To the long list of War books Sir George Arthur
has just added a finely-produced and highly interesting volume, completing The Story of the Household Cavalry (Heinemann, 35s.) up to the Armistice. All who served in France in the early days of the War saw the Life Guards and the Blues at many a critical moment. It is good to have detailed accounts of the actions in which they took part with the notes from diaries- and the personal details that the ordinary war- historian must perforce omit Thus we get, for instance, particulars of the decisive attack of the Household Cavalry, dismounted, at Klein Zillebeke on November 6th, 1914, under the command of General ICaVanagli, which restored the broken Allied line. Gordon Wilion and Hugh Dawnay, and many another brave man were killed on that day, but the situation was saved. Sir George Arthur has many other stirring episodes to recall in the later- phases of the War, especially at Loos, at the Somme, at Cambrai, and in the final advance when the Household Cavalry, now transformed into machine-gunners, covered itself with new glory. A long extract from the diary of an officer at the second- battle of Ypres deserves special mention as a picture of modern
war as it really is. * * * *
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