Escape from Baghdad - Book Review

Escape from Baghdad by James Ashcroft
Gun-for-hire James 'Ash' Ashcroft thought he'd left Iraq behind. Last time he only got out alive thanks to the bravery of his interpreter and friend Sammy. But now a call for help means Ash must once again face the chaos of war-torn Baghdad - and this time there's no pay cheque. Abandoned by the occupying Coalition Forces, Sammy and his family face certain death at the hands of the Shia-dominated Iraqi Police and the death squads that roam the streets unless Ash and his team can get in and get them to safety over the border. This is the action-packed story of their audacious escape from Baghdad. It is a gripping account of the chaos of war, where the only thing that can be relied upon is the bond between former brothers-in-arms.

Ex-Army captain turned contractor James Ashcroft was one of a team tasked to train a guard force to protect Iraq's water supply in the reconstruction free-for-all following the bombing of Baghdad. His 18 months tasking in company with tough of granite ex-Paras, SAS men and South African mercenaries is by turn humorously and movingly told in his first book Making A Killing.

His interpreter during this period was former Air Force pilot Sammy Mashooen, a Sunni Muslim. Wind forward two years and Mashooen finds himself on a Death List put out by his rival in the guard training programme, Colonel Ibrahim - a Shia, now in charge of the police force. Thanks to the politics of the new 'democracy, American authorities are unable to assist Sammy. Luckily, another old comrade-in-arms, the "good" Colonel McQueen, calls Ashcroft to explain the situation.

Ashcroft rounds up three former colleagues from his Making A Killing days and they return to Baghdad. As Making A Killing refers to making the big bucks they came home with after that first 18 months period, we now see the human side of these dogs of war who spend their own money to return and rescue Sammy and his family.

Secretly supported by American Special Forces, they acquire the arms and three vehicles and drive the family out of the city pursued by Colonel Ibrahim's Shia police and the Mahdi Army. They face suicide bombers, snipers and a full-frontal assault by scores of fanatics in a scene reminiscent of the robbery in Michael Mann's brilliant movie 'Heat' - this, by the way, before they even get out of Baghdad.

This is an edge of the seat, true life adventure that provides both a glimpse into the lives of the ordinary Iraqi, but also a close look at the lives of the men like Ashcroft who may appear 'mercenary' but have their hearts in the right place. Fast-paced and eye-opening, for any one who enjoys the genre, this book is unmissable. A solid four stars and much in keeping with the first book.

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James Ashcroft
Paperback • ISBN 9780753519844

Phoenix Squadron - Book Review

Phoenix Squadron by Rowland White
HMS Ark Royal was the most powerful warship the Royal Navy had ever put to sea. 50,000 tons of British Sovereign Territory - a floating airfield that was home to 2700 men, a stockpile of nuclear weapons, and the most modern, capable air force in Europe. But by the early seventies, Ark Royal was in the twilight of her career. Only kept in service to help face down the Cold War threat from the powerful Soviet Navy, it seemed Ark would play no further part on the world's stage.Then, in January 1972, intelligence reached Whitehall that British Honduras - now Belize - was threatened with imminent invasion. To defend the colony Britain's response had to be immediate and unequivocal. And Ark Royal… more » offered the only effective means of preventing the little Central American country being overrun by battle-hardened, US-trained Guatemalan paratroops. But to do so the old carrier would first have to endure a destructive, high-speed 1500 mile dash across the Atlantic towards the Gulf of Mexico. Only then would it be possible to execute an audacious, record-breaking plan to launch a pair of Buccaneers on an extraordinary and unprecedented long-range mission.It was an operation loaded with difficulty and danger.Drawing on many hours of interviews with the participants and previously unseen, classified documents here and abroad, Rowland White, bestselling author of "Vulcan 607" has pieced together this remarkable episode for the first time. And has brought to life a unique, unfamiliar and thrilling piece of post-war British military history: the world of the Fleet Air Arm's last Top Guns

I was impressed - and I can say this now I've read the book - having been sceptical about how an author could bring to life a story that was but the smallest blip on the calendar of history, but some how he really does. And more importantly he compels you into thinking it was THE historical event of the time, nestled in amongst the 30+ years of the Cold War, that could have turned the tide in South American politics, UK reputation and UK/US relations.

There is no disputing my ignorance of the South American region and the political landscape of the 60's and 70's that caused the ebb and flow of regional tension; I have always been much more acutely focussed on how the UK and the labour government almost dismantled the Royal Navy and handed over good but well worn aircraft to the RAF instead of TSR2 or F-16.

But this book bounces you along in a manner similar to the purposeful, powerful and proud Ark Royal as she drove north through the rough waters of the North Atlantic. It just keeps you going. The parallels he draws for the current state of the UK military, the Royal Navy in particular, makes stark reading.

The detail he dragged from those embarked in the squadrons at the time brought conventional carrier aviation to life in a way that I found raised my pulse and breathing rate on every launch. By cleverly weaving in the detail of the diplomatic and political aspects of both the Cold War issues and that of the key focus, Belize, allows to you to take a well earned pause between the flying action that only a carrier can make so dramatic. The bonus feature of course is that fact that I'm now much more knowledgeable about the period and the era than ever I was before.

Rowland has crafted a book for all ages that I have read; my father in law is now glued to and is soon to be tagged by my son once he can prise it from his wizened fingers.

Excellent detail (just look at the pages of acknowledgements) allied to a wonderful, flowing style makes the action leap out of the pages at you. Another 4 stars from me and really looking forward to Vulcan 607 when it drops through the door.

