1885 Third Burmese War

[love4history]

Hello gentlemen

Prior to buying an India General Service medal with clasp Burma 1885-1887 I would like to get acquainted with the campaign a bit more.
So looking for a book on the subject that includes information on the roles of the different units involved.
Thanks for any pointers
Cheers from Flanders
l4h

[Mark]

Although I have not read it myself I know of "The Defeat of Madalay: The Third Anglo-Burmese War of 1885" by T. R. Blackburn. However, I am not sure if it is still in print (and it is only a small book) although it was published just a couple of years ago.

The Third Anglo-Burma War is one of those often neglected conflicts that have attracted little attention from authors. You might want to include in your search histories of the British in India during the Victorian period to see if any include information on it.

Mark

[Maureene]

The FIBIS Fibiwiki has a page "3rd Burma War", including links to some online historical books.
http://wiki.fibis.org/index.php?title=3rd_Burma_War

Cheers
Maureen

[Philip Wilson]

There is a useful chapter on Burma 1885-87 in Volume 11 of A Dangerous Game - British Colonial Warfare on the Indian Sub-Continent 1854-1892, by PARRITT and WAIBEL. Some 36 pages in all, showing compostion of forces initially deployed for capture of Mandalay and the Dacoit War; including the additional forces disembarking at Rangoon in Sept/Oct 1886. Includes some biographical details for key participants. The book is well illustrated with some useful maps.

[love4history]

Thank you everybody for the help. I'm checking out the mentioned sources.
(Got me sidetracked reading up on the 2nd Burmese war as well.)
Kind regards
l4h

[Mark]

I don't have my copy to hand but does the Colonial Wars Source Book have any decent information on the Burmese wars?

Mark

[love4history]

Not really. It's all very general. As is to be expected given the scope of the book

[bill wright]

Far and away the two best accounts in english of the 3rd Burmese War are: THE PAGODA WAR by A.T.Q.Stewart pub
by Faber in 1972 and LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL AND THE DANCING PEACOCK by the Burmese historian M.H.Aung,
pub by Manohar (Delhi) in 1990. Terence Blackburn`s book, referred to by another contributor, is actually a
compilation of news snippets from contemporary Indian newspapers. For a clear, concise account I am sure a local
library can find you Stewart`s book or you can acquire it cheaply 2ndhand on the web.