A Soldier in Arabia

Why does an officer in an elite regiment - the Grenadier Guards - exchange a prestigious and privileged career in the British Army for service among desert tribes in harsh and unforgiving territory, and in the seemingly insoluble conflict of the turbulent Arab world? The answer lies in the long tradition of British military officers attracted by the romance and adventure engendered by a perceived British imperial notion of bringing peace and security to this troubled region. In this process, Arab society and culture have woven a unique spell among many a young Westerner, leading to warm, lasting and reciprocated friendships. Nigel Bromage’s adventurous career, which spanned over 30 years, much of it in the Middle East, characterised all aspects of this relationship. It includes dramatic military action, much of it with the legendary Arab Legion in the first Arab-Israeli war and the struggle for Jerusalem, as well as service throughout much of Britain’s remaining ‘informal empire’. Soldier in Arabia is a revealing personal memoir of the Middle East, but much more - it sheds light, through dramatic and authentic personal experience, on how Britain pursued its interests in the enduring struggles of the Middle East first via highly trained and committed military officers.