Squaddie - A Soldier's Story by Steven McLaughlin

[sportbilly42]

THIS BOOK IS A PILE OF ABSOLUTE FEKIN NONSENSE SO DON'T BOTHER EVEN GIVING IT A MOMENT OF YOUR TIME....

So there... I don't think this book has been reviewed on here so thought I'd give my two penn'orth before anyone wasted their baggage allowance by taking it on holiday with them as a 'poolside book'.... like wot I did!

I think the book has been out for a while, but I picked it up as an easy read before going on holiday..... Mistake! Supposedly 'an account of army life by someone who has been there and done it' ffs... Covering his 3 years service in RGJs from joining as an old knacker at 31 years, I'll have to take his word for it that he 'went there and did it' coz I got half way through the book and binned it...

Spotty 14 year olds might like it .... but anyone who has put any time in would be just glad they didn't end up serving with him. A backsquadded muppet in training, who gradually comes across as a work-shy, whingeing cluster-fcuk. Military skills!! Certainly not a 'Chosen Man' rifleman, as he's forever complaining about how complex and fiddly the SA80 is and he couldn't hit a barn door from 2ft with his riflebutt by the sound of it.

But when he ends up crying off the Assault Engineer Course and begs his Sgt not to send him on it because he doesn't like big bangs and explosives...give me strength...


BOOORRING!!

[Wholley]

You did'nt like the book then

[Skeav]

I read the blurb, got to "..enlisted in the elite Royal Green Jackets.." and put it back on the shelf

Cheers

Skeav

[RA_Tom]

Am reading this at the moment about 100 pages in!

I think I shall finish, two things that have stuck in my mind so far... he really makes a meal of the CS chamber! I know we all have a responsibility to make it seem bad to wind up future recruits when its actually a piece of p1ss! But he really goes to town!

Plus tabbing with 60lb bergen... not on exercise, but a proper timed TAB with 60lb as opposed to the actual 35lb + water + weapon.

Will have to see how the rest of the book goes but it is a bit worrying that he felt the need to embellish pretty mundane aspects of recruit training like that.

[Stinky]

Isn't it 44lbs with water and weapon?

[aphid]

Yes.

[benny687]

I took it on holiday aswel. Think I managed to get about a third of the way through it. I'm still a civvie so may not be qualified to comment, but he did seem spend a lot of time moaning. I left it on the beach in Spain, probs been eaten by fish in the med by now.
Best thing for it.

[RA_Tom]

Isn't it 44lbs with water and weapon?

yup, 35lb + 9lb (weapon) 1 litre of water is 2lb about.... anyway, not 60lb just got got to the whingey assault engineer course! bit. Am sick of reading how debilitating being 31 is too! Apparently it stops you doing any courses of a physical nature and makes everyone hate you. (