Armoured Farmer - A Tankie's Tales

military tanks
ISBN 1-84683-029-X
New Edition
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by Malcolm Cleverley
Recollections of a former 'tankie' who served with the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment (3RTR) a.k.a. 'the armoured farmers' during the Cold War years.

This lively memoir by a former Chieftain tank crewmember recalls his experiences in the UK and Germany with the British Army of the Rhine during the Cold War years during which time, he recalls, "we spent a lot of time larking around in lumbering great machines making nuisances of ourselves".

His recollections are sure to find favour with anyone who has served in a tank regiment or those curious to know more about military tanks  and those who operate them.

In this entertaining autobiographical account, the author looks back on his eventful years with the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment (3RTR) ~ also known as "The West Country's Own" or "The Armoured Farmers" ~ in which he served from 1976 to 1992.

His recollections of the mischief that he and his colleagues got up to in their snorting metal monsters whilst on various deployments around the UK and Germany certainly make for enjoyable reading and he takes great delight in recording their antics for posterity.

Regimental pride is also very much in evidence and, along with all the fun, this book provides a valuable record of 3RTR  activities in its final years (it was disbanded in 1992). It is also an excellent non-technical introduction to the realities of tank warfare.

With a soldier's forthright language and robust sense of humour, the author paints a picture of military life that any former soldier will recognise as accurate.

Ex-military readers are warned that they may well be reduced to tears of laughter as they are reminded of their own years in uniform, although a military background is by no means essential in order to enjoy this book.

details softback | 300 pages | b/w photos