Lions, Donkeys and Dinosaurs [Paperback]

'He writes with force and wit. Page's book deserves attention. Offers a
guide to the armed forces and their problems which anybody who cares about
them should read. Page does a splendid job of sharpening axes.'

'A Fast Food Nation for the armed forces. It is very unlikely that anything
this entertaining or important will be written on military matters this
year. It deserves to be a bestseller, and perhaps it will be if red-faced
civil servants are sent out to buy up every copy before the public can get
their hands on it.'

'Devastating..In my own recent book on modern follies I suggested that
derfence procurement policy was so corrupt that only a satirist could do it
justice. Page is that satirist.'

'Devastating..In my own recent book on modern follies I suggested that
defence procurement policy was so corrupt that only a satirist could do it
justice. Page is that satirist.' --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

A biting, controversial and hilarious polemic on the curious ways of the British armed forces by a brilliant young former Naval Officer. With a preface by Harold Evans (the legendary former editor of the Sunday Times) and a brand new afterword by the author, bringing the book right up to date. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Lewis Page's cover story in "Prospect" on the military's most useless and expensive hardware set off a firestorm of controversy, back pedalling, and accusations. In this irreverent and provocative book, he gives us the full story: how British soldiers are sent off to war with some of the worst guns in the trade, how the MOD keeps financing useless toys (at huge expense to taxpayers), and how decisions seem to be made with an eye, above all, for the interests of British Aerospace. He shows how politicians and the top brass are hopelessly entrenched in yesterday's wars and pouring their talents and energies into making sure that money is wasted right, left and centre. "Lions, Donkeys and Dinosaurs" does for the military what "Not on the Label" did for supermarkets - it takes us behind the scenes and exposes the real ingredients whipped up in the name of 'defence'.

A short polemic on the curious ways of the British military - examining its habitat, mating rituals and scandalous procurement practices - by a brilliant young former Naval Officer. With a preface by Harold Evans (legendary editor of the Sunday Times)

Lewis Page's cover story in Prospect on the military's most useless and expensive hardware set off a firestorm of controversy, back pedaling, and accusations and saw him invited on the Today Programme and Channel 4. In this irreverent and provocative book, he gives us the full story: how British soldiers are sent off to war with some of the worst guns in the trade, how the MOD keeps financing useless toys (at huge expense to taxpayers) and how decisions seem to be made with an eye, above all, for the interests of British Aerospace. He shows how politicians and the top brass are pouring their talents and energies into making sure that money is wasted right, left and centre.

Lions, Donkeys and Dinosaurs does for the military what Not on the Label did for supermarkets - it takes us behind the scenes and exposes the real ingredients whipped up in the name of ‘defence’. Read this book and you will never look at a Hercules in the same way again.
Lewis Page began his military career as a reservist pilot in the Cambridge University Air Squadron. He grew disenchanted with the RAF and ended up in the Navy, where he became a mine clearance diver. After eight years at sea, mostly in very bad weather, he was put in charge of the Plymouth diving and bomb disposal team and trawled the British coastline from Swanage to Liverpool neutralizing 'improvised Explosive Devices' and searching for unexploded ordnance. As such, he is one of the few in the British forces to have actually seen and dealt with 'Weapons of Mass Destruction', although irritatingly these were of British manufacture. During a dull period in the navy he qualified as a commando. He resigned from the Service in 2004 and now lives in London.

Lewis Page began his military career as a reservist pilot in the Cambridge University Air Squadron and ended up in the Navy, where he became a mine clearance diver. After eight years at sea, mostly in very bad weather, he was put in charge of the Plymouth diving and bomb disposal team and trawled the British coastline from Swanage to Liverpool neutralizing 'improvised Explosive Devices' and searching for unexploded ordnance. As such, he is one of the few in the British forces to have actually seen and dealt with 'Weapons of Mass Destruction', although irritatingly these were of British manufacture. During a dull period in the navy he qualified as a commando. He resigned from the Service in 2004 and now lives in London.