'Slim captures the humanity and humour of soldiers, in a series of stories which hark back to the age of the empire.' Saul David, author of Victoria's Wars.From the pen of the man who would become one of Britain's greatest generals of the Second World War.Edited and curated by bestselling military historian Robert Lyman, The General Wondered Why is a special collection of stories by William and "Bill and " Slim which were first published during the interwar years under a pseudonym.Although of their time, the stories convey Slim's brilliance and humanity - as well as providing an insight into the long-departed world of operations of the Old Indian Army and the North-West Frontier.The collection -The General Wondered Why.When inspecting the 16th Gurkhas, Lieutenant General Sir Basil Buttit gets more than he bargained for in. The officer is determined to find some fault with the platoon, and decides that the bugle, at two pounds, fourteen ounces, has to go. But bugler is not so willing to give up his beloved instrument.Dr Mannering and his Apprentice.Caught in the middle of an ongoing feud between his and a rival family, 12-year-old Yar Khan is the sole survivor of a deadly attack. Although he vows to continue the feud and avenge his family, Colonel Mannering of the Frontier Medical Service takes pity on the boy and hopes to save him from this fate. But can such a deep-rooted feud ever be forgotten?Colonel Gallihawke Gets His Comeuppance.Although Colonel Miles Gallihawke is determined to remain a bachelor, he is even more determined to ensure the money he unwillingly pays into the Widow's Fund does not end up in the hands of the financial department. Fearing he is on his deathbed, Gallihawke hatches a plan to prevent his money falling into the wrong hands - with unexpected consequences.Bombing Circle.Bob Verdley is proud to serve under his Squadron Leader, Bill - who also happens to be his brother. The squadron is tasked with destroying the stronghold of a notorious murderer - yet when the unthinkable happens, Verdley is forced to choose between duty and family.Recommended for fans of John Buchan, Rider Haggard and Rudyard Kipling.Field Marshal Sir William ('Bill') Slim (1891-1970) was the man who led the famous Fourteenth Army to victory over the Japanese in India and Burma in 1944 and 1945. Lord Louis Mountbatten described him in 1951 as the man who 'more than any other living person won the victory in Burma.' He wrote his best-selling Defeat into Victory in 1956, which tells the story of this long war between 1942 and 1945. He became Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1949, the first Indian Army officer to do so. After being Governor General of Australia between 1952 and 1959 he died in 1970.Born in New Zealand in 1963 Dr Robert Lyman was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He spent twenty years as an officer in the British Army. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Robert Lyman is the author of numerous acclaimed works of military history, including Slim, Master of War and A War of Empires.'Field Marshal Viscount Slim - Uncle Bill to his troops - was not only Britain's finest general of the Second World War but a wonderful writer and story teller too. From humble origins and without any private money, as a young officer he supplemented his modest army pay by writing short stories under the pen name of Anthony Mills. Most of these tales were based on fact and gave an insight into that wonderful organisation the Indian Army of the Raj, the world's largest all volunteer army. That they are to be republished with an introduction by Robert Lyman, himself an expert on the Far East campaigns and the Indian Army, is nothing short of a delight.' Gordon Corrigan, author of Tipping Points of History.