The Yompers

The Yompers PDF Author: Ian R. Gardiner
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1781599181
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 381

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Book Description
A British company commander details his experience serving in the Falklands War and reflects on the 1982 conflict. “Yomping” was the word Commandos used for carrying heavy loads on long marches. It caught the public’s imagination during this short but bitter campaign and epitomized the grim determination and professionalism of our troops… Called to action on April 2, 1982, the men of 45 Commando Royal Marines assembled from around the world to sail 8,000 miles to recover the Falkland Islands from Argentine invasion. Lacking helicopters and short of food, they “yomped” in appalling weather carrying overloaded rucksacks, across the roughest terrain. Yet for a month in mid-winter, they remained a cohesive fighting-fit body of men. They then fought and won the highly successful and fierce night battle for Two Sisters, a 1,000-foot-high mountain which was the key to the defensive positions around Stanley. More than just a first-hand story of that epic feat, this book is the first to be written by a company commander in the Falklands War. It offers a vivid description of the “yomp” and infantry fighting, and it also offers penetrating insights into the realities of war at higher levels. It is a unique combination of descriptive writing about frontline fighting and wider reflections on the Falklands War, and conflict in general. “This is the real thing, from someone who gave the orders and led from the front, from beginning to bitter end. His account is articulate, poignant and precise, even though thirty years have elapsed . . . highly recommended.” —Military History Monthly

The Yompers

The Yompers PDF Author: Ian R. Gardiner
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1781599181
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 381

Get Book Here

Book Description
A British company commander details his experience serving in the Falklands War and reflects on the 1982 conflict. “Yomping” was the word Commandos used for carrying heavy loads on long marches. It caught the public’s imagination during this short but bitter campaign and epitomized the grim determination and professionalism of our troops… Called to action on April 2, 1982, the men of 45 Commando Royal Marines assembled from around the world to sail 8,000 miles to recover the Falkland Islands from Argentine invasion. Lacking helicopters and short of food, they “yomped” in appalling weather carrying overloaded rucksacks, across the roughest terrain. Yet for a month in mid-winter, they remained a cohesive fighting-fit body of men. They then fought and won the highly successful and fierce night battle for Two Sisters, a 1,000-foot-high mountain which was the key to the defensive positions around Stanley. More than just a first-hand story of that epic feat, this book is the first to be written by a company commander in the Falklands War. It offers a vivid description of the “yomp” and infantry fighting, and it also offers penetrating insights into the realities of war at higher levels. It is a unique combination of descriptive writing about frontline fighting and wider reflections on the Falklands War, and conflict in general. “This is the real thing, from someone who gave the orders and led from the front, from beginning to bitter end. His account is articulate, poignant and precise, even though thirty years have elapsed . . . highly recommended.” —Military History Monthly

In the Service of the Sultan

In the Service of the Sultan PDF Author: Ian Gardiner
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1848849907
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 303

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Book Description
A memoir of how a small number of British officers led Muslim soldiers in the hard-fought anti-insurgency war that has shaped today’s Gulf. While the Americans were fighting in Vietnam, a struggle of even greater strategic significance was taking place in the Middle East: The Sultanate of Oman stood guard at the entrance to the Arabian Gulf, and thus controlled the movement of oil from that region. In the 1960s and 70s, the Communists tried to seize this artery and, had they succeeded, the consequences for the West and for the Middle East would have been disastrous—and yet, few people have ever heard of this geo-political drama at the height of the Cold War. In the Service of the Sultan “is an enthralling book. In a mere 180 pages, Ian Gardiner, an army officer who fought with the Sultan of Oman’s forces, succeeds in three major objectives. He describes what it is like to be a young officer leading men of different nationalities into combat against wily and courageous guerrillas. He captures the landscape and the spirit of Oman, ‘that entrancing, fascinating, hauntingly beautiful country.’ Finally, he puts the battles he fought in their geopolitical context . . . It should be read with enduring pleasure by anyone who wishes to reaffirm his pride in his country and in its fighting forces” (The Telegraph). “For anyone interested in understanding the ingredients behind a successful counterinsurgency campaign, In the Service of the Sultan is a must read.”—Imperial Armour Blogspot “Politics, history, irregular warfare, religion, and international affairs: all are ingredients in this absorbing, informative read.”—Oxford & Cambridge Club Military History Group

SAS South Georgia Boating Club

SAS South Georgia Boating Club PDF Author: Tony Shaw
Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
ISBN: 1399087770
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 337

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Book Description
Many aspire to serve with the Special Air Service, arguably the world’s most prestigious regiment, but few achieve their aim. In this inspiring memoir the author describes how he left school without any qualifications and embarked on a 30 year career much of it spent in Hereford, including four years in ‘The Regiment’. Against the odds he rose through the ranks before being commissioned and eventually retiring as a Major. Initially attached to 22 SAS as a signaller, he volunteered for and passed ‘Selection’, the most gruelling and demanding of tests. He was posted to D Squadron Boat Troop with whom he saw active service in the Falklands War, Northern Ireland and the UK counter-terrorist team. Thanks to the diary he kept during the Falklands War, the reader is treated to a gripping first-hand account of the intense action that he and his colleagues experienced, including recces, diversionary attacks, raids and ambushes both on South Georgia and the Falklands Islands. Later he commanded the Royal Signals troop supporting D Squadron, 22 SAS before commissioning and later on pursuing a second career as a security consultant in various Middle Eastern hotspots. It is a privilege to read this commendably modest account of one man’s unique career which provides a fascinating insight into elite special forces soldiering.

