Alan Prentice
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CHADWICK BROWN,AGED TEN,ORPHANED WHEN HIS FATHER IS MURDERED AND ABANDONED BY HIS MOTHER, STRUGGLES TO SURVIVE THE WORKHOUSE AND LIFE AS A VAGRANT AS HE ATTEMPTS TO FIND HIS FAMILY. HE ALSO FINDS CLUES TO THE IDENTITY OF HIS FATHERS KILLER.
RESCUED BY AN ARMY RECRUITING PARTY AND ENLISTED INTO THE BAND OF THE 57TH REGIMENT OF FOOT, HE UNDERGOES THE TRAINING REGIME AND RIGOURS OF GARRISON LIFE WHERE HARDSHIP SHAPES HIS CHARACTER. HE ALSO FINDS HE IS SERVING WITH THE MAN HE SUSPECTS OF KILLING HIS FATHER.
ON COMPLETION OF HIS TRAINING HE JOURNEYS TO SPAIN TO JOIN HIS REGIMENT. HERE HE SURVIVES A FRENCH AMBUSH, AFTER WHICH HE FIGHTS AS A MEMBER OF A SPANISH GUERILLA FORCE BEFORE HE CAN REJOIN HIS COMRADES IN TIME FOR THE BATTLE OF ALBUHERA.
AT ALBUHERA, WHERE HIS REGIMENT EARNED THE FAMOUS TITLE OF 'THE DIE HARDS', AND NOW AGED THIRTEEN, FATE THROWS HIM INTO THE ROLE OF AN INFANTRYMAN WHERE THE CARNAGE OF BATTLE GIVES HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE REVENGE ON HIS FATHERS KILLER.
ALAN NEVILLE PRENTICE WORKED MOST OF HIS LIFE IN THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY AND IS NOW RETIRED. RETIREMENT HAS GIVEN HIM THE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL AND TO WRITE. AN AVID STUDENT OF MILITARY HISTORY HE SERVED FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS IN THE TERRITORIAL ARMY IN THE ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS, RETIRING WITH THE RANK OF SERGEANT MAJOR RESPONSIBLE FOR RECRUITING AND RECRUIT TRAINING. STILL FIT AND ENERGETIC HE IS A PRACTICING MARTIAL ARTIST HOLDING FIRST DAN RANK IN CHOI KWANG DO, WHILST ALSO TRAINING IN TAI CHI AND ESKRIMA.
