With the SAS and Other Animals: A Vet s Experiences During the Dhofar War 1974 - Couverture souple

Higgins, Andrew

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 1473843626 ISBN 13 : 9781473843622

Editeur : Pen & Sword Military, 2015

Synopsis

In 1970 at the height of the Cold War, the young Sandhurst-trained Sultan Qaboos of Oman, with secret British military backing, took on communist insurgents in a fierce but little known war. Along with regular British Army and ‘contract’ officers, the Special Air Service played a key role in this bitterly fought but ultimately successful campaign.<br />The value of winning the ‘Hearts and Minds’ of the local population was quickly recognised and this is where a select band of Royal Army Veterinary Corps officers came in. The local economy was a primitive one based on agriculture, and the author, freshly qualified and, by his own admission, somewhat naive, found himself solely responsible for the veterinary care of a territory the size of Hungary.<br />Attached to A Squadron, 22 SAS, Andrew Higgins learned how to respond to the Jebali people’s love and concern for the animals that provided their livelihood — goats, camels, sheep and most importantly their cattle. Then there were the Sultan’s horses, pedigree dogs, exotic birds and even bears and hyenas.<br />His first-hand experiences and anecdotes of life dealing with every level of Omani society, from the Ruler and his Court to the humblest refugees and their varied livestock make for wonderfully atmospheric and amusing reading. It also provides a thoughtful insight into the value of ‘hearts and minds’ campaigns in other military operations where the support of the civilian population is crucial to success.<br />With the SAS and Other Animals is an unusual and potent mix of Special Forces action and veterinary experiences. Readers may well conclude that it really shouldn’t have happened to a vet even in a desert war!

A propos du livre

À propos de l'auteur

Dr Andrew Higgins is a graduate of the Royal Veterinary College (University of London) with a PhD and MSc (Edinburgh). His exceptional professional credentials include fellowships of the Biological and Zoological Societies, Editor-in-Chief of The Veterinary Journal. He is involved in many animal charities. He lives near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Pen & Sword Military
• Date d'édition: 2015
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 1473843626
• ISBN 13: 9781473843622
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 224
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible