Ken Wharton - Long Long War: Voices From the British Army in Northern Ireland 1969-98

Praise for A Long Long War by Ken Wharton

In this excellent and wide-ranging selection of first-hand accounts from the British Army in Northern Ireland, Ken Wharton has assembled testimonies from men of all ranks that are invariably informative, sometimes humorous and often deeply moving. A fitting tribute to the British soldier in a campaign that lasted nearly three decades.
Adrian Gilbert, author of POW: Allied Prisoners in Europe 19391945
(The Sunday Times Best Military Books 2006)

A compelling story, told in the refreshingly simple prose of a soldier-scribe. This is the tale of that other war on terror one fought over several, bloody decades, and largely in the shadows. Lest we forget.
Damien Lewis, bestselling author of Operation Certain Death and Bloody Heroes.

Here at last is the authentic voice of the veterans of a gruelling and thankless campaign. Powerful, revealing and moving.
Patrick Bishop, bestselling author of 3 Para and Bomber Boys.

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Published by Helion & Company 2008, reprinted 2008, 2009
eBook Edition 2011

Designed and typeset by Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, West Midlands Cover designed by Bookcraft Limited, Stroud, Gloucestershire Printed by Cromwell Press Ltd, Trowbridge, Wiltshire

Text Ken M. Wharton
Maps of Belfast and Londonderry originally appeared in The British Army in Northern Ireland by Michael Dewar (1985) and are Weidenfeld & Nicolson, a division of The Orion Publishing Group (London).
Photographs where known, images are credited to copyright holders. If no credit shown, we have been unable to trace the copyright holder the publishers would be pleased to hear from such.
Front cover image: Alert in Belfast 1986 Paul Crispin.
Rear cover image: Thoughts of Home, Belfast 1986 Paul Crispin.

The opinions expressed in the book are those of the individuals quoted and do not necessarily accord with views held by the author or publisher.

Hardback ISBN 978-1-906033-18-7
Paperback ISBN 978-1-906033-79-8
eBook ISBN 978-1-907677-60-1

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written consent of Helion & Company Limited.

For details of other military history titles published by Helion & Company Limited contact the above address, or visit our website: http://www.helion.co.uk.

We always welcome receiving book proposals from prospective authors. We would particularly like to hear from Northern Ireland veterans who are interested in producing book-length accounts of their experiences in the Province. Our contact details are above.

I would like to dedicate this book to several people; the late Stanley Whitehouse, a squaddie, who took part in the D-Day landings and who was my friend and who always encouraged me. And to Tommy Stoker, killed in Belfast, several wars later, but also a squaddie just like Stan.

And to David Hardy who survived the Ballygawley Coach bomb in 1988 and who continues to suffer today for his service to his country.

To Rita Restorick and every Mum who lost a son or had a son wounded who wore the uniform of a British soldier.

To all those who walked the streets of Northern Ireland backwards!

Then it's Tommy this, an Tommy that, an Tommy how's yer soul?
But it's Thin red line of eroes when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll.
O it's Thin red line of eroes when the drums begin to roll.
For it's Tommy this, an Tommy that, an Chuck him out, the brute! But it's Saviour of is country, when the guns begin to shoot; An it's Tommy this, an Tommy that, an anything you please; But Tommy ain't a bloomin fool you bet that Tommy sees! (Rudyard Kipling)

So I'll wait for the wild rose that's waitin for me where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea (William Percy French, 18541920)

FACT: Since the end of the Second World War in 1945, there has only been one year in which British soldiers have not been killed on active service. That year was 1968, the year before Northern Ireland went insane.

I phoned home and said: Mum, I've been shot. She replied: Don't be so stupid. Don't tell lies and don't make jokes like that!
(Lance Corporal Mark Overson, D.E.R.R. who was shot and wounded on April 3rd, 1993, near Crossmaglen)

Chapters

Maps of Belfast and Londonderry originally appeared in The British Army in Northern Ireland by Michael Dewar (1985) and are Weidenfeld & Nicolson, a division of The Orion Publishing Group (London)

W hen I was asked to write the foreword, I felt unsure, as the book is mainly about soldiers telling their stories, and I am merely a sister of a soldier. My brother, Bombardier Terence Griffin, RA, was tragically killed through the Northern Ireland Troubles in the M62 coach bomb blast 4 February 1974. Upon reflection, I realised that most of us who are civilians did not know just how dangerous the situation in Northern Ireland was for those out there, trying their utmost best to keep peace. The reason I say this, is that my own brother, whilst coming home on leave had his stories to tell, but they were indeed much sanitised stories. I realise that this was probably to protect us, his family, from ever realising just how bloody and dangerous this war was. Upon reading many of the soldiers stories in this book, you get a sense of just how much the British Army and the Irish community had to go through. The terrible stories of bombings, killings and heartache that endured for over 30 years; stories which have never been written before. They need to be written, so that people will be able to get a perspective of what war and the evils of terrorism does to each and every person. This book is not for the faint-hearted; Ken Wharton has written this book depicting the true horrors of war. I sincerely hope and pray that this particular war never raises its ugly head ever again. I dedicate this book to my brother; to all those soldiers, their families and friends, the community of Northern Ireland and all those who have lost and suffered because of the Northern Ireland troubles.

Mo Norton, 2007

Jason Hughes, formerly King's Regiment

I think it would be a good place to start by introducing myself and telling a little about myself and why I contacted the author Ken Wharton to include my stories in amongst this landmark work.

I have been a soldier for eighteen years and recently left as part of the normalisation process under the guise of Op Banner. However this was not where it began for me; this was with the now consigned-to-history 1st Battalion the King's Regt, where I served from during years 19871992. The years 19901992 were the tour dates in NI and were the beginning of a love affair with the country, but not all its people. There was a large number of us so called limeys, channel swimmers, money mercenaries or just plain old Brits it's a good thing squaddies have a thick skin or they would be easily offended.