Originally Posted by Ord_Sgt

Times change.

His experience was different from those that followed.

I did 1992 to 1996, before the ceasefire until well after.

The cease fire has more going for it than against, people don't die, so whats bad about that?

What's wrong with peace? You are deffo not Para Reg mate!

Originally Posted by Canader

What's wrong with peace? You are deffo not Para Reg mate!

OK I'm confused, are you stupid or special needs. 0800 IDIOT is what you should be calling.

Originally Posted by Whiskybreath

"...the authentic, foul-mouthed soldier's tale: degradation, misery, impatience, fear, anger and casual brutishness".

And thats just the ablutions. Excellent, I'm ordering a copy right away.
Steven thanks for the heads-up I'd never heard of this particular book. And thanks too for you own 'Squaddie', I was glad you were able to do your brother proud.

Originally Posted by guzzijon

And thats just the ablutions. Excellent, I'm ordering a copy right away.
Steven thanks for the heads-up I'd never heard of this particular book. And thanks too for you own 'Squaddie', I was glad you were able to do your brother proud.

Mud floors might be a bit of a give away. This was the UK in the 1970s. Or were you in the middle ages back then?

Unfortunately for our Tone, I have been informed by other Para Reg folks who know him and were on those tours that he had condensed every single event from a battalion tour or two into the actions of a single multiple, whilst 'bigging' himself up, thus giving the impression that he was well hard and hard done by when, in fact, that was not the case. I believe they used the term 'walt' once or twice. E.g., I seriously doubt that he dragged some pond life from a car and topped him in cold blood and broad daylight in front of his multiple and another witness... oh, puhleezzzzze...

I presume the aforementioned incident happens in the movie, not the book? Either that or my memory has gone really bad...

I enjoyed the book very gritty, thought the film was shite.

What clarke says is a load of spunk. In 1973 the trrops had been briefed not to take anythig from the locals by mouth. JUst incase it might be poisoned and this was in the Shankill road. Good protestant territory. Fuck knows that any soldier would have taken a sarnie down the falls, it would have been laden with rat poison or at least used as an arse wipe. After he made his claim that somebody had been topped by him he was investigated by the RUC. No such incident took place. I knew one of his platoon who served on the day that they supposedly killed 10 armed men on the Shankill. None of them were confirmed as even being hit.
Gritty book maybe, but sadly for those who want to believe it, it is truly a load of bollocks.

Originally Posted by Wonk_Mog

What clarke says is a load of spunk. In 1973 the trrops had been briefed not to take anythig from the locals by mouth. JUst incase it might be poisoned and this was in the Shankill road. Good protestant territory. Fuck knows that any soldier would have taken a sarnie down the falls, it would have been laden with rat poison or at least used as an arse wipe. After he made his claim that somebody had been topped by him he was investigated by the RUC. No such incident took place. I knew one of his platoon who served on the day that they supposedly killed 10 armed men on the Shankill. None of them were confirmed as even being hit.
Gritty book maybe, but sadly for those who want to believe it, it is truly a load of bollocks.

Hear, hear. Anyone who took anything from any local apart from the normal P Check information was begging for it. There was enough drama going on without having to big it up.

I read the book before joining the Army and throughly enjoyed it. But as Canader said, it is a collection of events over several tours, and Clarke was not involved in them all. I also remember some people in the reg slagging him down for claiming other people's experiences as his own. My own view is that he was not trying to do that, but because the book (and Clarke) became well known, a bit of jealous slagging ensued.

I thought I'd posted on this before.......Contact, good read but complete and utter ballocks. Fiction.