Product Description

Gunner Tony McNally had a vital job in the Falklands - as a Rapier missile operator, his job was to protect the British ships and men from air attack by the fearless and desperate Argentinian pilots. His war went well - until June 8, 1982. McNally and his Rapier system were dug in on the hillside overlooking Bluff Cove, guarding the Sir Galahad troop ship as it sat waiting to offload hundreds of soldiers. Suddenly, enemy fighter-bombers screamed into the bay... and McNally's system failed. He watched, helpless, as bombs rained down on the defenceless ship. Fifty men of the Welsh Guards lost their lives and many others - famously including Simon Weston - were horribly burned. McNally's life changed in that moment. He left the army after the war and - though he re-enlisted and even volunteered for two tours of Northern Ireland - he was riddled by guilt and plagued by nightmares and flashbacks of that awful day. Watching Men Burn is his gripping, moving and funny story of army life and the dreadful reality of warfare and its effects on the survivors. With a foreword by Simon Weston.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #115716 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-17
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Customer Reviews

A book the girls can also read.
As a female who knows nothing about the military I would not usually read this type of book. My friend bought it for her husband who is in the TA and said she flicked through it one day and then ended up reading the whole book in a couple of days. I found Tony's story extremely compelling as he lives locally to myself and found myself reading his book at every opportunity. I just wanted to know how things turned out for him. I found myself close to tears when I read about him coming back from the Falklands and nobody from his family was there to meet him at the airport. I had no idea that PTSD is such a terrible condition and this powerful book has opened my eyes to the enormous pressure young men and woman are under during war time. We owe them all a debt of gratitude.

Watching Men Burn is a life saver.
This is the first review I have ever done for a book but I have never had my live changed before like it was after reading Tony's story. My story is very similar apart from I was a Royal Marine as apposed to a Gunner and we both fought in the South Atlantic and N.I. For many years like lots of other servicemen who have witnessed War first hand I got on with my civilian life until the War in 1982 caught up with me again and I suffered a breakdown, my wife left me and I started to drink heavily and self harm typical PTSD symptoms I am told. On the way to a funeral of an old boot neck friend who I found this book at the railway station, I was attracted to its cover, as like Tony I had also watched men burn at Fitzroy. I read nearly half of it on the train and the rest as I went home after the funeral. I realised that it was OK to talk about your problems and I got professional help. I was diagnosed with PTSD this year and I am now a lot happier that I have tried to come to terms with this condition. Who knows what might have happened especially after a funeral. I believe the Gods were looking down on me that day and pointed me in the direction of Tony's book. It has literally saved my life. I hope Tony can also find some peace after his service, thank you Great book for anyone interested in the Falklands War written by an very brave and modest human being.

A good read and insight into what can happen to a soldier after war
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in a couple of days on my way to and from work. The author tells about his time in the army and what it's like going to war and the after effects. You get a real sense of what it is like when your kit doesn't work and people die as a result, and what it's like to be a young man coming to terms with this. There are some funny parts about his time in green and some tough parts about coming to terms with life out of the army with PTSD.