Out of Empire: the Vintage Year 1912 follows the remarkable life of Patrick Hearn, whose journey reflects the global transformations of the twentieth century. From the traditions of a British public school to a French university and into the British Army during the Great Depression, Hearn’s path was anything but ordinary. Trained at Sandhurst, he was posted to India in 1937, where he led Indian Army soldiers on the volatile India and Afghanistan frontier. His service continued through the Second World War, facing the Germans in North Africa and the Japanese in Burma. Later, he witnessed the turbulent partition of India before transitioning into law and authorship, working across East Africa and the United Kingdom. Through his unique perspective, Hearn observed the decline of empire, the rise of independence movements and the ongoing struggle for freedom that still shapes the world today. This is a vivid portrait of one man’s life across cultures, continents and defining moments in history.