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Rowland White
Hardback • ISBN 9780593054505

Extreme risk - Book Review

Extreme Risk by Chris Hunter
BOSNIA...NORTHERN IRELAND...IRAQ...AFGHANISTAN...
For the past twenty years, some of the most dangerous places on earth. And for Major Chris Hunter, just some of the places where he has defused bombs in his ceaseless battle against terrorism and the bombmakers.
This is the story of a teenager with no hopes who joined the army at sixteen and went on to become one of the most successful counter-terrorism operators in the world.
This is the story of survival when all the odds are stacked against you, when every second feels like a lifetime, when the sound of your heart beating is as deafening as a ticking bomb.
This is what it's like, day in, day out, to take your life and the lives of others in your own hands, and make a difference.
And this is what it costs to live that life...

Chris Hunter was the author of "Eight Lives Down" - an exceptional book about the life of a bomb disposal expert, far better then the film "The Hurt Locker" and recommended reading if you liked the film or even have the vaguest interest in the subject.

I bought this because I enjoyed the first one so much, but did wonder how he would match it. I was wrong to worry because this is a fantastic book. Extreme Risk takes us from the author's military training at Sandhurst through to a number of deployments and his vocation in the area of bomb disposal. But this is no ordinary military autobiography.

We start at Sandhurst and then follow the author to his first posting in Bosnia in 19. This is a jaw dropping reminder of the horrors of 'ethnic cleansing' and the difficult position the UN Peacekeepers were put in. There is one incident that affected the author for some years afterwards in a form of mild PTSD, astonishing when you consider what he then specialised in. We then move to bomb disposal training and then a posting in Southern England and then onto Northern Ireland, Columbia, the SAS, the Middle East and then bodyguarding!

The story itself is a fascinating one of a brave man truly trying to make a difference, but it is the extra bits that really enhance this. Major Hunter is a modest and honest man who gives considerable credit to those around him, especially the NCO's who support him, he also reflects a considerable amount of military humour that give a real insight into relationships and banter. Each chapter also has a quote to kick it off, such as "Don't waste time learning the tricks of the trade. Instead learn the trade" (H Jackson Brown). Normally these things feel out of place, but in this book they are meaningful and significant.

We do see the impact on his personal life and how he became addicted to the rush, both themes also explored in "The Hurt Locker". He was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal although this was (strangely) not mentioned. He skips over his promotion to Major and quite how he ended up, at the end of the book, a bodyguard. But these are minor blips in the tale of a very brave man who really did make a difference.

Over the past years I have read a lot of military autobiographies, Chris Hunter's two sit up there with the best of them and are highly recommended. A solid four stars for me and a great add on to any shelf.

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Chris Hunter
Hardback • ISBN 9780552157599

QI: The Book of General Ignorance - Book Review

QI: The Book of General Ignorance edited by John Lloyd
Compendium of popular misconceptions, misunderstandings and common mistakes culled from the hit BBC show, QI. Published to coincide with the fourth series broadcast in September 2006. If, like Alan Davies, you still think that Henry VIII had six wives, the earth has only one moon, that George Washington was the first president of the USA, that Bangkok is the capital of Thailand, that the largest living thing is a blue whale, that Alexander Graeme Bell invented the telephone, that whisky and bagpipes come from Scotland or that Mount Everest is the world's tallest mountain, then there are at least 200 reasons why this is the book for you.

You don't know what you think you know.  You see, I'm right. You are Generally Ignorant. But don't worry, so are lots of other people. There is something you can do about it, however, and that is read the QI Book of General Ignorance.

There are several QI publications, but the book of General Ignorance is the closest to the format of the show, namely, common knowledge and urban myths are quite often utterly wrong, and the real answers are usually a lot more Interesting than the cheap, synthetic impostors.

The original Book of General Ignorance is one of the best-selling books for most sellers, and rightly so. In addition to learining how many wives did Henry VIII had, what has a three second memory and what man-made objects can be seen from the moon, you will also learn what rhymes with orange, who the most dangerous American in history was, how many muscles you have in your fingers, and many more besides.

The format of the book means you can either dip into it in a spare few minutes, nibbling at a bite size section of interestosity, or simply plough through it, devouring it all in one go. The original work has been completely revised and corrected, and the new material is as good and interesting as the old.

All in all, an entertaining, brilliantly researched, well-written, and in these times of pride in ignorance, vital book. Read it, learn it, live it. A defiante 5 stars for me on this one!

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John Lloyd
Hardback • ISBN 9780571233687

Churchill's Wizards: The British Genius for Deception, 1914-1945 - Book Review

Churchill's Wizards: The British Genius for Deception, 1914-1945 by Nicholas Rankin
This is the story of how the British really won two world wars - by conning the Kaiser, hoaxing Hitler and bluffing their way out of trouble. Pretend German radio stations broadcast outrageous British propaganda in German. British geniuses broke German secret codes and eavesdropped on their messages. Every German spy in Britain was captured and many were used to send back false information to their controllers. Forged documents misled their Intelligence. Bogus wireless traffic from entire phantom armies, dummy airfields with model planes, disguised ships and inflatable rubber tanks created a vital illusion of strength. Culminating in the spectacular misdirection that was so essential to the… more » success of D-Day in 1944, "Churchill's Wizards" is a thrilling work of popular military history

Churchill's Wizards: The British Genius for Deception 1914 - 1945' describes British military deception in two World Wars: the roles of the intelligence services in grand and smaller deception plans. Guerilla warfare, double agents, black propaganda, camouflage and even sniping are all covered. I found the principles and practice of camouflage and the contributions of painters very interesting. The author describes the roles in the development of deception of well known military figures such T E Lawrence and General Wavell, but also presents the activities of people more famous in other walks of life. These include the authors John Buchan, Ian Fleming, Dennis Wheatley, George Bernard Shaw, HG Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle!

