Mad Mitch's Tribal Law: Aden and the End of the Empire Hardcover – International Edition, April 1, 2014

The delivery of the book, despite an initial glitch from the seller, was good.The book itself is a good overview of Britain's lost colonial war in southern Yemen. As another reviewer pointed out, one does not read much about Colin Mitchell until the last third of the book, but the history given before helps the reader understand the environment in which "Mitch" and the Argylls operated in. The author is very sympathetic to the British army and harsh on the Labor government which decided to pull out of southern Yemen, but he is good enough of a historian to provide evidence that makes one wonder if Britain's attempt to create a South Arabian Federation out of more than a dozen disparate sheikhdoms and colonies within a few years was realistic at all.

The book is packed with historical detail about the British and Aden, no so much about Mitch though.Worth reading, but don't expect to really understand Mitch from this book.

I was a child in Aden when Mad Mitch applied his rules to some of the people in Crater, the job got sorted very quickly and a lesson NOT learned by any politician since. Not only did he quell a cowardly attack by "friends" but he stopped a British regiment from committing mutiny and dis-honouring itself. I had some toe work done at the same chiropodist as Mitch, in Norwich. The guy would proudly show off all his battle scars and wounds! A good retirement day out for Mad Mitch was to catch an early train to London and walk around the tough housing estates in the East end, with nothing more than an umbrella and the right attitude.

Generally an interesting book on the surrender of Empire by worthless politicians of Labour/Conservative. British armed forces shine through as brave and professional heroes as they always do. Colin Mitchell? Well if only he had been in Downing Street instead of the Soviet agent Comrade Wilson Britain would have counted for a lot more.There were a number of goofs in the book however. A Shackleton about to drop some bombs opened its “undercarriage doors.” Fairey Gannets (unarmed AEW aircraft) dive-bombing splash-targets, and HMS Hermes (23,000ton aircraft carrier) had mysteriously grown to a whopping 150,000tons???A bit more attention to research detail would have avoided such mistakes.Good tribute to Lieutenant-Colonel Colin Mitchell and the Argyll and Southern Highlanders though.

Having served in Aden in 1967 it was very interesting to read in depth the politics and history of the conflict it brought back allot of memories.

This is a first-class book that not only tells the story of Colonel Mitchell but also the current affairs surrounding his time leading up to and during his time in Aden. Well worth a read especially if you have served in Aden. Recommended.

Really good read, worth every penny. A very interesting portrait on the last days of empire, interesting to see that some things never change where politicians with bright ideas far removed from any danger leave it to the poor bloke on the ground to make best of a bad situation then hang them out to dry!