In the summer of 1870, a seventeen-year-old crofter's son turned his back on his apprenticeship with the Royal Clan and Tartan Warehouse in Inverness and signed up as a private in Queen Victoria's army. He joined the Gordons - the 92nd Highlanders - whose reputation was second to none as the fearsome cutting-edge of the British Army. Posted to India, Afghanistan, South Africa and the Sudan, he became a formidable soldier, rising up through the ranks to become the glorified and much-decorated Major-General Sir Hector Macdonald or, more commonly,'Fighting Mac', the true hero of Omdurman. Then, in 1903, at the peak of his remarkable career, he was accused of homosexuality. Ordered to face court martial and unable to bear the disgrace, he ended his life. From this true story, with a poet's insight and precision, Iain Crichton Smith has crafted an exquisite novel: a tale of honour and elitism, equivocation and hierocracy, victory and despair.

Smith, Iain Crichton , 1928-1998

Macmillan Publishers Limited

Pan Macmillan; Macmillan

Macmillan Education UK

Campbell Books Ltd

Macmillan London

United Kingdom and Ireland, United Kingdom

First edition., US, 1992

April 10, 1992

London, 1992

Iain Crichton Smith writes like a poet, with strong natural rhythm and precise observation The Times In the summer of 1870, a seventeen-year-old crofters son turned his back on his apprenticeship with the Royal Clan and Tartan Warehouse in Inverness and signed up as a private in Queen Victorias army. He joined the Gordons the 92nd Highlanders whose reputation was second to none as the fearsome cutting-edge of the British Army. Posted to India, Afghanistan, South Africa and the Sudan, he became a formidable soldier, rising up through the ranks to become the glorified and much-decorated Major-General Sir Hector Macdonald or, more commonly, Fighting Mac, the true hero of Omdurman. Then, in 1903, at the peak of his remarkable career, he was accused of homosexuality. Ordered to face court martial and unable to bear the disgrace, he ended his life. From this true story, with a poets insight and precision, Iain Crichton Smith has crafted an exquisite a tale of honour and elitism, equivocation and hierocracy, victory and despair.

In 1870, a crofter's son signed up as a private in Queen Victoria's army. He joined the Gordons and became a much decorated Major General. But in 1903 he was accused of homosexuality. Ordered to face court-martial and unable to bear the disgrace, he ended his life. This is a true story.

135p

2024-07-01