How things change!, 06 Oct 2008
I was looking forward to reading this book as I have served with a couple of lads from both 2 & 3 Para who fought in the Falklands and have worked with many other Paras in more recent years.
The book started off pretty dull about his life at school but soon got on track once he decided to join the Army, the story of life in the Army, his trip down south and what happened on his return was excellent, but then it went back to being dull again, why he chose to write about his trip to Belize is beyond me and didnt add anything to the book, I nearly stopped reading there, but then it picked up again at the end.
His attitude towards the rest of the Army is now very dated, and although there is still inter Regiment rivalry the whole whole way that we view each other has changed since his day, due to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanstan where all capbadges are working and fighting together there is a lot more mutual respect and quite rightly too, check out the number of gallantry awards awarded to all Regts and Corps of the British Army.
Mark, like all who have been involved in armed conflict went through a lot both mentally and physically and I salute all who have done so, but as you read the latter part of the book, he is still in the mindset that everyone who isnt airborne is a hat and the Paras hate them, on that issue he is very much a dinosaur and out of touch.

10 out of 10. Read this Book!, 08 Sep 2008
I devoured "Sod that" in just three sittings, and that doesn't often happen to me. During the Falklands battles I was lost in the pages, until my wife told me to turn the bloody light out. I looked across and it was four o'clock in the morning!

I thought it was brilliantly and truthfully written from the heart. Mark has not tried to big himself or his buddies up, he told it like it was in every gory and moving detail, and that's what makes this account so much more readable.

Buy it. Read it, then if you have never served under fire, you may just get a hint of what it's like. You may then begin to understand why so many men struggle when they come back from war.

This doesn't apply just to the lads from 1982. Try to imagine what hundreds or maybe even thousands of very young men are going through when they come back from Afghanistan, or Iraq.

A lot though, like many of Marks friends, don't come back. This will remind you that they are not just numbers you hear on the evening news. They are people, young men with families, wives and children, someone's son. This book should put things in perspective, in order of importance in your life.

Tony

Sod that, real story-real life., 13 Feb 2008
I feel i have to write in a retort to Jayetee's reveiw. The comments about the authour being rude and abusive, although being his/her personnel opinion should not stand.
I have recently laid the book down after what i can describe as one of the most moving accounts that i have ever digested.
Mark Eyles-Thomas served with the Parachute Regiment, calling all other members of the armed forces who did not earn the Maroon beret as HATS, is what is best described as banter, mickey taking and having a massive sense of self pride. What the Paras and other elite units do is not normal, these people are close, because of what they are asked to do; by people sat in their living rooms and cosy offices. Is the reviewer so naive as to think those HATS do not have their own colourful language to describe those who call them HATS?
I can give this informed statement, as i served as a Hat for nearly ten years, i am immensley proud of my military sevice, like Mark i joined the Army as a sixteen year old, and also lost a friend during operations in Bosnia.
People should not be put off from reading this book because of Marks description of non Paras, Mark tells it like it is, sometimes people tell you the truth can hurt, read the book and understand that this is about normal young men asked to do a very abnormal job, its consequences and what makes our British Army the best on the planet.
You will not be disapointed

Excellent, 22 Jan 2008
Excellent read.
Forget the history books,this book brings home the true reality of the Falklands War as experienced by the young soldiers of 3 Para.
It brings home the true horrors and emotions of warfare.
A must read for all.
Thanks Mark for telling your story and helping us remember those who gave thier lives and those who still suffer today.

Sod That For A Game Of Soldiers, 13 Jan 2008
I found this author to be rude and abusive to any other person who was not a Para. Not at all amusing hearing other Military and civilian personel being slagged off.

