Capturing first-hand accounts, this is a fresh, balanced perspective of the British military's role in Operation Telic in Iraq, which saw the largest UK troop deployment since World War II. Codenamed Operation Telic, the British component of the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was the largest gathering of British troops since the Second World War. Whilst the British public prepared for the worst as its soldiers were facing weapons of mass destruction, most servicemen and women were under no illusion that they were invading Iraq to rid the people of Saddam Hussein. While much has been said about WMD and Tony Blair's government, not nearly enough has been heard from those men and women that took part in Operation Telic. Based upon dozens of veteran interviews, personal diaries and archival material, this book tells their stories, in their own words. From controlling the vast Allied Air Forces at 34,000 feet in an AWACS plane down to submariners beneath the warm waves of the Persian Gulf firing Tomahawk Cruise missiles, from the steaming hot turret of a Challenger Tank as it is peppered with RPGs, to being on your belly in a sandstorm disarming unexploded bombs - these veteran accounts cover the whole spectrum of experiences. Polarised public opinion and the post-war media portrayal of the war has detracted from what was achieved by these forces, when tasked to do so, often with insufficient or inadequate resources. These are their stories of courage, fortitude, pride, and brotherhood amidst the harsh realities of modern asymmetric warfare. AUTHOR: Julian Whippy served for 25 years in the British Police, primarily with Firearms teams and as a covert surveillance officer in London. Julian's passion for military history began when he joined the Royal Anglian Regiment as a reservist and has culminated with him owning his own battlefield tour company and working for many years across the world as an accredited battlefield guide. A member of the British Commission for Military History, he wrote The Greater Game, Sportsmen Killed in the Great War. A season ticket holder at West Ham United, he is married and has a Vizsla called Gurkha.
