Tab Article

Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Genre: History, Military History, British History, Social History, Non-Fiction.

Book Review:
John Laffin's ''Tommy Atkins: The Story of the English Soldier'' is a classic and compelling tribute to the ordinary men who have fought for England over the centuries. This book shifts the focus away from the famous generals and politicians to tell the story of the common soldier, the ''Tommy,'' whose courage, resilience, and humor have been the backbone of the British army.

Laffin, a military historian and a veteran himself, brings a deep understanding and respect to his subject. He traces the evolution of the English soldier from the battlefields of the 18th century, through the Napoleonic Wars, the expansion of the Empire in India and Africa, to the horrific trenches of the First World War and the global conflict of the Second.

The book is rich with detail about the soldier's daily life: his recruitment, training, equipment, food, and pay. But it also captures the spirit of the Tommy—his characteristic humor, his stoicism in the face of hardship, his deep camaraderie with his fellow soldiers, and his uncomplaining courage in battle. Laffin draws on letters, diaries, and memoirs to let the soldiers speak for themselves, giving a vivid and authentic voice to their experiences.

''Tommy Atkins'' is not just a history of battles; it is a social history of a unique class of men. It is a fitting tribute to those who marched with the ''Great Duke'' to the Danube, who kept their ''six-rounds-to-the-minute'' at Mons, and who died in the mud at Passchendaele and the jungles of Burma. For anyone interested in military history or the human stories behind the great conflicts, this book is an essential and moving read.