Great Britain. Army - Wasted Years, Wasted Lives, Volume 2

Ken Whartons remarkable work rolls on, a monumental feat of history writing.

Patrick Bishop, bestselling author of Bomber Boys and 3 Para

The spirit of honour, brotherhood, superlative soldiering and true grit lives on in Ken Whartons new volume about The Troubles. Read it lest we forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice, fighting the scourge of terrorism across the water.

Damien Lewis, bestselling author of Zero 6 Bravo and Firestrike 7/9

Ken Wharton captures the authentic voice of the British soldier at the height of what is generally known as the Irish Troubles but was in fact a war. In this chronicle of some of the darkest days of that war, Wharton skilfully weaves in the experiences of the ordinary squaddie with those of civilians and relatives. A master storyteller, he produces a rich and magnificent tapestry. Packed with new information and telling detail, Wasted Years is not just a gripping narrative but also an important contribution to military and Irish history.

Toby Harnden, bestselling author of Bandit Country: The IRA and South Armagh and Dead Men Risen: The Welsh Guards & the Defining Story of Britains War in Afghanistan

Nobody does Northern Ireland like Ken and nobody tries harder to tell the stories of the men that soldiered and died, policed and patrolled, cried and bled, or lived and wept on the Emerald Isle than he. Without Kens voice many of these tales would be lost to the sands of time and the courageous sacrifice of these men would be forgotten; but thanks to him they wont and the stories of heroism, comradeship and survival against the odds will live on, educating and inspiring a younger generation of soldiers on a different battlefield yet facing an equally fanatical foe. All of us who have ever worn green owe Ken and the men he writes of a debt; because lest we forget it could have been us.

Steven McLaughlin, bestselling author of Squaddie

The title of this fine book, Wasted Years, Wasted Lives is only partly correct. How much more wasted would those lives and years have been had terrorists triumphed in Northern Ireland? That they did not triumph was largely due to the heroism and patience and decency of the vast majority of the security forces, as outlined so movingly in this powerful testament to the plain soldier of the British Army. That hero speaks out in these pages. He and she held the line during the dark years. Their victory, their courage and their humanity remind us that in human affairs, yes, sometimes the good guys really do win.

Kevin Myers, bestselling author of Watching the Door: Cheating Death in Belfast in the 70s

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Published by Helion & Company 2013

Designed and typeset by Farr Out Publications, Wokingham, Berkshire
Cover designed by Euan Carter, Leicester (www.euancarter.com)
Printed by Gutenberg Press Limited, Tarxien, Malta

Text Ken M. Wharton 2013
Photographs as individually credited within the book
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).

Front cover photo Belfast Telegraph
Rear cover photo Mark C

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

The author would be delighted to receive comments about his writing or for future publications
at

ISBN: 978-1-909384-55-2
EPUB ISBN: 978-1-910294-21-5

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

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Dedicated to the memory of Colour Sergeant Ken Ambrose

On 9 January, 2013, one of the finest soldiers in the finest Regiment in the British Army the Royal Green Jackets passed away. His passing was sudden and shocked all of us who were fortunate to have known him. There will be many who have worn that coveted Rifle Green beret who, like all who met him will share the shock and grief. He has enriched the lives of the soldiers he took into battle and his loved ones and family.

He was an inspiration to me; he encouraged me and he helped me. His was the first name on the dedications page of all my books and he had a pivotal role in my 2009 documentary for the History Channel, Soldiers Stories. I am proud to have known him and honoured that he chose to do so much for me. We share the loss with his lovely wife, Penny and his family.

Celer et Audux; Swift and Bold. Until the final RV.

Dedications

To every young, fresh-faced British soldier who headed to Northern Ireland with the optimistic hope of making a difference; to the eternal memory of every lad and lass who fell in Belfast, Londonderry and countless other places of the northern part of that Emerald Isle

To the late Ken B, who did so much to help me.

To the 1,300 who never returned to their loved ones.

To Darren Ware, Dave Hallam, Ken Pettengale, Gren Wilson, Dave Judge, Tim Marsh; to the Royal Green Jackets, Celer et Audux

To Mike Sangster, John & Bernie Swaine, Mick Potter, Royal Artillery, Ubique

To Paddy Lenaghan, George Prosser, Kings Regiment

To Mick Benny Hill Steve Foxy Norman, Andy Thomas, Royal Anglians

To Mark C, James Henderson, B.R., Haydn Williams, Glen Espie and the men and Greenfinches of the Ulster Defence Regiment

To Dave Parkinson, RTR

To Jay Bell, ATO

To Kenneth Anderson, Kev Wright, Tommy Clarke, Royal Corps of Transport

To Dave Slops Langston, Army Catering Corps

To Eddie Atkinson & Mick Brooks, Green Howards

To Tam Hutton and the Royal Highland Fusiliers

My cousin John Leighton, a Royal Artillery TA soldier

To Helen, my loving partner for all of her support and energy and patience and her guidance.

To my children: Anne-Marie, Anna-Martina, Jonathan, Jenny, Robbie, Alex and Nathan; love you all and always will.

To my grandchildren: Sherriden, Kelsy, William, Sammy and Layla-Mae; also to Morgan Addy.

Anyone else remember being on mobiles and coming to a red light in the early morning hours, running to take up all round defence, until the light changed to green and returning with a bottle of milk from some poor sods door step?
Erich Modrowics

I have long wondered what the Yanks would have done or said if, say, the Mormons had set up a military wing that killed policeman and soldiers, and we took collection tins around pubs so they could buy more guns.
Martin Wells

Thank you, Ken, for pursuing the publication of another book that I am sure will tell many truths, collate a wide range of stories that might have got lost on their own, and will serve as a record for posterity.