Product Description

This is Ken Wharton's second oral history of the Northern Ireland troubles told again from the perspective of the ordinary British soldier. This book looks deeper into the conflict, utilising stories from new contributors providing revealing and long-forgotten stories of the troubles from the back streets of the Ardoyne to the bandit country of South Armagh. Ken Wharton - himself a former soldier - is now known and trusted by those who served and they are keen for their part in Britain's forgotten war to now be made public. For the first time, he tells the stories of the 'unseen victims' - the loved ones who sat and dreaded a knock at the door from the Army telling them that their loved one had been killed on the streets of Northern Ireland. There are more first hand accounts from the Rifleman, the Private, the Guardsman, the Driver, the Sapper, the Fusilier on the street as they recall the violence, the insults and the shock of seeing a comrade dying in the street in front of them. There is an explosive interview with a soldier who killed an IRA gunman who was fresh from the murder of two Royal Artillerymen. Building on the huge success of Ken's first book, this second volume will provide plenty of new material for the reader to reconsider afresh the role of Britain's soldiers in Northern Ireland.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11049 in Books
• Published on: 2009-05-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 544 pages

Customer Reviews

Bombs and Bullets
Once again Ken has shown what it was really like to be a soldier on the ground in Northern Ireland.

With the British Public interested in what is happening in Afghanistan (and rightly so). It is a timely reminder of the cost to British Army lives (Approx 1300)in a war, and it was, which was fought less than a hour flight time from most major cities in the rest of the United Kingdom.

Keep the books coming Ken.

Voices that echo down the years.
Once again Ken Wharton has so expertly captured the sounds, sights, excitement, fear, boredom and sorrow of so many soldiers in 'Bullets, Bombs and Cups of Tea', his superb follow on from his book 'The Long Long War'.
Ranging from intense action with death and injury of soldiers in a part of Great Britain to the dignity of the families left to endure the sorrow of the loss of their loved ones it encompasses, in every respect, a war.
Not only is this an excellent and well paced narrative, it is also a first class reference work for all who are interested in military and modern history. The accuracy and detail is as impressive as the disparate and very readable recollections of the many who have contributed to it.
As a soldier, and contributor, I am indebted to Ken for allowing us to simply tell our story as it really was. I am certain that this book will provide a catharsis for so many of us who still bear the physical and mental scars from so many years of conflict.

great read.
at last our story is being told by us guys who served there in what became a forgotton war.more soldiers died on the streets of the united kingdom (ulster)than iraq, afghanistan, and the falklands put together. thanks for all your hardwork ken.