'Charles Guthrie has been one of Britain's foremost soldiers as well as a terrific personality throughout his remarkable life. It is great that he is now telling his own story.' - Sir Max HastingsField Marshal the Lord Guthrie commanded at every level in the British Army from platoon to army group, and was Britain's senior military commander at a time of great change. He oversaw the modernization of the armed forces following the Cold War years and led Britain's military involvement in operations in the Balkans and Sierra Leone. Charles Guthrie was commissioned into the British Army in 1959 at a time when Britain's influence was shrinking throughout the world, and Peace, War and Whitehall describes his operational experience with both the Welsh Guards and 22 SAS in Aden, Malaya, East Africa, Cyprus and Northern Ireland. As a senior officer he commanded the Welsh Guards during an operational tour of the Bandit Country of South Armagh at the height of the Troubles, before leading an armoured brigade in Germany in the midst of the Cold War, and eventually being appointed Commander-in-Chief of the British Army of the Rhine and Northern Army Group as the Cold War ended and the former Yugoslavia began to disintegrate into savage internecine warfare. Peace, War and Whitehall details Lord Guthrie's extraordinary career from a young platoon commander through to Chief of the Defence Staff.

Foreword: HRH The Prince of Wales Preface: Major General Richard Stanford, CB, MBE, Regimental Lieutenant Colonel, Welsh GuardsList of IllustrationsPrologue1. Harrow 2. The Welsh Guards 3. Aden 4. The SAS 5. Germany 6. Belfast 7. Military Assistant to the Chief of the General Staff8. Cyprus 9. Brigade Major, The Household Division 10. Commanding the Welsh Guards in Berlin 11. Commanding the Welsh Guards in South Armagh12. The Coconut War 13. Commander, 4th Armoured Brigade 14. Sport 15. Reflections on Command 16. Kate 17. Commander-in-Chief British Army of the Rhine18. Chief of the General Staff 19. Gold Stick, Colonel of The Life Guards 20. Chief of the Defence Staff 21. The Hinterland Epilogue Acknowledgements Index