Allan Mallinson
Encyclopedia
Brigadier
Allan Lawrence Mallinson is an English
author
and was an officer in the British Army
.
Mallinson is best known for writing a series of novel
s chronicling the (fiction
al) life of Matthew Hervey, an officer serving in the (fictional) British 6th Light Dragoons from the late Napoleonic Wars
through subsequent colonial conflicts in India
, North America
and South Africa
.
at St Chad's College
in Durham
. He took a break from his theological studies to join the Army in 1969, joining the King's Own Royal Border Regiment as a Second Lieutenant
on probation, and served with the infantry in Cyprus
, Malaysia, Northern Ireland
and Germany
. He was confirmed as a Second Lieutenant in 1970, promoted to Lieutenant
on 11 February 1971, and promoted to Captain
on 11 August 1975, and acting Major on 1 September 1979..
He transferred to the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
on 28 October 1980, and was promoted to substantive Major on 30 September 1981. He served in Whitehall
, Norway
, Cyprus and again in Germany. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 31 December 1988 (with seniority from 30 June 1988), commanding his Regiment from 1988 to 1991. He was promoted to acting Colonel on 1 December 1992, and to substantive rank on 30 June 1993 and then to Brigadier on the 1 September 1999.
His last Army appointment was as the British Defence and Military Attaché
in Rome
. He retired from active service on 16 March 2004.
in that the heroes of both series of novels are British Army officers. Hervey (a cavalry officer), however, is a "proper" officer, unlike Sharpe (an infantry officer), who was raised from the ranks. Sharpe's campaigning was largely confined to the Napoleonic Wars, with some pre-Napoleonic India experience, whilst Hervey campaigned for many years afterwards in Canada, India, South Africa, Burma and the Balkans.
In UK hardback publication order, the Hervey novels are:
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Allan Lawrence Mallinson is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and was an officer in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
Mallinson is best known for writing a series of novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s chronicling the (fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al) life of Matthew Hervey, an officer serving in the (fictional) British 6th Light Dragoons from the late Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
through subsequent colonial conflicts in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Army career
Mallinson originally trained for the Anglican priesthoodAnglican ministry
The Anglican ministry is both the leadership and agency of Christian service in the Anglican Communion. "Ministry" commonly refers to the office of ordained clergy: the threefold order of bishops, priests and deacons. More accurately, Anglican ministry includes many laypeople who devote themselves...
at St Chad's College
St Chad's College
St Chad's College is a college of the University of Durham in England. One of the smallest of Durham's colleges in terms of student numbers , it has the largest staff, the most extensive college library facilities, and consistently the highest academic results in Durham...
in Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
. He took a break from his theological studies to join the Army in 1969, joining the King's Own Royal Border Regiment as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
on probation, and served with the infantry in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Malaysia, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He was confirmed as a Second Lieutenant in 1970, promoted to Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on 11 February 1971, and promoted to Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
on 11 August 1975, and acting Major on 1 September 1979..
He transferred to the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
The 13th/18th Royal Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army.-Formation:On 9 September 1922, the 13th/18th Hussars was formed by amalgamation of the 13th Hussars and the 18th Royal Hussars . In December 1935, it became known as the 13th/18th Royal Hussars ...
on 28 October 1980, and was promoted to substantive Major on 30 September 1981. He served in Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Cyprus and again in Germany. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 31 December 1988 (with seniority from 30 June 1988), commanding his Regiment from 1988 to 1991. He was promoted to acting Colonel on 1 December 1992, and to substantive rank on 30 June 1993 and then to Brigadier on the 1 September 1999.
His last Army appointment was as the British Defence and Military Attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He retired from active service on 16 March 2004.
Hervey series
The Hervey novels are almost similar to the Sharpe novels written by Bernard CornwellBernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell OBE is an English author of historical novels. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe which were adapted into a series of Sharpe television films.-Biography:...
in that the heroes of both series of novels are British Army officers. Hervey (a cavalry officer), however, is a "proper" officer, unlike Sharpe (an infantry officer), who was raised from the ranks. Sharpe's campaigning was largely confined to the Napoleonic Wars, with some pre-Napoleonic India experience, whilst Hervey campaigned for many years afterwards in Canada, India, South Africa, Burma and the Balkans.
