Blood-Red Desert Sand: The British Invasions of Egypt and the Sudan 1882-98 (Cassell Military Trade Books)

Beautifully illustrated from the work of pioneer war photographers, this is a marvellously readable account of the British Empire at war. From the British invasion of Egypt to the tragedy of Gordon of Khartoum, it culminates in General Kitchener's march to Omdurmann that saw Winston Churchill participate in one of the last battlefield charges by British cavalry. Michael Barthorp reveals the strengths and weaknesses of Queen Victoria's army, its brilliant but wayward officer corps and the professional soldiers who inspired so many Kipling poems.