In 2006 Doug Beattie of 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment was awarded the Military Cross for his part in recapturing the town of Garmsir from the Taliban. He was due to retire from the Army in 2007, but that was before his CO made a desperate plea: stay and do just one more tour. He couldn't turn his back on the men he had helped train, as they set off to play their part in what has been termed an unwinnable war so, in March 2008, he returned to Afghanistan. Within days of landing in Helmand the 42-year-old wondered what he had let himself in for. If 2006 had been hellish, then 2008 was off the scale. For six months Beattie led Afghan and British troops into repeated, exhausting battles with the Taliban. He took part in 50 major contacts and describes in detail the action-packed reality of life and death on the frontline. The chaos and ferocity of the war is brought to life with the utmost honesty and humanity by an exceptional soldier who describes the horror of seeing men and children die in front of him. There are vivid accounts of the chaos and aftermath of suicide attacks at close quarter, of saving lives in impossible conditions and the challenges of mentoring young soldiers and the sometimes wayward Afghan Army. The book offers extraordinary insight into a campaign which is involving ever larger numbers of British service personnel.
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When I arrived at Camp Bastion in the summer of 2006 there were just three names inscribed on its memorial to the lost. By the time I left for home, seven months later, the list of the dead on the cross, crafted out of spent 30mm cannon shells, had lengthened to 19. Since then, space on the memorial has become increasingly hard to find. As I departed Helmand last year for the third time the memorial was well on its way to 400...Someone wiser than me will conclude whether what we have done in Afghanistan has been for the better though, for what it is worth, I take pride in what we have done to build a more stable future for the citizens of this unfortunate country. One thing I know for sure: those who have imperilled their own safety for the benefit of others are the very best our nation has to offer . --The Times
About the Author
Doug Beattie entered 1 R Irish as 17-year-old. He served as an NCO in Bosnia, an RSM in Iraq, and completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan before retiring from the British Army in autumn 2008. He was awarded the Military Cross in 2006. Co-writer Philip Gomm first met Doug Beattie in Helmand Province in 2006 while working for ITV News.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By P. Williams
Format:Hardcover
With his second book, Doug Beattie once more captures the vivid details of life in combat. An innate honesty, compassion and humility underscore the many compelling descriptions of the horrendous circumstances in which he and his soldiers find themselves. As a commentary on the British Soldier you will be hard pressed to read something more current and relevant. To his credit, he does not try to solve Afghanistan's many crises, nor justify the Coalition's presence in that troubled land. This is simply a captivating account of a soldier's last operational tour, his last chance to serve his Regiment and pass on his hard fought knowledge to a younger generation.
If you are joining the Army, going to Afghanistan, or know somebody who has this book will give you some understanding of the everyday reality for some of those deployed on the ground and the often harrowing situations that arise. Besides the heart-pounding action are the sometimes visceral descriptions of casualties that so often pass as a brief by-line on a news bulletin or banded around the media as another statistic. His sensitive recollection of these events are both testimony to the man's character and the unpredictable horrors that confront our servicemen and women on today's battlefield.
In short, an epic book written by someone who is as far from an Ordinary Soldier as I can imagine.
If you are joining the Army, going to Afghanistan, or know somebody who has this book will give you some understanding of the everyday reality for some of those deployed on the ground and the often harrowing situations that arise. Besides the heart-pounding action are the sometimes visceral descriptions of casualties that so often pass as a brief by-line on a news bulletin or banded around the media as another statistic. His sensitive recollection of these events are both testimony to the man's character and the unpredictable horrors that confront our servicemen and women on today's battlefield.
In short, an epic book written by someone who is as far from an Ordinary Soldier as I can imagine.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By T. Genrich
Format:Hardcover
Really well-written, with a nice line in laconic humour (when some office-based soldier comes out on patrol and has to use his gun: It's in the job description. etc). The book crescendos with some stunning combat descriptions near the end. The thing that will stay with me most, though, is where Beattie/Gomm take the reader through what exactly an IED does to the soldier who steps on it. Talk about harrowing.
