The Story of the Guides

London: Macmillan, 1909. Later printing. Hardcover. Good/no jacket. Fifth printing (1909) of the 1908 first edition. Much shelf wear to tips, corners, and edges of the book; no jacket; previous owner's bookplate and a relative's name and date. The Corps of Guides was a regiment of the British Army (India) made up of white British officers and Indian lower ranks to serve on the North West Frontier in 1846. The Corps of Guides was part of the Frontier Force brigade and developed a reputation of being an elite unit. They were the first unit in the Indian or British Armies to dress in "khaki" uniform, first introduced in 1848. Typically, the Guides were often used in small detachments, usually supported by other Frontier Force troops. Celebrated in literature by Kipling ( "The Ballad of East and West" ) and M.M. Kaye ( The Far Pavilions ) their exploits won them the name Queen's Own Corps of Guides. Their descendant unit is a part of the army of Pakistan. "Younghusband was commissioned into the 17th Foot in 1878. He later transferred to the British Indian Army's Guides Cavalry and served in several conflicts, including the Second Afghan War, the Mahdist War, the Third Burmese War, the Second Boer War and finally in the First World War. Due to wounds received on the battlefield, he was forced to retire from the army in 1917. In his later life he became a noted author of several books, and the Keeper of the Jewel House at the Tower of London, until his death on 30 September 1944, at Crickhowell in Wales."--Wikipedia. Every effort is made to ship all books and other items within 24 hours. Clean recycled packing material will be used when possible. The Book Shed has a been a member of the Vermont Antiquarian Bookseller's Association since 1997. An online bookseller with a bookshop sensibility!