Evan McGilvray
This website is dedicated to my work as a writer and how I live my life. I can undertake private research for families as I read Polish and am very familiar with Polish history especially military history. I have have been working with Polish documents for twenty years and have good contacts with relevant archives. Rates are £200 per day plus expenses.
For any inquiries, please contact me at: evanclivemcgilvray@gmail.com
Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck
Pen & Sword, 2020
Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck is a study not only of the individual but also of how the British Army, Indian Army and the Empire were transformed during his long military career. Auchinleck was commissioned into the Indian Army from 1904 and served with distinction against the Turks in Egypt and the Mesopotamian campaign, earning a DSO. Between the wars he was involved in the pacification of the Northwest Frontier (now Pakistan).
In the Second World War he briefly led a division in the ill-fated Norway campaign before being appointed Commander-in-Chief, India. He is best remembered for his controversial stint in command in North Africa, where he replaced Wavell in July 1941. He halted Rommel at the First Battle of El Alamein but was then replaced by Montgomery and resumed as C-in-C India, where his logistical support for Fourteenth Army was vital to success in Burma. Post-war he planned and oversaw Partition and British withdrawal from India. Here, as in North Africa, interference from his political masters added to the burdens of command.
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YOUTUBE
BIO
I have been interested in military history since I was a child having heard the stories of my grandfathers and those of various uncles and their service in World War Two. Later, I was lucky enough to speak to veterans of the First World War, who as very old men, still spent Saturday lunchtimes in the Bakers’ Arms, Alton, Hampshire during the 1980s.
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In time I became interested in the role of Poland and its military history, providing a good study of civil-military relations of which I have studied over a number of years. In a series of works I have examined the Polish military and its relationship in society – both domestically and internationally – taking the case from 1795 to date. I have also written biographies of General Sir Ian Hamilton and the Gallipoli campaign and of the Polish hero, General Anders, both published by Pen and Sword – another biography is in the pipeline, the life of Field Marshal Auchinleck. This is now in its final editorial stages and will be available from Pen and Sword during 2020.
Other recent works have included a study of the Narvik Operation in 1940 as well as a book on the history of Poland and the Second World, published by Pen and Sword. Another work available from Helion is a study of the Soviet takeover in Poland between 1943 and 1945 while a study of the failure of Polish democracy after 1989 is in the pipeline with the manuscript at Helion awaiting editing.
In the last six months Pen and Sword have commissioned two further titles from me - the first a study of the military-political relationship between the British Government and the Free French or more simply the relationship between Winston Churchill and General de Gaulle between 1940 and 1946. The second book is a biography of the exiled Polish leader, General Wladyslaw Sikorski (1881-1943).
Since 2018 I have been writing drama for local productions covering various aspects of life, a development since I became ill through depression and anxiety and began writing drama as a distraction from everyday writing. This activity has proven to be quite fruitful.
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Therefore, this website will not only keep readers abreast of my activities, both academically and artistically, there will also be opportunities to discuss other topics as well via the blog site.
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See you there
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Evan McGilvray
NEWS AND EVENTS
I was recently a guest on the Cold War Conversations Podcast. We had a very interesting discussion on communist Poland from a workers point of view.
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You can watch the episode on the player or click here to get a direct link to the episode on their website.
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If you enjoy the episode make sure to share it on your social media of choice!
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