Good reads for people interested in the RM - Please add!!

[ash2003]

Hey

Thought it would be good if people reccomended books for people interested in the Royal Marines or other SF to read .

I'll start off with a few:

1) Forced Out by Simon Bywater (http://www.forcedout.co.uk/home.htm)
2) First Into Action by Duncan Falconer - An amazing story about his life in the Special Boat Service. At only 19 he was pulled from the RM to be the youngest to attempt debatebly the most demanding training course in the world. While carrying out his service he experienced lots of variation including his time in 14th Intelligence Department working undercover in Northern Ireland. All in all an amazing, unmissable read.
3) Fighting Fit: The Complete SAS Fitness Training Guide by Adrian Weale - A well packed book containing nearly everything you need to know about training for the SAS, Para's or Commandos.It covers most things including nutrition, training techniques, injuries the great outdoors and most important of all full training programs for each of the elite forces. There is a basic fitness program to get you up to the standard British Army level then extensions for the Para's Commandos and SAS. Including a training program for the approx. 8 week gap between PRMC and recruit training. The only thing that is not in is the Pressups, Situps and Pullups which everyone knows you need to do nearly every day anyway.

[Sisyphus]

Ash

Check out the 'Recommended Books' section.

[zero megahertz]

Unscathed- Major Phil Ashby

[rabby]

Voddo Sprout did a MASSIVE post on such books, somewhere, try a search. Also, as said by Sisyphus, try the recommended books forum.

But anyway, I might as well add mine while I'm here;
Commando: The Illustrated History Of Britain's Green Berets by David Reynolds
The Making of a Royal Marines Commando by Nigel Foster
Falklands Commando by Hugh McManners
Commando: Winning the Green Beret by Hugh McManners

All of those ar excellent reads.

[Jon]

The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force - Julian Thompson - Over 600 pages of detailed history and maps (written by the ex Major General)

Commandos: The Inside Story of Britain's Most Elite Fighting Force - John Parker (World War 2 onwards)

The Making of A Royal Marines Commando Nigel Foster - explanation of Royal Marines and roles

[dannyd]

I know this topic is a bit old but I was surprised that no-one had mentioned Reflected Glory by Carney Lake.

It's a great book following RM recruit training in the 70s and then subsequent tours of NI and Cyprus. I must have read it 5 times and each time I still find it difficult to put down.

I would reccommend it to anyone wishing to join the marines as it is very frank in its approach to the harsh realities of training even if it is about the 70s.

Anyone else read it?

[dannyd]

One other thing, I've read The Royal Marines by Julian Thompson and found it quite hard going, did anyone else find this?

I was a bit surprised at how hard it was because I have had lectures at university by Maj-Gen Thompson and he was very clear and informative whereas his book is quite complex.

Another good one is No Picnic also by J Thompson

[rabby]

What course are you doing/ did do that meant that the Maj-Gen came to do a lecture at a university!?? Military History or something?

[dannyd]

The course is BA War Studies at King's College London.

It's a good course, even though it is boring at times and requires a lot of reading. When I was choosing what course to do after my A-Levels this seemed the best bet. It is quite well known within the military, as all (or at least the majority) of the academic staff at JCSC (staff college) are KCL War Studies staff.

A lot of the people on the course want to join the military (like me) and there are also quite a few ex-services guys on the course. One of my mates is ex 29 Cdo RA and another is ex AAC. Apparently there is an ex FFL guy around somewhere though I haven't met him.

We also get a lot of input from former or regular forces personnel as well as people who have been involved in conflict somehow. Last year we had lectures from RAF WW2 pilots, RN submariners, a guy who runs his own free-lance combat reporting company and showed us footage of american forces in Afghanistan. And of course Maj-Gen Thompson who talked about the falklands.

[spitfire]

I know this topic is a bit old but I was surprised that no-one had mentioned Reflected Glory by Carney Lake.

It's a great book following RM recruit training in the 70s and then subsequent tours of NI and Cyprus. I must have read it 5 times and each time I still find it difficult to put down.

I would reccommend it to anyone wishing to join the marines as it is very frank in its approach to the harsh realities of training even if it is about the 70s.

Anyone else read it?

I read this book a while back, a good honest book, I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the Royal Marines. About a period not written about that often, I'll give it 7 1/2 out of 10.

[harry hackedoff]

Dannyd, if it`s the one with a chapter called "The two round gun fight" or similar, I`d have to agree with Spitfire. Top book, 7.5/10
Aye,

[dannyd]

Harry,

Yep, it is that one. Great book

[daywalker]

Dannyd

I like you found The Royal Marines by Julian Thompson quite a hard bit of reading.

It was a bit like patched together accounts and reports, very informative but not very easy to read.