Bloodiest Year: British Soldiers in Northern Ireland, in their Own Words Kindle Edition

Going back almost forty years Ken Wharton brings a factual, detailed account of one of the toughest years in recent British history when British soldiers were on the streets of their own cities in theory "In support of the civil powers" but actually fighting an undeclared civil war with vast sections of the two major cities beyond the policing capabilities of the RUC. The background to the situation in Ulster in the early 1970s is not to be found here, there are many other writers who can provide opinion and comment, this is a simple day by day report on what was really going on told in a very effective manner without any rancour.The soldiers deployed, some of whom were from the cities being destroyed around them, were professionals , often learning as they went along but doing an amazing job in a hostile environment. Ken Wharton manages to convey such all of this in an unemotional way that captures perfectly the role fo the military at that time.

This book is the fourth by Ken Wharton, and has proven just as exciting and well done as the preceeding three. I highly recommend them all if you are interested in the Troubles in NI.

Stories from the squaddies.