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The Royal Marines, from sea soldiers to special forces
Posted: Sat 06 Sep, 2003 4:19 pm
by Jon
By Julian Thompson
Havent read much of it yet, but very detailed (over 500 pages with very small writting, plus maps and pictures). If you want to learn about the corps (just interested or want to join) then this is the book for you. Covers every conflict, battle and the entire history of the corps from when they were created.
Posted: Sat 06 Sep, 2003 7:20 pm
by daywalker
HI Jon
I've just finished reading it and i can say it isn't easy reading!
It reads like a very detailed report or a history book,but it is very informative of the corps history.
A very good book that gives good current information is THE MAKING OF A ROYAL MARINES COMMANDO by Nigel Foster.
It gives very detailed accounts of the training (or as much as is allowed), and the specialisations in the corps, and easy to read (if you're a thicko like me).
Also read NOT BY STRENTH BY GUILE by Peter Mercer. The true story of a guy who was in the SBS. i found it a really good book, easy to read and visualise and humourous. Had a surprise near the end as well which was enexpected!
Posted: Sun 07 Sep, 2003 7:42 am
by Rover
Regarding 'Not By Strength By Guile'!
I would refer you to the 'thread' on this book to be found in Recommended Books.
Peter Mercer had never done selection and was in fact a Landing Craft rate!
He infers he was in SB when in fact he never was!
These were my comments as at Monday 14th April 2003 and stand as such today.
The media had an interesting story regarding the interception
and boarding of a certain vessel in International waters by the SBS. Which was found to be carrying drugs.
Amongst this vessels crew who were arrested at the time were a number of serving and former Royal Marines.
It is understood Peter Mercer was also one of those arrested!
May I suggest a far better book for you to read Daywalker would be First into Action.
Trawl down Recommended Books for an insight.
Rover
Posted: Sun 07 Sep, 2003 11:49 am
by Jon
Anyone know the name of the man who wrote about being in the SAS, but then it was discovered that hed failed selection twice therefore wasnt in it?
Posted: Sun 07 Sep, 2003 5:43 pm
by rabby
Wouldn't surprise me if it was Andy McLiar or Chris Ryan(couldn't think of a silly name for him).
Posted: Sun 07 Sep, 2003 6:21 pm
by joe
Jon, I think you're refering to the book "Jihad!" by a bloke called Tom Carew. He was "outed" on Newsnight as a fake, they used his realname and everything; he was not impressed and punched the camera. There was another chap who wrote a book called The Nemesis File under the name Paul Bruce. It was about how the SAS went round assasinating members of the IRA - that one got proven to be a fake also, and the guy who wrote it was never even in the Army, let along the SAS ... !
Posted: Sun 07 Sep, 2003 8:49 pm
by daywalker
Cheers Rover i'll have a search for the Peter Mercer thing and see what i think. I have to admit it did read somewhat fictional at points. did find it an entertaining read though wether it's true or not!
I'll have a look for the book you suggested!!
There does seem to be a lot of ex service and alledged ex special forces guys jumping on the book bandwagon. you do have to take a lot of it with a pinch of salt and not necessarily believe everything you read.
Posted: Sun 07 Sep, 2003 9:23 pm
by adj125
Rover wrote:The media had an interesting story regarding the interception and boarding of a certain vessel in International waters by the SBS. Which was found to be carrying drugs.
Amongst this vessels crew who were arrested at the time were a number of serving and former Royal Marines.
It is understood Peter Mercer was also one of those arrested!
its mentioned in this book which i am just getting into
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 81-5480459
Don Camsell has seen action in extraordinary circumstances. Throughout all this, he talks of the friends he's lost on the way, and the change in the service as the SBS is absorbed into fighting a new war. The final scenes in the book, describing an attack on drug runners in the seas off the UK, show what the force will be asked to do more and more in the future.
Posted: Mon 08 Sep, 2003 5:54 am
by Rover
Hello adj125
Regarding the 'Don Camsell' book.
A trawl down Recommended Books to 'SBS Book' may be of interest to you.
Rover
Posted: Mon 08 Sep, 2003 10:48 am
by adj125
Rover wrote:Hello adj125
Regarding the 'Don Camsell' book.