Together these interwoven threads of history made a thoroughly enjoyable read for me. The one minor frustration I found came from the title of the book. This implies the involvement or `ownership' of Winston Churchill in the majority the work. I spent the first half of the book anticipating some revelation of his critical involvement in the development of deception in WWI, but it never came! In fact it was apparent from the book that WSC had little or no involvement in the deception activities relating to WWI.

His involvement in the heart of the story - deception - only became clear about two-thirds of the way through the book, once WWII was well underway, after which our heroes - the Wizards - could truly be described as `Churchill's' because of his direct contributions and patronage. Despite the slightly misleading title I found the book informative, well written and a solid three stars but only because in some places the book dragged a bit too much for an easy read.

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Nicholas Rankin
Hardback • ISBN 9780571221950

QI: The Second Book of General Ignorance - Book Review

QI: The Second Book of General Ignorance by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson
Who made the first aeroplane flight? How many legs does an octopus have? How much water should you drink every day? What is the chance of tossing a coin and it landing on heads? What happens if you leave a tooth in a glass of coke overnight? What is house dust mostly made from? What colour are oranges? Who in the world is most likely to kill you? What was the first dishwasher built to do? John Lloyd and John Mitchinson, the brains behind QI, here present a wonderful collection of the most outrageous, fascinating and mind-bending facts, taking on the popular General Ignorance round from BBC1's top rated quiz and the first book in the bestselling series. And whatever your answers to the questions above, you can be sure that everything you think you know is wrong.

Just a short review this time from me on this book. First let me say how well researched, well written, genuinely interesting this books is. Also it is more than funny enough to make me laugh out loud in the office. The wonderfully light writing style manages to deliver a constant stream of information seemingly effortlessly, while the range of facts and histories on offer is a real treat. I've never felt so enthused about the chemical properties of water, the history of football, the origin of species and the Molotov cocktail all in one day. This is not a dry list of clever facts. Every chapter has some particular factual nugget at its core, but they exist as a springboard for all manner of interesting sidelines. Typically a topic will also cover the origins of the word(s), and give a nod to the scientists, artists and thinkers involved before striking out on a fabulously unexpected tangent. One chapter starts with a look at the drinking habits of the world's animals and ends with a plot summary of the oldest surviving work of literature on earth, all in the space of a page.


The greatest strength of the book, in my opinion, is the evident enthusiasm of everybody involved in its compilation, from the industrious elves to the writers (John Lloyd and John Mitchinson) to Stephen Fry. Every time I dip into the book, I am struck by a sense of renewed enthusiasm about the world and all its little mysteries and curiosities. It feeds my inner geek. This book is like the kid in class who insists on asking 'why' all the time, and is happiest when the teacher has to admit that nobody really knows.

One of the best things about it is that if you have ever seen QI or have knowledge of Stephen Fry then, even though he didn't write the book, you hear every word of the book in your head with his voice! For that reason and many more a solid four and a half stars from me.

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QI: The Second Book of General Ignorance by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson
Hardback • ISBN 9780571269655

Dressed to Kill - Book Review

Dressed to Kill by charlotte Madison
"My fingers close around the trigger. I pause for a split second to think about the bullets I am about to spray across the ground. After today, I'll no longer be the new girl" Captain Charlotte Madison is a typical 26 year old woman. She looks forward to her weekly instalment of gossip magazines, worries she is developing bingo wings and is planning her fairytale wedding. She also flies Apache gunships for a living. Britain's first ever female Apache pilot, Charlotte knows exactly what it's like to fight on the frontline in the Army's deadliest machine. During the daring Jugroom Fort rescue, Charlotte became the first British pilot since WWII to use all her ammunition in one mission. She has not only mastered the skills required to fly an Apache and shoot from the air, but also earned the respect and admiration of her male colleagues, proving that whatever they could do, she could do just as well.From her intensive training to her tours of duty in Afghanistan, Charlotte shares all the dramatic details: The exhaustion of being confined in an airless cockpit for up to eleven hours The adrenalin rush of lethal, full-scale mid-air assault What it is like to kill in the name of duty Her female perspective on what being at war is really like DRESSED TO KILL is the extraordinary, gritty and exhilarating story of a young woman at war in a dangerous, mostly male, world.

Having read Ed Macy's Apache and Hellfire, and already knowing a little of the complexities of the Apache, it's target acquisition capabilities, and the weapon systems, made this book a very readable addition, showing as it does the varying human elements which go to make up our superlative AH Regiments, and the incomparable personnel who fly and fight these awesome machines.

The book gives a good insight into the training of Apache crews, particularly the aspects of the few but incredibly effective female pilots who have mastered both the technology, and the intrusion into a male dominated profession.

This is the story of "Charlotte Madison” from her time at an English boarding school through to her army service. She is obviously a determined and talented young lady and this is reflected in her success in joining the elite group of Apache pilots, and being the first woman to do so.

The life of an Apache pilot has already been told through two exceptional books by Ed Macy (and I do recall his account of Charlotte) so this is not new ground, with the obvious exception of the female perspective. And the female perspective is an interesting one and there is a distinct difference between Charlotte as a military pilot and as an off duty 'girlie' looking at Cosmo and worrying about the smell of 'the boys feet'.

