“Dick Coward is an ordinary chap forever caught up in the most extraordinary circumstances. Whether flying Spitfires in the Battle of Britain or acting as military advisor at Stalingrad, he has a knack for ending up in the thick of the action. But to Coward there are worse things than war, not least the possibility of the family estate ending up in the hands of his undeserving brother James. And then there is the gorgeous Gina… Only by amassing military glory on the beaches of Normandy can Coward satisfy his father and see that justice prevails.”

Published by Bloomsbury, paperback out now.

James Delingpole, former ‘War Life’ columnist in the Spectator (he interview second world war veterans about their experiences) has created an extraordinary character in Dick Coward. He’s an amalgamation of many different people with vastly different experiences. Throughout the book you are teased with hints about Coward’s other military exploits (Burma, Stalingrad, Battle of Britain) and from a quick hunt around the internet I’ve discovered that this is the first in a series of ten planned books and let me say that I can’t wait until I have devoured all ten as it looks like it’s going to be one heck of a series. Think Flashman updated to WW2 and you’re on the right lines if you’re looking for a not-too-bad comparison.

This one throws Coward into the deep end with the Normandy landings as the backdrop, fresh out a military hospital and tricked into agreeing to re-enlist to keep an eye on a certain someone for a certain young lady, Coward has to battle through as part of the (fictional) 47th Commando Unit. Accompanied by his former bateman, now his sergant, Price, Coward finds himself in some tricky situations.

A nice antidote to gung-ho-charge-in American novels about war and is just begging to be made into a film where for once the British aren’t useless soldiers who have be bailed out, but really a TV series would suit the format much better. Very much an adventure in the style of the ‘boy’s own adventure’ series.

10/10, throughly recommended.

The amphibious vehicles (DUKW*) were originally used as ship to shore transport vehicles carrying supplies, occasionally manpower and support vehicles. Some of them saw action during the D-Day landings and many were still in service until the 1970s. The ones that the London Duck Tour people have are somewhere around 66yrs old and did see service. Even if you don’t really fancy a tour around London it’s worth going on just to sit in such a fantastic piece of history.

*D = first year production code (D = 1942)
*U = utility truck
*K = front wheel drive
*W = two rear driving wheels.

The first time I went as I was standing by the type of H-bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, a gentleman walked up to me and told me a story that he either read or been told by a journalist. There was this girl who after school would go home, collect her packed lunch and head off to work. On the day Little Boy was dropped she’d had to return home as she’d forgotten to pick up her lunch… the place she worked was either very close to the epicentre or was a direct hit. Perhaps even more disturbing, when I turned to the man to ask him more he’d gone and I didn’t see him again that day.

A London B type ‘Old Billy Bus’, B43 that was converted and used as medical transportation for wounded soldiers, and I think possibly an ambulance. I looked on the IWM website to see if I could find more information on the bus but I couldn’t so next time I visit I’ll have to copy down the information from the sign.

Probably one of the more famous planes from WW1 (certainly a favourite with Snoopy!) the Sophwith Camel.

A Mark V British Tank from WW1 (note the evil eye…)

This plane was a favourite with my grandfather (who was ground crew with the RAF during WWII). Spitfire R 6915, according to the website “…was flown by pilots of 609 (West Riding) Squadron in the Defence of London during the whole of the Battle of Britain. Its eight .303 inch Browning guns destroyed five enemy raiders in aerial combat over the capital and surrounding areas, and probably destroyed five others. The aircraft was flown by thirteen different pilots during its operational service but was most frequently assigned to Pilot Officer Noel le C Agazarian, who was responsible for seven of this aircraft’s successful sorties.”

I have a slight soft spot for tanks. This one is a T-34 Soviet tank, which was probably the best tank ever created… apparently they pulled one out a lake in Estonia recently and if you dried it out and stuck some petrol (or whatever tanks run on) it’d be as good as new! Some of these tanks were still in use in 1973.

An M4 Sherman tank. Good old US

Soldier humour from the Trenches. Harrowing stuff.

I have a blog where I review science fiction films & books, I recently thought it would be an interesting idea to do the same for war films & books, particularly since I can review some of the excellent non-fiction that’s around these days.

Whether this is a good idea, time will tell.

(Oh, the picture is from uboat.net and is the sinking of the HMS Barham. There is no stated copyright holder on the image.)