List of best war memoirs
Discussion
A few more:
Robert graves - Goodbye to all that. I discovered this chap in reverse - a mate in Majorca took me to visit the town he was buried in, and then I noticed this book on a shelf in the place I was flatting in.
Aircraft carrier by J Bryan lll - Will reread this again soon; it's an account by a journalist on a US ACC in the Pacific. Interesting account of the day-to-day living aboard.
A helmet for my pillow – Robert Leckie. The Pacific series was based partially on this
With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by Eugene Sledge - ditto
The Forgotten Soldier – Guy Sajer - there's rumours this was not all true but I enjoyed it
Geoffrey Wellum - I agree, a cracking book
Mark of the Lion by Kenneth Sandford, the story of Charles Upham, VC and Bar - more hagiography than biography, but he was a hard b
d.
Voices of Gallipoli by Maurice Shadbolt - a collection of old soldier's memories of Gallipoli written in the 80s - quite poignant. He said a few of the dozen he spoke to passed away not long after telling their story, almost as if once they told the story, they could let go.
Chickenhawk - a great read - the reveal on the last page was a bit of a shock.
Robert graves - Goodbye to all that. I discovered this chap in reverse - a mate in Majorca took me to visit the town he was buried in, and then I noticed this book on a shelf in the place I was flatting in.
Aircraft carrier by J Bryan lll - Will reread this again soon; it's an account by a journalist on a US ACC in the Pacific. Interesting account of the day-to-day living aboard.
A helmet for my pillow – Robert Leckie. The Pacific series was based partially on this
With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by Eugene Sledge - ditto
The Forgotten Soldier – Guy Sajer - there's rumours this was not all true but I enjoyed it
Geoffrey Wellum - I agree, a cracking book
Mark of the Lion by Kenneth Sandford, the story of Charles Upham, VC and Bar - more hagiography than biography, but he was a hard b
d.Voices of Gallipoli by Maurice Shadbolt - a collection of old soldier's memories of Gallipoli written in the 80s - quite poignant. He said a few of the dozen he spoke to passed away not long after telling their story, almost as if once they told the story, they could let go.
Chickenhawk - a great read - the reveal on the last page was a bit of a shock.
Audio memoirs of Commander J.C.V Ross of HMS Victorious in WW2.
https://1drv.ms/f/c/6b71e6d8e494bd77/Ene9lOTY5nEgg...
HMS Victorious was loaned to the US Pacific Fleet and renamed USS Robin. The crew even wore USN denims rather than the traditional RN White tropical uniforms.
SD.
https://1drv.ms/f/c/6b71e6d8e494bd77/Ene9lOTY5nEgg...
HMS Victorious was loaned to the US Pacific Fleet and renamed USS Robin. The crew even wore USN denims rather than the traditional RN White tropical uniforms.
SD.
Controversial I know, but I thought 'Low Level Hell' a better book than 'Chickenhawk'. Not that Chickenhawk is a bad book at all.
I've read so many that often they blur into one. I'm away from my bookshelf at the moment, but off the top of my head a couple of favourites are 'Hogs in the Sand', about A-10s in ODS , Robin Old's 'Fighter Pilot' is brilliant and Rudel's 'Stuka Pilot' is jaw-dropping and would be considered unrealistic Hollywood rubbish if it were not true.
I've read so many that often they blur into one. I'm away from my bookshelf at the moment, but off the top of my head a couple of favourites are 'Hogs in the Sand', about A-10s in ODS , Robin Old's 'Fighter Pilot' is brilliant and Rudel's 'Stuka Pilot' is jaw-dropping and would be considered unrealistic Hollywood rubbish if it were not true.
LimaDelta said:
Controversial I know, but I thought 'Low Level Hell' a better book than 'Chickenhawk'. Not that Chickenhawk is a bad book at all.
I've read so many that often they blur into one. I'm away from my bookshelf at the moment, but off the top of my head a couple of favourites are 'Hogs in the Sand', about A-10s in ODS , Robin Old's 'Fighter Pilot' is brilliant and Rudel's 'Stuka Pilot' is jaw-dropping and would be considered unrealistic Hollywood rubbish if it were not true.
sadly the bugger was an unrepentant nazi until the day he died I've read so many that often they blur into one. I'm away from my bookshelf at the moment, but off the top of my head a couple of favourites are 'Hogs in the Sand', about A-10s in ODS , Robin Old's 'Fighter Pilot' is brilliant and Rudel's 'Stuka Pilot' is jaw-dropping and would be considered unrealistic Hollywood rubbish if it were not true.
DodgyGeezer said:
LimaDelta said:
Controversial I know, but I thought 'Low Level Hell' a better book than 'Chickenhawk'. Not that Chickenhawk is a bad book at all.
I've read so many that often they blur into one. I'm away from my bookshelf at the moment, but off the top of my head a couple of favourites are 'Hogs in the Sand', about A-10s in ODS , Robin Old's 'Fighter Pilot' is brilliant and Rudel's 'Stuka Pilot' is jaw-dropping and would be considered unrealistic Hollywood rubbish if it were not true.
sadly the bugger was an unrepentant nazi until the day he died I've read so many that often they blur into one. I'm away from my bookshelf at the moment, but off the top of my head a couple of favourites are 'Hogs in the Sand', about A-10s in ODS , Robin Old's 'Fighter Pilot' is brilliant and Rudel's 'Stuka Pilot' is jaw-dropping and would be considered unrealistic Hollywood rubbish if it were not true.
This is good even if only part of it deals with the authors time in Vietnam
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flying-Low-Brian-Bryans/d...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flying-Low-Brian-Bryans/d...
some bloke said:
A few more:
...