Her perspective is perhaps less technical then Ed Macy's but gives a wider view of camp life in Afghanistan, the sights, the smells and the atmosphere. There is some sexist resentment of her during her training, but it was good to note that once she arrived in theatre, she was very much part of a team, and a very effective team at that. As mentioned before, the Apache is an attack helicopter, so the pilot's job is to provide air cover to ground troops and to use the vast array of offensive weaponry to take the fight to the enemy and, let us not forget, to kill them. So we are reminded that this may be one of the most exciting flying roles, it is also a deadly one and, I think I am correct in saying, the only role in the Army when a woman can have front line operational duties.

So we read about how she always wants to pee when out on a mission and how uncomfortable it is, and then we read about her putting a hellfire missile into a building, obliterating it and the insurgents inside and being the first UK Apache pilot to use up every bit of ammunition in a mission and to return to base 'guns dry'. She also recounts very well the difficulty of 'normal life' when away from the intensity of the war, hard to go for a party with your friends in London when the week before you were mowing down bad guys having not slept for 18 hours....Her leaving the Army is rather abrupt and she does not share much background into this.

You end up thinking you would like Charlotte if you met her, but also thinking you would want her above you in a helicopter if you were a member of our armed forces. So while the thunder might have been taken by the Ed Macy books, this remains a worthwhile and interesting book and reflects the intense and courageous service of our Apache pilots.

Charlotte puts clearly, in a very readable way, all of the pressures under which she, and all of the others operate the British Apache, and how she coped with them. I found myself becoming so immersed that I read her book form cover to cover. Charlotte also comes across as a very focussed woman, who with all the skill she gained dealt with formidable scenarios on a daily basis, and fulfilled her role admirably. This skill and focus is reflected in the layout of the book, there are no conventional chapter breaks just short sharp sections detailing a new aspect of her life and the mission, rather like the experience of flying she’s talking about. A great book and a must have alongside Ed Macys books. A solid 4 and a half stars from me.

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Charlotte Madison

Hardback • ISBN 9780755319602

Empire of the Clouds - Book Review

Empire of the Clouds: When Britain's Aircraft Ruled the World by James Hamilton-Paterson
In 1945, Britain was the world's leading designer and builder of aircraft - a world-class achievement that was not mere rhetoric. And what aircraft they were. The sleek Comet, the first jet airliner. The awesome delta-winged Vulcan, an intercontinental bomber that could be thrown about the sky like a fighter. The Hawker Hunter, the most beautiful fighter-jet ever built and the Lightning, which could zoom ten miles above the clouds in a couple of minutes and whose pilots rated flying it as better than sex. How did Britain so lose the plot that today there is not a single aircraft manufacturer of any significance in the country? And what was it like to be alive in that marvellous post-war moment when innovative new British aircraft made their debut, and pilots were the rock stars of the age? James Hamilton-Paterson captures that season of glory in a compelling book that fuses his own memories of being a schoolboy plane spotter with a ruefully realistic history of British decline - its loss of self confidence and power.It is the story of great and charismatic machines and the men who flew them: heroes such as Bill Waterton, Neville Duke, John Derry and Bill Beaumont who took inconceivable risks, so that we could fly without a second thought.

This is a most frustrating book - it's so 'hit and miss'. There's much of interest but you have to trawl through a lot of irritating dross to get to it, and by a lot I mean way too much!


I understand there's a tendency for books about such subjects to be over-flowing with description and data which can be off-putting to a casual reader. But Hamilton-Paterson goes too far the other way and lets vague nostalgia get in the way of fact. To be brutally honest, I don't care what his nan thought or how he fell out his pram when a jet passed low over his garden. At times this feels more like his memoirs than an account of the British aero-industry. And such expressions as 'the sky was full of jets' are just inaccuracies that make you doubt the validity of his other points - his referencing of Wikipedia doesn't help matters. I know this isn't the most serious of history books, but Wikipedia? Come on!

The book isn't a long one, only 270 pages, yet it feels fleshed-out by the author repeating how Bill Waterton was seen as a difficult person to get on with, how test pilots earned a pittance (though a pittance worth more than double that of an average worker), and how people at the time wrongly believed Britain was at the cutting-edge of aircraft design and production.

I think making Waterton one of the main focuses of the book is a good idea, but poorly executed. H-P clearly doesn't have enough information to make a full biography of Waterton - yet he has enough to detract from the stories of the other test pilots and the planes themselves. Do one or the other, not both half-heartedly.

When H-P isn't trying too hard to be a writer and isn't doing his 'it's not like it used to be' routine, the book can be very interesting, readable and informative. Such sections of the book usually occur when he lets the facts talk for themselves. The chapter on the V-Bombers is good and the part about the airliners is enlightening (H-P has no enthusiasm to cloud the details here - he admits airliners are the aircraft he is least interested in). In many places however the book concentrates too much on the politics of the business of post war flight and not enough on the amazing achievements and aircraft, and the politics is written in such a dry way that ti becomes tedious!

For me, this book has served as a useful starting point and it has certainly furthered my interest and knowledge. I just feel it could have been much more than that. All the ingredients are here for something fantastic - a fascinating subject, glamorous planes, colourful characters and a wider setting in the form of the general decline of British industry as a whole. But H-P really hasn't got the balance right. Too much opinion, too much nostalgia...just tell the stories of the planes and people, they're interesting enough - they don't need any embellishment from you! As a result the book rates a mere two stars from me and should be only considered if you cant get a good illustrated guide or don't mind large amounts of backbiting in your books.





