History of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry - Volume V

Volume V of the History of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry covers the years 1919-1942. This is not a period that will be remembered with happiness; it divides itself naturally into two, the years of frustration 1919-1939, and the years of defeat 1940-1942.

Most of the time during the twenty years of peace was spent in garrison duties both at home and overseas and in performing the most unpleasant task given to soldiers - duties in aid of civil power. During the campaigns of 1940-1942, defeat followed defeat and in some cases commanders came to be regarded as bunglers and incompetents. In this history, one can see the impossible task that was set the soldiers - a bitter story of retreats and disaster, of men armed only with the weapons of 1914 fighting against troops equipped with plentitude of the most modern engines of war.