Back
C
880 days ago

Secret Army: An elite force, a secret mission, a fleet of Model-T Fords (book)

Cordwainer from Melville

Secret Army: An elite force, a secret mission, a fleet of Model-T Fords, a far flung corner of WWI

Barry Stone

Allen & Unwin, 2017. Paperback, 228 pages. Excellent condition

It was arguably the greatest fighting force in the entirety of the Great War. They were the very best: hardened, fearless, decorated, cocky fighting men, all veterans of Gallipoli and the Western Front. Yet this elite force secretly assembled in London in late 1917 remains an enigma even today.

Barry Stone tells the story of these Australian, British, New Zealand, Canadian and South African men who were sent to the ethnic powder keg of the Caucasus to preserve British interests. They matched wits with German spies and assassins. They fought the Turks. They dined with sheiks, outraged local mullahs, forged unlikely alliances with Russian Cossacks, helped Armenians flee genocide, and saved the lives of thousands of starving Persians.

This book is a rarity: a story set against the backdrop of war, filled not with bloodshed but with acts of kindness and selflessness; a triumph of the human spirit.

Price: $10

Image
More messages from your neighbours
9 hours ago

What's your favourite tomato recipe?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.

Image
1 day ago

Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

From what we've heard, some Christmas trees are already being assembled and decorated.

What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?

Image
When should the tree go up? 🎄
  • 5% Second half of November
    5% Complete
  • 44.1% 1st December
    44.1% Complete
  • 17% A week before Christmas
    17% Complete
  • 32.5% Whenever you wish
    32.5% Complete
  • 1.4% Other - I'll share below
    1.4% Complete
1106 votes
8 hours ago

Poll: Do you go to live music gigs?

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

It’s “tough” running dive bars and speakeasies but a growing association is shaking up the New Zealand independent music scene.

These are the places where rising stars cut their teeth, members say, but they’re challenged by noise restrictions, alcohol licensing rules and the need to take on multiple tasks outside booking bands.

Do you go to live music gigs? Tell us your reasons in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).

Image
Do you go to live music gigs?
  • 0% Yes, whenever I can
    0% Complete
  • 25% Sometimes
    25% Complete
  • 75% No
    75% Complete
4 votes