How things change!, 06 Oct 2008
I was looking forward to reading this book as I have served with a couple of lads from both 2 & 3 Para who fought in the Falklands and have worked with many other Paras in more recent years.
The book started off pretty dull about his life at school but soon got on track once he decided to join the Army, the story of life in the Army, his trip down south and what happened on his return was excellent, but then it went back to being dull again, why he chose to write about his trip to Belize is beyond me and didnt add anything to the book, I nearly stopped reading there, but then it picked up again at the end.
His attitude towards the rest of the Army is now very dated, and although there is still inter Regiment rivalry the whole whole way that we view each other has changed since his day, due to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanstan where all capbadges are working and fighting together there is a lot more mutual respect and quite rightly too, check out the number of gallantry awards awarded to all Regts and Corps of the British Army.
Mark, like all who have been involved in armed conflict went through a lot both mentally and physically and I salute all who have done so, but as you read the latter part of the book, he is still in the mindset that everyone who isnt airborne is a hat and the Paras hate them, on that issue he is very much a dinosaur and out of touch.

10 out of 10. Read this Book!, 08 Sep 2008
I devoured "Sod that" in just three sittings, and that doesn't often happen to me. During the Falklands battles I was lost in the pages, until my wife told me to turn the bloody light out. I looked across and it was four o'clock in the morning!

I thought it was brilliantly and truthfully written from the heart. Mark has not tried to big himself or his buddies up, he told it like it was in every gory and moving detail, and that's what makes this account so much more readable.

Buy it. Read it, then if you have never served under fire, you may just get a hint of what it's like. You may then begin to understand why so many men struggle when they come back from war.

This doesn't apply just to the lads from 1982. Try to imagine what hundreds or maybe even thousands of very young men are going through when they come back from Afghanistan, or Iraq.

A lot though, like many of Marks friends, don't come back. This will remind you that they are not just numbers you hear on the evening news. They are people, young men with families, wives and children, someone's son. This book should put things in perspective, in order of importance in your life.

Tony

Sod that, real story-real life., 13 Feb 2008
I feel i have to write in a retort to Jayetee's reveiw. The comments about the authour being rude and abusive, although being his/her personnel opinion should not stand.
I have recently laid the book down after what i can describe as one of the most moving accounts that i have ever digested.
Mark Eyles-Thomas served with the Parachute Regiment, calling all other members of the armed forces who did not earn the Maroon beret as HATS, is what is best described as banter, mickey taking and having a massive sense of self pride. What the Paras and other elite units do is not normal, these people are close, because of what they are asked to do; by people sat in their living rooms and cosy offices. Is the reviewer so naive as to think those HATS do not have their own colourful language to describe those who call them HATS?
I can give this informed statement, as i served as a Hat for nearly ten years, i am immensley proud of my military sevice, like Mark i joined the Army as a sixteen year old, and also lost a friend during operations in Bosnia.
People should not be put off from reading this book because of Marks description of non Paras, Mark tells it like it is, sometimes people tell you the truth can hurt, read the book and understand that this is about normal young men asked to do a very abnormal job, its consequences and what makes our British Army the best on the planet.
You will not be disapointed

Excellent, 22 Jan 2008
Excellent read.
Forget the history books,this book brings home the true reality of the Falklands War as experienced by the young soldiers of 3 Para.
It brings home the true horrors and emotions of warfare.
A must read for all.
Thanks Mark for telling your story and helping us remember those who gave thier lives and those who still suffer today.

Sod That For A Game Of Soldiers, 13 Jan 2008
I found this author to be rude and abusive to any other person who was not a Para. Not at all amusing hearing other Military and civilian personel being slagged off.

falklands military machine, 23 Feb 2005
very good book covering this subject very well
much information on unsung units involved
if you buy one book on this subject buy this

