Napoleon and his British Captives

[anteros_lmc]

Lewis, M., (1962), Napoleon and his British Captives, George Allen & Unwin Ltd, London.

Michael Lewis’ Napoleon and his British Captives is the most comprehensive overview I’ve come across of the lives of British prisoners of war in France during the Napoleonic Wars. As one would expect of a late professor of History at the Royal Naval College it

Comments

[eglantine_br]

This book was so moving for me that I had to read it very slowly. I was reading with an eye towards Archie's story, but I found it compelling on its own.

The writing was a little intrusive, but I found that I could see the long ago men very clearly in my mind. It hurts to think of all that long ago misery and bravery. I imagine they would be astonished to know they made this alien from the future weep.

I might be a little in love with Jaleel Brenton.

[anteros_lmc]

I was reading with an eye towards Archie's story, but I found it compelling on its own.
Yes I know exactly what you mean. I started reading these books for "research" but I've become so caught with these men's extraordinary stories that I've read everything I can get my hands on.

It hurts to think of all that long ago misery and bravery.
It does. But it's good to know these young men have not been forgotten.

I might be a little in love with Jaleel Brenton.
Who wouldn't be?! I'll be posting another little story about him shortly :)

[vespican]

If one looks through history, it is interesting to see how various civilizations regarded prisoners of war. Sometimes they were honored guests, guarded but honored, and at other times they were little more than the vermin they were frequently housed with. Sometimes they were potential sacrificial victims or were regarded with disdain because they had allowed themselves to be captured.
Dave
PS Happy Birthday a bit in advance. I'd better mention it now or I might forget!

[anteros_lmc]

Yes, that's a very interesting point. And I suspect you can probably tell a lot about a country by the way it treats its POWs.

Thank you for the birthday wishes! :)

[eglantine_br]

When I lived in Norfolk Va, back in the early 90's, a group of very old men came to visit the city. They had been German soldiers held as our POW's during WWII.

They had been put to work planting azaleas as part of some sort of Roosevelt driven public works project.

They spoke, in tears, of being well fed, and treated with kindness. They had not expected that. The azaleas are still there too.

[anteros_lmc]

Azaelas and kindness That's a lovely story.

One of the most inspiring churches I have ever visited is the Italian chappel in Orkney which was built inside nissan hut by Italian POWs during WWWII. It was built from scraps accumulated by the POWS and donated by the locals. Some of the POWs returned to renovate the chapel in the 1960s and 19990s. It's truly stunning place.

[nodbear]

This looks as usual fascinating - got to read it more thoroughly later though as rushing guiltily through friend's oage at the moment and trying to catch up just a little !

Also wondering what there is written about English treatment of French and other prisoners - I am only familiar with Jacques Bergeret's letters from Stapleton prison to Pellew. and he is not typical in that he had at least one very determined friend on the outside fighting his corner and sending him food parcels.
the contrasts as Dave says in various situations are often stark - though I think they vary within countries as well as between them and in differerent eras.

Thank you for another thoughtful review as ever :)

[anteros_lmc]

I got a book from the last Marine and Canon catalogue, which is an account written by a French POW who spent several years on the British prison hulks. I haven't read it yet but it'll be interesting to compare how the French were treated as British POWS.

One point that Lewis makes is that French POWs were spared the horrendous forced marches the British POWs suffered as all the British depots were either on or near the coast, whereas the French depots tended to be disused forts hundreds of miles inland on the old eastern border.