Sharpshooters At War : Defending Arcadia

A little regarded period of history, the inter-war years were crucial in forging the spirit and ethos of the Sharpshooters. At the time they were little more than a company-strength unit of the Territorial Army based in West London, with few resources, a paltry assortment of vehicles and a drill hall that had seen better days. What they did have in spades was spirit and enthusiasm. These were ordinary men in regular jobs from across London who were mainly seeking a little action and adventure at the weekend. As with any good military unit they had that extra spark that made them stand out. This account details their training, their summer camps, the routine, and their equipment. Most of all it looks at the individuals who made up the unit and made it tick. The 23rd (London) Armoured Car Company (Sharpshooters), as they were styled, was a leader in innovation and excellence, often called upon to train with the regular army. They provided escorts for food convoys during the General Strike, performed at the Royal Tournament, provided honour guards for Jubilees, Royal funerals and Coronations, and took on all manner of sporting activities, including two very active rugby teams. Towards the end of the 1930s they had begun to gear-up for war long before it became an inevitability, constantly recruiting over-strength and hiding the figures from their reluctant paymasters. When, at last, the likelihood of war was acknowledged they swiftly returned to full regimental strength and then immediately started raising a second line regiment. AUTHOR: Daniel Taylor has studied 20th Century warfare for over thirty years. The recording and commemoration of the actions of soldiers during an era of global conflict remains been his passion. Now that the veterans of those wars have all but disappeared, his ambition is to represent their stories to inspire and inform younger generations. After serving in the Territorial Army during the 1980s and 90s, he started writing articles for specialist magazines and lecturing on military history, including venues such as RMA Sandhurst, the National Army Museum, and the Tank Museum, also appearing in and presenting TV documentaries. In recent years Daniel has become the Curator for the Kent & Sharpshooters Yeomanry Museum, based at Hever Castle in Kent. He continues to lead battlefield tours to the original locations to help better explain their significance for schools, various units of the British Army, and groups of veterans (and members of their families), retracing the footsteps of the past. Whilst specialising in Normandy, he has led tour so the Western Front, Italy, Libya and Egypt. He now lives in Kent, is married, and has two sons. 350 b/w illustrations