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James Hamilton-Paterson
Hardback • ISBN 9780571247943

Immediate Response - Book Review

Immediate Response by Mark Hammond
This is the gripping true story of a Royal Marine helicopter pilot at war in Afghanistan. Major Mark Hammond was awarded the DFC, which ranks third after the VC, for remarkable feats in Afghanistan in his Chinook helicopter. Like the other Chinook pilots and crews, and the surgical teams who travelled with them, Major Hammond regularly put his own life in danger to save the lives of others. Three times on the night of 6 September 2006 he flew into hostile zones to pick up injured soldiers. During an attempt to land at the Para outpost in Musa Qala two rocket-propelled grenades passed within 10ft of his helicopter and four rounds hit it. He aborted the mission. On returning to Camp Bastion he… more » found a new Chinook and made another trip, rescuing a soldier while still under heavy fire. "Immediate Response" is Major Mark Hammond's highly personal account of combat and provides readers with a vivid account of the brutal realities of war.

This book is a brilliant, real life story about one aspect of the violent and brutal conflict in Afghanistan. The story is told by Major Mark Hammond DFC, a Royal Marine aviator serving as a pilot with the RAF in the Chinook Helicopter Forces based at RAF Odiham. Through the clarity of his writing and his open and honest account of events of which he has personally experienced, he has been able to describe the environment in which the Chinooks helicopters have been operating in such a manner that the reader can feel the tension, the fear, and the sheer terror felt by all those involved.


The book highlights the major contribution the Chinook Force is making providing not only a means of access and the delivery of vital logistic support across Helmand Province, but perhaps more importantly getting casualties out of the immediate battle area and into the hands of the medical teams during the all important `golden hour'. To achieve this the author describes the terrifying experience of landing his helicopter while under fire to collect the injured, and the luck required to avoid what should have been certain death for all on board his aircraft on more than one occasion.

He also graphically describes the frustration when such missions are cancelled or postponed due to the unserviceability of the Apache Attack helicopters, which provide the essential close air support needed when the Chinooks go into a hostile area. This appears to happen all too often and just highlights the anger of many at the lack the necessary equipment and spare parts for the British armed forces in theatre. The reality is there are not enough helicopter airframes in theatre to provide cover as a backup, and a shortage of spares for one piece of equipment can have a snowball effect on other capabilities and impact on operations. The book indirectly highlights the impact of these shortages on our fighting troops on the ground.

This book has managed to capture the torment and serious challenges faced by our soldiers and aviators who have been called to serve in the Afghan War. Many aspects of this tragic conflict have gone unreported for too long, but this book is a `must read' for those who want to know what it must be like for our men and women deployed into that most inhospitable theatre of operations.

This is a different take in the current vein of 'what its like' books coming out of the conflict in Afghanistan 'Immediate Response' stands well up there alongside other previous books. For me its a nice solid 4.5 out of 5 stars.
 

 
 
 
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Mark Hammond
softback • ISBN 9780141039046

The Fort - Book Review

The Fort By Bernard Cornwell
‘Captivate, kill or destroy the whole force of the enemy’ was the order given to the American soldiers.

Summer 1779.
Seven hundred and fifty British soldiers and three small ships of the Royal Navy. Their orders: to build a fort above a harbour to create a base from which to control the New England seaboard.
Forty-one American ships and over nine hundred men. Their orders: to expel the British.
The battle that followed was a classic example of how the best-laid plans can be disrupted by personality and politics, and of how warfare can bring out both the best and worst in men. It is a timeless tale of men at war, written by a master storyteller.

This is a meticulously researched and highly entertaining novelised account of a largely forgotten campaign from the American War of Independence which is usually known today as "The Penobscot Expedition". If you don't already know the outcome of the campaign, I would advise against looking it up until after you have finished the book: it was a very close-run thing which could easily have gone either way, and the tension of now knowing how it ends does enhance the book's first reading.


"The Fort" is based so closely on real historical events that it is better described as a novelised history rather than historical fiction. Not only does Cornwall take very few liberties with the real course of events, he includes an 18-page historical note which explains the ones he did take, as well as a "heroic myths" essay which compares the legends which have grown up about the two most famous participants in the campaign and the historical reality as he sees it.

In 1779, the British sent a small force of regular but not particularly experienced troops with orders to build a fort at the location which is now called Castine but was then known as Majabigwaduce. Their short term aim was to deny the excellent harbour at that spot to the rebels and enable it to be used as a base from which the Royal Navy could limit the depredations of rebel privateers: the long-term aim, had the British won the war, would have been to establish a new loyalist colony called New Ireland.

Within a few weeks of the arrival of the British, the Americans sent a force to expel them which had rather more soldiers, significantly more and heavier artillery, and a much larger naval force. And they arrived while the fort was only half completed, with walls which were still low enough that a man could jump over them. The British had only one significant advantage: their army commander, Brigadier-General Francis McLean, and the senior captain of the three RN ships supporting him, Captain Mowett, worked together as a team. The American army and navy commanders did not.

The future Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore, one of the most brilliant and humane generals ever to serve in the British army or any other, saw action for the first time as an eighteen-year-old lieutenant in this campaign and is one of the major characters in the book. So is Colonel Paul Revere, who was in command of the rebel artillery. Like almost everyone else who has ever studied him, Cornwall presents John Moore in a favourable light. Nobody could possibly have been as good as Moore's legend suggests, but most of those who have examined the matter concluded that he was pretty close to it.

On the other side of this coin, both in terms of allegiance and feelings, Cornwall is not a fan of Paul Revere, who does not come well out of this story. At the conclusion of the historical note at the end of this book, Cornwall point out perhaps the most extreme irony of the Penobscot expedition: Paul Revere was accused of disobeying an order from the second-in-command of the American forces, General Wadsworth, who threatened to have him arrested. Yet ironically Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who eighty years later was to write the poem which immortalised Revere, was the grandson of the same General Wadsworth! (At the start of this book, there is a scene in Wadsworth's home town in which his wife holds their one-year-old daughter Zilpha in her arms. Longfellow was Zilpha's son.)

