# "Six Months without Sundays" A Must Read!



## Tez3 (Nov 7, 2011)

http://www.facebook.com/sixmonthswithoutsundays

20 months or so ago, we were told we had to leave our dojo, an army building, because it was being knocked down. We were very kindly taken in by the Scots Guards, allowed to use their gym including the fitness equipment and generally made very welcome. We gained several new members as well. John Lilley, who's our conditioning coach is a SG's Warrant Officer, he arranged for us to move, moved us and started the most horrendous warmups we'd ever had! Last year the Scot's Guards as part of 4 BDE. went on deployment to Afghanistan, a writer went with them and this is his book.
For the club this meant the children we teach had their dads go away, I had to suspend my Wednesday class as my students, from the Queen's Royal Lancers were also on deployment. Our chief instructor who'd been in the first Gulf War, knew what the troops were facing but we didn't..thankfully I think. However this book tells nearly all, I've just sat and read it cover to cover without stopping, I cried at a lot of it, John is featured in the book..there's a nice photo of him and his son on Father's Day out there. What I hadn't expected was the photo and the story of Steptoe, one of my Wednesday students who was killed out there.

There's a lot in the book about the Afghan police, the locals and of course the squaddies. There's a lot to laugh about as well though, perhaps too anyone from the Houston PD might like to know what happened to a certain squaddie who caused mayhem at Houston airport!

A Scots guards officer was seriously hurt in a friendly fire incident, the author describes the agony of the two American Marines attached to the regiment, how they were nearly in tears when it was thought that the friendly fire had been American, to their relief it wasn't. Their feelings do them immense credit and much respect to them.

You don't have to know the characters in the book to get anything from reading it, though it's very odd hearing their voices as I read, it gives a good picture of what's going on in Afghanistan and what our troops are having to put up with.

It ends on St. Andrews day last year when they receive their Afghan medals, they had the after 'party' in the gym, what it doesn't tell you is that when we came into train the next day we had to climb over mountains of beer cans and bottles lol, they party hard! And the gym clock..it's still an hour fast.

Since they've been back John's had his officer arrange for us to get an empty building next to the gym to turn into a proper dojo, the regiment has paid for tracksuits and T shirts for the club with our name and badge on along with the Scots Guard's badge and their motto. It's a fitting one for martial arts as well as an old and proud regiment.... *Motto*, *Nemo Me Impune Lacessit...Touch me not with impunity.*


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## Steve (Nov 7, 2011)

I'll definitely get a copy.  Thanks, Tez.


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## Tez3 (Nov 7, 2011)

The author makes some quite astute observations about Afghanistan which bear some discussion though later I think. I'm still disturbed by the book. I think apart from the personal feelings I have, the fact that the author surmises that if and when the troops do leave Afghan will fall to pieces and go to hell in a handcart. There's little reason to disbelieve him which will make the sacrifices of so many pointless.


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## ballen0351 (Nov 7, 2011)

Tez3 said:


> The author makes some quite astute observations about Afghanistan which bear some discussion though later I think. I'm still disturbed by the book. I think apart from the personal feelings I have, the fact that the author surmises that if and when the troops do leave Afghan will fall to pieces and go to hell in a handcart. There's little reason to disbelieve him which will make the sacrifices of so many pointless.


I wouldnt call it pointless. Dying for something you believe in can never be pointless.  
I will have to check this book out the last really god book I read was Lone Survivor so Im about due for a new war book.


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## Tez3 (Nov 7, 2011)

ballen0351 said:


> I wouldnt call it pointless. Dying for something you believe in can never be pointless.
> I will have to check this book out the last really god book I read was Lone Survivor so Im about due for a new war book.



 I don't think there's many soldiers here who 'believe' in what they are doing out there. They go because they are soldiers of the Queen and they do their duty as their forefathers had, literally in the SGs case, many have a long line of ancestors who were Scots Guards. 
If it does some good yes it may have been worth it but whatever good happens gets wiped out so quickly.


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## ballen0351 (Nov 7, 2011)

Tez3 said:


> I don't think there's many soldiers here who 'believe' in what they are doing out there. They go because they are soldiers of the Queen and they do their duty as their forefathers had, literally in the SGs case, many have a long line of ancestors who were Scots Guards.
> If it does some good yes it may have been worth it but whatever good happens gets wiped out so quickly.



Yes thats thre point they dont have to believe in the mission but they believe in county, honor, duty, and they freely sign on to carry out the mission if they like it or not because they believe in the corp principals and most importantly they believe in eachother.  If they didnt Believe they would have never signed up


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## Tez3 (Nov 7, 2011)

ballen0351 said:


> Yes thats thre point they dont have to believe in the mission but they believe in county, honor, duty, and they freely sign on to carry out the mission if they like it or not because they believe in the corp principals and most importantly they believe in eachother.* If they didnt Believe they would have never signed up*



Oh you really need to read this book lol! I take it you have never meet British squaddies?


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## ballen0351 (Nov 7, 2011)

Tez3 said:


> Oh you really need to read this book lol! I take it you have never meet British squaddies?


I dont even know what a squaddie is but ive trained with a few Royal Marines before when I was in the US Marines good group of guys.


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## seasoned (Nov 7, 2011)

ballen0351 said:


> Yes thats thre point they dont have to believe in the mission but they believe in county, honor, duty, and they freely sign on to carry out the mission if they like it or not because they believe in the corp principals and most importantly they believe in each other. If they didnt Believe they would have never signed up


And this is why it is so hard for non-military people to understand this. "love of country, honor, duty, and belief in each other". To some it is all Greek, pardon my analogy.


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## Tez3 (Nov 7, 2011)

ballen0351 said:


> I dont even know what a squaddie is but ive trained with a few Royal Marines before when I was in the US Marines good group of guys.



Bootnecks are good guys, squaddies are British soldiers. If you read the book come back and tell me what you think of them.  I don't want to disillusion you, they are great soldiers though.


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## ballen0351 (Nov 7, 2011)

ballen0351 said:


> I dont even know what a squaddie is but ive trained with a few Royal Marines before when I was in the US Marines good group of guys.



In fact that was the first time I ever snorted vodka up my nose.   Sadly it was not my last.


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## Tez3 (Nov 7, 2011)

ballen0351 said:


> In fact that was the first time I ever snorted vodka up my nose. Sadly it was not my last.



You're lucky, that's not usually the end it goes with them lol!

If you want British soldiers rolling around with laughter the quickest way would be to quote 'country, honour and duty to them'. They will have joined up for one of four reasons. 1. they needed a job. 2. they wanted to fight..anyone they aren't bothered. 3. it's the family business. 4. it was that or go to prison. As for country, we have Gurkhas from Nepal, Fijians, Zimbabweans, South Africans and many more from Commonwealth countries. The Scots, Irish and Welsh will leave as soon as their countries get independance. Now *regimental* honour and loyalty to their mates is what counts. That and not getting caught lol. They will drink you under the table, shag your mother and wife, nick anything that's not nailed down but push come to shove they are the best soldiers in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea3nMtd2opc&feature=fvst John and his son are at 1.43





 Steptoe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDVZYnf-ZWU&feature=BFa&list=PL9D27FEB787DE8AFC&lf=results_video 'why I joined the army


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## ballen0351 (Nov 7, 2011)

Why I Joined the Corps





And this one is cool Im in it for about half a second at the 1:04 mark  Dont blink
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALbCJ1LLDtU&feature=related


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