In UK hardback publication order, the Hervey novels are:
- A Close Run Thing (1999): Cornet Hervey's adventures before and during the Battle of WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. - The Nizam's Daughters (2000): Hervey in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, defending the fictional princely state of Chintal (published in the US as Honourable Company). - A Regimental Affair (2001): problems in the regiment in EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. - A Call to Arms (2002): back in India, an independent excursion on the borders of Burma.
- The Sabre's Edge (2003): set in the First Burmese WarFirst Burmese WarThe First Anglo-Burmese War was the first of three wars fought between the British and Burmese Empires in the 19th century. The war, which began primarily over the control of northeastern India, ended in a decisive British victory, giving the British total control of Assam, Manipur, Cachar and...
in 1824, and the siege of BharatpurBharatpur, IndiaBharatpur is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733. Located in the Brij region, Bharatpur was once an impregnable, well-planned and well-fortified city, and the capital of Jat kingdom ruled by Sinsinwar Maharajas.The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and...
in 1826. - Rumours of War (2004): Hervey in PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in 1826, with flashbacks to the Peninsular WarPeninsular WarThe Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
before the battle of CorunnaBattle of CorunnaThe Battle of Corunna refers to a battle of the Peninsular War. On January 16, 1809, a French army under Marshal Soult attacked the British under Sir John Moore...
in 1809. - An Act of Courage (2005): Hervey imprisoned at BadajozBadajozBadajoz is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain, situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana, and the Madrid–Lisbon railway. The population in 2007 was 145,257....
at ChristmasChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
1826, with further flashbacks to the Battle of Talavera in 1809 and the Battle of Badajoz in 1812. - Company of Spears (2006): Hervey in the Cape ColonyCape ColonyThe Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
in 1827 fighting the ZulusZulu KingdomThe Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
, immediately before the death of ShakaShakaShaka kaSenzangakhona , also known as Shaka Zulu , was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom....
and the accession of DinganeDinganeDingane kaSenzangakhona Zulu —commonly referred to as Dingane or Dingaan—was a Zulu chief who became king of the Zulu Kingdom in 1828...
. - Man of War (2007): England 1827: Matthew Hervey is fighting for the honour of the Light Dragoons.
- Warrior (2008): 1828 - Hervey is tasked with escorting an embassy to ShakaShakaShaka kaSenzangakhona , also known as Shaka Zulu , was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom....
, King of the Zulus, whose motives are under suspicion. - On His Majesty's Service (2011): Hervey is sent as an observer to the Russian armyImperial Russian ArmyThe Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
during their war with the Ottoman EmpireOttoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1829.
Non-fiction
- Light Dragoons - a non-fictional history of the four light cavalryLight cavalryLight cavalry refers to lightly armed and lightly armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored...
regimentRegimentA regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s of the British Army. It was published in 1993, soon after he relinquished command of 13th/18th Royal Hussars (which includes (in merged form) two of the light dragoon regiments: the 13th was originally raised as a heavy dragoon regiment in 1715 but later converted to light dragoons; the 18th was raised as a light dragoon regiment in 1759; both retitled as hussarHussarHussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
s in 1861, merged together in 1922 and then merged with the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars15th/19th The King's Royal HussarsThe 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was created as part of the reduction in the cavalry in the aftermath of World War I. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 15th The King's Hussars and the 19th Royal Hussars on 11 April 1922, becoming the...
to form the present Light Dragoons in 1992). - The Making of the British Army: From the English Civil War to the War On Terror (2009). The book examines nearly 500 years of the British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and examines how its military actions has made it one of the most effective fighting forces in the world today. Mallinson demonstrates how people and events have shaped the army's development. Sections include: how Marlborough's victory at Blenheim is linked to Wellington's success at Waterloo; how the desperate fight at Rorke's Drift in 1879 underpinned the heroism of the airborne forces in Arnhem in 1944; and why Montgomery's momentous victory at El Alamein mattered long after the Second World War.
External links
- Short biography at Transworld Publishers
- Official web site of Matthew Hervey and Allan Mallinson