Product Description

Robert Widders is the last man alive to have served in all three branches of the armed services; the Royal Navy, the Army and the RAF. A Few Deeds Short of a Hero tracks his life from childhood through naval service in the NATO rapid response Atlantic Squadron during the Cold War, through Army military manoeuvres in German, with the Royal Tank Regiment, and active service in RAF Field Hospitals during the Gulf War. Through his life-long service and brief period AWOL, for which he served military imprisonment, he paints a colourful picture of both the boredom and tragedy of war, interspersed with the shenanigans of a young man sliding towards alcoholism, and a penchant for feats of physical endurance including running the Bahrain Marathon and expeditions to both the Sahara and Mount Everest base camp. Widders has emerged on the other side of conflict and a life shaped by the military as a balanced individual despite the trials of war. He maintains his experiences have only made him stronger.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #775924 in Books
• Published on: 2009-03-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 8
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

Customer Reviews

Well written and interesting
Widders' account of his time in the Navy, Army and RAF is a well written and fascinating description of a life dedicated to military service. It succeeds in being honest, at times poignant and often very funny and should appeal to anyone who has served in the armed forces. It's appeal however is not limited to those with a military background and, as a complete layman, I found it very readable and it held my interest throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Brilliant reading
I could never get into what Kipling meant with his poem 'If' until I read Widders' book. It's an amazing biography of a one man's life that normally takes four (men) to do (army, navy, air force) and achieve (adventures in the Sahara, running a marathon, going up the Everest,-and going for more in the future).
The author's honesty, the challenges that he tamed, the adventures that he went through, and all the time that he never let to be wasted makes this book hard to put down. I only wish that the author was a lot older so there'd've been more to read, and I'm sure that he'll do more, and I'll looking forward.
Well done indeed.