Vincent Bramley's account of his experiences in the Falklands campaign is a universal story that transcends time and place. Such stories are rarely committed to paper and never as candidly as this. Mount Longdon will stand as the testament of common soldiers throughout history, caught up in wars not of their own making, of how they cope - or in many cases fail to cope - with fatigue, fear, aggression, carnage and death. It is a story filled with compassion and brutality in almost equal measure. Most of all it is a story of confusion - confusion in the heat of battle and confusion in the hearts and souls of ordinary men. Lance-Corporal Vincent Bramley is one of the few soldiers from the ranks to write of his experiences in battle in the Falkland Islands. In retelling what happened to him and his fellow paratroopers during the bloody battle of Mount Longdon, he comes closer than any previous writer to exposing the effect that the prospect of dying and the reality of killing has on a common soldier. Different men react differently to these most bewildering of circumstances. Vincent Bramley dispassionately describes behaviour of every kind from that of those who disappeared to avoid carnage, through those who - like himself - obeyed orders, faced death and did their share of killing, to those who became brutalized in the heat of battle and killed and maimed the enemy unnecessarily.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
politically sensitive expose of the falklands conflict 1982,
By A Customer
This review is from: Excursion to Hell: Mount Longdon : A Universal Story of Battle (Hardcover)
'they' tried to ban this book, but bravo to mr bramley for telling it as he saw it. The parachute regiments airborne capabilities are sunk by a french made missile, and times are about get tougher for these para's. Faced with a horrendous march and battle at the end of it, you know the reluctant defenders fear that they are no match. From the moment they are in range of the Argentinian artillary, the graphic realism and (to some)shocking details of adrenaline and fear let loose in the same moment, make for a compeling account of the human experience, when instant death is possible at any time. A revealing no-nonsense must read for those who think joining the armed forces, is 'all about a lot of marching'. Be thankful to Bramley if that's all it is.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
unforgettable,
By Gordon Farrell (Berkshire, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Excursion to Hell: Mount Longdon : A Universal Story of Battle (Hardcover)
This book had more impact on me than any other battle account I have ever read. It's an account of a vicious fight by soldiers who had the best training but no previous experience of the reality of war. Vince Bramley later wrote a follow-up, '2 Sides of Hell' based on the experience of some of his friends, and some Argentina soldiers who fought against them. I have seen translations of both books in shops in Buenos Aires. Vince Bramley is a guy I'd like to meet.After reading these books, war fiction books are suddenly much less interesting.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
an important book,
By n.levalle (Argentina) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Excursion to Hell: Mount Longdon : A Universal Story of Battle (Hardcover)
It is a book that is important to read. Even if it ends up distressing you a bit. Read along with "Nine Battles to Stanley" that was written by Nick van der Bijl (published in 1999)a colonel of the Royal Marines, one gets to know what really happened on that hill during that horrible night. It is a book that cannot be ignored. In fact British military writer Adrian Weale consulted it to write his book on the same battle titled Green Eyed Boys and, currently Spencer Fitz-Gibbon, another famous British military writer is consulting the book heavily for his book that will cover the land battles that took place in the Malvinas. Being Argentine I found the book highly moving. I believe the war was a tragedy for both sides and especially for those who lost a limb and have nightmares and the mothers and wives who lost their husbands and childrens. But what happened cannot be reversed and one must feel enormous respect for the Paras and the Argentine conscripts. I feel no shame to admit that I am proud of our conscript soldiers that went to Malvinas. The majority in the frontlines fought like lions. I go to bed many times at night picturing myself in Lieutenant Castaneda's platoon that carried out a counterattack on Mount Longdon against the Platoons Number 4 and 5 of the A Company of the British battalion. Although fear grips you as the author makes it known, I believe that what you fear more (even as a conscript) is to show fear and abandon your mates, NCOs and your platoon commander. And so, you march into the line of fire and you fight. You have a job to do. Very moving book and I wish Mr Bramley is able to write another one. Maybe about the 4th Regiment this time.
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