Hal Treherne is a soldier on the brink of a brilliant career. Impatient to see action, his other commitment in life is to his beloved wife, Clara, and when Hal is transferred to Cyprus she and their twin daughters join him. But the island is in the heat of the emergency; the British are defending the colony against Cypriots – schoolboys and armed guerillas alike – battling for union with Greece.

Clara shares Hal’s sense of duty and honour; she knows she must settle down, make the best of things, smile. But action changes Hal, and the atrocities he is drawn into take him not only further from Clara but himself, too; a betrayal that is only the first step down a dark path.

Many people only have a limited understanding of the details of what is called the ‘Cyprus Emergency’ of the 1950’s which is the focus of the novel Small Wars. In 1914 Cyprus went from being a part of the Ottoman Empire to a British Protectorate, then a Crown Colony in 1925. From 1955 onwards there was a concerted effort by Cypriots to move from British rule and unite with Greece but, rather than unification, the end of the ‘emergency’ resulted in the creation of an independent Republic of Cyprus. Ms Jones has set Small Wars in the middle of this conflict and deftly incorporates the historical background into her novel. There are no long passages explaining the situation, but through the actions and dialogue of the main characters the reader comes to understand the complex politics with two Cypriot groups – Greek and Turkish – each striving for independence from Britain yet also opposing each other as the Turkish Cypriots did not want a union with Greece. It is a compelling story.

The British treatment of the Cypriots was brutal at times and over the years many previously supressed reports have come to light which show an unwarranted violence towards the civilian population; it is this premise which undermines Small Wars. Hal is a career soldier, as his family have been for generations, and his whole life is built on a foundation of honesty, fairness and honour. Under his command are many soldiers doing their National Service who do not want to be in Cyprus and are just counting the days to the time they can leave the army and re-join civilian life. During his time on the island Hal witnesses the ill-treatment of civilians, the cruel treatment of prisoners (torture is not too harsh a word), and violent clashes with militant Cypriots. Hal finds it difficult to reconcile what he sees with his vision of what the army should be and, unable to do anything about it, he retreats into himself. This, in turn, places a strain on his marriage as he cannot explain his feelings to Clara, the woman he loves as much as life itself. For her part, Clara has to adjust to life on an army base where she fears for her own safety and that of her young twin girls. The emotional conflict of Hal and Clara is at the core of this novel.

Small Wars is a multi-layered story – from the well-researched historical background to the disillusionment of an army officer who comes to realises that the British Army is not what he has always imagined it to be. It is a well written novel with evocative prose describing the scenery, the horrific aftermath of violent conflict, and life on an army base in the mid-1950’s. Ms Jones also deftly handles the dialogue which is sparse at times, reflecting the inner turmoil of people who know each other well but just cannot find the words to express their emotions. Yet, paradoxically, there is a tenderness and compassion at the heart of this novel which tempers the anger as the reader is drawn into the lives of a set of characters who are wholly believable; it is difficult not to be drawn to Hal and Clara in their difficult situation and find yourself hoping that they can overcome the trials that surround them and regain the love and trust which was the core of their marriage at the start of this novel.

This is, indeed, a novel about Small Wars – from national conflicts to personal relationships and, ultimately, the conflicts within ourselves; it is a well written novel, evocative of time and place yet with a theme which resonates with today’s world. A very good read and heartily recommended.

Small Wars can be found on Amazon

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