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Para Books

Recommended Books you have read or great films you have watched.
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Edwards159
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Para Books

Post by Edwards159 »

I recently read C.Q.B-Mike Curtis and For queen and country-Nigel Ely. They both contain good accounts of the Faklands war and specific battle's such as goose green.

Does anyone know of any good Para books similar to that of C.Q.B and For queen and country'.

Thanx

Chris
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Post by Chappy »

Micheal Asher - Shoot To Kill

I think he was in 2para.
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Post by CharliePowell »

A brilliant book i am reading at the moment is "Above all courage" by Max Arthur. It isnt exclusively from the Paras perspective but is a collection of personal stories from the falklands war including many Paras stories. I highly reccomend this book for anyone wishing to hear the soldiers, sailors and airmens personal perspectives of the Falklands war.

"Goose Green" by Mark Adkin is a very good book also. It details the overall batlle for Goose Green.

"Green Eyed boys" - Christian Jennings + Adrian Weale..just bought it, heard its very good. Its about the Battle for mount Longdon and 3 Para.

Hope this helps.

Charles
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Post by Boxingmad »

Here are a few of my favourites:

Green Eyed Boys - Adrian Weale & Christian Jennings. A great insight into being in 3 Para before & during the Falklands war. An excellent and moving account of the Mount Longdon assault.

Excursion To Hell - Vince Bramley. Another great account of the Mount Longdon battle during the Falklands. Bramley was a lance-jack with 3 Para. This is the book that caused the war-crimes controversy in 1991.

CQB - Mike Curtis. This seems to be the favourite amongst us. A great account of life in 2 Para in the Falklands and 22 SAS in the Gulf in 1991. Also Bosnia as well.

Killing Zone - Harry McCallion. This is a hard book to get hold of. It's a fascinating account of the son of a Glasgow gangster who joins the Paras (2 Para) then goes off to the Recces in South Africa, then returns and joins the SAS then the RUC. Is now a barrister.

Shoot To Kill - Michael Asher. This is a really good read, and quite humourously written. Asher joins the Paras (2 Para), goes to university, joins the TA SAS, then goes and joins the RUC. Now one of our best explorers.

Fighting Scared - Robin Horsfall - This is a bit of a depressing read. Horsfall goes to 2 Para and the SAS, is at the Iranian Embassy siege and is now a karate instructor. It's full of tales of bullying, violence and ends up with a big court case for assault of which he is lucky to get off. Still worth reading, though.

Contact - Alan Clark. This is a real hard book to find. Written by a former platoon commander in 3 Para, it's a realistic account of life on tour in Northern Ireland.


The best thing about all of them (apart from Green-Eyed Boys) is that they are all written by former Paras and it's always better hearing it from them really.
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Post by Edwards159 »

Cheers boxingmad,

Might try green eyed boys nextb :)
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Post by Boxingmad »

You'll enjoy it. If you come across any others that I haven't mentioned, please let me know.
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Post by Edwards159 »

One book you havent mentioned.

For queen and country-Nigel Spud Ely

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 89-3361448

Quite a good book, i enjoyed it wicked detail when he's in the falklands and it contains some accounts from other blokes who served with him..

C.Q.B will always be the best though! :D
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Post by Boxingmad »

I read his other one when he called himself Steve Deveraux. It was OK. The others I mentioned I found much better.
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Post by Tab »

Wings Of The Wind....by Peter Stainforth this chap fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Normandy, and Arnhem. it is a good read if you can get hold of it.
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Post by Edwards159 »

Tab, Have you read C.Q.B by Mike Curtis?
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Post by Tab »

Edwards159, No I have not, but I will keep an eye out for it. I have a shelf of books to read yet, I keep buying them but can't find the time to read them yet. Still come the winter months who knows I might just be able to have a go at some of them.

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Post by thebrasso »

i found Green Eyes boys really good for an explanation of the culture of the Paras, and how their training makes them into who they are. bits of it were really funny as well.
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Post by got1 »

"No Mean Soldier" by Pete McLease, 1 Para, 22, Mercenary in Angola , Columbia etc. Long time since I read it.
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Post by Boxingmad »

got1 wrote:"No Mean Soldier" by Pete McLease, 1 Para, 22, Mercenary in Angola , Columbia etc. Long time since I read it.
I've ordered that from Amazon. Looks really good. Didn't he appear in a few of the SAS programmes?
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Post by Edwards159 »

Boxingmad, Ye i think i have heard of the name before.

Tab,
I would seriously reconmend you look out for C.Q.B-Mike Curtis, such a good book read it four times now. Amazing what a bit of guts and determination can achieve. 8)
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