Poet Under A Soldier's Hat

Caught in two World Wars pre-Mutiny skirmishes and the Great Sepoy Rebellion the true saga of lives not so pukkha as might be supposed. Hughs back-story exposes child marriage an adulterous a air over many summers in a Himalayan Hill Station illegitimate pregnancies and banishment to England. More a poet than a soldier Hugh a British O@ cer of the Raj serves with the 3rd Queen Alexandras Own Gurkha Ri es in the Kyber Pass bordering the Northwest Frontier Afghanistan. Mountain trekking skiing gentlemens sports bandits tribal warlords missionaries ordinary men and ghosts are not enough. Bored Hugh seconds to the Political and Foreign Service in Arabia Persia and Waziristan until disgraced he is invited to return to his regiment. A naked Colonels dictum conformity kills guides Hughs adventurous life. Partition frees both India and Hugh.