"Stalky's Forlorn Hope: The Story of Dunsterforce and its Commander"

We welcome Nick Higham for his first visit to the Essex Branch, with a story of a little-known aspect of the First World War and Britain’s involvement in the Caucasus.

In January 1918, a tiny "hush-hush" force set out from Baghdad across Persia, hoping to shore up resistance to the Turks in the Caucasus following the Russian Revolution and the collapse of the Tsarist armies. In the oil-rich city of Baku on the Caspian Sea, it fought a desperate battle against overwhelming odds. Its commander, Lionel Dunsterville, was famous: he had been at school with Rudyard Kipling and was the model for Kipling's schoolboy anti-hero Stalky. The talk combines a biography of this colourful character with an account of a desperate (and ultimately unsuccessful) mission.

This meeting is at The Poppy Lounge of the Royal British Legion, 205 High Street, Hornchurch, RM11 3XT, starting at 8pm. We have access to the RBL bar during our meetings.

Members and non-members of The Western Front Association are equally welcome. Any new visitors are guaranteed a friendly atmosphere and a warm welcome from a group of like-minded enthusiasts