Secret Army: An elite force, a secret mission, a fleet of Model-T Fords (book)
Secret Army: An elite force, a secret mission, a fleet of Model-T Fords, a far flung corner of WWI
Barry Stone
Allen & Unwin, 2017. Paperback, 228 pages. Excellent condition
It was arguably the greatest fighting force in the entirety of the Great War. They were the very best: hardened, fearless, decorated, cocky fighting men, all veterans of Gallipoli and the Western Front. Yet this elite force secretly assembled in London in late 1917 remains an enigma even today.
Barry Stone tells the story of these Australian, British, New Zealand, Canadian and South African men who were sent to the ethnic powder keg of the Caucasus to preserve British interests. They matched wits with German spies and assassins. They fought the Turks. They dined with sheiks, outraged local mullahs, forged unlikely alliances with Russian Cossacks, helped Armenians flee genocide, and saved the lives of thousands of starving Persians.
This book is a rarity: a story set against the backdrop of war, filled not with bloodshed but with acts of kindness and selflessness; a triumph of the human spirit.
Is there an algae issue where you are?
Once touted as an anglers paradise, and a top water-sport playground on the Waikato River, Mangakino is in danger of becoming a ghost town as toxic algal blooms slowly suck the life out of its main attraction - Lake Maraetai.
Locals say cyanobacterial algal blooms in the river’s hydro lakes have become more frequent over the past five years, and when they arrive no-one can swim or fish in them.
Is there an algae issue where you are? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
Tamahere home in dentist case was once centre of accountant’s fraud
It’s been a feature in a recent Hamilton District Court trial , but a Tamahere mansion already has an complicated history.
The property in Woodcock Rd - notable for having a hydroslide in the back yard - the scene of now-disproved alleged sexual offending by Hamilton dentist Rahul Gautam - made headlines more than 15 years ago, when it was a focus in the case of accountant Gary Soffe.
Learn to Play Bridge
Bridge is a card game that challenges the mind and keeps the brain sharp. Waikato Bridge Club (Brookfield Street, Hamilton East) has lessons coming up, with an evening class starting Thursday 5 March at 7.15pm, and a day class starting Wednesday 11 March at 1.15pm. Both times provide a relaxed, friendly atmosphere to encourage learning.
For more information, contact Shirley Bennett on 0210426930 or email a-s.bennett@xtra.co.nz.
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