Dusty Warriors

[Snapper]

Greetings.

 

Just crashed through DUSTY WARRIORS by Richard Holmes - who needs no introduction. This book is loosely tacked on to his recent trilogy of books Tommy, Redcoat and Sahib (I haven't read the latter) and tells the story of the 1st Battalion Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment on Telic 4 in Iraq. I wrote recently about Colby Buzzells excellent Killing Time In Iraq blog book and the less inspiring Squaddie. This book has an edge because of the writer and his unique access (as Colonel of the Bn) to events. There's plenty of action in visceral detail amplifying the incredible amount of combat that never made the news. The events surrounding Johnson Beharry's VC exploits are included, but not oppressively to sell books or fill pages. Everybody gets a look in. I can really recommend this book to continue your journey through the history of British soldiering.

[AlienFTM]

I just finished this. One correction: Richard Holmes is Colonel of the Regiment. Colonel of a battalion rather implies Commanding Officer thereof, whereas Colonel of the Regiment is a ceremonial rather than operational role. Colonels of the regiment (who don't have to be Colonels: I remember one who was a Major General, and the current incumbent at the Light Dragoons is in fact the King of Jordan) provide an administrative level between the regiment and the Ministry of Defence to for example fight their cause when there is yet another round of amalgamations.

 

Anyway that's a minor detail.

 

I enjoyed the book. It went into a surprising amount of tactical detail that I think the MOD might have taken offence at had it come from a Tom. The descriptions of actions were very good, especially since they were taken from the writings of the Toms involved. (I have always had a problem with the writing of senior officers who never seemed to see what toms see.)

 

I got a little bogged with some of the political stuff but otherwise it was a pretty good book.

[Snapper]

Good call. Thanks for the correction.

 

Agreed. My son is reading it at the moment and he finds some of it a bit dull. But he just wants to read action. I read the Johnson Behary autobiography after this and it helped flesh some parts out (once we had got past the long drawn out stuff from Grenada and moving to England).

 

cheers

 

MB

[PeterMacD]

a good book but rather fragmented at times. Richard Holmes was lucky to have been invited just after the CIMIC House/Beharry VC episode and got some excellent first hand accounts that were still fresh in the memory.

[Marmite!!]

a good book but rather fragmented at times. Richard Holmes was lucky to have been invited just after the CIMIC House/Beharry VC episode and got some excellent first hand accounts that were still fresh in the memory.

 

 

Hi Peter,

 

welcome to the forum, maybe you could introduce yourself in the Introductions & welcome section..

 

http://www.hmvf.co.uk/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=38&board=19.0

 

Cheers

 

Lee

 

[Tony B]

I've just finished reading it. Richard Holmes' style is to give you a feel of the world in which the soldier is operating. Dusty Warriors in particular is more like a chat with the blokes. The background of army organisation is intresting and necessary as it sets the scene. i would throughly recommend it, I read it in one sitting, found it excellent.

[Tony B]

To add to this read the book Sniper One by Dan Mills of Y company. B*** excellent.