BOOK REVIEW -

The Journey of a Paratrooper

All elite soldiers start somewhere and Nigel Ely takes us on his journey in a way that is real, well-paced and experiential. From the early decision to just "give it a shot", Ely gives you an insight into the mind of young man who almost on the spur of the moment wants to try the proud and challenging road to becoming an elite soldier, a paratrooper in Her Majesty's Army. His journey is perhaps deliberately muted by what he encounters in the Falklands War and further in a career that extends into the Special Air Service (SAS).

He sums up the training, almost taking it in his stride. To your average person off the street, what Ely goes through is truly a hard road. The way he writes, he prepares the reader to harden up, like he did, for what is a bloody tale of war and sacrifice on both sides.

Before he takes us to that point, Ely almost comically depicts some hard training which includes a sort of no rules boxing as a part of physical training and the ultimate challenge - the "trainazium" which Ely describes as an airborne assault course of scaffolds, ladders, cargo nets and a proverbial leap of faith that separates those with the right stuff and those who will take a walk. It is both interesting and amusing. Very well written and personalised.

Paratrooper and SAS Soldier

All elite soldiers start somewhere and Nigel Ely takes us on his journey in a way that is real, well-paced and experiential. From the early decision to just "give it a shot", Ely gives you an insight into the mind of young man who almost on the spur of the moment wants to try the proud and challenging road to becoming an elite soldier, a paratrooper in Her Majesty's Army.

The training held in Aldershot whos the togh right of passage for men who want to be paratroopers. The language and behaviour is tough, methodical and well-described by Ely. He leaves you feeling the impact of hard training while understanding the Paratroop Regiment, why it trains the way it does and the calibre of men it produces.

Ely's journey through training is perhaps deliberately muted by what he encounters in Ireland, the Falklands War and further in a career that extends into the Special Air Service (SAS) and numerous hot-spots around the world.

First Conflict - Northern Ireland

Ely writes of his arrival in Belfast with the 2nd Batallion, Parachute Regiment (2 Para) and shares a very relevant insight into terrorism and its long history against established western power-bases. While this part of the book is short, it is sharp. A taster of the sort of action Ely sees throughout his career, he is almost warming us up for the Falklands and the bloody battlefields and encounters he would find himself in.

What resonated with me in this part of the book was the experience of losing a vehicle full of men, friends and comrades, to an enemy bomb blast. Ely's recollection of this experience is so contemporary in it relevance, Iraq and Afghanistan yield media reports of entire vehicle crews are killed in an instant. His experience and feelings add context to the contemporary.

Another noteable incident is the sort of guerilla style warfare between small sections of paratroops and IRA militants. It was edge of the seat stuff and kept me hooked to the book until this part of the story had resolution.

The Falklands War

As previously mentioned in this review, the Falklands War is somewhat of a forgotten conflict and Ely's account of this war is detailed and rich in its descriptions. His role, somewhat pivotal in key battles, including the infamous Goose Green, makes for exciting and shocking reading. He described one part of the battle where, in a kill or be-killed shootout with Argentine positions, he shows no mercy, making sure his enemy is dead like a cool, cold professional:

"Slowly I raised my rifle, aimed and pulled the trigger...one round hit and went through the boot. The leg kicked up about three feet and fell back. Confirmed! The Argy was now dead for sure. No screams, no nothing."

Ely witnesses some amazing sights hat changed the world. At close range, he faced Argy attack helicopters, Pucaras (fighter planes) and the distant view of the HMS Galahad in ablaze and smoking after an Argentine air assault. These are all iconic scenes and instances of the modern and bitter conflict of the Falklands. Some of the orders did not make sense and he highlights his frustration and obediance in the face of adversity.

"...'Negative. Negative. Do not engage. Do not compromise your position'...We all got the message. He put the headset down and reeled of a series of 'fucks' under his breath...As the chopper rose up to our level the noise from its engines became deafening...I could now spot the pilot quite clearly...The decision not to shoot it down was totally stupid, without logic."

Ely is arguably a pivotal figure in the Falklands War and he confidently and facually retells his experience, spearheading the assault on Goose Green which was a decisive battle in winning the war. His experiences, both exciting and brutal reveal the harsh realities of war and what it takes to be an elite soldier. He is not only the "real deal" but he is an intelligent and thoughtful writer who conveys his experiences with a clarity and insight rare to many soldier-writers in modern non-fiction. Below, you can see the Author, Nigel "Spud" Ely, in the Falklands where he returned to see the old battleground. His return, presumably, was a part of the writing process or inspired him to write For Queen and Country. The site Ely visited, depicted below, is where Napalm was dropped with deadly effect. His description of the battle was nothing short of riveting and had me on the edge of my seat.

Photo is copyright and courtesy of Blake Publishing and Nigel Ely.

Onward from the Falklands War

After the Falklands, Ely takes us on his journey into the SAS and into the world as a security consultant. It is an amazing ride of jungle training, HALO jumps and true grit determination to be the best of the best. I thoroughly enjoyed the latter part of his book.

I will not spoil the amazing tale of warfare by telling you any more about the tale Ely weaves so well. I would rather leave you wanting to hear more of this honest and stark tale of brutal war and pick up a copy for yourself. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and give it 4 maroon berets out of 5.

"Ely is frank, factual and brutal in his account of the Falklands. His experiences as an elite soldier are an insightful view into a world most never see or experience. He writes well and thought-provokingly; a scholar and warrior. Try this one - it takes you on an exciting journey."

