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9781909982024

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... The book is written in an easily accessible fashion ... will form a valuable contribution to historians of the future ... --Anne Samson Historian (blog) a compelling study of how young men trained, lived, and fought together, transforming from teenagers into top-notch soldiers. --Michigan War Studies Review

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Born in Dorset, England in 1968, the author's family emigrated to South Africa later that same year. The sub-tropical climate of KwaZulu Natal ensured a childhood spent mostly outdoors building forts in nearby pine-forests or swimming in the Indian Ocean. Like most conscripts, David joined the army because he was required to do so by law, the alternative, four years in the Police Force or in a jail for conscientious objectors, held little appeal. The two year draft could've been delayed by tertiary study but, without any clear direction, he joined thousands of boys in 1986 to 'do his bit' for the good of the country. Selected for Armoured Corps Officer training he excelled in most areas of military life, except perhaps discipline. Demoted for going off-base during training he attracted the ire of commanders who despatched him to the remote border outpost at Omuthiya for 13 months. His experiences with 61 Mechanised Battalion shaped his view on the world and on the true potential of humanity, for good and evil alike. Following his wartime experiences David embarked on a destructive journey of 'self-discovery', constantly questioning the status-quo, re-examining life and societal norms through the eyes of a government-trained and 'legally' sanctioned killer. 25 years after the guns fell silent he finally began to confront the experiences by recounting his memories of National Service and Operation Modular. David and his wife Andrea live in London, England and have two children, Jessica and Luke.

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