Squaddie: A Soldier's Story
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Product Description
Product Description
From the harsh realities of basic training to post-war chaos in Iraq and knife-edge tension in Northern Ireland, Squaddie takes us to a place not advertised in army recruitment brochures. It exposes the grim reality of everyday soldiering for the ‘grunts on the ground’. After the tragic death of his brother, and in the dark days following 9/11, McLaughlin felt compelled to fulfil his lifelong ambition to serve in the army. He followed his late brother into the elite Royal Green Jackets and passed the arduous Combat Infantryman’s Course at the age of 31. Thereafter, McLaughlin found himself submerged in a world of casual violence. Squaddie is a snapshot of infantry soldiering in the twenty-first century. It takes us into the heart of an ancient institution that is struggling to retain its tough traditions in a rapidly changing world. All of the fears and anxieties that the modern soldier carries as his burden are laid bare, as well as the occasional joys and triumphs that can make him feel like he is doing the best job in the world. This is an account of army life by someone who has been there and done it.
A disturbing and shocking account of the brutal hardships that soldiers endure and the violence that permeates army life
Book Description
'The British Jarhead . . . I'd like the entire MoD to read Steven McLaughlin's book' -- Vicki Woods, Daily Telegraph
'A candid look at life for the average enlisted soldier . . . offers a powerful insight into the motivation that drives youngsters' -- Teri Judd, The Independent
'The well-read, articulate McLaughlin explodes the squaddie stereotype, giving thoughtful and cogent answers' -- Ian Sinclair, Morning Star
'A candid look at life for the average enlisted soldier . . . offers a powerful insight into the motivation that drives youngsters' -- Teri Judd, The Independent
'The well-read, articulate McLaughlin explodes the squaddie stereotype, giving thoughtful and cogent answers' -- Ian Sinclair, Morning Star
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
54 of 58 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Squaddie is without doubt the most original soldier's story of recent times; it is long overdue and most welcome, particularly for anyone who has ever served in the British Infantry. I myself served eight satisfying years in the QLR and left as a Platoon Sergeant, but until now I had never read a book that accurately captured the Squaddie experience - both the good, bad, and truly awful bits too!
The level of detail that McLaughlin goes into is astounding, and whether he is describing weapons systems, basic training, battalion life or operational tours - his descriptions are always bang-on, totally convincing, and unnervingly accurate. Several times reading this book I had to put it down and have a little daydream, such is the level of personal recall it stirred inside.
Those of us who have been there will know what he is talking about; being beasted around Catterick by depot-screws, trying to reassemble an SA80 in the field and losing your camstud, scraping the carbon off a Gimpy when your hands are so cold you just want to curl up and die, platoon mongs and stag bitches, etc - I swear this book took me right back in an instant.
In this day and age of overblown and exaggerated Special Forces accounts it's refreshing to see an ordinary soldier embracing his experience and celebrating the sheer bloody grind of being an Infantryman. What I particularly liked about this book is the total lack of heroics and the grim honesty with which the author appraises his own fears and weaknesses - and he confesses to many. McLaughlin is his own severest critic and openly admits his failings, going so far as to show himself in an extremely bad light at times - unlike other `heroes' we could mention.
As with himself, McLaughlin is a tough but fair judge regarding his comrades and regiment. Overall he gives a very good impression of the Royal Green Jackets and he has done them a great service with this book - certainly I would be happy for my son to join them. Yes there are a few `bad apples', but this is the Infantry for God's sake, and none of us should be surprised - that's life!
Totally believable, bang up to date, unpretentious, and a fine testament to a great regiment from one of its own - Squaddie does exactly what it says on the tin and I heartily recommend it.
The level of detail that McLaughlin goes into is astounding, and whether he is describing weapons systems, basic training, battalion life or operational tours - his descriptions are always bang-on, totally convincing, and unnervingly accurate. Several times reading this book I had to put it down and have a little daydream, such is the level of personal recall it stirred inside.
Those of us who have been there will know what he is talking about; being beasted around Catterick by depot-screws, trying to reassemble an SA80 in the field and losing your camstud, scraping the carbon off a Gimpy when your hands are so cold you just want to curl up and die, platoon mongs and stag bitches, etc - I swear this book took me right back in an instant.
In this day and age of overblown and exaggerated Special Forces accounts it's refreshing to see an ordinary soldier embracing his experience and celebrating the sheer bloody grind of being an Infantryman. What I particularly liked about this book is the total lack of heroics and the grim honesty with which the author appraises his own fears and weaknesses - and he confesses to many. McLaughlin is his own severest critic and openly admits his failings, going so far as to show himself in an extremely bad light at times - unlike other `heroes' we could mention.
As with himself, McLaughlin is a tough but fair judge regarding his comrades and regiment. Overall he gives a very good impression of the Royal Green Jackets and he has done them a great service with this book - certainly I would be happy for my son to join them. Yes there are a few `bad apples', but this is the Infantry for God's sake, and none of us should be surprised - that's life!
Totally believable, bang up to date, unpretentious, and a fine testament to a great regiment from one of its own - Squaddie does exactly what it says on the tin and I heartily recommend it.
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
At long last a book that tells us what it is really like to be one of HM's soldier's at the sharp end! Having read well over a dozen SAS books and numerous ex-Colonels accounts i was begining to despair of ever finding a book that showed what plain, dirty old fashioned soldiering is all about - until i discovered this gem.
