Don't cry for me Sgt. Major - Jeremy Hands and Bruce McGowan, the Falklands from a journalists point of view, and the first expose of the trials, tribulations and dark humour of squaddies under fire.
"Oh my God, Oh god, Sarge, I've lost me fcuking leg!"
"No you haven't Kev, it's over here mate" etc etc

Try not to laugh Sgt. Major - *The follow up, emerald Toilet , BAOR and Belize

"We was on exercise and bored, we were Blue Forces with the boxheads, Leopard 3 comes steaming up the road, so we let fly at it. Boxie commander throws the lid up, and starts shouting. *That really vos very stupid , you know we are on the same side*"

"The troop Sergeant replied - Never have been, never will be, now fcuk off before we load with live" *

Very very recommended

second that PTP excellent reads both of them

Paticularly like the bit with the tankie & the peace protesters

why did you join the army etc etc heckle heckle heckle this went on for a number of minutes at a crossing

cool & emotionless response from tank driver as he pulls away

I like sticking pitchforks in babies

This is my first ARRSE post, so I'll try to make it sort of constructive. Good books to read on stag...hmm. Most of those listed above are well worth a read, but for my money next time you visit Waterstones/Amazon etc you might want to have a look at:

Guy Sajer - The Forgotten Soldier. Half French half German *volunteer spends 3 years on the eastern front getting shot at by Ivan.

Spike Milligan - if you've not read his war diaries (Adolf Hitler, my part in his downfall etc etc) then give it a go.
Very little in squaddie humour has changed in the last 50-60 years.

Nicholas Montserratt - The Cruel Sea. A superb 1950's John Mills film was made of this. What you don't see is the many pages of excellent storyline that got left out.

John Del Vecchio (I think) - The 13th Valley. Yanks in Vietnam circa '71.

Re Peter White's 'With the Jocks'

Excellent book, describing 4th KOSB in action in NW Europe. *Very thick, so good for long deployments, and also very well written. *The illustrations are good as well. *Some pretty harrowing stuff in it though, especially the descriptions of being shelled. *Nasty.

Guns

Edge of the Sword. Farrar Hockley and the Glorious Glosters in Korea. Sod that for a laugh. Old but worth the hunt.

The Real Bravo Two Zero - by Michael Asher

Very interesting - was a tv programme recently. Asher is ex SAS + an Arab expert.

McNab and Ryan basically shown up as fantasists (in some regards - no. of kills + enemy forces engaged).

McNab and Ryan basically shown up as fantasists (in some regards - no. of kills + enemy forces engaged).

Were they really 225lbs all up on jump off?


WOW

The McNab novels are still brill though. *But they need some/a lot more shagging in them.

The Billy Connolly biog by his wife is very good.

I enjoyed reading 'The Quiet Soldier' - 'Adam Ballinger's ' account of selection with 21 SAS.

I know 3 people who tried out with 21 or 23 - all failed due to injuries - *and they've all read and enjoyed it. However, I have some doubts about the descriptions of some of the physical tests. For example, Ballinger claims that they did a 4 mile run, with 30lb Bergens and weapons, across country and over hills, at just under 10 mph. I appreciate that fitness standards are very high in these units, but this seems incredible, and it was just the first activity of the day!

Anybody able to shed any light?

Eastern Approaches (Fitzroy McLean) - Tales of the Soviet Union between the wars, North Africa and the partisans in Yugoslavia. *Considered to be the inspiration for James Bond.

The Greatest Raid of All - Account of the St Nazaire raid and hardly a bootneck in sight.