I have read this book several times and it is an unflinching and fascinating study of that the war was like from the German (collaboratist) side. Having read more 'creative' books of this genre like 'Tiger Tracks' one can only go on gut feel that The Forgotten Soldier seems to ring true as an accurate and truthful account of the war from one person's perspective. It is also a truly amazing tale of survival and reinvention as Sajer had to join the French army after the war to atone his sins and went on to lead a normal civilian life afterwards. The thing that amazes me about that whole generation that fought in the war, on whichever side, is that afterwards most just seemed to close a door on all they have gone through, and just went back to ordinary civilian lives, some successfully, other not, but they seem to have been made of sterner stuff than us lot and the younger generations we have known. Truly remarkable story and account of one man's odyssey through the key Eastern Front battlefields of WW2.