[Wittmann 44]

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I'm about halfway through this book about the 3^rd parachute battalion’s tour of ffice:smarttags" />Afghanistan in 2006. This is one of Britain’s elite units and made the last mass combat jump of the British army during the battle for the Suez canal in 1956. 3^rd para were stationed in the supposedly pacified Helmond province and were only there to back up local units. The reality was completely different – they were attacked literally every single day by an increasingly well organised Taliban. Snipers, roadside bombs, mass attacks on isolated outposts. The wild west with the cowboys having superior firepower but outnumbered by the Indians.

With inadequate body armor and poor equipment constantly breaking down casualties mount very quickly. “Lightly” wounded men are regularly sent back on patrol. This is an absolutely cracking book. The writing is functional but this is a great story of courage under fire and the thin red line at its best.

If you liked Black Hawk Down (book) you’ll probably like this.

[ONEDUNME]

3rd Para - Patrick Bishop (Book)

As you like your semantic arguments so much mate ( ) I should probably point out the the correct terminology is "3 para" and not "3rd para".

You can use 3rd para, for example, in the sentence "3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment" but on its own, "3 Para" is correct.

[Wittmann 44]

No thats not semantics. I'm just plain wrong here

The book is called 3Para not 3rd Para

That aside its still a good read.

[ONEDUNME]

I'm not over-keen on military type books but I'll give it ago when it's on offer in Tesco.

[Peter Orchard]

After the Ryan stories from his trek across Iraq it would take something special to eclipse a market already full to the gills of SAS heroics.
Ï guess these guys are well within their rights to sell their stories but without a skilled pen they´re pretty much cannon fodder which hits few but the parabol and 6 pack market.
And maybe that´s all they´re aiming for.

[Wittmann 44]

After the Ryan stories from his trek across Iraq it would take something special to eclipse a market already full to the gills of SAS heroics.

3 Para is a completely different and better sort of book Peter to the whole "I was there" genre spanwed by Andy McNabb which do nothing for me. Much better written for a start. Lots of decent background on the politics and personality. The fcuk ups at a tactical level aren't covered over and there are no supermen just peopel doing their best in a terrible situation with improvisation, courage and humour. Its not a whitewash job by any means but if I was British I'd be proud of the British army's general conduct after reading this. Unfortunately for the squaddies like "Blackadder goes forth" the Army is still very much lions led by political donkeys.

In tone and style as I said very close to Mark Bowden's "Black Hawk Down". I'd be amazed if this wasn't optioned as a film in the near future.