How things change!, 06 Oct 2008
I was looking forward to reading this book as I have served with a couple of lads from both 2 & 3 Para who fought in the Falklands and have worked with many other Paras in more recent years.
The book started off pretty dull about his life at school but soon got on track once he decided to join the Army, the story of life in the Army, his trip down south and what happened on his return was excellent, but then it went back to being dull again, why he chose to write about his trip to Belize is beyond me and didnt add anything to the book, I nearly stopped reading there, but then it picked up again at the end.
His attitude towards the rest of the Army is now very dated, and although there is still inter Regiment rivalry the whole whole way that we view each other has changed since his day, due to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanstan where all capbadges are working and fighting together there is a lot more mutual respect and quite rightly too, check out the number of gallantry awards awarded to all Regts and Corps of the British Army.
Mark, like all who have been involved in armed conflict went through a lot both mentally and physically and I salute all who have done so, but as you read the latter part of the book, he is still in the mindset that everyone who isnt airborne is a hat and the Paras hate them, on that issue he is very much a dinosaur and out of touch.

10 out of 10. Read this Book!, 08 Sep 2008
I devoured "Sod that" in just three sittings, and that doesn't often happen to me. During the Falklands battles I was lost in the pages, until my wife told me to turn the bloody light out. I looked across and it was four o'clock in the morning!

I thought it was brilliantly and truthfully written from the heart. Mark has not tried to big himself or his buddies up, he told it like it was in every gory and moving detail, and that's what makes this account so much more readable.

Buy it. Read it, then if you have never served under fire, you may just get a hint of what it's like. You may then begin to understand why so many men struggle when they come back from war.

This doesn't apply just to the lads from 1982. Try to imagine what hundreds or maybe even thousands of very young men are going through when they come back from Afghanistan, or Iraq.

A lot though, like many of Marks friends, don't come back. This will remind you that they are not just numbers you hear on the evening news. They are people, young men with families, wives and children, someone's son. This book should put things in perspective, in order of importance in your life.

Tony

Sod that, real story-real life., 13 Feb 2008
I feel i have to write in a retort to Jayetee's reveiw. The comments about the authour being rude and abusive, although being his/her personnel opinion should not stand.
I have recently laid the book down after what i can describe as one of the most moving accounts that i have ever digested.
Mark Eyles-Thomas served with the Parachute Regiment, calling all other members of the armed forces who did not earn the Maroon beret as HATS, is what is best described as banter, mickey taking and having a massive sense of self pride. What the Paras and other elite units do is not normal, these people are close, because of what they are asked to do; by people sat in their living rooms and cosy offices. Is the reviewer so naive as to think those HATS do not have their own colourful language to describe those who call them HATS?
I can give this informed statement, as i served as a Hat for nearly ten years, i am immensley proud of my military sevice, like Mark i joined the Army as a sixteen year old, and also lost a friend during operations in Bosnia.
People should not be put off from reading this book because of Marks description of non Paras, Mark tells it like it is, sometimes people tell you the truth can hurt, read the book and understand that this is about normal young men asked to do a very abnormal job, its consequences and what makes our British Army the best on the planet.
You will not be disapointed

Excellent, 22 Jan 2008
Excellent read.
Forget the history books,this book brings home the true reality of the Falklands War as experienced by the young soldiers of 3 Para.
It brings home the true horrors and emotions of warfare.
A must read for all.
Thanks Mark for telling your story and helping us remember those who gave thier lives and those who still suffer today.

Sod That For A Game Of Soldiers, 13 Jan 2008
I found this author to be rude and abusive to any other person who was not a Para. Not at all amusing hearing other Military and civilian personel being slagged off.

falklands military machine, 23 Feb 2005
very good book covering this subject very well
much information on unsung units involved
if you buy one book on this subject buy this

An Islander's View of the Falklands Conflict, 11 Mar 2003
This book gives a fancinating insight into the sequence of events from the Agentines seizing the Islands on 2nd April 1982 through to the liberation by British forces on 14th June 1982. It gives a feel of the emotions of the time, the uncertainty of the Islanders and the day to day life under the 74 days of Argentine rule in the capital Port Stanley.
If you have an interest in this chapter of history or want a human angle on living through a military occupation this makes a very insightful read.