Books by ex Squaddies

I have had a lot of books from Amazon,and have no complaints if i had they would go straight back.
Books are like every thing else as far as i am concerned.Get them from the cheapest source.

I would agree with that.

I've read several autobiographies of serving/ex soldiers, the best by far is a book called ' They Stood in the Door' written by Don MacNaughton (16 Ind Para Bde) published by Arthur H Stockwell 1983. I've read the volume at least three times, if you haven't read it I recomend it. The most boring book I've read (to date) was penned by Gen Sir Mike Jackson and called 'Soldier' it was hard work getting to the last page, but a relief when it eventually happened.

Btw, people like Chis Ryan and Andy McNab clearly have their thoughts on their bank balances and imo should not be taken seriously.

Recently released for ex Harrogate brats...



A good read if you were there.

FLY ARMY
ARMY RALLYINGBy Les Dalton


Published: November 2010
Format: Perfect Bound Softcover(Color)
Pages: 168

Size: 8.5x11

ISBN: 9781449054519

£25.00 from Authorhouse bookstore

This book is an in depth and often hilarious look at the men and machines that represented the British Army International Rally team during the period from 1971 to 1982.

Whilst predominantly the story of one driver, Les Dalton, it also covers the trials and tribulations of most of the Army, and RAFMSA crews competing on the home International rallies during that time. It is chock full of action stories,and superb professional photographs of Turbo Charged Land Rovers, Austin 1800s, and Mini's, describing life as it was: flat out on the special stages in one of the GREEN MACHINES.

For the real rally fans of that era, and for those who used to support the Army crews, here is a nostalgic trip down memory lane. This is the book to resurrect your memories of all of those freezing cold days waiting for hours after Roger, Timo and Hannu had gone through, just to cheer on the Army Land Rovers.

Just finished "Dead Men Risen", about the Welsh Guards in Afghanistan, don't think it was penned by a soldier but full of quotes etc so obviously written by someone who had access to information not generally available. Interesting informative and well written, I enjoyed it anyway.
Should be about £20 but I picked it up second hand. Most inaccurate thing Iv'e read was "Too few, Too Far about the Falklands conflict. The "smell of cordite" from 7.62 ammo, c'mon lets be serious.

Just started reading General Sir Peter De La Billiere's autobiography 'Looking for trouble' I read it a few years ago and since it was a good read I thought I'd give it another go. I have also read General Mike Jackson's autobiography which was (imo) dull in comparison, if you have read neither I strongly recommend the former.

The latest read here is "It doesn't take a Hero" by old Stormin Norman Schwarzkopf, half way though at the moment, very interesting background to the guy and it would seem his reputation was earned. Another charity shop find

Gordon,



Recently released for ex Harrogate brats...



A good read if you were the there.



I would add 'A good read if you were there AND IN THAT INTAKE

Wilf wrote:

Just started reading General Sir Peter De La Billiere's autobiography 'Looking for trouble' I read it a few years ago and since it was a good read I thought I'd give it another go. I have also read General Mike Jackson's autobiography which was (imo) dull in comparison, if you have read neither I strongly recommend the former.

This morning I found a copy of his "Storm Command" in the Salvation Army charity shop so thats' waiting ready for when I've finished ole Stormin Norms book.

Anyone remember those old Sgt Rock/Combat comics that we used to get in the 60s and 70s? We would score out what they were saying in the "Balloons" and enter our own script, eg Sgt Rock, "It's getting a bit hot here chaps, time we scarpered". Bored squaddie, **** this for a game of soldiers, let's get the **** out of this ******* ****hole. Some of the improvisation was hilarious.

Any body else read the "Gunner Asch" series of books, I read them in German when I was given them by an Austrian in the U.N. I thought they were very funny and have seen them in English somewhere, I think the first one was Gunner Asch goes to war.

Yes I have Dave, there was also a series of films made about Gunner Asch starring Joachim Fuchsberger (aka "Blackie"), who was a very popular Film and TV star in postwar Germany, they made great play of mixing up the words Asch with Arsch which, in those days, was considered a very naughty Double Entendre. Innocent days!

Had no idea they had made films, might be cheaper than the books, used hard back on amazon £180 and paperbacks around £20 used, bit of a shocker.

Dave have a look on Amazon.de, Filme & TV then type in the title which in German is 0815. A three box DVD set starts at Euro 12:83.

Shelldrake wrote:

Dave have a look on Amazon.de, Filme & TV then type in the title which in German is 0815. A three box DVD set starts at Euro 12:83.

On order, thanks for that, sure to go down well with the wife!!!!!. Maybe I'll wait till she's out, discretion is after all the best part of valour.

Bit of useless information, the films' name, 0815 (Nullachtfunfzehn), is German slang for boring or monotonous. 0815 was a WW1 German machine gun on which the squaddies were drilled on over and over and over!

Shelldrake wrote:

Anyone remember those old Sgt Rock/Combat comics that we used to get in the 60s and 70s? We would score out what they were saying in the "Balloons" and enter our own script, eg Sgt Rock, "It's getting a bit hot here chaps, time we scarpered". Bored squaddie, **** this for a game of soldiers, let's get the **** out of this ******* ****hole. Some of the improvisation was hilarious.

Do you include those little mags which, I think came under the title "Commando" ?

A lot of them were popular because the squaddy characters were drawn true-to-life. They were a bit scruffy, a bit ugly. The stories tended to be quite good too.

Nevertheless, not wishing it to be known that we enjoyed reading them, we called them "training pamphlets".

Yes, they were included! (Can't tell you what did to the "Bunty"!!)

Shelldrake wrote:

Yes, they were included! (Can't tell you what did to the "Bunty"!!)

The "Bunty" ?

What's that then ?

(Sounds a bit gay).

Blimey Brum, you've led a sheltered life! The Bunty was a girls comic from the 60, 70s and 80s, I was a subscriber in my Cross Dressing years.

Daveb wrote:

Any body else read the "Gunner Asch" series of books, I read them in German when I was given them by an Austrian in the U.N. I thought they were very funny and have seen them in English somewhere, I think the first one was Gunner Asch goes to war.

Gnr. Asch series. Enjoyed those books. Had forgotten about them.

I Remember Adventure, Champion, Hotspur & Film Fun comics, having graduated from ther Beano & Dandy. Showing my age here.

Mention of "training pamphlets" brought back memories of BAOR exercises of the late 60s/early 70s when a vital part of many vehicles' FTX kit was a small ammo box filled with said documents, very useful when on radio watch or when hanging around waiting for something to happen. Seem to remember these were rarely read in barracks but were topped up from time to time or swapped with other units to provide fresh reading material

Also very popular were the Sven Hassell books about an imaginary tank troop somewhere on the Eastern Front (though they supposedly fight in Italy and once against a British Commando raid somewhere along the French coast). Seem to remember key players included "The Old Man", Josef Porta the spiv, Tiny, Legionnaire and Barcelona.

I was an avid reader of Sven Hassell, JPW, apparently the guy was "Economical with the truth", but I enjoyed them nevertheless. I have his autograph somewhere, maybe my Grandchildren will have it valued on the Antiques Roadshow one day.