3 Para
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Review
‘Wonderfully compelling … a fast-paced story of incredible bravery that at times reads like a thriller.’ Christina Lamb, Sunday Times
‘Bishop gives a gripping insight into deployment in Afghanistan last year of 3 Para…written with the fluent, rich and engaging fashion typical of the author's as a journalist.’ The Times
‘He presents an inspiring story of courage, discipline and…selfless comradeship…the frenzy of close–quarters combat…is captured particularly vividly…fast–paced and absorbing.’ Daily Mail
Review
Praise for the audio book: 'An exciting, eye-opening, thought-provoking book that will leave you sadder and wiser about the validity of war.! The stoicism of 3 Para's young soldiers is extraordinary ! The lasting message of Rodska's feisty reading is that if we need ot have wars, we need the men of 3 Para to fight them.' Sue Arnold, Guardian Praise for the hardback: 'Wonderfully compelling ! a fast-paced story of incredible bravery that at times reads like a thriller.' Christina Lamb, Sunday Times More praise for '3 Para': 'Bishop gives a gripping insight into deployment in Afghanistan last year of 3 Para!written with the fluent, rich and engaging fashion typical of the author's as a journalist.' The Times 'He presents an inspiring story of courage, discipline and!selfless comradeship!the frenzy of close--quarters combat!is captured particularly vividly!fast--paced and absorbing.' Daily Mail Praise for 'Fighter Boys': 'No one reading this book can possibly doubt the heroism of those involved ! there can't be a finer history.' James Holland, New Statesman 'I know of no more thoughtful nor yet more moving study of their achievement.' Max Hastings, Sunday Telegraph 'Powerful yet restrained, at times almost unbearably touching.' T. J. Binyon, Evening Standard
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
54 of 58 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
It was April 2006 and 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment (3 Para) Battle Group were deployed to Helmand Province in Afghanistan for a 6 month tour of duty. What they were expecting to encounter and what they found on arrival were entirely different things. The pre-deployment intelligence suggested the tour was likely to pass without a shot being fired whilst they concentrated on a task which required them to provide security for a reconstruction programme.
Six months later, the Battle Group returned home having fought one continuous battle after another during which they defeated the Taliban within Helmand Province. That military success did not, however, come without a price. 18 Officers and men died during the tour after another two had lost their lives in preliminary operations.
It is many years since I served with 3 Para and I well remember the stories of both Sergeant Willetts who saved many lives in Northern Ireland for which he was awarded a posthumous GC in the 1970s and, in 1982, Sergeant Ian McKay who was awarded the last VC of the 20th Century. Now, in just 6 months in 2006, 3 Para had added yet another VC and another GC in addition to many other honours and awards to their illustrious Battalion and Regimental history.
Written by a professional foreign correspondent who was given access to all the information and personal stories required to create this significant, and important, work of literature about a series of modern military actions, Patrick Bishop has done an excellent job in providing an informative and readable account of exactly what happened.
This is what our forces are doing in Afghanistan. Doubtless, in many ways, it will be similar to what our forces are doing in Iraq. It is, therefore, a book which should be read by everyone with an interest in the world at war - today.
As a postscript (and not part of the book itself), readers will be interested to know that the Commanding Officer of 3 Para Battle Group - Lt Colonel Stuart Tootal DSO OBE (the DSO being awarded for his outstanding service in Afghanistan) resigned in November 2007 after attacking the Ministry of Defence over "poor pay for soldiers, lack of equipment, the standard of army housing and poor medical treatment afforded to his injured soldiers."
Unlike their comrades from the USA, when the modern British Army has finished with its soldiers - they really are finished with them.
NM
British Army major (Retired)
Six months later, the Battle Group returned home having fought one continuous battle after another during which they defeated the Taliban within Helmand Province. That military success did not, however, come without a price. 18 Officers and men died during the tour after another two had lost their lives in preliminary operations.
