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Hi,
I just picked up a copy of "Sniper One" by Sgt Dan Mills (2007) of the British Royal Army. It is the story the Sniper Platoon, 1st Battalion, Prince of Wale's Royal Regiment and the unit’s tour of duty in Al Amarah, Iraq in 2004. Sgt Mills was the commander of Sniper Platoon during this six month tour.
This firsthand account starts with the unit arriving in Basra up until departure six months later. Mills covers the day to day routine of trying to maintain control of Al Amarah in the height of the Mahdi Army uprising. Mills writes of the base & defensive position, weapons, tactics (both sides), fire-fights, patrols, mortar attacks, US interaction, logistics, those killed and wounded in action and Mills even writes about the availability of porn in theater! Being from the US, reading this book gave me a look inside the operations of the British Army, which I had not known before.
I found the book to be a quick and easy read of 350 pages. The book really engages the reader and you almost seem to ‘feel’ how intense the combat was during this stretch in Southern Iraq. It is a great story of courage, camaraderie, valor and how the 1st BN of PWRR and came and put the hammer down on the insurgents and Mahdi Army operating out of Al Amarah.
Stats I pulled from the book:
6 months in country and 963 enemy contacts
1 Victoria Cross awarded to Pvt. Beharry - who survived but is not capable of serving any longer
2 Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses
10 military Crosses
17 Mentioned in Dispatches - inc Sgt Dan Mills
I just picked up a copy of "Sniper One" by Sgt Dan Mills (2007) of the British Royal Army. It is the story the Sniper Platoon, 1st Battalion, Prince of Wale's Royal Regiment and the unit’s tour of duty in Al Amarah, Iraq in 2004. Sgt Mills was the commander of Sniper Platoon during this six month tour.
This firsthand account starts with the unit arriving in Basra up until departure six months later. Mills covers the day to day routine of trying to maintain control of Al Amarah in the height of the Mahdi Army uprising. Mills writes of the base & defensive position, weapons, tactics (both sides), fire-fights, patrols, mortar attacks, US interaction, logistics, those killed and wounded in action and Mills even writes about the availability of porn in theater! Being from the US, reading this book gave me a look inside the operations of the British Army, which I had not known before.
I found the book to be a quick and easy read of 350 pages. The book really engages the reader and you almost seem to ‘feel’ how intense the combat was during this stretch in Southern Iraq. It is a great story of courage, camaraderie, valor and how the 1st BN of PWRR and came and put the hammer down on the insurgents and Mahdi Army operating out of Al Amarah.
Stats I pulled from the book:
6 months in country and 963 enemy contacts
1 Victoria Cross awarded to Pvt. Beharry - who survived but is not capable of serving any longer
2 Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses
10 military Crosses
17 Mentioned in Dispatches - inc Sgt Dan Mills
Last edited by Zeked on Tue Nov 20, 2012 7:48 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : Syntax Correction)
