You may talk o' gin and beer When you're quartered safe out 'ere, An' you're sent to penny-fights an' Aldershot it; But when it comes to slaughter You will do your work on water, An' you'll lick the bloomin' boots of 'im that's got it. This is the first verse of the poem Gunga Din by Rudyard Kipling, it is also the opening of a book I am reading at the moment called 'Quartered Safe Out Here' by George McDonald Fraser or 'Jock' to his comerades. It is his recollection of the War in Burma and is one of the finest memoirs I have EVER read. He describes several combat experiences as he remembers and he makes no secret of the fact that his memory is not amazing. Actually he spends a good amount of time criticising the media and its attitude to modern soldiers. He seems to be of the belief that the media is irresponsible in the manner in which it forces soldiers to admit to being scared before going into combat which endangers the lives of everyone fighting with that man as well as worries his family (would you want to go into combat with a man who had just told everyone he was cacking himself?). Basically its a great book, read it.
Fraser's book is also highly recommended by historian John Keegan in his 'top 50 books of WWII'. I found a signed copy at a bookfair at few years back and have to admit I haven't read it yet...
I have not read this book but lietened to it on a story book tape in the car and it was read by GMF himself, it is brilliant and yes he is very barrbed on his thouhts of then and now and yes he is dam right in most cases. Still luv his Flashman novels as this man best depicts me. Arm.
