Mad Mitch's Tribal Law: Aden and the End of Empire

(Paperback)

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Aden 1967- a shocking account of Britain's forgotten war on terror, and a remarkable story of leadership and courage. Aden, 20 June 1967- two army Land Rovers burn ferociously in the midday sun. The bodies of British soldiers litter the road. Thick black smoke bellows above Crater town, home to insurgents who are fighting the British-backed Federation government. Crater had come to symbolise Arab nationalist defiance in the face of the world's most powerful empire. Hovering 2,000 ft. above the smouldering destruction, a tiny Scout helicopter surveys the scene. Its passenger is the recently arrived Commanding Officer of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Lieutenant-Colonel Colin Mitchell. Soon the world's media would christen him 'Mad Mitch', in recognition of his controversial reoccupation of Crater two weeks later. Mad Mitch was truly a man out of his time. Supremely self-confident and debonair, he was an empire builder, not dismantler, and railed against the national malaise he felt had gripped Britain's political establishment. Drawing on a wide array of never-before-seen archival sources and eyewitness testimonies, Mad Mitch's Tribal Law tells the remarkable story of inspiring leadership, loyalty and betrayal in the final days of British Empire. It is, above all, a shocking account of Britain's forgotten war on terror.

Reviews

A book for anyone interested in the history of imperialism, of Scotland and of a regiment engaged in its own war on terror. * Scotsman *
A vivid, balanced portrayal of the rise and fall of British imperialism in a fascinating part of the world -- Ian Cobain * Guardian *
The research effort to create this book is stupendous...a fascinating book on several levels. -- Malachi O'Doherty * Irish Times *
An excellent account, with many avenues previously neglected given the attention they deserve -- Colonel (Ret'd) David Benest OBE * Royal United Service Institute (RUSI) Journal *
This is a book with a bit of everything narrative and analysis, pace and detail, villainous politicians and heroic fighters... Strongly recommended -- James Spencer * British Yemeni Society Journal *

Author Bio

Aaron Edwards is a senior lecturer in defence and international affairs at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, specialising in terrorism and counter-insurgency. He is the author and editor of several books, including Defending the Realm- The Politics of Britain's Small Wars Since 1945, and has lectured all over the world on aspects of national and international security. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.