Rifles: Six Years With Wellington's Legendary Sharpshooters (54 page)

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Mark Urban is the Diplomatic Editor of the BBC’s
Newsnight
and wasformerly defence correspondent for the
Independent
. He has coveredmany wars as a journalist and is the author of
Big Boys’ Rules: The
SAS and the Secret Struggle against the IRA, UK Eyes Alpha: Inside
British Intelligence
and, most recently, the bestselling The Man Who
Broke Napoleon’s Codes
. He lives in London with his wife and threechildren.

Further praise for
Rifles
:

‘A superb study of the unit that effectively created the modern BritishArmy’s infantry tactics.’ Nicholas Fearn,
Independent on Sunday

‘Fans of Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe series have a real treat here. In adeeply researched, beautifully crafted and captivating volume, MarkUrban recounts the story of the 95th Rifles – the elite regiment whoprovided the Duke of Wellington with his crack troops and helped towin the Peninsular War against Napoleon’s marshals … After his previouswork on codebreaking in the Peninsular War, Urban must nowbe accounted one of the leading scholars of the period but the ordinaryreader will find this a riveting slab of derring-do and high adventure.’Frank McLynn,
Daily Express

‘A delight, wise in its judgements and clear-headed in its approach tothe painful field of battle.’ Trevor Royle,
Sunday Herald

‘As though Mark Urban, the diplomatic editor of BBC2’s
Newsnight
,did not have enough to do in his day job, he is fast carving out a secondcareer for himself as a first-class military historian of the Napoleonicwars. His recent biography [
The Man Who Broke Napoleon’s Codes
]was critically acclaimed, and now he has followed it up with a historyof the 95th Rifle Regiment that is as dashing and unconventional as thelegendary unit itself.’ Andrew Roberts,
Literary Review

‘A colourful history of that daredevil corps, the Royal Greenjackets …A must for Sharpe fans.’ John Crossland,
Sunday Times

‘Urban’s book is war unplugged – vicious, immediate, chaotic and raw.Well known as a
Newsnight
reporter, he brings to his subject the journalist’ssense of drama. But the book is not just a lurid story; he hasspent the requisite time in the archives, among neglected diaries andcorrespondence. The evidence he has collected enables him to tell thestory of the 95th through six soldiers: two officers and four lowly privates.This gives the battles a humanity usually lacking in studies ofwar.’ Gerard DeGroot,
Scotland on Sunday

‘Should be read by everyone who has an interest in soldiering and warfare.’Gary Sheffield,
Living History

‘[
The Man Who Broke Napoleon’s Codes
] was very good. This is evenbetter. How he finds the time, with his broadcasting commitments, toresearch and write quality history in under two years is a mystery.Somehow he does – and it won’t only be Sharpe fans who are gratefulfor this brilliant warts-and-all depiction of Wellington’s famous riflemen.’Saul David,
Daily Telegraph