George Morton-Jack

George Morton-Jack

George Morton Jack studied history at Oxford University and wrote his first book on the First World War, The Indian Army on the Western Front, for Cambridge University Press. It was shortlisted for The Society for Army Historical Research’s ‘Templer Medal Book Prize.’ His second book, The Indian Empire at War, was the first global history of India in the Great War. It was published by Little, Brown in the UK and Basic Books in the US to exceptional reviews. He currently lives in London.

Books

The Indian Empire at War: From Jihad to Victory, The Untold Story of the Indian Army in the First World War

Rights

Little, Brown/ Hachette UK[UKCexC],
Basic Books/Hachette US[North American]

Endorsements

Beautifully written... essential to a proper understanding of the war and of our world of today. A much needed book
Michael Morpurgo
Extraordinarily original
Max Hastings
Important and moving
Dan Snow
Unlikely to be surpassed
Srinath Raghavan
Eloquent and impressive
David Gilmour
A tour de force
Peter Hart
A highly original account of the First World War
Sir Hew Strachan
Fills a gap that should have been dealt with long ago
Sir Michael Howard
Written with brilliant verve, The Indian Empire at War fits the Indian experience superbly into the overall Great War narrative
Andrew Roberts
The Indian Empire at War is full of colour and interest and is strongly to be recommended
David Stevenson
A lively history of the Indian Army in all its tragedies, difficulties and occasional triumphs… Morton-Jack reveals the touching humanity of the Indian soldier
Ian Jack
Outstanding
Eugene Rogan

Synopsis

**Published in North America as Army of Empire: The Untold Story of the Indian Army in World War I**

A brilliantly original history of the First World War, re-tracing the footsteps of the Indian Army's 1.5 million men who in 1914-18 served about the globe from Europe to Africa, Asia and the Indian Ocean.

While the First World War has been best known for trenches, Tommies and war horses on the western front, and more widely for the Australians at Gallipoli or Lawrence of Arabia, the astonishing story of Britain's Asian great connection of 1914-18 has been neglected: the 1.5 million men of the Indian Army. Extraordinarily, this book is the first single narrative of their remarkably global war as Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs of Britain's Indian Empire, fighting for the Allies against the Central Powers in the mud of Flanders, the steaming jungles of Africa and the baking deserts of the Islamic world.

The Indian Empire at War is a re-telling of the First World War like never before, finding the Indian Army's true place at the heart of its global events - from 1914's German invasion of France and the Sultan of Turkey's jihad summoning all Muslims to holy war on the British, to 1918's Allied victory over the Germans and the Turks in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Using previously unpublished veteran interviews, George Morton-Jack re-traces the Indian soldiers' footsteps across the continents, revealing their dangerous missions as secret agents, their eye-opening discoveries of foreign cultures and their heart-breaking ordeals as prisoners of war - as well as exploring how they came home with fresh hopes for their families and their country, playing their part in the story of Indian Independence.