From Eden to Babylon
The main historical event in this book is the Battle of Kut
The British and Indian Army were advancing up the River Tigris towards Baghdad when the Ottomans managed to trap them in a bend of the river. Incredibly the siege lasted 5 months until the trapped Army were starved into surrender.
Only the seriously wounded were freed, placed on barges exposed to the fierce weather, without care of medication and little water. They travelled hundreds of miles down to Basra and many were dead on arrival. My Great Uncle was one of them, and only just survived.
The captured Army were cruelly marched north, many being forced into slave labour and one third of the men died.
I often mention this battle to people when discussing my books but very few have any knowledge of these events. It such a shame that we know so little about the sacrifices they made.