The Bird of Time

0/5 ( ratings)

The author explores the child/teenage world of post war West Bromwich, then with the need for National Service, the author signs on as a regular soldier in the Intelligence Corps. We follow his basic training, and a posting to the Middle East where he served for over three years in Cyprus from 1956-59 during the 'troubles' there and at the same time as the Suez Invasion. Amusing anti-hero adventures on land and on water together with a plethora of military characters adorn the constant churn of descriptions, anecdotes and social accounts. We also get some feel for the naive lad fresh from the back streets of a Midland town being thrown into an alien and for him amazing world with present danger and a huge new array of experiences. ANYONE who experienced National Service in the 50s will find this book a trip down memory lane. The book will also be of interest for anyone who was contemporary with the Intelligence Corps during that period. The Army at that time was close to a million strong and entirely different to today's sleek forces - yet on some levels everything was as much the same as it was in Caesar's time. Lovers of Cyprus will find the book engaging as a social and serious history of events. The book also carries an article giving a 'potted history' of the 'Cyprus Emergency' written by Jim Herlihy who was a senior police officer at the time on secondment to the Cyprus Police and who now lives in Melbourne, Australia. The book is heavily illustrated with photographs by the author and others and illustrations based on line drawings sketched for the author's mother. Altogether there are over 24 illustrations. The book is based on about 150 letters written at the time and sent to the author's mother and thus providing very good primary evidence for much of the writing. As with the rest of the Rainbow Valley Books list the book has a bright montage cover designed by Sandie Worrell and based on some of the illustrations in the book. Though the book has a certain esoteric element and is in the nature of an autobiographical memoir, the range of tales told and the wealth of characters make the book a very good read, and initial reaction to the book has been very good.