To summarise, this is a well written and enjoyable book, laced with some of Bernard Cornwell's own opinions but giving both sides of the story on both British and American sides. Not all fans of the "Richard Sharpe" books will enjoy this, as the events of the campaign were not quite as dramatic or heroic as stories such as Sharpe's Eagle, but personally I found "The Fort" even more fun to read that the Sharpe books and can recommend it. For me it’s a solid four and a half stars and has tempted me to pick up more Cornwall for my ever increasing collection!

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The Fort By Bernard Cornwell

Softback • ISBN 9780007331741

Fire Strike 7/9 - Book Review

Fire Strike 7/9 by Paul Grahame and Damien Lewis
'Being a JTAC is the closest a soldier on the ground in the midst of battle can get to feeling like one of the gods - unleashing pure hellfire, death and destruction' - Duncan Falconer Meet Sergeant 'Bommer' Grahame, one of the deadliest soldiers on the battlefield. He's an elite army JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller- pronounced 'jay-tack') - a specially trained warrior responsible for directing Allied air power with high-tech precision. Commanding Apache gunships, A10 tank-busters, F15s and Harrier jets, he brings down devastating fire strikes against the attacking Taliban, often danger close to his own side. Due to his specialist role, Sergeant Grahame usually operates in the thick of the action, where it's at its most fearsome and deadly. Conjuring the seemingly impossible from apparently hopeless situations, soldiers in battle rely on the skill and bravery of their JTAC to enable them to win through in the heat of the danger zone. Fire Strike 7/9 tells the story of Bommer Grahame and his five-man Fire Support Team on their tour of Afghanistan.Patrolling deep into enemy territory, they were hunted and targeted by the Taliban, shot at, blown-up, mortared and hit by rockets on numerous occasions. Under these conditions Sergeant Grahame notched up 203 confirmed enemy kills, making him the difference between life and death both for his own troops and the Taliban.

This book chronicles the experiences of Sgt “Bommer” Grahame, a member of the Light Dragoons more normally to be found conducting Formation Recce, but who for 6 months was attached to 2 MERCIAN as a member of their Fire Support Team employed as the Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) during a deployment to Op HERRICK, which I think was H6.


The book covers a pretty short time frame; some time before deploying whilst Sgt Grahame is training, the deployment (as 1WFR which became 2 MERCIAN)) and then a small amount post tour but it tries to keep the focus on the kinetic actions that took place during the main deployment and more so how he, as the JTAC, was employed. The book is written in a very easy to read style which I suspect owes a lot to Damien Lewis, as even without knowing the author I just can’t see him describing something as “peachy”.

As I’ve said the book is actually less about the deployment and its objectives, which do get mentioned, and more about the JTAC and what he brings to the party but you don’t get an in-depth description of what the JTAC does, it’s much more generalised account for clear reasons. There is no doubt that the book highlights the essential role of the FST and in particular details just how devastating, effective and clinical a JTAC can be, and how he can be employed to take the fight to the enemy whilst saving his comrades lives by keeping them out of trouble. I just found the pace a little slow and the actions repetitive. It may have just been the writing but I felt that occasionally Sgt Grahame came across as a little blasé or perhaps flippant which made we wonder more about him and his relationship with the TOC and the Junior Officers around him, more so than about the action.

Described as “a frantic page-turner with relentless accounts of enemy contacts relayed at a rapid-fire pace” and “an adrenaline-fuelled hell-ride of non-stop combat”, I was looking forward to a really engaging and gripping read but sadly I didn’t think the book lived up to those strap lines. It was nonetheless an enjoyable read if nothing particularly special.

In sum this is an easily digestible if perhaps a little superficial, account but it is nonetheless an entertaining insight into the role of the JTAC which many people should find interesting. Personally though we must give Paul Grahame top marks for having the drive and enthusiasm to write a book and make a shedload of money for charity! Still for me though its a solid three and a half stars but I will say that this book makes a great pool side read so if you pick it up you wont be disappointed.

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Fire Strike 7/9 by Paul Grahame and Damien Lewis
Softback • ISBN 9780091937768

3 Commando: Helmand Assault - Book Review

3 Commando: Helmand Assault by Ewen Southby-Tailyour
When the Royal Marines Commandos returned to a chaotic Helmand in the winter of 2008, they realised that to stand any chance of success they would need to pursue an increasingly determined Taliban harder than ever before. This time they were going to hunt them down from the air. With the support of Chinooks, Apaches, Lynx, Sea Kings and Harriers, the Commandos became a deadly mobile unit, able to swoop at a moments notice into the most hostile territory. From huge operations like the gruelling Red Dagger, when 3 Commando Brigade fought in Somme-like mud to successfully clear the area around the capital of Helmand, Lashkar Gar, of encroaching enemy forces, to the daily acts of unsupported close-quarters 360-degree combat and the breath-taking, rapid helicopter night assaults behind enemy lines - this was kind of battle that brought Commando qualities to the fore. As with the "Sunday Times" bestselling "3 Commando Brigade", ex-Marine Lieutenant Colonel Ewen Southby-Tailyour brings unparalleled access to the troops, a soldier's understanding of the conflict and a visceral sense of the combat experience.This is the real war in Helmand as told to him by a hand-picked band of young fellow marines as they encounter the daily rigours of life on the ground in the world's most intense war zone.

The book opens with a dedication to those who lost their lives during Operation Herrick 9. A depressingly long list, and one that just covers this particular operation. It is a sad thought that the lists of the dead and injured from previous and subsequent forays would fill a good-sized book in themselves.