Squaddie is not about supermen diving through windows or marching hundreds of miles on bleeding feet, but about the very unglamourous and frequently violent existance of everyday infantry troops at home and abroad - in this case the Royal Green Jackets.
No stone is left unturned, and in great detail Mclaughlin takes us on a often hilarious journey through a tough basic training, daily barracks life and culture, and a chaotic Iraq tour, finishing with a sharp insight into the modern-day Northern Ireland operational tour.
His honesty is both painfull and apealing, such as when told he was off to Iraq, he confessess his immediate response was 'bollocks to winning medals' and how 'the s..t was pouring out of him' as departure day loomed.
Squaddie is a grimly bleak and humourous account of life at the sharp-end in the British infantry, and i can not commend it highly enough - read it and you will understand just what our soldiers have to go through on a daily basis.
Squaddie is not about supermen diving through windows or marching hundreds of miles on bleeding feet, but about the very unglamourous and frequently violent existance of everyday infantry troops at home and abroad - in this case the Royal Green Jackets.
No stone is left unturned, and in great detail Mclaughlin takes us on a often hilarious journey through a tough basic training, daily barracks life and culture, and a chaotic Iraq tour, finishing with a sharp insight into the modern-day Northern Ireland operational tour.
His honesty is both painfull and apealing, such as when told he was off to Iraq, he confessess his immediate response was 'bollocks to winning medals' and how 'the s..t was pouring out of him' as departure day loomed.
Squaddie is a grimly bleak and humourous account of life at the sharp-end in the British infantry, and i can not commend it highly enough - read it and you will understand just what our soldiers have to go through on a daily basis.
36 of 40 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book was recommended to me by a pal who served in the authors regiment(Royal Green Jackets) many years ago, and i have to say i can now see why! The book is a brutally honest and at times extremely disturbing portrait of life in the lower ranks of the infantry.
If your looking for a tale of heroic leadership under enemy fire then i am afraid 'Squaddie' is not the book for you, and you will be very dissapointed. But if you want to know how it really is - both the good bits and the bad - then give it a whirl. Mclaughlin's book should be made compulsary reading for the following people:
Schoolboy dropouts searching for an identity and trying to escape from an abusive steparent - as Mclaughlin clearly was.
Privately educated and privaleged Sandhurst cadets who want to understand and motivate their men - take note Prince Harry!
Concerned parents worried about teenage boys being taken in by recruitment sgt's tales of skiing and surfing - only to end up in Iraq.
And anybody else with merely a passing interest in the army. The book would make a good film and i look forward to maybe seeing that come about. One thing is for certian, the working-class British Squaddies now have a voice, and about time too.
If your looking for a tale of heroic leadership under enemy fire then i am afraid 'Squaddie' is not the book for you, and you will be very dissapointed. But if you want to know how it really is - both the good bits and the bad - then give it a whirl. Mclaughlin's book should be made compulsary reading for the following people:
Schoolboy dropouts searching for an identity and trying to escape from an abusive steparent - as Mclaughlin clearly was.
Privately educated and privaleged Sandhurst cadets who want to understand and motivate their men - take note Prince Harry!
Concerned parents worried about teenage boys being taken in by recruitment sgt's tales of skiing and surfing - only to end up in Iraq.
And anybody else with merely a passing interest in the army. The book would make a good film and i look forward to maybe seeing that come about. One thing is for certian, the working-class British Squaddies now have a voice, and about time too.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
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I bought this book because of all the hype about it and seeing the author on virtually every programme about Iraq, to be quite honest with you i found the bloke a boring... Read more
Published 3 days ago by shaun brennan
Fantastic Read
I bought this book after meeting Steven in person at Waterstones in Preston. I found it to be an enthralling, enticing read which details Steven's time in the Royal Green Jackets. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ben (Lancs)
Low wire entanglement
I found this to be hard work, almost turgid. It is very much a personal experience and is frustrating to read because the author has experienced very little of note in the army... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Daddy J
Squaddie - A Soldiers story by a man from my Home town
I have read many books on Military history and autobiographies of Senior officers.
I met the author at a book signing in Waterstones,Blackpool. Read more
I met the author at a book signing in Waterstones,Blackpool. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Andy Nick
" Not a good read "
This book is not a good insight into HM Forces for me. Being an ex service man myself, which included active service during the first Iraq conflict, i found this book to be a bad... Read more
Published 13 months ago by bigman
The unremarkable made remarkable in a clear, gripping read
Steven McLaughlin doesn't have the most action-packed military career, but that's not to say he doesn't know about life as a soldier. Read more
Published 15 months ago by WriterMike
a tough soldier with a good heart
This true story gripped me right away in a number of ways. I found it moving that Steven enlisted at such a late age out of the memory of his recently passed-away brother. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Shaun Attwood
Can't wait for the next
Steven and I share two main things in common. A) We are both writers and B) We served in the same regiment albeit 34 years apart. Read more
Published 22 months ago by ken wharton
Fred carno's Army
Having strugled to read this rubbish for a number of months, i find it hard to believe that this person ever served in the British army, maybe there's a mix up and it was about the... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Wild weasel
Squaddie: a soldiers story
I'd listened to the author of the book, Steven MCLAUGHLIN on a number of occasions on Radio 5, hence the interest in the book. Read more
Published 23 months ago by HUNTER
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