Aircraft carrier by J Bryan lll - Will reread this again soon; it's an account by a journalist on a US ACC in the Pacific. Interesting account of the day-to-day living aboard.
...
I am about halfway (should I say Midway?) through this and enjoying it again. Lots of interesting observations about life on board the Yorktown. The book also advertises a book called 'Sharks and Little Fishes' which is about a U-boat. I think I have that somewhere too....
Aircraft carrier by J Bryan lll - Will reread this again soon; it's an account by a journalist on a US ACC in the Pacific. Interesting account of the day-to-day living aboard.
...
A few that I thought I'd list here, I've probably got some more I should dig out for correct titles
Mosquito Pathfinder - Albert & Ian Smith
As per title really, an insight in to the folks (Albert specifically) that bought precision to Bomber Command.
The hut six story - Gordon Welchman
One of the codebreakers at Bletchley, he went on to do lots of ork for intelligence agencies in the US, until he released this book and was deemed a risk and had his clearance revoked overnight. Explains the workings of the enigma and the various attempts and techniques to break it.
Sigh for a merlin - Alex Henshaw
Spitfire - A test pilot's story - Jeffrey Quill
Lumped these two together at the subject is similar, both of them were responsible for test and development of the Spitfire.
Spitfire on my tail - Ulrich Steinhilprer & Peter Osborne
As you can guess, this covers the experiences of a luftwaffe pilot during the battle of britian and the slow progression from victors of europe to defeat at the hands of the RAF.
Doctor for friend and foe - Rick Jolly
Jolly was a medical officer in the marines at the outbreak of the Falklands and found himself in command of a hospital based in an abandoned slaughterhouse in Ajax bay, if that wasn't bad enough the powers that be saw fit to site an ammo dump next to it, a a result they didn't even display a red cross on the building, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Jolly trated both sides during the war and was decorated by both sides for his actions.
What d'ya do in the war dad ? - Barry Parr
Written by Barry Parr, a London window cleaner based on the recollections of his father, Wally. Also a window cleaner post war, Wally was a member of the Ox and Bucks who took the Ouistreham bridge on D-Day, better known as Pegasus bridge. This is not professionally written and the copy I have is even in comic sans font (ick), its a very candid account with no heirs and graces, as a result its quite endearing, you could amost be sat in a east London pub listening to an old soldier recount his experiences.
The Wartime Journal - Hugh Trevor-Roper
Roper was an intelligence officer who kept an illicit diary. The book was found after his death, not even his family were aware he had written it. By its nature, there isn't really a narrative or story but its a fascinating insight.
My Ship, The USS Intrepid - Raymond T Stone
Might take a bit of searcing for this one, I bought my copy when I visited the ship in NYC some years back. Stone was a radar man on the Intrepid in the last couple of years in the war, Intrepid was in the pacific and had the dubious accolade of being the US Navy's most hit ship.
Wellum's book has been mentioned, also look up Tom neil who wrote a couple I think, Fighter Pilot by Helen Doe, daughter of Bob. I've also got "Spitfire Pilot" by David Crook, "Malta Spitfire Pilot" by Denis Barnham and "9 Lives" By Alan C Deere that are all in a similar vein.
Mosquito Pathfinder - Albert & Ian Smith
As per title really, an insight in to the folks (Albert specifically) that bought precision to Bomber Command.
The hut six story - Gordon Welchman
One of the codebreakers at Bletchley, he went on to do lots of ork for intelligence agencies in the US, until he released this book and was deemed a risk and had his clearance revoked overnight. Explains the workings of the enigma and the various attempts and techniques to break it.
Sigh for a merlin - Alex Henshaw
Spitfire - A test pilot's story - Jeffrey Quill
Lumped these two together at the subject is similar, both of them were responsible for test and development of the Spitfire.
Spitfire on my tail - Ulrich Steinhilprer & Peter Osborne
As you can guess, this covers the experiences of a luftwaffe pilot during the battle of britian and the slow progression from victors of europe to defeat at the hands of the RAF.
Doctor for friend and foe - Rick Jolly
Jolly was a medical officer in the marines at the outbreak of the Falklands and found himself in command of a hospital based in an abandoned slaughterhouse in Ajax bay, if that wasn't bad enough the powers that be saw fit to site an ammo dump next to it, a a result they didn't even display a red cross on the building, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Jolly trated both sides during the war and was decorated by both sides for his actions.
What d'ya do in the war dad ? - Barry Parr
Written by Barry Parr, a London window cleaner based on the recollections of his father, Wally. Also a window cleaner post war, Wally was a member of the Ox and Bucks who took the Ouistreham bridge on D-Day, better known as Pegasus bridge. This is not professionally written and the copy I have is even in comic sans font (ick), its a very candid account with no heirs and graces, as a result its quite endearing, you could amost be sat in a east London pub listening to an old soldier recount his experiences.
The Wartime Journal - Hugh Trevor-Roper
Roper was an intelligence officer who kept an illicit diary. The book was found after his death, not even his family were aware he had written it. By its nature, there isn't really a narrative or story but its a fascinating insight.
My Ship, The USS Intrepid - Raymond T Stone
Might take a bit of searcing for this one, I bought my copy when I visited the ship in NYC some years back. Stone was a radar man on the Intrepid in the last couple of years in the war, Intrepid was in the pacific and had the dubious accolade of being the US Navy's most hit ship.
Wellum's book has been mentioned, also look up Tom neil who wrote a couple I think, Fighter Pilot by Helen Doe, daughter of Bob. I've also got "Spitfire Pilot" by David Crook, "Malta Spitfire Pilot" by Denis Barnham and "9 Lives" By Alan C Deere that are all in a similar vein.
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