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Books : Dusty Warriors: Modern Soldiers at War
Rating: 
- It's that bloke off the telly
Good read! I had expected this to be heavy going but the author does a great job interspersing his own narrative with quotes from the guys who were there. It is hectic. All I can say is I'm glad I'm not there (I was in Gulf War I) but I'm happy to see the British army...despite the best efforts of our politicians and bureaucrats.. is still the best and most professional army in the world, bar none.
Rating: - Filling the void
Dusty Warriors is an excellent look at the deployment of an infantry battalion to Iraq in 2004. It covers preparatory training, deployment and some actions of the unit -although it is by no means comprehensive. Using many eye witness statements it is very much a view from the ground up and it is certainly the story of the soldiers experience rather than of strategy.
Richard Holmes has a very accessible writing style, yet does not seem to compromise his language. Therefore, he is extremely good at bringing the unmilitary person into the military world, complete with all its different values, fashions, language and etiquette. This book should be compulsory reading for members of the present government who have so little understanding of the storm they have sent our forces into and how best to support them. Furthermore, with British society often ignorant or apathetic to the operations performed in its name, this book is a vital source for all those inclined to be better informed.
My only complaint is that I would like to have learned more of his opinions on how we should be adapting to the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; the lessons he learned from this unit study. He certainly will have much to say on this topic but, sadly at the time of writing he still found himself bound (or self regulated?) by his commitment as a serving officer. Therefore, he is perhaps a little too diplomatic in his language and I strongly suspect there are ommissions to this end also -as Lcpl MacQuire hints in his review below. But, that Homes cares very deeply about Britain's soldiers was evident on every page.
Rating: - A testement to the modern squaddie
Dusty Warriors tells the story of an intense period in the peace keeping phase that followed the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003. Richard Holmes takes the reader to the heart of where the action is, gained by visiting the troops on the ground and getting first hand reports of the fighting. The fact that Richard Holmes was a Brigadier and is a renowned historian gives him the edge over other books written by journalists and commentators. Dusty Warriors may get a little over-intricate at times, but stays loyal to the men and women of the British army who risk all in this volatile region to try and restore peace to a country intent on ripping itself apart.
Rating: - Buy it.
Having read "My War" I figured I should get the perspective of our boys on the ground, in that respect this book does not disappoint.
I felt the beginning to be a little slow as the author introduces the reader to the intricacies of the Army machine, with its training schedules, logistics difficulties and archaic ranking mechanisms.
Get past this however, and you are in for a good solid read.
Painting a picture of what it's like to be waving to a smiling man on a corner one minute, then taking fire from the same guy the next. Being on the ground, being shot at and blown up by the very people you are there to help must be hell. How our soldiers manage this and how they keep within the ROE is testament to that leviathan that is the Army machine.
This book helps bring that home, it paints a clear picture of what is faced on a daily basis and makes me proud of our guys (and girls), the way they conduct themselves, the way they take a battering and go back for more is all captured in the well written text.
Rating: - The best book on modern soldiering
Supurb....is the only word to describe this book. It portrays the struggle in Iraq and unlike many books which portray the wider war or battle this one gets into the nitty-gritty daily slog of the British squadie. From detailed accounds of battles with insergents to the day to day running of a battalion aswell as portraying the grief of losing mates and collegues. A great read for someone looking to join the army (or are in it like myself) and anyone looking for reassurance that the playstation generation can do the business.
- It's that bloke off the tellyGood read! I had expected this to be heavy going but the author does a great job interspersing his own narrative with quotes from the guys who were there. It is hectic. All I can say is I'm glad I'm not there (I was in Gulf War I) but I'm happy to see the British army...despite the best efforts of our politicians and bureaucrats.. is still the best and most professional army in the world, bar none.
Rating:
- Filling the voidDusty Warriors is an excellent look at the deployment of an infantry battalion to Iraq in 2004. It covers preparatory training, deployment and some actions of the unit -although it is by no means comprehensive. Using many eye witness statements it is very much a view from the ground up and it is certainly the story of the soldiers experience rather than of strategy.
Richard Holmes has a very accessible writing style, yet does not seem to compromise his language. Therefore, he is extremely good at bringing the unmilitary person into the military world, complete with all its different values, fashions, language and etiquette. This book should be compulsory reading for members of the present government who have so little understanding of the storm they have sent our forces into and how best to support them. Furthermore, with British society often ignorant or apathetic to the operations performed in its name, this book is a vital source for all those inclined to be better informed.
My only complaint is that I would like to have learned more of his opinions on how we should be adapting to the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; the lessons he learned from this unit study. He certainly will have much to say on this topic but, sadly at the time of writing he still found himself bound (or self regulated?) by his commitment as a serving officer. Therefore, he is perhaps a little too diplomatic in his language and I strongly suspect there are ommissions to this end also -as Lcpl MacQuire hints in his review below. But, that Homes cares very deeply about Britain's soldiers was evident on every page.
Rating:
- A testement to the modern squaddieDusty Warriors tells the story of an intense period in the peace keeping phase that followed the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003. Richard Holmes takes the reader to the heart of where the action is, gained by visiting the troops on the ground and getting first hand reports of the fighting. The fact that Richard Holmes was a Brigadier and is a renowned historian gives him the edge over other books written by journalists and commentators. Dusty Warriors may get a little over-intricate at times, but stays loyal to the men and women of the British army who risk all in this volatile region to try and restore peace to a country intent on ripping itself apart.
Rating:
- Buy it.Having read "My War" I figured I should get the perspective of our boys on the ground, in that respect this book does not disappoint.
I felt the beginning to be a little slow as the author introduces the reader to the intricacies of the Army machine, with its training schedules, logistics difficulties and archaic ranking mechanisms.
Get past this however, and you are in for a good solid read.
Painting a picture of what it's like to be waving to a smiling man on a corner one minute, then taking fire from the same guy the next. Being on the ground, being shot at and blown up by the very people you are there to help must be hell. How our soldiers manage this and how they keep within the ROE is testament to that leviathan that is the Army machine.
This book helps bring that home, it paints a clear picture of what is faced on a daily basis and makes me proud of our guys (and girls), the way they conduct themselves, the way they take a battering and go back for more is all captured in the well written text.
Rating:
- The best book on modern soldieringSupurb....is the only word to describe this book. It portrays the struggle in Iraq and unlike many books which portray the wider war or battle this one gets into the nitty-gritty daily slog of the British squadie. From detailed accounds of battles with insergents to the day to day running of a battalion aswell as portraying the grief of losing mates and collegues. A great read for someone looking to join the army (or are in it like myself) and anyone looking for reassurance that the playstation generation can do the business.