely has a history of the ordinary soldiers and officers who served during the Battle of Waterloo been written, and this author, a retired British officer with his own direct experience of the world's more modern battles, has compiled a stirring account of their experiences. Using excerpts from extensive primary sources, including poignant letters home from all ranks of soldier and various contemporary accounts, along with the numerous books written about the battle from both sides, he has succeeded in bringing the human side of events to the fore. For those looking for all the military details of the build-up and the battle itself, they will not be disappointed either, as the author has created a clear picture of events as they happened, from Quartre Bras through such 'battles within battles' as those that took place at Hougoumont and La Haie Sainte, for example. Every little engagement is detailed and its significance in the overall ebb-and-flow is highlighted, leading to the reader being sucked in to the dramatic narrative before being enlightened as to the big picture at that point of the battle. It makes for breathtaking reading at points, while sometimes the extraordinary level of detail can lead the reader to have to re-read sections to be sure that they are 'up-to-speed' on which corps, brigade, battalion etc. was where. In fairness, this is to be expected considering that up to 200,000 men were fighting in an area only 2 miles wide by 1 mile deep. The quotes from the original letters and accounts adds the extra colour, emotion and humour needed to elevate this history of the Battle of Waterloo above other, drier accounts, making it a fantastic read for a wide audience. hb of Living vaLour THE STORy OF THE SOLDIERS OF WATERLOO WIth the duBlIn BrIgade ESPIONAGE AND ASSASSINATION WITH MICHAEL COLLINS' INTELLIGENCE UNIT author: Charles Dalton Publisher: Mercier Press (September 1, 2014) www. mercierpress.ie ISBn: 978-1781172247 Price: €13.59 Pages: 256 H/B With the Dublin Brigade was originally published in 1929 as a result of Dalton's writing of part of his life story following 'the urgent request of one or two of my friends', to do so. In this reissue, Dalton's 1929 version appears alongside a foreword prepared by historian, Liz Gillis and the full text of the witness statement dictated by Dalton in 1950, which was lodged in the Bureau of Military History Collection (Military Archives). With the Dublin Brigade is confined to Dalton's personal story and situation as a member of 'F' Company, 2 Battalion, Dublin Brigade and as a member of Michael Collins' intelligence squad. The select memoir documents Dalton's early motivation to join the Irish Volunteers, his admittance into the Irish Volunteers and position as a member of the Intelligence Staff, General Headquarters. Dalton wrote this part of his story before the close of the 1920s and as a result, his commentary appears natural and his experience, genuine; furthermore, his fondness for including dialogue (he frequently recounts conversations with Rosie who provided him with intelligence ahead of the Bloody Sunday killings, Liam Tobin, Dick McKee and a friendly detective named McNamara), enhances the readability of Dalton's account and brings his character across to the reader. The book has benefited from a 'light touch' in regards to editing and referencing so it is an easy read. The presentation of the hardcopy book is attractive and available in hardback and in a perhaps uncommon, A2 size (it is also available as a Kindle edition). Aside from the 'gift book' presentation, the positive outcome of any reissue is in the availability of such material, which up until now have only been available in select libraries or at considerable cost if purchased through specialist/ rare bookshops. Considering the fast pace of new publications covering the same period that are due to be released over the coming decade of commemorations, there will always be room for a contemporaneous personal story and With the Dublin Brigade deserves its place in general bookstores. LD

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