Alan Ogden is currently the archivist of the Grenadier Guards and a lecturer for Martin Randall Travel. His work has focused on the S.O.E in Burma and has been received to critical acclaim.

This is a splendid biography of a quite extraordinary soldier and diplomat whoseastonishing bravery in both world wars led to two VCs and not a few wounds.Readers will need to remind themselves that this is not a work of fiction!

• List of illustrations Acknowledgements MapsIntroduction Part I Early life 1880–19131 Who was Adrian Carton de Wiart? 2 Peacetime soldiering and marriage 3 A-hunting we will go Part II Somaliland 19144 To war with the Mad Mullah Part III The First World War 1915–185 In Flanders fields 6 A lucky and not so lucky brigadier Part IV Poland 1919–237 A tall order: The Polish brief 8 A finger on the Polish pulse 9 Game, set and match to Pilsudski Part V Polesie 1923–3910 The missing years: Self-exile to the Pripet marshes Part VI Poland 193911 Prelude to the Second World War: Blitzkreig in Poland Part VII Norway 194012 A gallant fiascoPart VIII Italy 1941–313 A reluctant guest of Mussolini Part IX China 1943–614 A dragon’s pool and a tiger’s den: The China brief 15 1944: The year of the monkey 16 Special operations and ‘secret society men’ 17 The Generalissimo wins the war but loses the peace Part X Retirement18 A contented old age NotesBibliography and Other SourcesIndex

Alan Ogden is currently the archivist of the Grenadier Guards and a lecturer for Martin Randall Travel. His work has focused on the S.O.E in Burma and has been received to critical acclaim.

This is a splendid biography of a quite extraordinary soldier and diplomat whoseastonishing bravery in both world wars led to two VCs and not a few wounds.Readers will need to remind themselves that this is not a work of fiction!

• List of illustrations Acknowledgements MapsIntroduction Part I Early life 1880–19131 Who was Adrian Carton de Wiart? 2 Peacetime soldiering and marriage 3 A-hunting we will go Part II Somaliland 19144 To war with the Mad Mullah Part III The First World War 1915–185 In Flanders fields 6 A lucky and not so lucky brigadier Part IV Poland 1919–237 A tall order: The Polish brief 8 A finger on the Polish pulse 9 Game, set and match to Pilsudski Part V Polesie 1923–3910 The missing years: Self-exile to the Pripet marshes Part VI Poland 193911 Prelude to the Second World War: Blitzkreig in Poland Part VII Norway 194012 A gallant fiascoPart VIII Italy 1941–313 A reluctant guest of Mussolini Part IX China 1943–614 A dragon’s pool and a tiger’s den: The China brief 15 1944: The year of the monkey 16 Special operations and ‘secret society men’ 17 The Generalissimo wins the war but loses the peace Part X Retirement18 A contented old age NotesBibliography and Other SourcesIndex

Alan Ogden is currently the archivist of the Grenadier Guards and a lecturer for Martin Randall Travel. His work has focused on the S.O.E in Burma and has been received to critical acclaim.

This is a splendid biography of a quite extraordinary soldier and diplomat whoseastonishing bravery in both world wars led to two VCs and not a few wounds.Readers will need to remind themselves that this is not a work of fiction!

• List of illustrations Acknowledgements MapsIntroduction Part I Early life 1880–19131 Who was Adrian Carton de Wiart? 2 Peacetime soldiering and marriage 3 A-hunting we will go Part II Somaliland 19144 To war with the Mad Mullah Part III The First World War 1915–185 In Flanders fields 6 A lucky and not so lucky brigadier Part IV Poland 1919–237 A tall order: The Polish brief 8 A finger on the Polish pulse 9 Game, set and match to Pilsudski Part V Polesie 1923–3910 The missing years: Self-exile to the Pripet marshes Part VI Poland 193911 Prelude to the Second World War: Blitzkreig in Poland Part VII Norway 194012 A gallant fiascoPart VIII Italy 1941–313 A reluctant guest of Mussolini Part IX China 1943–614 A dragon’s pool and a tiger’s den: The China brief 15 1944: The year of the monkey 16 Special operations and ‘secret society men’ 17 The Generalissimo wins the war but loses the peace Part X Retirement18 A contented old age NotesBibliography and Other SourcesIndex