The edge of the sword

by Anthony Farrar-Hockley and Anthony Farrar-Hockly

Book Overview

This book is not an attempt at a personal hero-story, and it is certainly not a piece of political propaganda. It is, above all, an amazing story of human fortitude and high adventure during the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0000CIV9G
• Release Date: January 1954
• Publisher: Frederick Muller Ltd
• Length: 275 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Powerful tale of combat, capture, evasion, resistance and escape

General Sir Anthony Farrar-Hockley shares his personal experiences from the Korean War in "The Edge of the Sword". The result is a powerful book recounting battlefield heroism and the highest standards of conduct during his 30 months of captivity. This incredible book begins with then Captain Farrar-Hockley, the Battalion Adjutant, in position on the hills overlooking the Imjin River in April 1951. After four human waves of Chinese soldiers attempting to overrun their positions, the British broke contact and attempted to rejoin the rapidly retreating allied forces. After days of brutal combat, they were surrounded and surrendered to Chinese forces. General Farrar-Hockley details each of his six escapes from either the Chinese and North Korean forces. Along with these gripping tales, he also shares the emotional stress caused by some of the various torture methods, including the particularly cruel water-boarding. In 1955, President Eisenhower created the Code of the U.S. Fighting Force to serve as an ethical guide for US combatants who fall into enemy hands, as a result of actions of US prisoners held captive during the Korean War. The current code contains seven articles providing a moral compass in the areas of leadership, resistance, escape, and faith in your country. In this book, General Farrar-Hockley's tale exemplifies each of the key articles of the US Code of Conduct taught to all US service-members. This book is a powerful, inspirational story that belongs in the library of every modern day warrior. =============== After reading additional books, I have discovered that Anthony Farrar-Hockley is the master of the understatement. The "Glosters" were the premier British unit in the Korean War. The Battle of Imjin river is known as the "Epic Stand of the Glosters" in England. There is no better way to read about the battle, except to hear it from a man who lived through it. J. Rudy, 9/7/2008

A Victory for Human Spirit and Freedom

The other 5-star reviews have it right, this is one terrific story that is difficult to put down once begun. However, this book provides more than an engaging account of a lost battle and the subsequent periods of escape and captivity by the author. The author delves deeply into the psychology of the captor/captive relationship - both in general and the specific dynamics of this war. What I found fascinating is the maniacal desire of the communist Chinese to obtain some measure of legitimacy for their actions, both political and militarily, in signed statements, confessions from their captors, and in the comical re-education classes. It becomes apparent that for these captors and captives at the Pyongyang Political Prison, this period was a test of the legitimacy of their way of life - philosophically, politically, and morally. And while these men lost the military battle for the hills near the Imjun River early in the war, they held the intellectual and moral high ground until the day they returned home. This was their victory.

Eyewitness account of a heroic battle

This account of the fight put up against overwhelming odds by the "Glorious Gloucesters" at the battle of the Imjin River in April 1951, and the subsequent imprisonment as POWs of most of the survivors, deserves to go down as a classic tale of warfare and heroism. The author, Captain (later General Sir) Anthony Farrar Hockley, who was adjutant (e.g. battalion chief of staff) of the first battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment, originally wrote the book in the mid fifties, shortly after his return from captivity. During a major Chinese and North Korean offensive during the Korean war, the 1st battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment held their position on the Imjin river against many times their numbers for three days. There were heavy casualties on both sides - shortly after his capture the author counted more than two hundred Chinese bodies on one slope of one hill after one morning's fighting. After supplies and a relief column failed to get through, the battalion was forced to retreat and most of the survivors were captured while trying to get back to Allied lines. The first seventy pages of the book describe the battle: the remaining 216 describe the author's experiences in captivity, including his attepts at escape. I can't improve on the description of this book in the foreword to the 1955 version which was written by Major General Brodie. "Captain Farrar-Hockley, then Adjutant of the Glosters, who himself was outstanding in the battle and afterwards, has written the most graphic account of a battle and of escaptes from captivity I have ever read. This is a book which ought to be read by every soldier and prospective soldier. Here he may learn what is meant by real discpline and inspiring leadership."

Guts and glory for the Glorious Gloucesters

I must have read this book at least seven times, and also acknowledge the author as a great military historian (22? books), as well as being a knight of the realm. He was a gutsy Adjutant of the Gloucestershire Regiment at the Battle of the Imjin River in the Korean war. He pens a rivetting story about his exploits in escape from the North Koreans and the Chinese. I believe that he remains the most escaped prisoner of war in history. He was decorated for his gallantry in Korea, and retired a Field Marshall, (five star general). I believe as the Allied Supreme Commander of NATO? His story is an inspiration to all persons military, and to many who may have never even spoken to one. He suffers his captors and their tortures to become an extraordinary personality. I'm about to read it for the 8th time! Do yourself a favour, touch through these pages a hero from the "forgotten" war.

A survivor's tale of the "forgotten war"

The author was an British infantry soldier during the Korean War. The bulk of his time was as a captive in Chinese-run P.O.W. camps in North Korea. The book is his riveting up and down diary of his time there.The book is amazing. You won't be able to put it down. Originally published in 1954, the book is not only important historically. Much of the material here remains timely and relevant, illuminating the methods and tactics of the current government in North Korea.Although it is an autobiography of the author's many difficulties during capitivity, the book never gets tedious despite the repititiveness of POW life. The author avoids making the story too personal, in the sense that he avoids indulging in many of the negative emotions he must have felt during the worst times. His optomism and realism is a lesson for us all.He displays a profound understanding of his situation, and, moreover, that of his captors. He affords them a basic working respect throughout, a key to survival in the business of war. Admittedly, he pokes fun at some of camp staff by assigning them nicknames like "pigface" or "pudding face". But that's about as derogatory as he gets. The book is a brilliant portrayal of the unpredictability of life in the camps, accentuated by the character idiosyncracies of the Chinese supervisors. In this way, the book is a must-read for all students of war, and of Korean/Chinese culture. Although at times depressing, the author maintains balance in the story (and presumably his own sanity) by showing an appreciation of the simpler things in life. One such joy is simply being able to see the green hills and blue sky through a tiny window in his cell, when his guards would occasionally leave an outer door open. If you've ever wondered what really happened during the "forgotten war", read this book. It won't answer all your questions ("why did it take two years to reach a truce?"), but it shines a light on a dark spot in history. Many of the author's friends died in the camps. But this is a story of one man who - perhaps with a little luck - was a winner.