Time at War: a memoir [Hardcover]

I enjoyed reading this book, and would recommend it to those who have an interest in reading a personal account of the war time period in Italy during 1943 to 1945. Included in the book, there are also diarised items of communication between Nicholas Mosley and his family (particularly his famous father, Oswald) to add context and flavour to the range of emotions felt by Nicholas during the period.

As with the previous reviewer I, too, have an direct interest in reading of these wartime experiences in Italy as my father, Edmund, (who is still alive) was Colour Sergeant with "E" company of the 2nd Battalion London Irish Rifles (LIR), during the period contained within the book, and served with the LIR from October 1939 to March 1946, and served with Nicholas for some time of that period. As the author notes, it has taken over 60 years for him to recount the life threatening experiences he faced at that time, and it has also taken that time for my father to put pen to paper in a similar vein. This is hardly surprising given the tragedy of the loss of so many of their friends and comrades at such an early age, but this length of time does not dim the sense of immediacy in the narrative.

I read large sections of the book out to my father and whilst the specific emotions facing each in battle would likely have been quite different, the overall experience seem to ring very true to him. Their feelings during intense moments of danger seem similar, and I'm sure were wide spread amongst the majority : a real personal sense of not being heroic, as such, but of "merely" performing their job. Additionally, with personal pride uppermost in mind, how in extreme circumstances, men and women can achieve things beyond their perceived capability. In this context, many, which clearly including Nicholas, found their feet in battle, and displayed great courage in carrying out their assigned tasks. At the same time, how a sense of paralysing fear and inner feelings of possible personal inadequacy remained constant.

I was also interested in reading of the (not surprising with his background) sense of superiority Nicholas felt he had over the men he commanded - and then noting the change in his outlook as he gradually gained the confidence of his men, and as elements of mutual trust emerged. At this point, it's worth noting that there were large groups of educated men within the LIR 2nd Bttn (for example one company included a group of West End actors). Perception is key at all times, obviously.

Overall, I feel this is a valuable addition to words written on the subject of the great battles of the brutal (but under stated ) Italian theatre of war. There needs to be an ongoing testimony to those who stood bravely and fell, over 60 years ago.

Richard O'Sullivan

In recent years the Italian campaign has come in for a lot of attention with several revisionist works contracting either around the whole campaign or the most notable battles such as Sicily, Monte Cassino and Anzio. However this is no revisionist work it is simply a story of one mans war [an officer in this case] in the 2nd Battalion the London Irish Rifles.

I must at first declare an interest in anything to do with the London Irish, since my grandfather fought with the Battalion through out the Africa campaign [with the 1st Army] and then on into Italy, rising to the rank of Company Sergeant Major in H Coy, before being wounded with his OC, Maj Desmond Woods [later Colonel], at Lake Trasimene. I have read every book about the battalion during this period from the London Irish at War to John Horsfall, Fling Our Banner to the wind.

So at first I read this book more out of duty than expectation, if you have not guessed already Nicholas Mosley is the son of Sir Oswald Mosley the leader of the British Union of Fascist. Sir Oswald Mosley still had quiet a few friends in the establishment even when in prison [these included Churchill] and this would make a very interesting book in itself, the establishment flirtation with fascism prior to the Second World War, but as they say that's another story. So the book takes us from the young Mosley education at Eton through the usual hoops and string pulling to a commission in the Rifle Brigade, and then to war. One of the driving reasons for him to seek a commission was to restore the family name. He arrives in Italy to find no Battalions of the Rifle Brigade in theatre so ends up in the only Rifle Regiment in action the London Irish.

The book is full of some very interesting observations about men in war and how they fight or don't in some cases. Reinforcing the observations of Marshall and Wigram he gives some first hand accounts of how all men reach there limit and often refuse or shirk the fight. Mosley laments his lack of training, none of which prepared him for actions on, the soldiers under your command refusing to fight or choosing to surrender rather than engage the enemy. Even today there is very little training for Officers in the circumstances that after coming up with your cunning plan what happens if the men under your command don't think it's such a good idea!

However I don't want you to get the wrong idea about this book the London Irish are not a bunch of cowards they where at the time a normal war-time Bn with the usual mix of men and emotions, and Mosley after evading capture goes on to win the MC with the battalion. Its just all men at some time reach there limit, its how you as a commander deal with that problem. Getting that man or men over there battle shock or fear and get them back into the fight as quickly as possible.

As it was, it was realised by all, that the London Irish and the 38th Irish Brigade had had a belly full and where taken back to Egypt for R&R where the battalion was involved in one of the greatest punch ups of the war in Cairo with the local population [the riot started because the men of the Bn/Bde felt they where being ripped off by the local traders], this led to them being despatch back to the front asp.

Lucky for Mosley [and the Coy] he came under the wing of a good Company Commander in Mervyn Davies [as only in the special environment that is the British Army where you have a Welsh-man in charge of a mostly Irish unit], Davies builds Esprit de Corps, adopts the Parachute Regt Battle-cry Woo-hoo Mahommet! [Unlikely to be used in today PC environment] and does a good job of steering the Coy through the campaign to its end in Austria facing Tito's Partisans. .

An interesting book, that should appeal not only to those like myself who have an interest in the London Irish and the Italian Campaign but those interested in men in battle and how to led men at the end of there tether.

G Long