However, the account by the author of the time spent in Afghanistan by 3 Commando Brigade is a compelling and comprehensive read. The manner of writing and the “voice” adopted by the narrator drags the reader along at a fair clip, but there are breaks for catching one’s breath.

The content is by necessity mixed, with individual accounts, quotes and comments by the bootneck on the ground and with insight and anxiety in the ops tents.

The period covered, in the main, is the months between September 2008 and April 2009, the mission statement is laid out and the hopes and ambitions of the Brigade, the staff and the soldiers are all clearly identified. Right up to the point that –as we all know – everything goes wrong. It was fascinating to see the larger picture, from the point of the staff, as well as individual and small-unit snapshots and to realise that marines are very much the same as real soldiers, apart from their strange usage of language and inability to recognise that a land-based training establishment, on soil and earth is not a ship!

The courage and determination of these people is not and cannot ever be in doubt. They react in the same way that all squaddies to adversity; grumble, complain and show tremendous courage in frightening situations.

I enjoyed the book, although I have to be honest and admit that at times I found it a little slow. There is, again by necessity, a fair amount of time spent in ops tents planning the operations, and in follow up meetings to analyse how things went. It’s probably because I have a short attention span and much prefer to get onto the hardware and the action, but it was extremely illuminating to be admitted to the thoughts and actions of the planners as well as the implementation of these plans and the actions of those taking part.

The author has produced a comprehensive and very readable book, an account of a turbulent time in a turbulent place, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone with even the slightest interest in what is happening in Afghanistan. A definate four stars from me on this one and a worthy follow up to the previous novel by the same author.


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3 Commando: Helmand Assault by Ewen Southby-Tailyour

Softback • ISBN 9780091937768

War - Book Review

War by Sebastian Junger
From the author of The Perfect Storm, a gripping book about Sebastian Junger's almost fatal year with the 2nd battalion of the American Army.

For 15 months, Sebastian Junger accompanied a single platoon of thirty men from the celebrated 2nd battalion of the U.S. Army, as they fought their way through a remote valley in Eastern Afghanistan. Over the course of five trips, Junger was in more firefights than he could count, men he knew were killed or wounded, and he himself was almost killed. His relationship with these soldiers grew so close that they considered him part of the platoon, and he enjoyed an access and a candidness that few, if any, journalists ever attain.
But this is more than just a book about Afghanistan or the 'War on Terror'; it is a book about the universal truth of all men, in all wars. Junger set out to answer what he thought of as the 'hand grenade question': why would a man throw himself on a hand grenade to save other men he has probably known for only a few months? The answer is elusive but profound, and goes to the heart of what it means not just to be a soldier, but to be human.
‘War’ is a narrative about combat: the fear of dying, the trauma of killing and the love between platoon-mates who would rather die than let each other down. Gripping, honest, intense, it explores the neurological, psychological and social elements of combat, and the incredible bonds that form between these small groups of men.

War is a human story, a tale of humanity under extreme circumstance. Compelling and brutally objective, War is an account of existence at the sharpest end of contemporary warfare with Second Platoon, one of America's fiercest fighting forces, as they try to take the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan harshest, most vicious and inhospitable rebel-infested zone. The Valley broke the Russians during their attack on the region in the 80s, yet America is there, relying on Battle Squad to be their unstoppable force against what is proving to be a steadfast immovable (and deadly) enemy in the shape of the Taliban.

Sebastian Junger is also famous for his previous work with The Perfect Storm, the non-fiction work that inspired the film of the same name. Like the parents of the soldiers Junger is embedded with, the author was required to become apolitical in order to even begin to relate to what these soldiers (those parents' sons) have to do. Therefore, this book is not about whether the Americans should be there or not, it's about a sheer and brutal, almost surreal, kind of existence that is as near to organized insanity as mankind is ever likely to stray. An existence which the men are all too honest about when faced with the prospect of finishing their tour to return home to what many would consider normal life. Which can make for uncomfortable moments. But record with admirable objectivity Junger does, grinding out his days shoulder to shoulder with these soldiers as they endure close-quarter, gorilla-style warfare, where the human brain is far too slow to beat enemy bullets that hit faster than sound travels, and only instinct, good fortune, intense training and unwavering loyalty to each other keep men living from one hour to the next. The almost un-reality that these soldiers enter into is both frightening but also highly engaging, and all praise for Junger who refuses to glorify or labour events.

Beyond this most vibrant of subject matters, though, for me, Junger's main pull is his killer prose style; economic yet vivid, taut yet extremely colourful, it runs to such a brisk tempo that it sucks you in. There is something hugely enjoyable about the sheer lick of this work, trading superfluous subjection for pace when it counts most. In saying this, its fair to describe this book as more of a long-form journalistic piece that recognises lengths of concentration span, than a book; one that also works the same mechanics as the most compelling storytelling documentary movies of recent years, recognising that to engage you also need to make some concession to entertain.

Fans of The Wire or Operation Kill will warm to War as it also plunges the reader in jargon and slang conjuring a world unto itself and deepening the experience. Equally, if you enjoyed the documentary feel of The Hurt Locker, I'm prepared to bet you will simply devour Junger's War; and even if you're just a fan of taut prose, then this is for you. However, regardless of its subject matter, War is just a brilliant piece of writing that deserves to be a major hit amongst critics and readers alike. A good Solid four and a half stars for me on this one.


