|
| 
| Author: Dan Mills
Publisher: Penguin
Category: Book
List Price: £6.99
Buy New: £3.86
You Save: £3.13 (45%)
New (30) Used (8) from £2.45
Avg. Customer Rating:  103 reviews
Sales Rank: 203
Media: Paperback
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.1 x 1.1
ISBN: 0141029013
EAN: 9780141029016
ASIN: 0141029013
Publication Date: May 15, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
|
| Customer Reviews:
Awesome read. September 12, 2008
Forget Andy McNab and Anthony Swofford, this has got to be the best book I've ever read. It's definately aimed at service personnel more than civilians. I could not put this down. 10 times better than Bravo Two Zero and Jarhead. I would read it over and over again.
On target September 4, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anybody who is interested in how the war in Iraq was really fought. Dan Mills writes well and is strong on the (much-misunderstood) role of snipers in modern warfare. He's also very informative on some of the countless cock-ups that led to injuries and death for soldiers. Particularly harrowing was his account of the American troop convoy on their way from Baghdad to Kuwait who passed through the area in which he was working. Nobody told them that it was in the middle of some ferocious fighting. Result: convoy was ambushed; result: (pointless) loss of life and multiple injuries.
I do realise that books like this one will, of course, seek to paint as good a picture as possible of our troops. But from being somebody who was always fairly anti-Army I now view our soldiers with total respect. In Iraq they had to cope with ludicrous rules of engagement, in nightmarish conditions, all too often using kit that wasn't up to the job. More power to people like Dan Mills for letting us know how they coped.
Amazing... September 3, 2008
I dont read all that many books, and I have a colleciton of half read titles but this one has something a little different. Every page has something else to pull you into the story. Be it the dark sense of humour that keeps the guys going or the sheer pace of action. What these guys did is awe inspiring, how could you go back to civilian life after an adventure like that.... Brilliant!!
 A direct account but does leave a few questions August 26, 2008
9 out of 17 found this review helpful
I can see why the MOD wanted to ban this book. Dan Mills give a very gungho/right-on account of the battle for the city but if you read between the lines there are lots of unanswered questions. He never questions his own decisions and only occasionally questions those of his superiors.
Why did he roll up right outside the main enemy HQ on the first day? Supposedly no-one had told him.....after he had been given a 1 hour briefing by the guy he was taking over from. Why didnt he ask the CIMIC people who had been working there for months and continued to work with them throughout?
Was increasing the barricading to the building the moment they got there really their right message to the locals, again the CIMIC staff did warn them?
Why did the unit expend more ammunition than the rest of the invading force combined, for a smallish town in Iraq? Especially in comparison to the units that preceeded them and succeeded them in that same town.
After just a couple of years most of the guys have left the Army, yet throughout the book they were portrayed as being very much up for war.Especially someone like his acting 2ic Chris, who would have been a supposed shoe-in for promotion stepping up to the challenging situation like he did.
Overall though it was a gripping read and I couldnt put it down. It gave more detail than most UK newspapers on the factions within Iraq and the power struggles between them. It therefore makes a good starting point to understanding the Iraq war, and the challenges of creating the peace.
 Come Home They're Here Too!!!!! August 25, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Much RESPECT to the British army (past and present), from Hengest and Horsa (5th century English/Anglo-Saxon warlords) to modern troops in the war against terror, I salute you all.
This book was a joy to read, its a decent sized book but only took 4 days to read as it was a great page turner. Well done Sgt Dan Mills. I've never read a book like this before and i probably never will again as i cant imagine i'll find a better one. The reason i didnt give it 5/5 is because the battle scenes werent descriptive enough e.g. I didnt feel like i was there, i didnt feel the adrenaline, but is still loved it.
The story is simple: they go to a small town in Iraq as peecekeepers but end up up getting battered by extremists whilst been outnumbered and their supplies are dwindling. They even get help from the Yanks, and not one brit gets killed in 'friendly fire'-amazing. This is very well written and a fun and educational read (if your interested in life in the Army) and i recommend it to anyone interested in the modern army and Iraq etc.
As Im soon to join the Army myself-this was a real eye opener as to how PC and unrealistic and weak our government has become expecting us to fight with one arm behind our backs, but I'll soon be fighting for 'Queen and a Country of foreigners' - good book though-go and read it.
|
|
|
| |
