Customer Reviews

Excursion to Hell: Mount Longdon : A Universal Story of Battle

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'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.

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.

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.

I served with the RAF in the Falklands between 1996-97. During a Sunday afternoon walk to Mt Longdon I met 2 men on electrical contract work for 4 months. One was Vince(nt Bramley) and the other Dom(inic Gray). Having briefly chatted with them they invited me to walk their battle the following Sunday. Wow! What a humbling experience. Only after the end of the walk did he tell me that he had written a (this) book. Reading it again 4 years on it still has the same impact. Vince is an honest and candid man. Having been there, you cannot underestimate the cold, the damp, the barren and harsh terrain, the unforgiving ground and unbelievably,how dark it can become with no light pollution.

The battle itself must have been horrific, let alone the TAB before hand, which in itself was a superhuman effort.

Well done Vince. You have written a frank account of something that (thankfully) most do not have to do. It is a fitting and lasting tribute to your colleagues.

I read the book as soon as it was published. I presume I was one of many hungering for the book as I knew vince bramley personally, although he himself will mostprobably not remeber me.

He was a L/CPL in the trg BN that I did my basic training in, in 1990. I had a face and a voice to go with the book! As a young soldier the book gripped and excited me, it made me fearful and thoughtful.

In hindsight the book was good for me in one way: as a soldier it opened my eyes to the extent that war was not glamourous and very dangerous indeed, through personal experience later in my service I thought back to when I bought the book and my thoughts were: "HOW TRUE".

Excellent book!!

I'd like to recommend this book because it means a lot to me. As a argentinian that I am it touched my feelings and the way the author describes his story is impressing. You can actually feel that you are at war and afraid to die. As himself describes usually soldiers' stories are not told, and they dies with the people who fought. This book is exactly what it takes to show how stupid are human beings solving troubles by killing each others.

An excelent story well done to you Mr Bramley. It is a shame all books like yours are not told the same way. I feel that some authors must take us for fools. It was easy to read as you did not have a lot of confusing military abreviations in it (myself an Australian soldier usualy gets lost in jargon). This book is as rare as rocking horse poo to find in Australia by the way. Thanks for sharing such a gripping account of your time at war.

This is a very candidly written and extremely moving account of war from the junior ranks point of veiw. I would recommend this and Mr Bramleys other book 'Two Sides of Hell' very highly

great read with a real look on what happend in the war

5 stars guaranteed