A trawl down Recommended Books to 'SBS Book' may be of interest to you.
Rover
I know what you mean about some things not fitting in to place .If you read this book and then Eye of the Storm by Peter Ratcliffe followed by Sabre Squadron by Cameron Spence then you will find they all have different accounts of what happened in the Gulf but they are all good bed time reading
After reading several books on this subject and indeed of the same conflict, certain details are of slight concern to the authenticity of the account given, but that does not make the book any less readable, and in fact these details would not have been noticed if I had not already read another account. The most noteable detail is the "who fired the first shot" fire fight and the relationship between spence and the R.S.M, who was in charge of this patrol.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 81-5480459
Posted: Mon 08 Sep, 2003 9:22 pm
by Jon
I saw that fella on GMTV or something. They followed him to his gym and asked him to show them his passport to check the name. He said that he could show them it, and then said that he didnt want to. They interviewed his daughter who was heartbroken that her dad had lied, even though she said he was good enough for the SAS.
Posted: Tue 09 Sep, 2003 12:20 am
by sp10122
From a book website about Paul Bruce and 'The Nemesis File'
"Paul Bruce was a tough, idealistic trooper in the S.A.S. When he was dispatched to Northern Ireland. His top-secret mission: to execute IRA suspects in cold blood. Bruce and three S.A.S. comrades shot down one terrified victim after another, leaving their bodies to be buried in deep, unmarked woodland graves. The soldiers grew their hair long and drove ordinary looking cars. But they always carried pistols and sub-machine guns.
Why do these people bother....money? What a f**king muppet. Civvis believe it as well. I believe he was only ever a R Engineer?
About Mercer I put this on the thread Rover mentioned.
I think even without someone pointing it out to me I'd noticed there wasn't something quite right about this book....
He seemed to lack knowledge or detailed information and it missed that certain feel. Compare it to First Into Action by D Falconer and you'll see what I mean. Now that's a man who's beasted himself.
But yeah....he was an attached boat handler from the RMs. It'd be like one of the 264 boys saying 'I was in the SAS'.
Posted: Tue 09 Sep, 2003 2:25 am
by adj125
One rumour that appeals to me is the story about how I was 'beaten continually, my family and especially my children were placed under threat and finally a gun was placed against my head and I was forced to recant (take back) that which had been written in 'THE NEMESIS FILE'. I must admit that on my journey to Belfast, the possibility of me not making a return trip back to England did cross my mind, however, the outcome of the situation was that I was released without any charges being brought against me....
http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author. ... orID=15708
or
A flurry of activity. On Thursday (01/08/96) Paul Bruce, the author of The Nemesis File was detained at 5:45am at his home in Weston-super-Mare, by officers of the RUC. A copy of his manuscript containing a new chapter, which the publisher claimed would substantiate his claims, was also seized. The Nemesis File was a best selling book billed as a true story of an SAS squad that had executed about 30 men in Northern Ireland, of which Bruce had claimed to be a member. Defence sources had always ridiculed the claims, and even Sinn Fein described them as "totally outlandish". Paul Bruce was flown to Northern Ireland and questioned by the RUC under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and a day of claims and statements followed. On Friday (02/08/96) the RUC issued a statement. The book was a "work of fiction". Paul Inman, who used the pen name Paul Bruce, had never worked for the SAS. The closest he had got was working for several months in Ulster as a army vehicle mechanic. The RUC confirmed that he could now face a charge of wasting Police time. A senior SAS source said "We are delighted this man has been exposed as the phoney we always said he was." Reported in The Telegraph 01/08/96 and 02/08/96.
http://lavender.fortunecity.com/rocky/2 ... m/sas.html[/quote]
Posted: Wed 10 Sep, 2003 7:15 pm
by Jon
rabby wrote:Wouldn't surprise me if it was Andy McLiar or Chris Ryan(couldn't think of a silly name for him).
You coudnt think of Chris Lyin'? Bow your head in shame!
Posted: Wed 10 Sep, 2003 8:20 pm
by rabby
Of course, silly me, I bow to you
.