Painting the Sand by Kim Hughes. An EOD operators tour in Helmand 2009. A bit ott in places - 'this is what I was born for' etc but it describes what young soldiers, not out of their teens, went through - enough death and gore to last a lifetime. Hughes was awarded the George Cross for his actions in one incident when confronted with multiple IEDs, terribly injured men and mutilated bodies. He also demonstrates his compassion when, following a blast, he tells a shocked infantry officer 'don't worry sir, I'll get your (dead) boys out'.