REVIEWS

I find the style and content of We Band of Brothers greatly enjoyable. The author has told a good story and I am sure many others will enjoy and gain from his writing. It gives an excellent account of infantry soldiering particularly at rifle company level. This is not as easy as it sounds but here the effort has been highly successful. I very much like the emphasis placed on the art of man management and the author’s light-hearted style and well-honed humour. On the more serious side, he has added significantly to the understanding of the Pacific Islands Regiment, Papua New Guinea and their place in the wider scheme of things during an important period of history. I can say wholeheartedly that all he has said by way of opinion is very fair comment, with which I have a great deal of sympathy. He has the skill to give the reader an operational overview as well as the ‘nitty gritty’ of the basic fighting at company level. Indeed he has no hesitation in commenting on the higher conduct of operations, and his views on the infamous minefield will attract a great deal of interest. His contribution to military history during the period following the Korean War is significant, particularly as he has been fearless in drawing conclusions.

Colonel Ken McKenzie DSM, (Ret) - former Commanding Officer of the Pacific Islands Regiment and later Deputy Commander of the Australian Task Force in Vietnam

Brian McFarlane has written an unofficial history of his times before and during military service. The pre-Army section is important because it offers an understanding of the development of Brian’s character, his strengths and weaknesses, his attitude towards life, and his role in it, to all those people and institutions with whom he would share his journey. The author’s early ventures into a disciplined life and his gradual entry into the Army and its ways, via Cadets and National Service, laid solid foundations for the manner he would approach his future career. The sections, telling of his times in Australia, Malaya, Papua New Guinea and South Vietnam, should be required reading for anyone aspiring to service and leadership in the Australian Military. The book is informative and pulls punches only when needed – which is not often. Inclusion of the thoughts of the young men who shouldered the burden of conflict during the Vietnam War is rewarding for any reader. The book is gripping, has much humour, ribald and subtle, and much pathos, but understated. This book is a must.

Major Peter J.S. Harris BA (Hons), DipPhil, (Ret) - veteran of two tours of duty in Vietnam and later service in Arabia

I have just finished reading my Christmas present from Eileen, which I found enthralling, entertaining, and so very readable. Congratulations on writing and producing such a superb book. You must be delighted that the time, effort and money you devoted to the book have resulted in such a great success. I hope many young soldiers read your book as it encapsulates so clearly the ethos of the Australian infantryman in the Vietnam era.

R.L. (Ray) Burnard - Infantryman

...that excellent book We Band of Brothers, which I have enjoyed immensly. Needless to say, nearly everything in it is foreign territory to me, but it is written in such a direct and matter-of-fact way that even those who have never shared such an experience cannot fail to be moved by it. I have been reading Edmund Blunden's Undertones of War with my Litle Erasmus historians* and there are many points of contact and similarity. I have no doubt that pupils and many others will enconter We Band of Brothers in the school library and find that it makes a deep impression on them.

Dr Peter C.D. Southern - Head Master, Christ's Hospital, United Kingdom, www.christs-hospital.org.uk

We Band of Brothers is well worth the read... The book gives coverage of the history of soldering in the fifties and sixties by following a young Australian through his military career from school cadet to commanding a rifle company in war. As seen through the eyes of an infantryman, the Vietnam chapters are pure insight into the war and the calibre of the men who fought it. The professionalism and bravery described and the wonderful "digger" humour are an inspiration to any reader.

W.T.C. (Wally) Thompson - Infantryman and erstwhile Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army

We Band of Brothers by Brian McFarlane is not your typical book about war. It does not focus on how many soldiers died, how many ships were sunk or how many aircraft were shot down, instead it focuses on the mateship and camaraderie amongst a group of young men who with no choice in the matter were put into a foreign coutnry to fight a war they knew little about. We Band of Brothers provides an insight into what army life was like on the battlefield, which was interesting for an outsider like me. I would recommend the book to all young Australians.

Grant McFarlane - Son of national service infantry Vietnam veteran, Peter McFarlane

... I have nothing but praise for the effort you have put in to make this a wonderful contribution to the book world in general and to the military history of the nation in particular. BZ is the highest praise you can receive from a naval person and my BZ comes in spades.

Rodney T. Nott - Naval officer and co-author with Noel Payne of "The Vung Tau Ferry"

I have just read We Band of Brothers. Congratulations on a terrific read. Not only that of your own career and the many familiar names, but th every moving account of an infantry company in and out of operations. Your retention of detail and depth of research are prodigious.

K.M. (Kevin) McDonald - Royal Australian Corps of Signals

I purchased your book We Band of Brothers prior to Christmas. I must say I enjoyed reading it and congratulate you on its scope and excellence. Having had a few non-corps postings, I knew many of the characters you wrote about. I particularly enjoyed reading the story of your "welcome" to the Officer Cadel School at Portsea and the game that was played out by the staff. I arrived at OCS the week after the start of the first course and participated in the "welcoming" of five more courses. Each time, the same game was played out... Once again, a great book!

