a long awaited book
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A well researched and informative book. Having served in NI the personal reflections upon events and locations by the contributors brought back many memories of my own involvement in 'the troubles' which I have not thought about for many years. The book is also a testimony to the sacrifices suffered by the casualities of the troubles, the servicemen, servicewomen, their families and of course the people of Northern Ireland, which have long been forgotten by the media and the country. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know what it was like to be involved in a terrosist war, similar to Iraq, in our back yard.
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A Long War
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Thanks, at last a book about the modern day forgotten war. Well put together and with the information coming from the Security Forces on the ground, it gave a true insight as to the real side of the troubles. Reading this has helped me tell my own family what happened, as at the time I was unable to do this. For those not directly involved, and interested, or just forgotten, this is what happened behind the peace talks!!
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Bloody good book!
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I have no personal involvement with Northern Ireland, other than an interest in modern history. This book caught my eye as you don't tend to hear much about Northern Ireland and certainly never from the point of view of the British soldiers.
This book is a fascinating collection of first hand experiences from the British soldiers that served in the 'troubles', expertly researched and brought together. These fascinating, tragic, heartfelt and sometimes amusing stories had sadly looked to have been largely forgotten forever until now. I'm glad that many of those that served in Northern Ireland now have an outlet for their voices to be heard, but even more importantly it is a thoroughly interesting read for all!
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At last, those that did it have been able to tell the story...
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Ken galvanised those of us that had stories locked up in our memories - before digital recording made it inexcusable not to record what went on. We needed this catalyst to write down what went on so that as we get too old to remember, the stories of those that did it - not the official historians, politicians and generals - are recorded. One of the best books since George MacDonald Fraser's Quartered Safe out Here or Standard Bearer (Slim and the Forgotten 14th Army).
If you come from a non-military background, read it. You can dip in and out but on every page you'll find something that you'll never get in an official history and you won't get military fiction.
In 20 years, there'll be another book like this on Iraq and Afghanistan so "Long Long War" should be manadatory reading for our "never done a proper job" politicans.
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Moving, honest stories
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I'm not much into war stories - except for the 'televised' versions, but this caught my eye as its the one campaign you hear so little about, but is so close to home.
Its like eaves dropping on the places and events that were borne with determination and strength and it gives a feeling for what it must have been like to live through.
I recommend this book to anyone who would like to know or needs to know how brave men and women fight for us and received so little in return.
A lesson for us all...
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