Maharajas' Paltans: History of the Indian State Forces 1888-1948 Hardcover – 25 Feb. 2013

This is a highly detailed book on significant subject that has hitherto escaped close study.The Indian Princely States had their own armies independent of the British Raj. The largest of them was classified as a division by the British. Some 50,000 of their men were maintained to the standard of the Indian Army ready to back up the British in the event of a major war. In wartime their infantry battalions were deployed anywhere the Indian Army was sent between Italy and Hong Kong, mostly on mopping up or occupation duties, but in some cases as part of its major combat formations at the front. Some cavalry regiments were even mechanized and received armoured cars.This books is centered on a highly detailed organizational history of each state's army, accompanied by illustrations of cap badges.This is preceded by a number of introductory chapters that discuss their evolution, character and composition and serve as a self contained general study in their own right.It is succeeded by a number of maps and statistical appendices detailing commanding officers, medals won, strengths,ethnic composition, etc.The primary research involved in compiling this book must have been prodigious, but the result is highly comprehensive and very satisfying.This is one of those books that, despite its already considerable size, I wanted even more of. I would happily have seen more narrative on combat operations and more detail on uniforms but, given its already considerable achievement in breaking so much new ground, this would be greedy.A wonderful book for the specialist and highly recommended.