It's also one of the rare moments when Beattie's anger really shows (except several times with the cowardly Afghan National Army). I guess that's his personality, but I felt the story could have done with more of a "villain" when there was such an embarrassment of riches: the idiot planners on the British side, the ANA, the Taliban.
But then giving more of an outsider's or observer's view clearly wasn't the brief Beattie/Gomm set themselves, and there are already several good high-level, broad-brush books by the likes of Patrick Bishop and Stuart Tootal.
And by giving such an insider's view, TFH does highlight the double insanity of the whole project: a) plonking down a few soldiers in the middle of a seriously hostile well-armed country with no hope in hell of winning the war in any sense of the word that we'd recognise, and b) Beattie going back to Afghanistan at all.
Why would he? Why did he? Read it and find out.
It's also one of the rare moments when Beattie's anger really shows (except several times with the cowardly Afghan National Army). I guess that's his personality, but I felt the story could have done with more of a "villain" when there was such an embarrassment of riches: the idiot planners on the British side, the ANA, the Taliban.
But then giving more of an outsider's or observer's view clearly wasn't the brief Beattie/Gomm set themselves, and there are already several good high-level, broad-brush books by the likes of Patrick Bishop and Stuart Tootal.
And by giving such an insider's view, TFH does highlight the double insanity of the whole project: a) plonking down a few soldiers in the middle of a seriously hostile well-armed country with no hope in hell of winning the war in any sense of the word that we'd recognise, and b) Beattie going back to Afghanistan at all.
Why would he? Why did he? Read it and find out.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Andy Neil
Format:Paperback
Couldn't put the book down, absolute amazing.
Currently working in the Upper Gershk area and amazing how little has changed!
Currently working in the Upper Gershk area and amazing how little has changed!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
After reading Doug Beatties first book and agreeing with most other people that it's a good read, this book was the obvious next choice. Read more
Published 26 days ago by united31
5.0 out of 5 stars
Professionalisim at it's best
Excellent read, just goes to show what can be achieved with the application of relentless leadership, personal resolve, bucket fulls of guts and experience.
Published 1 month ago by M. Burke
5.0 out of 5 stars
an excellent read
This book was such a good read written by someone who was "actually there" I have read much bull&*** about serving in the military especially about modern day conflicts. Read more
Published 4 months ago by susan robinson
4.0 out of 5 stars
True Life Account of the Front Line in Afghanistan
Account of a soldier on the front line in Afghanistan. Fairly horrific accounts of the fighting, punctuated by moments of humour. Would recommend if you like books on the military
Published 11 months ago by Half Man, Half Book
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent!
Task Force Hellmand is an excellent account of life on the Aghanistan frontline. Doug Beattie brings to life some of the horrors of the Aghan war & he does this in an informative,... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Niamh
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic - A real tale
A great read and one that shows thats, whatever has been said in the past, our Political "elite" are not doing all they can to provide our troops with whatever they need. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mr. C. T. Territt
5.0 out of 5 stars
Task force Helmand
A great insight into the tough job going on, training Afghan forces as well as staying alive day in day out.
A superb read.
A superb read.
Published on 7 Mar 2011 by pabest34
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent service
The book is as new, as described and priced very reasonably. Delivery was fast. Happy customer.
Published on 3 May 2010 by I. Bruntnell
3.0 out of 5 stars
Half and half
the title suggested a broader view of the conflict however it was very much one mans viewpoint. however that man's viewpoint was very interesting his experiences with the ANA were... Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2010 by Mrs. L. Lomas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoughtful and
Doug Beattie, with the help of Phil Gomm, has managed to write pacy and heart beat increasing accounts of the day to day combat British forces are engaged in. Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2010 by Mr. Angus P. Walker
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