- David B

Editor, Champ Magazine

The Human and Material Cost

Please Note: While 255 British soldiers lost their lives in the conflict, over 255 soldiers who returned have tragically taken their own lives since. Nigel Ely dedicates his book to these people. The conflict of the Falklands, it would seem, struggles on within those left behind...

Race to the Falklands - Getting There

Ely book transitions the reader from his Northern Ireland campaign where he related his selection and role in the even more elite Pathfinder Platoon within the 2nd Battalion, Paratroop Regiment (2 Para). Ely illustrates the healthy competition between 1, 2 and 3 Para and their interest in getting to the Falklands and driving the Argys (Argentines) off of British soil. 3 Para departed first on the TEV Canberra (often incorrectly named the "SS Canberra", a P&O Cruise ship affectionately known as "the Great White Whale".

Photo is courtesy of Philip Hancock, Engineering Officer (Ret.) and webmaster of "The Great White Whale" website.

I made contact with Philip Hancock, a member of her crew, to find out about his experience in getting there and the experience of a merchant officer who rubbed shoulders with the elite Paratroops on board. An engineering officer on board the ship, Hancock met and lived with the soldiers of the elite Paratroop Regiment - this is what he had to say:

"At sea for 93 days, with watertight doors shut, each engineroom compartment was a potential tomb. There was no way to persuade the troops on board come down to the engine room voluntarily. Some were forced by irate NCOs to carry out small tasks down below but on the whole the troops preferred the open air.

I have never met a tougher, more dedicated group of men. All of the cheese wires were taken from the galley. If the soldiers could not break them around their wrists they were sent to the engine room and made into garrotes...I'm glad they were on our side!"

Merchant Navy - Argentine Targets

The Merchant Navy played an important role in getting the troops to the Falklands, to supply them and look after them in hospital ship roles. After the conflict was over and the Argentinean surrender, it was used to transport prisoners. Philip Hancock of the TEV Canberra comments on his role in support of the UK in the Falklands War and him being an Argentine target:

"Would I volunteer to join the task force? We wouldn't go anywhere near the war zone as we were a hospital ship! This proved to be incorrect as the Argentineans argued that as long as we carried troops we were a legitimate target and not protected under the Geneva Convention.

Of course I said yes. When I told my parents, my mother asked why I had to go and if I couldn't have told them I had a cold. These were the first steps down a path that would change my outlook on life forever."

Argentinean Air Assaults on British Ships

The Argys were keen to sink the British Strike Force and were a fierce and ruthless enemy. They were keen to use the TEV Canberra, the "Great White Whale" as a propaganda icon and even went to the lengths of reporting in as sunk when it had not been. The article, below, descibes the ficticious sinking of the Canberra ("Canberra in Flames") and the sinking of the HMS Antelope ("Destroyed by Argentine Airforce").

HMS Antelope

As per the newspaper article, above, HMS Antelope was sunk. Spud Ely, on bivuoac with the Paras in the mountains witnessed the scene:

"We were also left deep in thought as we watched HMS Antelope, a Type 21 Frigate explode and burn away all night. She had been hit earlier that day by a Skyhawk fighter/bomber dropping a 1000-pounder on her port quarter, but the bomb did not explode until the evening when it set her magazines off...I had never seen a ship go up before; a sad night...I felt totally helpless."

Photo is courtesy of Philip Hancock, Engineering Officer (RE) and webmaster of "The Great White Whale" website and his contributor Brig. (RE) R. Brown.

A Skyhawk like the one depicted, above dealt the bomb to sink the ship. Thanks to Philip Hancock and Brig. R. Brown, a rare photo of the Argentinean pilot who sunk the HMS Antelope is available. Below, 1st Lt. Guadagnini (on the right) after his sortie against the Antelope. He was later killed by a missile strike in the conflict.

Photo is courtesy of Philip Hancock, Engineering Officer (RE) and webmaster of "The Great White Whale" website and his contributor Brig. (RE) R. Brown.

The End...

With fierce fighting and losses on both sides, the war was decisively a British victory. Ely and the Paras outclassed and outfought a less trained and seemingly less capable fighting force in the Argentines. This being said, the loss of human life and materials speaks volumes about the sacrifice paid by both opposing sides.

"As we hit the road ino Stanley I could see the remains of a retreating army...Stunned and pathetic...The Argies had been beaten and we had won...I did not hate or detest them, as I had done before the cease-fire...Buildings on fire and bodies of dead Argies littered the road to victory."

Ely refers to the defeat of the Argentines after the fall of Port Stanley. The Argy's were rounded up and transported back to the mainland as part of the cessation of hostilities between Great Britain and Argentina. Philip Hancock describes the spoils of war, his role in supporting the transport of the prisoners:

"Many soldiers collected souvenirs... a pair of pearl handled pistols were among the spoils... I still have my Argentinean helmet which my children try on every now and then...Taking the prisoners back to Puerto Madryn was interesting... Ninety guards for about four thousand prisoners...seven to a cabin...Toilet trips were constant and one of the guards was knifed..."

Above, you can see Philip Hancock's South Alantic Medal 1982. This is what he had to say about his service in the Falklands, supporting the likes of Nigel "Spud" Ely and the elite Paratroops:

"I'm proud of my medal. It represents a time in my life that was exciting and full of adventure. "