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Steves' book

Article about: Steve (HARRY THE MOLE) wrote a most interesting book on his experience in the army. Engaged in war in Ireland in the early 70's. I got tired of books on Normandy & Russia, thought I woul

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    Default Steves' book

    Steve (HARRY THE MOLE) wrote a most interesting book on his experience in the army. Engaged in war in Ireland in the early 70's. I got tired of books on Normandy & Russia, thought I would learn something different. It's titled " A Tough Nut To Crack : Andersonstown"

    The book is well written & quite exciting & frightening. It took me 4 nights to read it, I was engaged to a point where I thought I was actually involved.
    Anyway....if anyone has interest in reading it, PM me & I will send it to you & I will pay the postage. But whoever wants to read it, maybe pass it on to another forum member. That would be nice.
    David

  2. #2
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    PM sent

    Semper Fi
    Phil

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    Quote by AZPhil View Post
    PM sent

    Semper Fi
    Phil
    Got your PM Phil !!
    D.

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    Steve is a top bloke, i've met him a few times now and had the pleasure of hearing of his experiences in Northern Ireland from the horses mouth!...

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    Quote by Gunny Hartmann View Post
    Steve is a top bloke, i've met him a few times now and had the pleasure of hearing of his experiences in Northern Ireland from the horses mouth!...
    There is much to question & discuss. Unfortunately, I don't have that privilege of speaking with him.
    D.

  6. #6
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    Thank you David,

    I am looking forward to reading this. I remember these times well. It was the topic of conversation in my teens.
    There were recruiting efforts to join the IRA. One of the older classmates at my school went over, But was arrested.

    I will repost on this thread when finished and make the same offer available to the next person interest.
    Hopefully you'll live in the US!!!!
    But I will ship it anywhere

    Semper Fi
    Phil

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    This thread once again reminded me that I really should read Steve's books, so I just bought Belfast Diaries on Kindle.

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    Bought it from amazon, good reviews on there of the book.
    Regards,

    Jerry

    Whatever its just an opinion.

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    Thanks David, I'll pursue a copy. The only related book I have read is 'Armed Struggle' by David English. I will be very interested in reading one written by someone who has experienced it and whom I have actually talked to on this forum!

  10. #10

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    Thanks for all the kind comments... it really means a great deal to me to hear them. I've actually just sent a PM to David concerning some questions he asked. Anyone interested in any of the books should bear in mind that 'Belfast Diaries' is based entirely upon my diaries which I kept to record both my operational tours. The views in the book represent my own thoughts at the time of the incidents - and how I saw them. It was only after the publication of that book that former members of the battery got in touch with me. And then my former Battery Commander - now a retired Brigadier, got in touch and supplied me with information which I would obviously never have been privy to.

    'A Tough Nut To Crack: Andersonstown' is a collection of stories from some 20 people whom I served with at the very height of the 'Troubles'. I went to great lengths to make sure that every story was absolutely true, I ended up rowing with some of the contributors when some of the tales they told didn't match up with the evidence available. I even made contact with a former IRA gunman, but ultimately - after a few exchanges between us, I was warned off. I tried to make contact with the residents of Andersonstown to get their side of the story, but they didn't want to know either. I like to believe that I have written an unbiased account of what happened. Bad things were done by both sides.

    I know that I might go on about Ireland at times, But it really did have a profound effect on me quite a few years later, when one particular incident came back to haunt me for several years. Even my wife and children were affected by it when they were caught up in the Warrington bombing in 1993. When I did my second tour of 'ops' my wife of just three months stayed at my mother's house in Manchester while I was patrolling the streets of Belfast. She was doing the garden one Saturday morning, and as usual, she had the radio on so that she could hear the latest news bulletins on Belfast. There was a news announcement that a 'Gunner Stephen ….. from Manchester', she didn't catch the surname - 'has been shot dead while on foot patrol in Belfast'.Well she went to pieces... my mum's neighbour came out to see what was wrong, but she was inconsolable - she was convinced that I was dead. The strange thing was that the later news reports never mentioned any shooting, and no soldier was killed that day. But even now she will tell you that is what she heard. She never really fully got over the shock of it all, and even in recent years - when it came on TV about British soldiers being killed in Iraq or Afghanistan, she would get very upset because it reminded her of that day back in 1974.

    You cannot compare what went on in Ireland to other wars, the other wars were far more intense and destructive, but for those of us who did happen to serve there in the early 1970's, it really was like a full scale war.

    Cheers,
    Steve.

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