Black and Tans by Richard Bennett

[roughdiamond]

Thankfully I got this book from the Library, not because it was a fantastic read, the opposite in fact, I'm just glad it didn't cost me anything as other than bare facts and figures it told the reader nothing.

No personal accounts, no histories of individuals, no indepth analysis of recruitment, tactics or organisation, nothing at all! At best this book covers the period the "Black and Tans" operated in Ireland and very poorly at that.

The book covers 228 pages which I thought when I took it out was suprisingly rather thin, after wasting time reading it, my only surprise is that it managed to pad out to 228 pages. To paraphrase a TV ad, "it doesn't do what it says on the jacket".

Sam

[mtaylor]

One of the problems is that this book was originally published in 1959 (revised edition 1976 - though I don't know extent of revision)and it is terribly dated and lacking any reference of course to the records which are now available at TNA. Try the recent 'Tudor's Toughs' if your interest extends to the Auxilliaries.

[mtaylor]

There's also a new Oxford University Press Title - The Black and Tans: British Police and Auxiliaries in the Irish War of Independence, 1920-1921 by D. M. Leeson due out in August at a mere £30 but likely to be up to date.

[charlesmessenger]

Mike

Thanks for that. The blurb on Amazon looks promising.

Charles M