The Case Of The Fighting Soldier
A review of The Case of the Fighting Soldier by Christopher Bush – 230308
One of the few positives to come out of armed conflict is the quality of literature that it generates. Usually the finest literature emerges after a period of reflection once peace has been restored, but Christopher Bush’s wartime trilogy of detective fiction was written and published while the war was in progress and the outcome was far from certain. Individually and as a trio they are impressive pieces of work and rank amongst the finest that Bush wrote and perhaps amongst military crime fiction as a whole. The Fighting Soldier, originally published in 1942 and reissued by Dean Street Press, completes the set.
Once more Ludovic Travers, Bush’s series amateur sleuth, has a change of role, this time transferred to become second in command at a camp established to train officers from the Home Guard. As with his previous two assignments, murder follows him as does his old mucker from the Yard, George “The General” Wharton. The two combine to solve a tricky incident which results in two deaths and once more Travers plays a more subdued and subordinate role confined by the responsibilities of his role, allowing Wharton to steal the show. However, at least in this case Travers makes the breakthrough, having his moment of inspiration while cracking his brains in solving a crossword in one of the illustrated weeklies.
The transformation in Travers’ character is still a shock to anyone who has dutifully followed the series in chronological order, but I am getting used to it as I am with the first party narrative. The book reads like a yarn told in front of a roaring fire to a group of friends who have no particular place to go and all of the time in the world to get there. Travers’ approach is leisurely, allowing the reader to assimilate themselves into the way of life at the camp and its layout – map included – as well as to understand the various characters who are involved in the story. There is a smattering of military technicalities that gives a sense of verisimilitude to the story and allows the reader to become familiar with various pieces of equipment that have an important part to play as the plot moves to its crescendo.
It soon becomes apparent that there is some considerable tension in the camp amongst the officers who loosely break into two groups, the regulars, who have followed Army careers, and the not-so-regulars, some like Travers who have joined from civvy street and others like Mortar who have served as mercenaries in the Spanish Civil War and during the Irish campaign for independence after the First World War. Mortar is particularly aggressive, claiming that he is a “fighting soldier”, one who has seen action rather than pushing paper, and he has a wealth of blood-curdling stories to regale his fellow officers and the trainees with. One proves to be his undoing.
After the camp has suffered a couple of near misses with bombs, Mortar is blown to smithereens in his room – there is little of him left – and then a little later Feeder, who might have some vital information and has just been assigned as Travers’ batman, goes missing, his body later found a mile away from the camp. It initially looks like suicide.
Strings are pulled and Wharton arrives to lead the investigation. The combination of his nose for detail and Travers’ inside knowledge of the camp prove a winning combination in what is a well-thought out and ingenious plot with some nice touches, particularly the way the device was detonated. The motivation is compelling, and the way Wharton brings matters to a head is masterful. It makes for an entertaining finale to an impressive trilogy.
