Mark Urban

Urban brings a journalists eye to the story of special forces activities in Northern Ireland during the 1970's and 80's, and concludes that their deployment resulted in systemic abuses, mostly directed against Nationalist groups such as the IRA and INLA. Urban's careful and persuasive research suggests that there was (at times) a deliberate policy of ambushing suspects and shooting to kill in preference to either deterring crimes or making arrests. The results of this policy, Urban argues, show more was increased support for terrorists within the community, and a corruption of the processes of law and order - both in the concealment of information from the Courts, and in turning a blind eye to criminal and terrorist activity undertaken by informers. Even if all of this was an inevitable cost of fighting terrorism, Urban asks whether the the fact that one in five of the people killed by the SAS in such operations were innocent civilians could ever be acceptable.

Urban notes that this abuse was largely confined to particular periods during the SAS's deployment in Northern Ireland. There were extended periods where the SAS appeared to operate in a restrained manner, focussing on their special skills in surveillance in support of regular police operations. Rather than detracting from his argument, Urban suggests that this shows that the SAS was at different times operating under different leadership and rules. Urban gives considerable background into the long running argument between the use of military and civil forces in bringing law and order to Northern Ireland. He argues that the use of overt military force and the suspension of normal civil rights played into the hands of the terrorist organizations.

In addition to giving what appears to be a very 'inside' account of operations in Northern Ireland which reflects very little credit upon any of the players, Urban also asks what this has done to the SAS. To the extent that the military involvement in Northern Ireland is 'over' this is a matter of history and long past. But the lingering question is whether in some new conflict the SAS traditions of detached professionalism and measured discipline could again be subverted by confused political direction and sometimes poor local leadership, and by a recruiting policy that at times appeared to favour an aggressive 'shoot-first' culture among new recruits.

'Big Boy's Rules' isn't an outright condemnation of the SAS, but it is a cautionary tale about how it doesn't always live up to its own traditions. In making this judgement, Urban brings to bear not only the perspective of 'liberal' journalism, but also that of a former regular soldier in a traditional Army unit (the Tank Corps). The SAS under the pressure of operations in Northern Ireland at times forgot that they were answerable to civil society for their actions. Urban's choice of the title for his book is deeply ironic, and a slap in the face of gung-ho soldiering. He took it from a quote from a serving SAS soldier 'If they (the IRA) want to play with big boy's toys, then they'll have to expect to play by big boy's rules'." Bringing military force to bear to attempt to resolve domestic terrorism should not, Urban points out, ever be considered a game. And not something that little boys, or big boys have any business being involved in. show less

To write an engaging book about wars fought two hundred years ago is no easy task, but Mark Urban is up to the challenge. Using primary sources, he brings, along with the information, the personalities of the officers and men of the 95th, their virtues and vices, quirks and kindnesses into focus, and even sometimes, into one's heart. Urban brings the time and the place and even this 'new' method of fighting (learned, ahem, from fighting in North America) to life also. It helps that I had show more first read the less well organized book on the history of the founding of the 95th which begins in Pennsylvania with George Washington and his youthful battles, fighting alongside the British during the French and Indian Wars. He and many other Americans tried to convince the British officers to fight differently but they wouldn't. . . . and were, of course, slaughtered. Decades later new ideas have filtered in and become a reality. The military is allowing an experimental unit to prove itself. In this new regiment the men are treated with a little more respect, taught to aim (long story, wasn't worth it with muskets) and given freedom when in battle to make their own decisions about what to do. The 95th even encouraged the common soldiers to learn to read. This was revolutionary! Anyway, the focus here is on the Peninsular Wars and Waterloo and the role the 95th played in both. If you read Georgette Heyer you may know that Napoleon extended himself in many directions including trying to conquer all of the Iberian peninsula, which likely he would have done if he hadn't ALSO tried to conquer Russia. (So so crazy). Many of her male characters have been in the army and therefore were either on the Peninsula and/or at Waterloo. The project I am now focussed on made me want to actually know more so there is a foundation even to a few casual or maybe not so casual references I might make. I have some further reading to do -- some primary sources, memoirs by soldiers who survived (and about whom I already know quite a lot from this book) and I am looking forward to reading them. I felt surges of emotion here and there as I read about these men and their doings. As always mystified and unsettled by this aspect of human beings, but also in awe of acts of courage and determination. This period, one to which we are still closely connected, was one of immense changes, new ideas, new inventions and the military, while often very resistant (disastrously so, once again, in 1914) to change, did change as this regiment proved their value. ****1/2 show less

