India's declaration of independence on 15th August 1947 was one of the most momentous occasions of 20th-century history. For Britain it meant the end of the Raj, of more than 200 years of rule; for the army of British expatriates - civil servants, soldiers and businessmen - it meant the end of a way of life; and for millions of Indians it meant a time of enormous social and political upheaval. Through the voices and memories of both the British and the Indians, Trevor Royle sets out to recreate the drama and tension of the years leading up to and following independence: the way of life the sahibs and their mems enjoyed, from the lofty mandarins of the Indian Political Service to the lowliest box-wallah; the impact of war and threat of Japanese invasion; the appointment of Mountbatten and the countdown to independence which was marred by savage massacres. Combining historical narrative and interviews with scores of those - both British and Indian - who lived through those turbulent years, the author offers a portrait of one of the most significant periods of British history. Trevor Royle also wrote The Best Years of Their Lives, a history of National Service.