J.S. (Mick) Rooney - Royal Australian Corps of Signals

What a great read! I thoroughly enjoyed every word... Your depiction of the personalities I knew was quite exceptional. This was one of the great plesures of the book for me... Congratulations on a beautifully edited and presented book.

B.F. (Brian) Kelly - Infantryman

You have done a magnificent job and have made the part of military history come alive as opposed to being a mere record of facts... I should also add that much of the book fills in gaps in my knowledge of some events. Needless to say I found these to be of particular interest and I am therefore also indebted to you for these revelations.

G.D.W. (Jock) Irvine - Infantryman

Your book certainly deserves the accolades of those whose written opinions are already available. I am chuffed at having a copy on my bookshelf...

R.R. (Ross) Harding - Infantryman and Army Aviator

Congratulations! You have done the Army a great service and you have certainly done me and many other of your colleagues and friends from Army days a great service. It was a most evocative read...

R.F. (Ray) Stuart - Infantryman

I am reaching the end of a slow but most enjoyable read of your book... it was interesting, thought provoking and instructive... I enjoyed your pre-OCS chapters every bit as much as those dealing with your Army life. I had a copy of the book placed in the Nambucca Heads Library... I know that Brian Ranking, Gerry Salom, Don Atkinson, and Paul York of course, have read it and no doubt Jock Jenvey, David Drabsch, Ross Buchan, and Bob Hagerty (of the black umbrella in the book), who all live locally, will read it if they have not already done so.

G.R. (Graham) Lovegrove - Royal Australian Armoured Corps

I enjoyed your book immensely. It was a great effort. Your two-kilogram tome landed on my doorstep the Friday before Christmas - lucky my foot wasn't in the doorway - and I spent the next week immersed in it, almost to the exclusion of the rest of the family at Christmas. "Who is this man" they wanted to know "And who the heck is Charlie Company? Why write a book?" And like most of teh other C Company boys, I'm glad you did...

D.E. (Don) Campbell - Infantryman

I find the style and content of We Band of Brothers greatly enjoyable. ...It gives an excellent account of infantry soldiering particularly at rifle company level. This is not as easy as it sounds but here the effort has been highly successful. I very much like the emphasis placed on the art of man management and the author's light-hearted humour. On the more serious side, he has added significantly to the understanding of the Pacific Islands Regiment, Papua New Guinea and their place in the wider scheme of things during an important period of history. I can say wholeheartedly that all has said by way of opinion is very fair comment, with which I have a great deal of sympathy. ...In describing his experiences in Vietnam, he has the skill to give the reader an operational overview as well as the 'nitty gritty' of the basic fighting at company level. Indeed he has no hesitation in commenting on the higher conduct of operations, and his views on the infamous minefield will attract a great deal of interest. ...His contriubtion to military history during the period following the Korean War is significant, particularly as he has been fearless in drawing conclusions.

K.S. (Ken) McKenzie - Infantryman

What a magnificent effort! I thoroughly enjoyed We Band of Brothers and you reminded me of many people and events I had long forgotten. What a daunting task to even contemplate, let alone complete.

J.C. (John) Harding - Infantryman

Thoroughly enjoying the book, Lesley says she has not heard me have such hearty laughts for a while. I will certainly be recommending it to all my former Army associates.

M.L. (Mick) Folkard - Infantryman

Congratulations on the production... It is a splendid account of an era that we have both lived through...

Dr Robert O'Neill - Infantryman and erstwhile Chichele Professor of the History of War, All Souls College, Oxford

The book is informative and pulls punches only when needed - which is not often. Inclusion of the thoughts of the young men who shouldered the burden of conflict during the Vietnam War is rewarding for any reader. The book is gripping, has much humour, ribald and subtle, and much pathos, but understated.

P.J.S. (Peter) Harris - Infantryman

Many former soldiers will find they have a link to events in this book, such as places they have been, people they have known or even situations they recognise from their own past. Many non-soldiers will find here a window into service life and a well-written modern history from the perspective of one man, rather than an impersonal reference text. We Band of Brothers is too big to read in one sitting, which doesn't matter. It's worth visiting more than once.

ARMY Newspaper

It will interest many, from the ranks who were there, to the average person with no military training or background at all...

The Vietnam Veteran Newsletter

It's one of the very few books I've read where the Foreword and REviews are actually true to the text. We Band of Brothers will interest anyone who has served in the Viet Nam, but especially those who served there at the time 1ATF was established at Nui Dat. He gives excellent accounts of the action over the 12 months from Jun 66 to Jun 67, including the Battle of Long Tan and the Battle of Bribie. He deals in detail with 6RAR, in particular C Coy, and covers the part played by infantry, artillery, armour and air support. 161 Bty was in direct support of 6RAR for the first six months, and associtaed with 6RAR's other actions after that. He mentions many Kiwis by name and deed, as well as Aussie servicemen of course. See website: http://riv.co.nz/rnza/books/wbb.htm

Mike Dakin - Royal New Zealand Artillery, Vietnam 1966-67