Mountain Commandos at War in the Falklands

Mountain Commandos at War in the Falklands PDF Author: Rodney Boswell
Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
ISBN: 1526791633
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 364

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Book Description
A former Royal Marine provides a vividly detailed, firsthand account of Mountain Commando operations in the Falklands War. On June 8th, 1982, eight Royal Marines infiltrated Goat Ridge in East Falkland, a rocky hilltop surrounded by Argentine infantry. From their hiding place just meters away from the enemy, they gathered essential intelligence for a British assault that overwhelmed the Argentine defenses days later. This is just one example of the missions undertaken by the Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre during the Falklands War, all of which are described in graphic detail in Rod Boswell’s eyewitness account. Using his own recollections and those of his comrades, he describes their operations in the Falklands: the observation posts set up in the no man’s land between San Carlos and Port Stanley; the raid at Top Malo House; and the reconnaissance patrols they carried out close to the Argentine lines during the conflict. His first-hand account gives a fascinating insight into the operational skills of a small, specially trained unit and shows the important contribution it made to the success of the British advance. This chronicle also records the entire experience of the Falklands War from their point of view, from the long voyage south through the Atlantic to the landings, the advance, and the liberation of Stanley.

Utta Drivel

Utta Drivel PDF Author: Alan Pinkett
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 0244102074
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 248

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Book Description
Utta Drivel is a comic novel that follows the lives of laid-back entrepreneur Wilfric and his two friends. Wilfric is 1600-odd years-old, which gives him a unique view of history. His get-togethers with walking disaster Boothroyd and eccentric patriot Utta Drivel always involve much laughter. Their lives cover a wide spectrum. From an Israeli landscape painter by the name of Mori Arty to the use of bonsai whales in garden ponds. From a naïve Catholic priest called Father Thousands to EU regulations requiring French windows to be made in France. From a Middle-aged Folk's Home to a conman called Big One O'Really. And whether funfairs are just a chance for 13-year-old girls to meet gypsies. As life goes by, Wilfric increasingly feels he is being watched. He eventually discovers who by, but not why. That is only resolved when they try to intercept him, resulting in an exciting canal barge chase. An audaciously satirical work in which the author's wit will make you laugh out loud.

Bringing War to Book

Bringing War to Book PDF Author: Rachel Woodward
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1137570105
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 292

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Book Description
This book explores how military memoirs come to be written and published. Looking at the journeys through which soldiers and other military personnel become writers, the authors draw on over 250 military memoirs published since 1980 about service with the British armed forces, and on interviews with published military memoirists who talk in detail about the writing and production of their books. A range of themes are explored including: the nature of the military memoir; motivations for writing; authors’ reflections on their readerships; inclusions and exclusions within the text; the memories and materials that authors draw on; the collaborations that make the production and publication of military memoirs possible; and the issues around the design of military memoirs' distinctive covers. Written by two leading commentators on the sociology of the military, Bringing War to Book offers a new and original argument about the representations of war and the military experience as a process of social production. The book will be of interest to students and scholars across a range of disciplines including sociology, history, and cultural studies.

The Volga

The Volga PDF Author: Janet M. Hartley
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300245645
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 413

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Book Description
A rich and fascinating exploration of the Volga--the first to fully reveal its vital place in Russian history The longest river in Europe, the Volga stretches over three and a half thousand km from the heart of Russia to the Caspian Sea, separating west from east. The river has played a crucial role in the history of the peoples who are now a part of the Russian Federation--and has united and divided the land through which it flows. Janet Hartley explores the history of Russia through the Volga from the seventh century to the present day. She looks at it as an artery for trade and as a testing ground for the Russian Empire's control of the borderlands, at how it featured in Russian literature and art, and how it was crucial for the outcome of the Second World War at Stalingrad. This vibrant account unearths what life on the river was really like, telling the story of its diverse people and its vital place in Russian history.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Rejoice! Rejoice! PDF Author: Alwyn W. Turner
Publisher: Aurum
ISBN: 1845137299
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 652

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Book Description
When Margaret Thatcher became prime minister in 1979 she promised to bring harmony where once there had been discord. But Britain entered the 1980s bitterly divided over its future. At stake were the souls of the great population boom of the 1960s. Would they buy into the free-market, patriotic agenda of Thatcherism? Or the anti-racist, anti-sexist liberalism of the new left? From the miners’ strike, the Falklands War and the spectre of AIDS, to Yes, Minister, championship snooker and Boy George, Rejoice! Rejoice! steps back in time to relive the decade when the Iron Lady sought to remake Britain. What it discovers is a thoroughly foreign country.

War

War PDF Author: Aaron Edwards
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1780748957
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 157

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Book Description
War has been a perennial feature of human history since ancient times, yet it remains a poorly understood phenomenon. It has done much to shape our world, from overthrowing leaders, establishing international governance, and inspiring social change, to destroying cities, dividing nations and breeding animosity. In this book, Dr Aaron Edwards succinctly combines political theories with historical realities. Using eyewitness accounts, war poetry and insightful analysis of a wide range of conflicts, War: A Beginner's Guide introduces the reader to the complexity and human face of war and invites readers to question whether violence is the most effective way to resolve disputes.

A Companion to the Falklands War

A Companion to the Falklands War PDF Author: Gregory Fremont-Barnes
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750982802
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 338

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Book Description
The Falklands War is a story of occupation, fierce air battles, heavy naval losses and bitter encounters between ground forces amidst an inhospitable terrain and unforgiving climate. With complex political machinations and nationalist sentiment at the centre of the conflict, even today the sovereignty of the islands is hotly contested in political circles. For the first time, renowned military historian Gregory Fremont-Barnes has compiled a definitive A–Z guide to the British involvement in the Falklands conflict, including personalities, weapons, battles, ships, places, and much more. This accessible yet comprehensive companion to the Falklands War will be a welcome addition to any enthusiast's shelves.