The Serjeant-Major and RATS republished by Chiselbury

Chiselbury, the independent publisher, is pleased to announce the republication of two long out of print works by James Leasor, The Serjeant-Major and RATS.

The Serjeant-Major is the biography of the legendary R.S.M. Ronald Brittain M.B.E Coldstream Guards. He was regarded as the loudest voice in the British Army and was a household name in the 1950s. This book covers his life as a young lad in Liverpool at the turn of the last century, and then follows his service all the way to his retirement from the British Army after 37 years’ service as a Warrant Officer 1. He served in two world wars and over 40,000 officer cadets passed their training under his beady eyes when he was RSM at Mons Officer Cadet Training Unit.

This new edition has a new Preface written by Major General Patrick Marriott CB, CBE, a former Commandant of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Captain (Retd) Ross Martin, currently Regimental Sergeant Major of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, and former Academy Sergeant Major of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where they share their views on the vital role that an RSM plays in teaching young officers the leadership skills that they will need if they are to success as Army officers.

RATS – the Story of a Dog Soldier, written under the pen name of ‘Max Halstock’, chronicles the life of a terrier who adopted, and was adopted by, various British Army units serving in Crossmaglen, the centre of so-called ‘Bandit Country’ in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. He was wounded a number of times and was awarded two medals for gallantry. But RATS is far more than just the story of a dog. It also tells the real story of what it was like to a soldier in what is fast becoming a forgotten conflict and how a little normality, even that provided by a scruffy mongrel terrier, is a great comfort in times of great stress.

“The Serjeant-Major has been Chiselbury’s most asked for title for republication since we started the business,” said Stuart Leasor, Chiselbury’s founder, “And RATS will have special memories for all who served in Northern Ireland as well as appealing to all dog-lovers.”

Both titles are available directly from Chiselbury, from Amazon or from any good bookshop.