I came across Alan Johnson's "The Long and Winding Road" today, but decided against picking it up; I really need to get through my existing pile of books before buying any more!
Meanwhile, I have recently cleared another two good ones:-
"Phoenix" (sub-titled:- "Policing the Shadows") by Jack Holland and Susan Phoenix (1996) tells the true story of one of the RUC Special Branch officers killed in a helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre on 02-Jun-94. It is co-written by his wife, who brings an element of "humanity" to an otherwise rather depressing chronicle of 24 years of policing the darker corners of the so-called "Troubles" in Northern Ireland. Hardly a "light read", I felt I needed to plod through to the end, if only as a mark of respect for Detective Superintendent Ian Phoenix (ex-3 Para) and other brave men like him. 7/10.
"SAS Secret War" by Tony Jeapes (1996) tells the true story of SAS operations against insurgents in the Dhofar region of Oman in the early 1970's. Jeapes was the first SAS officer to reach Major General rank (and I believe this was the only book he has written), but during the period in question he was commander of the first SAS squadron sent to fight in Dhofar, to return three years later as the Commanding Officer of the regiment. I had read this book before - it is a well-written account of a successful and mostly forgotten (by some) counter-insurgency campaign. It offers insight into the cultural as well as military tactics employed - the deployment, for example, of the
firqat (militia of local tribesmen) irregulars. Originally published in 1980 after editing by the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office, this later edition was released without the censorship. The author does still change some names but includes the previously censored material. There are a few colour photos (but without the now customary blacked-out faces)! I regard this SAS book (and I have probably read most of them) as a classic. 10/10.
