A very good military read
The Adventures of Pilot Officer Pratt an ebook available from the famous river shop, may give your children an insight into why you have grown up (or not grown up) how you have. It is a fictional, whimsical account of becoming a 70's RAF graduate entry pilot.
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Defector
If you want some light relief, I've taken a first punt at "faction" and tried publishing on Kindle. The events are fictional but I tried to make the scenarios factual.
Google Defector on the Kindle Store.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00EDE68K0
Google Defector on the Kindle Store.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00EDE68K0
Last edited by Geehovah; 3rd Oct 2013 at 05:37.

Join Date: Jan 2008
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Major General Jim Molan
Running the War in Iraq
An Australian General as Deputy Chief Strategic Operations
for the whole of Iraq under General Casey in about 2004/2005.
A very good outsiders view of the inside.
Running the War in Iraq
An Australian General as Deputy Chief Strategic Operations
for the whole of Iraq under General Casey in about 2004/2005.
A very good outsiders view of the inside.
Recently finished " To the Ends of the Air" by G E Livock. Tells his story from joining the R.N.A.S from school in 1914 and continues through to the story of the Far East Flight, of which he was second in command.
The F.E.F. flew from the U.K. to Singapore, around Australia, up to the Philippines and Hong Kong, and back to Singapore. All this in 1927-28, with 4 Supermarine Southampton II's, and all to a pre-planned schedule.
On its arrival back at Singapore, the F.E.F became No. 205 Squadron, the first R.A.F. squadron in the Far East, with Livock as C.O. Unfortunately, the book makes only a brief reference to his time with 205.
In the late '60s in Singapore, the Squadron museum had a typed copy of his account of his time on 205 in detail. I believe he had visited the Squadron a few years earlier, and had got the Squadron to type up his manuscript so that he could offer it to a publisher. In return the squadron got to keep a copy. It was a greaT account, but over the years I have forgotten much of it.
I have been unable to trace this second book, if it ever got published. Anyone know of it? Alternatively, does anyone know what happened to the Squadron's copy?
The F.E.F. flew from the U.K. to Singapore, around Australia, up to the Philippines and Hong Kong, and back to Singapore. All this in 1927-28, with 4 Supermarine Southampton II's, and all to a pre-planned schedule.
On its arrival back at Singapore, the F.E.F became No. 205 Squadron, the first R.A.F. squadron in the Far East, with Livock as C.O. Unfortunately, the book makes only a brief reference to his time with 205.
In the late '60s in Singapore, the Squadron museum had a typed copy of his account of his time on 205 in detail. I believe he had visited the Squadron a few years earlier, and had got the Squadron to type up his manuscript so that he could offer it to a publisher. In return the squadron got to keep a copy. It was a greaT account, but over the years I have forgotten much of it.
I have been unable to trace this second book, if it ever got published. Anyone know of it? Alternatively, does anyone know what happened to the Squadron's copy?
Dare I recommend the very irreverent three part tome available on Kindle by Alan Dallison, SABAT 1 to 3. If you want a laugh its cheap and full of errors, but, it does ring some bells.
Smudge
Smudge

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"The Long Walk": about a Polish army officer's arrest, interrogation, "trial" and eventually, escape from the Soviet Gulag and his walk to freedom. A breathtaking and true tale of human endurance. And also, for many ppruners of a certain age, a close-up glimpse of what we fought against in the cold war and the ghastliness that awaited if we hadn't.
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Yes, seen that arclite, although the horrid parts about the NKVD and Gulag concentration camps are pretty much spot on.
For a great read if you don't mind some fantasy, try Jihad about special forces involvement on Afganistan. The writer wasn't, it turns out, ever in the SAS but a great read anyway.
For a great read if you don't mind some fantasy, try Jihad about special forces involvement on Afganistan. The writer wasn't, it turns out, ever in the SAS but a great read anyway.
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Chivalry in combat...
I was given this for Christmas and have just finished it, couldn't put it down!
'A Higher Call' by Adam Makos (with Larry Alexander) tells the story of two WW2 pilots - one a rookie struggling to limp a shot-up B17 back from a sortie, the other an Ace in a 109 who chased down to finish it off but in fact spared it and escorted it through the coastal batteries and out to the North Sea. It covers their respective careers before and after that fateful event - and how they came to meet up in person almost 50 years later. Fascinating, truly inspirational and hugely moving. It's a completely true story BTW.
'A Higher Call' by Adam Makos (with Larry Alexander) tells the story of two WW2 pilots - one a rookie struggling to limp a shot-up B17 back from a sortie, the other an Ace in a 109 who chased down to finish it off but in fact spared it and escorted it through the coastal batteries and out to the North Sea. It covers their respective careers before and after that fateful event - and how they came to meet up in person almost 50 years later. Fascinating, truly inspirational and hugely moving. It's a completely true story BTW.
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Goosepool (aka Middleton St George aka Teesside Airport and dying as DTV)
One of my Xmas presents was
"Goosepool" the History of RAF and RCAF: Middleton St George and Teesside Airport: Amazon.co.uk: Stanley D Howes: Books
fortunately a New copy, of interest to me as my Maternal Grandfather was a General Foreman with Wimpey's building the runways and my Maternal Uncle and my Father were on the very first draft of RAF personnel to arrive at Goosepool (though as was typical of WWII RAF they were soon moved on)
PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)

fortunately a New copy, of interest to me as my Maternal Grandfather was a General Foreman with Wimpey's building the runways and my Maternal Uncle and my Father were on the very first draft of RAF personnel to arrive at Goosepool (though as was typical of WWII RAF they were soon moved on)
PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)