Interested in AngloIndian battles esp. AngloSikh wars

[Amarpal Sidhu]

Hello all,

Glad to have found this forum. I've always been interested in military history of all kinds. Been recently researching and have published a new book on the first AngloSikh war which includes a battlefield guide. Now looking at the Second AngloSikh War and the other AngloIndian battles and battlefields in India. Look forward to visiting often and conversing with likeminded people here!!!

[SWB]

Welcome!

Can you give the details of your new book please?

I am particularily interested in the 24th Foot - have you visited Chilianwalla or Jhelum (1857) at all?

Regards
Meurig

[Jonathan]

Hello, Amarpal, and welcome to the forum! I just added your book to my Amazon wish list and look forward to purchasing it soon. I am sure you will enjoy your time here on the forum and find an eager audience for your book.

All the best,
Jonathan

PS--Amarpal posted a link to his website in the reference section which provides info on his book (viewtopic.php?f=22&p=15875#p15875).

[Amarpal Sidhu]

Hey Meurig /Jonathan,

Thanks for the interest guys. I'm afraid I haven't visited the 2nd AngloSikh wars yet as they lie in Pakistan. I went to Lahore a couple of years ago but never ventured further west although I'm scheduling in a visit early next year hopefully so I can take some pics and do some research hopefully in the archives in Lahore.
Chillianwalla is a "kill two birds with one stone " job actually as its pretty much on the same site where Alexander fought Porus the ruler of the Punjab when he crossed over into India. very interesting.

I'll upload pictures of the battlefields of Mudki,Ferozeshah,Aliwal,Bhudowal and Sabraon


Amarpal

[Liz]

Hi Amarpal

I've just added your book to my wishlist - I've been looking for a decent book on the battlefields of the 1st AngloSikh war for some time.

I've reserved a spot for it besides Johnny Torrens-Spence's book Historic Battlefields of Pakistan, which covers among other things the 1843 conquest of Sindh (Meannee and Duppa), the 2nd AngloSikh War (Kineyree, Multan, Ramuggar, Chillianwalla, Gujrat) and some later campaigns (Ambeyla, Nilt and Thol, Chitral, Malakand and Chakdara).

Although Torrens-Spence does include some basic descriptions of what the battlefields look like today and directions on how to get to them, he doesn't include GPS references or cover some of the peripheral sites like you have - a very nice touch and one that makes your book stand out.

Looking forward to seeing your photos soon,

Liz

[Amarpal Sidhu]

Hi Liz,
Thanks for your interest. I have the Johny Torrence-Spence book as well. Its a good one. I just thought with the advent of GPS and Google Earth etc- people like to do a lot of research online themselves so lets put in as much detail as possible and why not give the GPS's. Certainly I'm on Google Earth all the time and its great for battlefields and really getting your bearings , working out where the main roads and smaller roads are, rivers and canals etc nothing like it . Ive also had new maps made showing new roads etc on top of the army positions so its a bit easier for visitors to work out where they are if they visit these places.

You might like the early visitors to the battlefield section as well - it details first hand accounts of visitors sometimes just a few hours or days after the battle and their descriptions of the sites (mostly with bodies still littering the places). I always found these descriptions very poignant but highly informative and they give a totally different view of the fighting.

[Liz]

You had me with the mention of GPS references and Google Earth

[Amarpal Sidhu]

In fact might be an idea at some point to start a GPS locations section which users can add to - so geeks like us can zoom down to Borodino or Rorkes Drift or Isandlwana etc etc and check out the area.

[Mark]

Good to see you back on the forum, Amarpal!

Mark

[Will Mathieson]

Just read this post yesterday and then decided to order the book "The First AngloSikh War". I'm gaining interest in the swords they used and the history behind them. I recently bought "From Kashmir to Kabul" book, great photographic history with written historical descriptions.

[Will Mathieson]

Just received the book this morning, read the preface and looked at all the photos, now I can't put it down
I had other plans that will now have to wait.

[Mark]

Just received the book this morning, read the preface and looked at all the photos, now I can't put it down
I had other plans that will now have to wait.

Sounds great! It is on my list of books to buy in the very near future!

Mark