It is many years since I served with 3 Para and I well remember the stories of both Sergeant Willetts who saved many lives in Northern Ireland for which he was awarded a posthumous GC in the 1970s and, in 1982, Sergeant Ian McKay who was awarded the last VC of the 20th Century. Now, in just 6 months in 2006, 3 Para had added yet another VC and another GC in addition to many other honours and awards to their illustrious Battalion and Regimental history.
Written by a professional foreign correspondent who was given access to all the information and personal stories required to create this significant, and important, work of literature about a series of modern military actions, Patrick Bishop has done an excellent job in providing an informative and readable account of exactly what happened.
This is what our forces are doing in Afghanistan. Doubtless, in many ways, it will be similar to what our forces are doing in Iraq. It is, therefore, a book which should be read by everyone with an interest in the world at war - today.
As a postscript (and not part of the book itself), readers will be interested to know that the Commanding Officer of 3 Para Battle Group - Lt Colonel Stuart Tootal DSO OBE (the DSO being awarded for his outstanding service in Afghanistan) resigned in November 2007 after attacking the Ministry of Defence over "poor pay for soldiers, lack of equipment, the standard of army housing and poor medical treatment afforded to his injured soldiers."
Unlike their comrades from the USA, when the modern British Army has finished with its soldiers - they really are finished with them.
NM
British Army major (Retired)
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
3 PARA is an old fashioned book about a close-knit regiment, the author clearly admires the Toms and enjoys telling the classic British army tale (the boys are holed up without adequate numbers and ammunition fighting a savage enemy - and that's just the Americans). It is not a book for those who despair of war, although it doesn't hold back the details of deaths in action.
I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed it.
34 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A superb piece of reporting that takes readers right to the heart of this campaign and near-forgotten commitment. Afghanistan, the searing heat of summer 2006, and 3 Para deploy to Helmand province to support reconstruction. It should be relatively peaceful. Instead, constant attacks ensue in gruelling conditions. Bishop puts us in the firing line too. Supplies dwindle, dust and heat rise, and the Taliban keep coming. This is edge-of-the-seat writing, sharp, gripping. While armchair critics have abandoned concepts like duty, heroism, courage, all three are here in abundance as 3 Para pay the price we ask of our armed forces. Patrick Bishop does a superb job of telling their story - our story, the story we write from the increasingly carping safety of home. This is a tribute to brave men. It reminds us what we ask, and what we owe. A brilliant book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Informative
This book certainly gives you a flavour of what the troops in Afghanistan went through when they entered their area of operations as the vanguard. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ryno57
Truthful, Emotional and a great book
I have never been a memeber of the armed forces, I was turned down by the AFCO when I was 16 to join due to my epilepsy. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Martin Giles
a very good read
I'm currently reading this ebook on my HTC desire using kindle for android and I am about half way through, I have to say that at first I thought the book was plodding along at a... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Steve
The First Tour
3 Para doing what it takes a Battle Group plus additional elements to do now. This is war at its grimmest in the modern age. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Portlander
Cynical rubbish
Second and third hand testimonies with no depth or focus on anything significant or important. This reads as a very cynical attempt to cash in on the war in Afghanistan. Read more
Published on 27 Jan 2010 by A N Other
The Maroon Machine
Military reportage has a long history, extending at least as far back as Julius Caesar's Gallic War, still read today. Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2009 by Ian Millard
Recommended by one who was there.
This book was recommended to me by a sergeant who served during this action. Talking to him of the time the endured the heat, the Taliban and the suffering war causes made me... Read more
Published on 14 Sep 2009 by Graham Herriott
No first hand experience
The author is clearly writing this without any first hand experience, as a soldier who has been wth 3 para for this tour, I would advise you not to buy this book. Read more
Published on 22 May 2009 by Rudy
A damn good read
Am not sure why one reviewer said he was disappointed in this book..?? Why was he there and was missed out of the story? Read more
Published on 4 April 2009 by The Dodger
An excellent history
In 2006 Third Battalion the Parachute Regiment deployed to the Helmand Province in Afghanistan for their six month tour of duty. Read more
Published on 18 Mar 2009 by B. Hurst
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