On Sun, 11 Aug 2019 23:24:38 -0700 (PDT), pH wrote:

snip Cheers

During the 1800's Great Britain, perhaps the most powerful nation in
the world, fought a number of "wars" on the N.W. Frontier and in the
First Anglo-Afghan War G.B. invaded Afganstan, in 1839, with an army
of 21,000 men and some 38,000 Indian camp followers and 30,000 camels
to carry supplies. When the British withdrew, in 1842, the only
soldier to reach Jalalabad, British India, was Dr. William Brydon .

Who was it that said something about those who refuse to learn from
history are doomed to repeat it?
--
cheers,

John B.

Thanks for this nugget, John. I went and read the Wikipedia entry
on the event after reading your post.
I appreciate your oontributions.

pH in Aptos, CA

If one actually reads books any more :-) there are a series of books
about the "hero" Harry Flashman that are (I think) good reading and do
a great deal to teach the non-English reader a great deal about the
nuances of some of the Empire's more notable feats (or defeats :-)
see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Flashman
--
cheers,

John B.