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War by Sebastian Junger
Softback • ISBN 9780007337712

Fields of Death - Book Review

Fields of Death by Simon Scarrow

From the bestselling author of THE GLADIATOR and FIRE AND SWORD comes the final volume in his epic quartet of novels about Wellington and Napoleon It's 1810, and both Viscount Wellington and Emperor Napoleon have made great names for themselves as outstanding military commanders. Wellington expands his achievements in Spain but knows his most challenging test will be to face Napoleon's mighty army. But when Wellington invades France in 1814 he gains a swift victory. He indulges in a spell of self-congratulation at Vienna -- until news comes of Napoleon's triumphant return. Napoleon, ambitious as ever, embarks on a Russian campaign which ends in disaster and is then defeated at Leipzig in the biggest battle ever fought in Europe. With Napoleon's power waning at long last, Wellington must seize the opportunity to crush the tyrant once and for all -- and so the two giants face each other for the final time, at Waterloo...

The book follows Arthur as he continues his campaign across the Peninsula, over the Pyrenees and eventually into France. Napoleon's adventures begin with battles against the Austrians, continue as he makes the ill-fated decision to invade Russia and come to an end as he is forced to abdicate at which point he is exiled to Elba. As is to be expected the book and the series reach a climax at the infamous Battle of Waterloo when Napoleon and Wellington finally have the opportunity to cross swords. The final few pages give us a glimpse of the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, with the re-exile of Napoleon and a brief history of the last years of the two leading lights of their age. Unfortunately though the book really comes to a swift end at Waterloo.


I have read all of Scarrow's previous books in the series, but I have to congratulate him on the way he made me feel sorry for Napoleon during his inglorious retreat from the depths of Russia when everything was going wrong and turning to ashes. I think this is the sign of a truly gifted writer, when the reader can sympathise with the chief villain. I also really like the little touches and nods to other writers that deal with this period in history, most notably the cheeky reference to Richard Sharpe when Wellington meets the unusual Major of the 95th who carried a Rifle and spoke with what appeared to be a slightly Northern accent.

This series has given me many hours of pleasurable reading. After finishing the book I was left pondering whether or not more books could have been written to expand the series further. I think the answer to that question is yes, without a doubt; the author could have completely changed the appearance of this series by writing a detailed account of the Napoleonic Wars. On the other hand, would a lengthy series have made for truly engrossing, page turning, historical fiction? Probably not! I think the author has managed to get the balance just right with this series. At the end I was left thinking `I wish there was more'. As a result I will be guaranteed to buy Scarrow's next book in an attempt to fill the gap.

My only complaint about the whole book was that it could have been two! Yes it may have made the series too unwieldy and yes it may have killed it but I think after the retreat from Russia the book almost seemed to speed to a close, and most certainly the battle of Waterloo could have been expanded further. Still without a doubt the best fictional nonfiction historical book I have read in a very long time, a full five stars from me!

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Fields of Death by Simon Scarrow
Paperback • ISBN 9780755324408

Warriors: British Fighting Heroes - Book Review

Warriors: British Fighting Heroes by Ross Kemp

Ross Kemp has encountered conflict and warfare the world over, broadcasting from some of the most volatile military hot-zones. From meeting the world's deadliest gangsters, to perhaps his hardest assignment of all; embedded with the British Army in Afghanistan's Helmand province, where he witnessed some of the fiercest fighting of the conflict and was trained in the tactics they use to stay alive. Stationed with British forces for his award-winning television documentaries, Ross Kemp has not only experienced the terror and exhilaration of life on the frontline, but also the courage and leadership of today's servicemen and women. The plight of our Armed Forces is one especially close to his heart, and here for the first time Kemp tells the breathtaking stories of commandos, medics, submariners, fighter pilots, infantrymen, sailors and engineers in daring raids, stirring last stands and acts of extreme valour. "British Fighting Heroes" is Ross Kemp's personal tribute to some of the most remarkable men and women to have served in the British Armed Forces during the two World Wars, many of them unsung or forgotten. From Sgt Major Stan Hollis, D-Day's only VC winner, to Freddie Spencer Chapman the reluctant war hero who spent three years behind enemy lines in Burma fighting guerrilla warfare against troops, each account is an extraordinary tale of courage, adventure and patriotic sacrifice.

This latest book by Ross Kemp looks at some of the many forgotten heroes of the British armed forces over the last one hundred years. The men who are explored in this book are some of the many people that were either forgotten through the passage of time or because their work was secret, some were just forgotten though because their achievements had fallen out of favour.


Mainly concentrating on some of the forgotten heroes from the first and second world wars this book looks are the astounding feats that were carried out, the risks taken and the background that spurred these men to such extraordinary lengths. Many of the stories read almost like action novels or films rather then something that would have occurred in the real world but amazingly everything in this book is true.

Ross Kemp tries to capture this amazement and his language is almost schoolboy like in its admiration but this just helps to convey the unbelievable nature of the events he is trying to chronicle and put back in to the public eye again. He also tackles things from a human angle and whilst he himself states he doesn’t want to delve to far back so the book becomes a dissection of the psychology of the men he does include enough background in each section to help give you the idea of the men’s characters.

Nicely divided up in to four sections, Army, Marines, Navy and Airforce, the book nicely packages up the events and actions without too much baggage and whilst some forces, such as the Marines, only have a small entry it brings home the extraordinary lengths men go to in times of war. There are nice little touches and bits of information for each man and the biography of what they did after their service is a nice touch that many historians forget and it really does bring home how forgotten these men really did become. There are also some nice bits of trivia and coincidence that could almost be made up, if you don’t believe me read the book and find out about the three men who have won the VC twice!

Over all a good read and something anyone wanting to find out more about true heroes, and not some over paid ponces kicking a bag of wind about that the papers call heroes, a good 4 stars from me but more down to the fact I felt there could be more men in it!

 
 
 
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Warriors: British Fighting Heroes by Ross Kemp
Hardback • ISBN 9781846057991