This one was enjoyable giving you a gritty realistic view of what life was like for men of the legendary 95th Rifle Regiment during the Peninsula campaign and Waterloo. The reading was engaging and made you forget that you were reading a history book. I was especially interested at the similarities I found between the average soldier in the 1800's and ones I read about in other memoirs, such as E.B. Sledges With the Old Breed. Even though they were a century apart, you find these soldiers show more had the same problems of being supplied, dealing with abrasive officers, and the bloody business of fighting. You also become engrossed with the main people who are mentioned in the book; I found myself up late into the night wanting to find out what happened next to 2nd Lieutenant Simmons, or Privet Ned Costello. I also found it interesting how at this time you start to see the emergence of the modern soldier who was proficient in marksmanship, selected his target, and used cover to fire from instead of forming a line and firing in volley. If there was one problem it was that I wish there were a few more maps to make it easier to see were the names of towns and battles were located. In all a very good, even if you do not usually read history books I would say give this one a read. show less

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would and I learned a great deal. The 400 pages contains 320 pages of text that is full of information. The book is a chronological narrative of the career of the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers regiment in the American Revolution. The story begins with a regimental party commemorating the anniversary of Wales patron saint on March 1, 1775. Many of those present are "Old Mindonians" veterans of the battle of Minden fought in Germany in the Seven Years show more War. Next comes a detailed description of the 23rd's participation in the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Each action in which the 23rd was involved is discussed through the Battle of Yorktown which ended the war. The 23rd was involved in all of the major campaigns of the war, except for Saratoga. I have some knowledge of the history of the revolution but the author's account helped to give me an understanding of the course of events that took place.
There was a good discussion of the light infantry tactics developed by William Howe and used by Earl Cornwallis that made the British more effective fighters. They learned how to fight more like the Americans in spread out formations using the natural cover. The author's description of the Southern Campaign under Cornwallis gives high praise to the men of the 23rd. Cornwallis decided to take his troops inland and the men endured great hardship from lack of supplies and the elements including disease.
The Battle of Guilford Courthouse was perhaps the greatest hour for the 23rd as described by the author. The troops had chased General Greene's army from South Carolina to the Dan River on the Virginia border in a three week march. Greene picked out the battlefield in North Carolina and faced 1,900 redcoats with approximately 4,400 men, the majority being militia. The British fought hard for about two hours going through the three lines of American troops driving them from the battlefield. The British had casualties of 532 officers and men, a sizable percentage of their force. The American casualties were less. While Cornwallis won the battle Greene showed that at this pace he would win the war. While the battles in this war did not involve large numbers the fighting was sharp and any casualty was just as wounded or dead as if it were a bigger battle.
One item that I found appalling was the British system of buying commissions. It was practiced throughout the army. If you were able but poor you had to borrow to the hilt to get the position you deserved. If you were rich and had connections you could have your choice with the welfare of the men be damned.
I had grown up watching the "Swamp Fox" and learned here that in real life he was blood thirsty and murdered many suspected Tories. This guerrilla aspect of the war favored the Americans and accounted for the lack of support for the British in the countryside.
The Battle of Yorktown is well covered including the surrender ceremony. Once surrounded the British were done for and since Clinton disliked Cornwallis he took few efforts to rescue him. The book ends with the 23rd's return to England, although many stayed in Canada. At that point there are few left from the party of March 1, 1775.
I did use Encyclopedia of the American Revolution as a reference while reading the book. It is a must have reference for studying this period of history. show less